law – MENTOR dna

September 14, 2022September 14, 2022

Danny Sonenshine: Wingstop and Dunkin’ Donuts

Danny is like the little brother that you always wished you had. He’s direct, doesn’t take any BS, and is known for being sent to the “Blue Chairs” at his elementary school more than anyone in the history of the school.

He met the love of his life at the University of Pennsylvania, and together, they’ve lived a life of being honest about what it really takes to be happy at work and life. He trained as a lawyer and realized day 1 at the law firm, that it wasn’t the path for him. It was five years before her finally heeded her advice and left law.

He took a huge leap of faith and went into the restaurant business. The only non-corporate experience he’d had prior to that was a summer spent in construction. That summer may very well have changed his life!

Danny was early in the Wingstop business, having gone to training at their Texas headquarters, and he learned that it’s not so easy to start a business. It takes years of dedication, focus and planning.

He and his team have now opened their 89th location on the west coast and he’s learned that understanding and appreciating the jobs your front line teams are doing is critical to running a successful business.

We have a fun chat and even dive into similarities between our moms earning their stripes and blazing trails in the corporate world during the 70s and 80s.

Thanks for tuning in to MENTOR dna!

About Danny Sonenshine

Danny is the founder and CEO of Far West Services, the developers and operators of Wingstop restaurants in California, Colorado, Nevada and Washington. Danny is also the co-founder and co-President of Prell Restaurant Group, a developer and operator of Dunkin’ Donuts in Southern California. Danny served as President of the Southern California Wingstop Advertising Association since its formation and is a member of and past President of Wingstop Restaurant’s Franchise Advisory Council.

Danny has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the 2013 Spirit of Franchising MVP Award from Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine and OC Metro’s 40 Under 40 list for 2012. Danny has consistently been recognized by Wingstop, receiving awards for Multi-Unit Operator of the Year, Developer of the Year, Top Gun and Advertising Co-Op of the Year. Danny received Wingstop’s Lifetime Achievement Award and was elected to the Wingstop Hall of Fame in 2016.

Prior to starting Far West in 2004, Danny was an associate at Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP from 1998 to 2004, where he specialized in corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions and securities. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles in 1998 and his B.A. in International Relations, with a minor in Psychology, from the University of Pennsylvania in 1995. He is also a graduate of the Thacher School in Ojai, California, where he served as Chair of the school in his senior year.

He has held leadership positions with several non-profit organizations. Currently, Danny serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of the Thacher School. Previously, he served on and as President of the board of Harbor Day School, a private K-8 school in Newport Beach, California. Currently, Danny and his wife Kerri co-chair the school’s building campaign. Danny is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Loyola Law School and was the Chair of Loyola’s Courtroom of the 1990s Building Campaign. He is a member of the California Coast Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO)and previously served as the President of its board. Danny served on the board of Human Options, a provider of comprehensive services to victims of domestic violence, was a founder and the first Chair of BRAVO, an Orange County Performing Arts Center support group, and Chair of the Steinberg Leadership Institute of the Long Beach/Orange County Chapter of the ADL.

Danny and his wife Kerri are the proud parents of daughters Maggie and Sarah and son Tobey. He’s a runner and enjoys collecting and drinking wine.

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022

Will O’Neill, former Mayor Newport Beach

I’d never given much thought about local elected officials and how their work impacts my life until covid hit. Living in California, I learned quickly that those we voted into office were making impossibly tough decisions that directly impacted my life and that of my family’s. That’s when Will O’Neill, a partner at a local law firm and our city’s 2020 mayor, rose to the occasion and put his constituents first, leading our city’s 85k residents and 700 employees through murky and uncharted waters.

As we reach the upper levels of management, it’s easy to wrap our identities in our careers. The long hours, the hard work, the accolades…it can all easily lead to believing that’s all you are. But time and again, my guests share the same story…there’s so much more to life than work.

