No Ads, Just Burgers: How Five Guys Became an Empire

In this wild and unexpected conversation on The Diary of a CEO, John Eckbert, who heads Five Guys in Europe, pulls back the curtain on how a burger joint – yes, a burger joint – took on Britain’s posh food scene and somehow became a cult favorite. And here’s the kicker: they didn’t throw a single cent at traditional ads. No billboards, no flashy commercials, not even a cheeky online promo. Instead, Five Guys built their reputation on something so old-fashioned it almost feels rebellious – word-of-mouth. Seriously. Their "marketing" is letting people talk about the fresh, never-frozen ingredients and open kitchens where you can practically see the magic (or chaos) happening. It’s like an old-school diner, but dialed up to eleven.

John doesn’t just talk shop, though. He goes way deeper, opening up about personal heartbreak, including his struggles through a painful divorce and the heart-wrenching separation from his children – yeah, the stuff you don't see behind the corporate polish. There’s something raw here, as he explains how, even in the high-flying world of CEOs, there’s room for vulnerability, for moments where all that glitters… isn’t gold. It’s a powerful reminder that success comes with baggage, and sometimes the heaviest stuff isn’t the business struggles but the private battles no one sees.

So, why listen to this? Well, if you’re curious about how to build a brand that doesn’t play by the rules (and still wins), or if you’ve ever wondered about the highs and lows hiding behind every great brand – this episode’s for you. Watch the full episode on The Diary of a CEO YouTube channel here.

Just a heads-up: this one’s packed with insights that’ll stick with you, maybe even haunt you a little, long after you’ve hit pause. Don’t miss it.