Wisking it all

About the Episode In this conversation, David Scott Peters, a restaurant expert and coach, shares his extensive experience in the restaurant industry, discussing the importance of leadership, systems, and accountability in achieving restaurant prosperity. David shares insightful success stories, like that of Daisha Wakefield, who leveraged effective systems and budgeting to transform her career fr...

About the Episode In this conversation, Peter Newlin, Chief Vision Officer and Co-Founder of Gastamo Group, shares insights into the future of the restaurant industry, emphasizing the importance of technology, mentorship, and community engagement. He discusses his personal journey into hospitality, the evolution of restaurant concepts, and the significance of experiential dining. Newlin highlights...

About the Episode In this episode, Angelo Esposito interviews Gregg Majewski, founder and CEO of Craveworthy Brands. They discuss the journey of scaling restaurants, the importance of culture and leadership, and the innovative approach of Craveworthy Brands in the restaurant industry, including the use of virtual brands and shared kitchens to maximize efficiency and profitability. In this conversa...

About the Episode In this engaging conversation, Vance Morris shares his unique journey from a childhood paper route to a successful career in customer service and entrepreneurship. He discusses his time at Disney, the lessons learned, and how he applied those principles to build a thriving carpet cleaning business. Vance emphasizes the importance of customer experience, effective marketing strate...

About the Episode In this conversation, Jake Simon, co-founder and CEO of ConnectedFresh, discusses the company's mission to reduce food waste and improve operational efficiency in the food service industry through advanced sensor technology. He shares the origin story of ConnectedFresh, highlighting the challenges faced by restaurants and grocery stores, particularly in managing temperature and e...

About the Episode In this conversation, Christin Marvin shares her journey from a 20-year career in the hospitality industry to becoming a consultant and leadership coach. She discusses the challenges faced by independent restaurant owners, the importance of self-awareness, and the need for effective leadership development. Christin emphasizes the significance of creating sustainable business prac...

About the Episode In this conversation, Jason Berkowitz, founder of Arrow Up Training, shares his extensive journey in the hospitality industry, detailing his passion for the field and the lessons learned from opening nearly 100 restaurants. He emphasizes the importance of training, feedback, and maintaining clear processes to ensure operational efficiency. Jason discusses the critical path to ope...

About the Episode In this conversation, Sam Fonseca  takes us through his fascinating journey, beginning with his first encounter with Raising Cane's in California, and the impactful career choices that followed. From record-breaking sales at Raising Cane’s to leading the busiest location of Dave’s Hot Chicken, Sam's story is a testament to the power of innovative practices and strategic career mo...

About the Episode In this conversation, Matt Plapp, CEO of America's Best Restaurants and Dryver, shares his extensive experience in restaurant marketing, discussing the evolution from traditional to digital marketing strategies. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling, customer engagement, and building a strong customer database. Matt also highlights the challenges faced by restaurant owners...

About the Episode In this conversation, Olga Lopategui, founder of Restaurant Loyalty Specialists, shares her journey from corporate roles in international marketing to establishing her own consulting firm focused on restaurant loyalty programs. She discusses the common pitfalls restaurants face when implementing loyalty programs, the evolution of these programs over the years, and the impact of t...

About the Episode In this engaging discussion, Scot shares his methodologies in concept development, emphasizing market research and unique positioning, like the creation of a Persian and Eastern Mediterranean concept for a historic British manor house hotel. He advocates for pushing boundaries, tackling implementation challenges, and ensuring operational efficiency. Scot and Angelo explore the in...

About the Episode Jay Ashton, hospitality and food service business coach and consultant, discusses the evolution of the restaurant industry and the challenges faced by restaurateurs. He shares his personal journey in the industry and how it saved him from a chaotic upbringing. Jay also explores notable trends in the restaurant space, such as the impact of the internet and the rise of AI. Moreover...

About the Episode Olivier Rassinoux, Vice President of Restaurant and Bar at Patina Restaurant Group, discusses his background and the operations of the restaurant group. The group owns 30 restaurants with different concepts and is owned by Delaware North. They have a significant business with Disney and also operate in New York, Boston, and Southern California. Olivier shares his journey in the h...