Will shares that in this digital age, it’s easy to forget how simple gestures go a long way to form positive and long-lasting impressions.

So…minding your Ps and Qs matters and it’s what he seeks in potential job candidates.

I’ve never met Will O’Neill in person, but I’m so glad some listeners encouraged me to invite him as a guest on MENTOR dna. He and his colleagues on the Newport Beach city council work hard to set our policies and ensure that our laid-back beach town remains safe, special and well-managed on so many levels.

About Will O'Neill

Will O’Neill is a Stanford-educated attorney and small businessman who has served the City for five years on the Newport Beach Finance Committee (currently Chair). A California native, he received his BA from Stanford University where he lettered on the track and field team. He then received his JD from U.C. Hastings College of the Law, where he was President of his class and later President of the U.C. Hastings Board of Governors (alumni association).

Will is a Partner at Ross, Wolcott, Teinert & Prout LLP, previously working at the California Supreme Court for Associate Justice Marvin Baxter (Ret.). He is also a member of the Newport Harbor Exchange Club, Director of the Transportation Corridor Agency (San Joaquin Hills), Board Member of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers, past Trustee of the Celtic Bar Association, and an active member of Mariners Church.

In 2020, Will became the youngest person to be Mayor of Newport Beach. He renewed the Council’s focus on family-friendly community features like parks, libraries, and increased school safety. He has also been proud to serve alongside our families with special needs by ensuring access to first-ever classes offered through our Newport Navigator and by helping the installation of an ADA swing at Coastal Peak Park (thanks to the leadership of a sixth-grade student at Newport Coast Elementary School!).

While Mayor, Will fought to reopen Newport Beach’s world-famous beaches after the Governor shut them, helped oversee Newport Beach’s successful response to COVID, and kept a steady focus on helping small businesses in the community.

Will’s wife, Jenny, is a former elementary school teacher and USC graduate. Their two children, ages 8 and 6, serve as constant inspiration to model service, integrity, and determination.

Currently reading: The Right, The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism – by Matthew Continetti

October 19, 2021October 25, 2021

Susan Natland, Sr. Partner Knobbe Martens

Susan and I met each other through our husbands. We played a round of golf way back when and have since connected around social settings and discussions about our businesses and careers.

What’s interesting to me is that I didn’t realize what a powerhouse she was in the world of IP law until about 10 years ago. She’s confident and humble, but it was her husband who told me about the roles she had landed as “side hustles.” You know…teaching at UCLA Law School, serving our country on the USPTO Trademark Trademark Public Advisory Committee as Vice Chair. NOT small potatoes kind of gigs!

Another common thread that I’ve gleaned from my leadership podcast guests is that many of them include a solid workout in their daily routines. I often see Susan at yoga and pilates and she’s energized and ready to start her day!

On this episode of MENTOR dna, we discuss the importance of being true to yourself and advocating for what you feel you deserve. She also tells a story about her first Chinese factory raid to shut down illegal hand bag manufacturing. Fascinating!

About Susan Natland

Susan Natland is a senior partner in the Orange County office of Knobbe Martens and has been practicing IP law for over 20 years. As Co-Chair of the firm’s Brand Protection Group and Chair of the firm’s Data Privacy and Security Group, Susan had led a career advising start-ups to Fortune 100 companies on all aspects of domestic and international brand protection, advertising law, copyright law, and data privacy and security matters. Her passion is mentoring others and building strong teams who share her business approach to the law in providing clear, concise and practical advice and success in achieving results for her clients. Her clients view her as a true trusted business partner and have honoured her for many years with the “Client Choice” award. Susan has also taught advanced Trademark Law at her alma mater UCLA Law, and was seconded as trademark counsel for one of the biggest technology and e-commerce companies in the world for several years, helping guide business decisions and policy. Susan has served on her firm’s Executive Committee and Diversity Committee and was recently appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve as Vice-Chair of the USPTO Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC).