Digital Hospitality

Michael Beck , the co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Popcorn GTM , is a seasoned sales leader with over three decades of experience in the enterprise sales sector.  In 2023, Beck, alongside Paul Molinari , launched Popcorn GTM—a groundbreaking sales and marketing consultancy tailored for the restaurant technology industry. This venture represents more than just a business; it’s the culminati...

The job of building your tech stack is never done. In this interview, Shawn Walchef talks with Spin! Pizza Director of IT and Operations Support Jeff Lee about his long-history with the fast causal pizza chain and how technology can transform restaurant operations. *** ABOUT SPIN! PIZZA : Local entrepreneurs who shared a love of Italian cuisine had the desire to create a unique restaurant concept...

Controversy sells. At least that’s what we’ve been told. But put the word “beautiful” in front of it, and the idea of calamity somehow dissipates. Or at least that’s what those in hospitality hope to happen.  Listen to the replay of the latest Rising Tide LinkedIn Live room where the participants discussed beautiful controversy and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest and join the room...

What are you curious about? Where has your curiosity led you? There is a saying that says: The more you learn, the more you’ll need to know. Shawn Walchef returned to host a recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room powered by Cali BBQ Media as he and the participants delved into what sparked them down the path of asking questions. Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discuss...

Shawn Walchef , Owner of Cali BBQ Media , made an appearance on Fast Casual by Landed that was a testament to his innovative approach to digital marketing and his deep understanding of the power of storytelling through video.  Walchef has long advocated for the use of video to authentically showcase one’s business and personal brand online. For Walchef, video is more than just a medium—it’s a gate...

The online delivery market can be lose-lose-lose proposition. Sauce (@getsauce) makes it a win-win-win. Sauce is a commission-free pickup and delivery network for restaurants that wants to help them take back control of how their food gets to the customer. The mission is to help them build a profitable delivery business online by selling directly to consumers. In this conversation live from the Na...

Bright spots in business can be hard to find and even harder to embrace. In a recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room powered by Cali BBQ Media , guest host Elizabeth Doss encouraged participants to tell stories about their own experiences with finding the highs in life and business. Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed bright spots and follow Cali BBQ Media to ke...

Do you have traditions? Family traditions? Personal traditions?  In a recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room , Troy Hooper of Hot Palette America led the participants in a conversation surrounding traditions. What transpired was a realization of the practices that some accepted practices may need to be revisited. Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed the role trad...

In this latest Coaching Call with entrepreneur, podcast host, and mentor David Meltzer , host Shawn Walchef discusses the importance of community, the power of storytelling, and how to leverage modern technology for business growth.  Walchef shares his recent experience at Toast’s headquarters, emphasizing the impact of building connections and community.  Meltzer emphasized the significance of st...

Good technology can save you time and money. On this episode of the Digital Hospitality podcast, Shawn Walchef sits down with Mark Lindberg , CFO of Provident Hospitality Group , to talk about how why they switched their clients over to Restaurant365 and helping restaurants save money with their accounting solutions. “It is a complete tool. The only other thing you need is a point of sale system,”...

In a recent Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room powered by Cali BBQ Media , guest host Richard Liverman challenged the participants to think about practices they wanted to start, stop, or continue. Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed productivity hacks. and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest and join the rooms to tell your story and have your voice hea...

Bill Lindsey , and his team at COGS-Well have leveraged their decades of experience in developing and servicing restaurant management systems to tackle one of the most persistent challenges in the industry: the complexity and time-consuming nature of installing and maintaining inventory systems.  Recognizing the struggle that many restaurant operators face, COGS-Well’s mission is to simplify these...

If you could automate a task you hated, why wouldn’t you? Restaurant owners didn’t get into the business to do accounting or other arduous tasks. So it’s good that Restaurant365 is here to help. In this lively conversation at the National Restaurant Show , Shawn Walchef talks with members of the R365 Southeast US team about how Restaurant365 tools are helping restaurants thrive and focus on what t...

In a recent LinkedIn Live Room hosted by Shawn Walchef. The participants discussed the importance of an effective website in the increasingly digital business landscape.  Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed tips, tricks, and important considerations to make a business website as effective as possible. Follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest and join th...

PassPass is set to revolutionize the way businesses and consumers interact. Their mission is clear: to keep every business in business. Their vision is a world where consumer savings directly contribute to the prosperity of businesses. PassPass is an app that allows users to search for local deals for free. To claim these deals, users subscribe to a $5 monthly membership, which unlocks access to t...

ExpandShare’s mobile-first, self-serve training platform, now part of Restaurant365, helps restaurants create unforgettable guest experiences and growth. It does this by providing employees with intuitive, engaging content that helps them deliver consistent, excellent experiences. At times, employee training can be scattershot, not tracked, and confusing to employees said R365 Product Sales Lead T...

The Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room is filled with show hosts and guests. In this important conversation, the participants discussed how to ensure that a podcast appearance is beneficial for the guest. ​​Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed how to be a better podcast host and follow Cali BBQ Media to keep up with the latest and join the rooms to tell your story a...

Matt Singer is CEO of Ecotrak , a SaaS company transforming the facilities industry with its leading enterprise facility and asset management platform.  Singer, with a background in restaurant finance, co-founded the company by merging his expertise with that of his partner, who specialized in restaurant facilities. They recognized a gap in data supporting operational decisions, such as expenses,...

Restaurant365’s mission is to Help Restaurants Thrive. As a leading all-in-one restaurant enterprise management platform, R365 and its team knows it has solutions that will directly benefit lots of people. At the National Restaurant Association Show , the energetic Restaurant365 team showed off a new selection of tech to help restaurant performance, growth, and compliance. Restaurant365 has a pres...

The origins of the CookIN app, Co-developed with Chef Ron Tornari ,  was born from Mauricio Garcia’s frustration with the repetitive options available for ordering out while on work trips. He yearned for the comfort of homemade food and began to envision a platform where professional chefs and talented home cooks can showcase their skills and connect with those seeking delicious, homemade meals. ...

With many years of intensive experience in the restaurant industry, Scott Gillman knows a game-changing technology when he sees one. Scott Gillman is CEO of Dine Technology , a restaurant technology company specializing in accounting, reporting, and systems integration. They consist of experts in implementing Restaurant365 whose goal is to give restaurant clients a simpler experience and to save m...

In last week’s Rising Tide LinkedIn Live Room , the participants discussed How to Communicate Better Digitally. The crew was joined by Ovation Founder, motivational speaker, author, podcast host, and all around entrepreneur guru, Zack Oates where he gave invaluable tools for growth and communication. Listen to the replay of the latest room where the participants discussed tip and tools on communic...

At the National Restaurant Association Show 2024 , Popmenu co-founders Brendan Sweeney and Tony Roy shared compelling insights into how AI and technology are revolutionizing the restaurant industry with Digital Hospitality host Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media Roy recounted The power of consistency via a story from Ruby’s Jamaican Kitchen in Alexandria, VA, during one of their pocket-sized webinars...

Last week, the Rising Tide LinkedIn Live room discussed things, assignments, and mindsets that are causing them to have to wait.  What was learned was that some participants are no longer waiting for anything, some progress is being paused by items out of their control, while others are actively working through barriers, alleged or otherwise. Listen to the replay of the latest room where the parti...

Going from busboy at IHOP to owning four of the franchises is basically the definition of the American Dream. After emigrating from Lebanon to the U.S., Walid Jamal and his brother Rabih got starting jobs at an IHOP in Michigan. Years later they were given the chance to jump into IHOP franchise ownership. “It’s been positive. It’s been a great journey. IHOP is a great partner,” he said. Walid Jama...