I attended Crain's Annual Entrepreneurs Luncheon this week at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Chicago.  The speaker was Bryant Keil, Chairman and CEO at Potbelly Sandwich Works.  Keil has turned POTBELLY into a great brand (first choice of my kids for fast food).  His speech provided these tips for building a great company and brand:

1.  Be true to yourself.  Trust your instincts.

2.  Have a sense of quality.  Don't chase trends.  Do the best thing, not the cheapest.

3.  Hire the best people.  Hire nice people.

4.  Be ahead of the curve.  Keep moving forward.

5.  Loyalty is everything, with employees, vendors, customers.  It should be a win for everyone.

6.  Give back to things you care about.

7.  Create friendships and dialog around the world.