Michael interviews Bjarke Just Nielsen, founder of Norrlyst Koncernen in Copenhagen, about building a fast-growing restaurant ecosystem and related tech companies.
Nielsen left corporate roles at Novo Nordisk and TDC, opened his first restaurant about five and a half years ago, then pivoted during COVID—without government support—by keeping staff and launching a deli that succeeded, accelerating his focus on online customer acquisition and data.
Today the group operates about 20 restaurants with roughly 550 employees, serves around a million guests yearly, and runs centralized systems where a small team drives demand using a toolbox of 16 traffic levers while restaurants focus on delivering the promised experience.
He discusses agility over rigid planning, professionalizing the organization through disciplined hiring, pursuing Michelin recognition with intense preparation, leadership role clarity, and upcoming projects including new tech initiatives, convenience stores, and a large all-day restaurant.
Connect with Bjarke:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjarke-just-nielsen-6a71445b/
https://norrlyst.dk/
https://freetable.com/
https://eater.dk/
Timestamps:
01:37 Meet Bjarke Just Nielsen
03:42 Host Sets The Scene
05:44 From Corporate To Founder
08:43 Corona Pivot Deli Breakthrough
10:00 Tech First Restaurant Group
11:57 Risk Mindset And Agility
15:14 Scaling Culture Hiring Right
20:56 Growth Pains And Recruitment
22:04 Prepared Not Over Planned
27:20 Why Build Tech Companies
32:18 Oversubscribed Toolbox Of Demand
35:11 Sixteen Levers Walk Ins To Tech
37:11 Service Over Segments
38:08 Scaling Concepts With One Back Office
39:04 Agility And Creative Fit
40:32 Chasing Michelin Stars
42:08 Overpreparing For The Inspector
45:46 Hiring The Right Team
48:04 Leadership Evolution And Strengths
53:26 Why Entrepreneurs Do It
56:50 Is Hospitality Being Lost
01:02:22 What Excites Him Next
01:04:31 Industry Future And Where To Connect
01:07:26 Final Thanks And Wrap
