Meet Voula Litsogiannis, A Leader In The Hospitality Industry

Q: What does Empowering Women mean to you?

Empowering women is about creating pathways for women to step into their full potential, especially in spaces where leadership hasn't traditionally looked like them. It’s not just about representation, but about voice, influence, and impact. To me, empowerment is two-fold: it’s systemic and it’s personal. Systemically, it means changing cultures and policies to promote equity and inclusion. Personally, it means building up other women—sharing knowledge, advocating in rooms they’re not yet in, and modeling the leadership we want to see more of.

In my career, empowerment has meant pushing past barriers that weren’t made with someone like me in mind—a first-generation immigrant, a woman in finance and operations, and now a Co-CEO. I’ve experienced the power of being mentored and the responsibility of mentoring others. I believe in creating access: to opportunity, to decision-making, to confidence.

When I look at the women I’ve hired, coached, or worked alongside over the years, I see the ripple effect that happens when women are empowered: teams perform better, organizations evolve, and industries transform. Empowering women, for me, means making space, holding the door open, and then standing beside them while they lead.

Q: How did you get started working in your field?

My journey began as a teenager in Australia, where I took my first job in sales at age 16. I was drawn to business and numbers early on, which led me to study Accounting and Finance at Monash University. After earning my degree, I moved to the United States with my family, and shortly after, landed a role as a Staff Accountant at Morton’s Restaurant Group. That first opportunity shaped my future. I dove into restaurant financials, international compliance, and operational controls at a time when Morton’s was expanding rapidly, including into Singapore, Hong Kong, Mexico City, Toronto, and Sydney.

What started as crunching numbers evolved into leading teams, implementing systems, managing multimillion-dollar operations, and launching restaurants across continents. I was driven by curiosity, a love of structure, and a hunger to improve everything I touched. I thrived in environments where I could streamline chaos, fix broken systems, and grow people.

That spirit stayed with me. Over the next two decades, I held Controller and executive roles at national brands like Protein Bar and eventually joined Food For Thought in 2016, initially as VP of Finance. Today, I serve as Co-CEO of the company, overseeing $37M+ in operations, with cafés, events, catering, and corporate dining services under our umbrella. My path wasn’t traditional, but it was always grounded in delivering excellence, asking questions, and staying relentless about doing the work the right way.

Q: What do you love most about your job? / What are you most proud of?

I love the complexity of what I do. Every day presents a new challenge—balancing financial oversight, operational execution, and strategic vision. But more than anything, I love being part of building something that matters: a company culture that values its people, a business that continues to grow, and a legacy of operational and financial excellence.

What I’m most proud of is how I’ve helped shape and lead organizations through critical transitions. From integrating international operations at Morton’s, to overhauling financial systems at Protein Bar, to leading Food For Thought through the COVID-19 crisis, I’ve remained a steady hand during times of chaos. When FFT was faced with the immediate effects of the pandemic, I led daily forecasting, negotiated vendor reductions, filed our PPP loan in record time, and protected the organization’s cash flow so that we could survive—and then thrive. I take pride in my candor and my ability to lead with both heart and results.

I’m also proud of the teams I’ve built—many of whom are women I’ve mentored into leadership roles. Building systems is satisfying. Watching people grow and take ownership—that’s legacy. I take pride in being the leader that people can trust to do the hard things, tell the truth, and still have their back.

Q: What advice would you give to someone considering this line of work?

If you’re thinking about a career in hospitality or business operations, my first piece of advice is this: be ready to work hard, stay flexible, and learn constantly. This industry is fast-paced, people-driven, and never the same two days in a row. But it’s also full of opportunities to make a real impact—on teams, on businesses, and on customers.

Don’t be afraid to take on the assignments no one wants. That’s where you learn the most and stand out. Raise your hand, show up early, stay curious, and never underestimate the value of doing the small things well. They build the foundation for everything else.

Also, get comfortable being uncomfortable. Early in my career, I often found myself as the only woman in the room. I learned to speak up, to back my points with data, and to trust my voice—even when it shook. That confidence didn’t come overnight, but I built it by knowing my stuff, being prepared, and being willing to learn from failure.

Lastly, seek out mentors, but also be one. The most fulfilling part of my work has been helping others grow and succeed. Leadership is a long game—it’s not about the title you carry today but the difference you make in someone else’s journey tomorrow.

Q: Anything else you would like to add?

Yes. I’d like to express how honored I would be to join this panel and contribute to a conversation that goes beyond inspiration—into real, actionable insight.

For me, being part of this conference isn’t just about telling my story. It’s about helping other women see themselves in roles of influence, operations, finance, and leadership—spaces where we still don’t see enough of us. I want to share not just the wins, but the grit, the lessons, and the mindset that carried me through decades of building, leading, and often being the first or only woman at the table.

I’ve never chased a title—I’ve chased impact. Whether that meant rolling up my sleeves in a startup, leading multimillion-dollar financial strategy, or helping a team navigate economic uncertainty, my goal has always been to move the business forward while pulling others up with me.

If I can help just one woman see that her strength, directness, or unconventional path is not only valid but valuable—then being part of this panel will have been worth it. Because empowerment isn’t a destination; it’s a chain reaction.

Connect with Voula Litsogiannis on LinkedIn.