Ian Cronin

Ian Cronin is a trainer and consultant who has built team and leadership capacity on the floors of some of New York and Los Angeles’s most demanding restaurants and bars. His own experience recruiting, training, and leading staff under real-time pressure, combined with a practical understanding of how businesses actually run, provides a strong foundation for his work with clients.

Before joining Proteus, Ian’s career spanned more than two decades in hospitality, rising through nearly every position on the floor before opening his first venture, Skytown. He went on to build teams across Grey Dog, Ace Hotel, Gjelina, and Marlow Collective, and has consulted on openings and turnarounds for brands including Roberta’s, Scarr’s Pizza, and CIM Group’s hospitality projects in Los Angeles. His consulting work has also extended into music, television, and pre-launch technology ventures, helping founders and visionaries clarify their own voice and build teams capable of executing their vision.

Ian currently owns and operates Heaven & Earth, a natural wine bar in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and is creating a second concept in Manhattan’s East Village, while co-leading Waitlist, the hospitality consulting practice he runs with his business partner.

Ian specializes in building leaders and teams from diverse backgrounds and skill sets into strong units capable of sustained excellence under real-time pressure.