2024 Business Excellence Winner: Eric Goodwin of The Friendly Toast

Eric’s career began in restaurants, following in his father’s footsteps as an entrepreneurial restauranteur. With an inherited passion for hospitality, Eric soon discovered his personal passion: people. He had such a knack for hiring the best people that other hospitality entrepreneurs began asking him for help. He realized there was a need to help companies find great people, and founded Goodwin Recruiting in 1999. In 2013, with Goodwin Recruiting having grown into a successful nationwide brand, Eric turned to his roots for a new venture. He and his business partner, Scott Pulver, purchased The Friendly Toast, starting with two locations in Portsmouth, NH, and Cambridge, Mass. Now, Eric has grown The Friendly Toast to 13 locations across New England. The core values he passionately penned for his businesses are integrity; dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion; congruent relationships; extensive support; transparent communication; simplicity; and excellence. Eric is involved in numerous charitable endeavors, and was recognized as the 2015 New Hampshire Restauranteur of the Year.