June Rodil MS, Goodnight Hospitality

Title: CEO and Partner, Goodnight Hospitality

Location: Houston, Texas

Years in the Industry:

Since 1998! My first service job was as a server for The Olive Garden (their training program was so intense that I always interview people with Darden on their resumes). I was a server throughout college and grad school and then I finally took the leap and told myself, "I already AM in the industry I want to be in!" and started my path in wine in 2007.  

From there, I started opening restaurants and have opened over 15 restaurant concepts since 2010. After achieving my Master Sommelier diploma, I transitioned into executive operations roles and eventually started a partnership with friends in Houston, TX and am now the proud owner of 4 restaurant concepts.

My Top Three Challenges to Wellness:

1.     Putting my oxygen mask on first. I don't want to seem like a CEO/owner that choose not to work as hard as our team and so, until I know that everyone gets their two days of rest, relaxation or whatever they need to maintain a work/life balance, I cannot take two days off in row any not feel guilty about it so end up working longer hours and on days when the concepts are closed to try to be more efficient and be there for the team during store hours. It is difficult to not set time aside for myself when I am trying to teach others to do so. It's a gambit, a catch 22, and sometimes plan idiotic. 

 2.     I love sleep. Like, I LOVE it. But mostly because I do not sleep efficiently. I do not keep regular sleep hours. Sometimes I go to bed at 3am and wake up at 6am. Sometimes I go to sleep at 9pm and wake up at 9am. I worry and stress a lot which causes insomnia and then I get exhausted from long workdays and could sleep for a week. My sleep deficiency never seems to reset with my schedule, so I am figuring out ways to improve on it. 

3.     I love food. Like, I LOVE IT. I had some issues as a child with food insecurity and was worried about my next meal when I immigrated from the Philippines to the United States. And sometimes, I can feel that guilt all the way up my throat and am ashamed at being so lucky to have food around me all the time that I can't stop eating. It's a paradox that seems so easy to address but also so complex because I chose to go into the food & wine industry. Also, I am absolutely enamored with food -- the culture of dining, the history of dishes and regionality, and the deliciousness of it all. I need to NOT wrap all that into one big cheese ball and eat my feelings even though it's so easy to. 

How I Keep It Together to Stay Well:

Therapy! I cannot recommend it more. It's important to find the right therapist and I have had some not great fits, but, in the end, the process of going through therapy is so important to me. Being able to tackle my mental health and become more aware of where I am in the moment with my thoughts and mental strength has helped me grow. And sometimes, the times I am not going to therapy are the most important because I know I allowed myself the process and came through it. I also know I can go back at any time I need and have gone through that process as well. It allows me to ask for help but still feel like I had the power to do so. 

Surrounding myself with loved ones. I cannot stress this enough. I moved to a different city for my job, opened two concepts, and then went into 2020 lockdown in under a year. Isolation was catastrophic for my wellness and as we slowly started to emerge from that nightmare, I realigned myself and my social circle became a bit smaller, and I realized how important my core group of family and friends are.

Even though we may live in different cities, I feel like the dedication to them is the strongest it's ever been because of our mutual commitment to make sure to find the time to spend together. Having your people around you that make you feel free to be you is so important. 

My fur baby, Dottie. She's loving, energetic, and a constant challenge. 

What Inspires Me:

Gazing at Art. I love getting sucked into beautiful art and live in a city where that's easy to find! Y'all go check out the Houston Art Scene, please. I can go to the Rothko Chapel whenever I want, walk the Menil Collection building, and have a picnic outside, and drive around and look at architecture. When I travel, I also go to museums, installations, and walk around and get lost while taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. 

Travel is amazing and invigorating. It makes me feel small in a big universe and makes me want to gobble up more experiences in life. I love walking down streets and hearing new languages and finding out about new customs. Feeling like part of a very big world makes worries a little smaller and less immediate. It makes me breathe things in and appreciate the world. 

A Quote I Love:

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. - Mae West 

You can connect with June on Instagram Facebook  and at goodnighthospitality.com