Life. Work. One and the Same.
Steve Jobs once said, “[Work] is still my life but it is not all of my life.” I’ve always connected with that idea, though in my case, the line between the two can feel almost invisible.
Right now, I’m in Tempe, Arizona with Gina—my co-founder, business partner, best friend, and wife—helping our oldest son, Jack, move into his dorm for his freshman year at Arizona State. It’s a big family milestone, and while it’s been full of Target runs and emotional moments, my mind has also been on The 601 Group.
We’ve been talking to people interested in partnering with us to open new Local Epicurean locations. Those conversations have made something clear: growth alone isn’t the goal. We’re not chasing store counts just to chase them. We’re building something that lasts, and that means working with people who share our values: passion for hospitality, care for the details, and a belief that food can bring people together in a way that strengthens families and communities.
This trip has reminded me how central those values are. Moving Jack into his dorm is a personal moment, but it’s also a reflection of what we want our business to stand for. We believe hospitality starts with how you treat the people closest to you. That same spirit carries into every Local Epicurean class, every team we build, every market we open.
It’s also a reminder of why we can do this, why we can be here in Arizona and I can still do my primary job with World 50, without missing a beat. None of our businesses require us to be there every day. That’s not luck. It’s the result of hiring people who think like us, trust like us, and lead with the same values. When you have the right people in place, you can step away physically without stepping away mentally. You can be fully present in the moment while knowing the work is still being done to the highest standard.
When life and work are aligned, you stop thinking of them as separate lanes. The same principles guide both: invest in relationships, be intentional about who you partner with, and build something you’d be proud to have your name on years from now.
For those of you following along with our journey at The 601 Group, this is another reminder that what we’re building is not just a hospitality business—it’s an expression of what we value most. We talk about immersive food experiences, exceptional service, and unique destinations, but underneath all of that is a belief that business should be deeply personal.
Here’s what that means in practice:
Choose partners for values first, skills second. We can teach someone how to operate a Local Epicurean or run a world-class class experience. What we can’t teach is care for people, a genuine love for hospitality, or the belief that community matters. Those have to be there from the start.
Let life shape the business. Moments like moving Jack into college aren’t just personal milestones—they’re a reminder of why we build what we build. If the way we run our business doesn’t allow space for family, connection, and community, then we’ve missed the point.
Pace growth with purpose. We’re not trying to plant flags in as many cities as possible. We’re building something enduring, which means saying no to opportunities that don’t align with our standards or vision, even if they look great on paper.
The 601 Group will grow, but it will grow intentionally. It will grow through people and partnerships that share our vision for hospitality as a force for connection. And when you work that way, the line between life and work doesn’t just blur—it disappears in the best possible way.
-Mike and Gina