About the Episode In this episode, we’ll explore how GiftAMeal transforms everyday dining experiences into opportunities for generosity, with a stunning milestone of 2 million meals donated to food banks. We'll discuss the metrics and emotional connections that drive customer loyalty and behavior, and reveal how restaurants—from local spots to national chains—are integrating this initiative to mak...

About the Episode Abhinav Kapur, co-founder and CEO of Bikky, discusses the customer data platform for restaurants and the importance of understanding guest behavior. Bikky pulls in data from various sources, such as point of sale, payments, online ordering, reservations, and loyalty, to help restaurants gain insights into their customers. Kapur shares his journey of transitioning from finance to...

About the Episode Welcome to Episode 50 of the Wisking It All Podcast! Today, we're thrilled to have Branden Mcrill, co-founder, and CEO of Five Out, join us for an insightful discussion on the universal challenges within the restaurant industry. With over 26 years of hospitality experience, Branden dives deep into the critical aspects of achieving profitability through labor and purchasing optimi...

About the Episode Cameron Rowe, the founder of Hover, discusses the drone delivery startup and its focus on last-mile food delivery. He shares his background in the drone space and how he transitioned from doing real estate photography to starting Hover. Cameron also talks about his experience with Techstars and appearing on Dragon's Den (the Canadian version of Shark Tank). He explains the challe...

About the Episode Mehdi Zarhloul, CEO of Crazy Pita Restaurant Group, shares his journey from working in restaurants as a teenager to opening his own Mediterranean restaurant chain. He discusses the challenges and successes he experienced along the way, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, Mehdi also talks about the importance of technology in his business, including the use of...

About the Episode Shereen shares her insights on the importance of integrating feedback channels and trend analysis in online reviews, and how Akira's platform helps businesses manage their online presence effectively. She discusses the development of conversational data and how AI can provide unique insights on customer feedback, identifying exceptional experiences and key themes. Throughout the...

About the episode Monte Silva, an owner and restaurant executive coach with over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, shares his journey from starting as a dishwasher at the age of 15 to eventually transitioning into restaurant management, operations, and coaching. He emphasizes the importance of creating a perfect business model that encompasses exceptional service, hospitality, pr...

About the episode Harold Isaac Walters, CEO and co-founder of Shootz, shares his journey in the food and beverage industry. Shootz is a Hawaiian Asian fusion restaurant that specializes in fried chicken katsu. Harold's background in tech and e-commerce influenced his approach to running Shootz, focusing on data collection and digital marketing. He emphasizes the importance of having a solid tech s...

About the Episode In this conversation, Angelo Esposito interviews John Florinis, EVP Product at MealTicket, about his journey in the fintech and payments industry and the evolution of restaurant technology. They discuss the importance of POS, inventory management, and labor management in the restaurant tech stack. They also explore the challenges of implementing back-of-house solutions and the ne...

About the Episode Stephanie Olson, the Founder and Campaign Director of RestauWant, discusses the inspiration behind founding RestauWant and how her journey began in the hospitality industry. RestauWant offers full-service digital marketing solutions for restaurants, with a focus on optimizing ad spend and creating compelling storytelling campaigns. They help restaurants increase revenue by incorp...

About the Episode In this episode, Zach Goldstein, Founder and CEO of Thanx, discusses the creation and purpose of his guest engagement platform designed for restaurants. Thanx aims to drive customer lifetime value through data-driven insights, focusing on loyalty programs, data capture, marketing automation, and data visualization. Zach highlights successful loyalty programs from brands like Velv...

About the Episode In this episode, Angelo Esposito sits down with Michael Beck, Co-founder and CRO of Popcorn GTM, a dynamic agency specializing in go-to-market strategies within the hospitality tech sector. They delve into the nuances of marketing to the hospitality industry, discussing evolving sales strategies and the art of differentiation in a crowded market. Central to their conversation is...