Susan DeRose is a distinguished entrepreneur, filmmaker, and restaurateur whose career spans multiple industries, leaving a lasting impact through creativity, leadership, and resilience. Raised in a military family, Susan developed a deep sense of discipline and perseverance, values that have shaped her approach to business and storytelling. As the President of Liberty House Restaurant Corporation, she oversees three of Atlanta’s most iconic dining establishments: Bones Restaurant, OK Cafe, and Blue Ridge Grill. Under her leadership, Liberty House has set a standard for excellence, with Bones consistently ranked among the top steakhouses in the country and OK Cafe beloved for its Southern comfort food.
In 2020, Susan expanded her creative endeavors into filmmaking, writing and directing the historical drama Charming the Hearts of Men, starring Kelsey Grammer. The film explores social change and political evolution, showcasing Susan’s passion for meaningful storytelling.
Her entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to excellence have propelled her to success in both the restaurant and film industries. With a career defined by innovation, resilience, and a commitment to quality, Susan DeRose continues to inspire those around her, shaping the future of both the culinary and entertainment worlds.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
My day starts early, usually with a cup of coffee and a quick look at the news. Then, I dive into emails and any urgent business tasks. I try to carve out some time for creative work, especially if I also have film projects in the works. The key to making my day productive is to stay organized and focus on my priorities. As the President of Liberty House Restaurant Corporation, I have a lot of moving parts to manage, so I keep a detailed schedule and delegate tasks to my team. I also make sure to stay engaged with the restaurants, whether it’s checking in on the quality of the food or interacting with guests. I’ve found that being hands-on and staying connected with my team and customers helps keep everything running smoothly.
How do you bring ideas to life?
For me, bringing ideas to life starts with a lot of research and understanding the concept thoroughly. Whether it’s creating a new dish for one of our restaurants or developing a film project, I spend time brainstorming, collaborating with others, and seeking feedback. The next step is execution—taking that idea and breaking it down into manageable steps. I believe in surrounding myself with the right people, so I work with talented chefs, directors, and creatives who share my vision. Once an idea is in motion, I stay involved and ensure that it remains aligned with the original concept. It’s a process of constant refinement, learning, and adapting, but I think that’s what makes the final result worthwhile.
What’s one trend that excites you?
There are plenty of trends that excite me in food. Not so much in film. How about a College with a Food Institute dedicated to the art, science, health and business of food? That’s what excites me. Imagine students creating their own educational path in one of these areas: learning how to rid diabetes? Educating students about vegetables and how to cook them? Training their mothers about health?
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
One habit that helps me stay productive is setting clear, achievable goals for the day and sticking to them. I make sure to answer all emails and deal with all issues the same day.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell my younger self not be afraid of failure. Early in my career, I was often concerned about making mistakes or not being perfect, but I’ve learned that failure is an essential part of growth. I would also advise myself to trust my instincts more, even when others might doubt me. Staying true to my vision and values has been one of the most important decisions I’ve made in my career.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I believe that too many businesses focus on growth for the sake of growth, without considering the long-term impact on their brand and values. I’ve always been focused on quality over quantity. It’s tempting to expand quickly, but I think it’s important to stay grounded and true to what made your business successful in the first place. For me, that means not rushing to open more restaurants or expand my business too quickly. Money does not motivate me.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
I recommend that everyone take time to step away from their work, even if it’s just for a short time, to refresh and reset. I find that stepping outside, going for a walk, or even just spending time with family and friends helps me gain a new perspective on my work. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle, but taking breaks is essential for creativity and long-term success.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I take a moment to pause and remove myself from the work as mentioned. I focus on something else then go back at it again.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Never let up on standards. Never compromise on quality. The first time your team sees you cutting, they know they can.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
With our first restaurant, Bones, we had an over-night hit on our hands. We were young, 28 years old. For the second restaurant, we decided to give Atlanta what it did not have, a classic, Northern Italian restaurant with home-made pasta, in-house herb garden, gourmet pizzas, a chef from the lake district, marble floors, waiters in white jackets, slick plastered walls. It was beautiful. The food was nouveau cuisine. The first night I was stopped by one of our guests who complained he didn’t get full up and didn’t plan on spending so much for the decor. And he wasn’t the only one who thought that way. That’s when I learned not to give people what you think they should have, but only what they want.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Imagine a casual restaurant where you not only order on your phone/tablet, but you rate the food, service, timing on your phone which is sent immediately to the kitchen. A large monitor is housed on the kitchen wall showing a minute by minute metric graph scored by the customers. The better the scores, the more the kitchen makes. Now we have back of house incentives.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
The only software I use is Apple Mail. Try to keep technology pretty simple. I don’t even own a phone.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Historical fiction works for me. When you can be taken to a different time and place and learn something along the way, that hits the spot.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
My favorite series of all is The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Not only is the story compelling of a women who finds herself in challenging situations yet takes control, but the production (costumes, sets, music) are the finest I’ve seen for any TV series. It just makes me feel good. And that’s special at a time most TV/film content is dark, violent and sad. Hurray for positive, happy stories – which by the way – is much harder to write.
Key learnings
- Never Compromise on Quality
- Take Time To Focus
- Research and Preparation