The Pre-Shift Podcast presented by 7shifts is a deep dive into what it takes to run great restaurant teams.  Host DJ Costantino covers the restaurant industry with conversations featuring industry leaders and innovators sharing their business growth insights, backgrounds, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. On this episode, we’re joined by Irene Shiang Li, Cofounder of Prepshift & Mei Mei Dumplings in Boston, Mass. Irene Shiang Li co-founded Mei Mei in Boston in 2013 and built the brand around ethical, sustainable sourcing and fair and transparent employment practices, including open book management. Mei Mei is now a dumpling company and Irene is now building Prepshift, a tech-enabled coaching and workforce training firm. Prepshift focuses on aligning food business teams around their common goals and empowering them with education and transparency. Irene believes that in restaurants, everyone can win. She is a Zagat and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, six-time James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef nominee, and 2022 James Beard Foundation Leadership Award winner. In 2023, Irene and her sister co-authored Perfectly Good Food: a totally achievable zero-waste approach to home cooking with W.W. Norton. Additional Resources Mei Mei DumplingsPrepshiftOne Fair WageFollow Irene LiGet Irene’s BookListen, rate, and subscribe! Spotify Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts YouTube TikTok 7shifts Blog Credits Host & Executive Producer: D.J. Costantino Editor: Fina Charleston Producer: Samantha Fung Designer: Jake Sinclair