Make Restaurants Profitable

AI isn’t coming for hospitality. It’s already here. From missed phone calls costing you reservations… to real-time dynamic pricing… to AI agents handling guest conversations 24/7 — the gap between early adopters and everyone else is widening fast. In this episode, Tim sits down with Bianca Brady, co-founder & CEO of FY.ai and MIT-trained data scientist, to break down what’s actually happening...

Luke Mangan got asked to leave school at 15. No HSC. No plan. No backup. Just a two-week work experience at one of Australia's best restaurants — and a quiet feeling that maybe this was something he could do. What followed was a career that took him from washing dishes in Melbourne, to a cold call that landed him a stage at a 3-star Michelin kitchen in London, to opening Salt in Sydney the ye...

Vanessa went from corporate HR executive to pub owner. She joins us today to discuss the lessons she’s learned, and the structures she put in place to turn a failing business around in less than 24 months. We discuss how to lead staff as a team rather than just managing them, get everyone onboard with making the business as successful as possible, and when necessary, make the hard decisions. You’l...

From dealing with staff not respecting their friend turned superviser, to having a fully packed restaurant that still isn’t making money, today we’re answering YOUR questions in this special Q&A episode of Make Restaurants Profitable. You’ll hear:00:00 - There are good problems to have, and bad problems: This is a good one02:43 - How to know when to exit vs fix06:02 - Don’t repeat history, mak...

Mack went from depression, substance abuse, and losing $10K per month, to completely turning both his life and sandwich shop around in JUST 6 MONTHS. He shares how he fixed his numbers, went viral on TikTok, and now does $300K+ months while selling out daily. You’ll hear:01:41 - The Reality of Depression & Substance Abuse in Hospitality04:29 - Hemorrhaging $10K Per Month While Living a Lie to...

80% of people quit their New Years resolutions by January 19th. Don’t become another statistic. Let’s lay out the framework to make sure that by the end of 2026, you’re looking at the exponential growth you’ve had since TODAY. Thanks to everyone who’s come along for the 2025 Make Restaurants Profitable journey. Comment LET’S CRUSH IT if you’re ready to commit to making 2026 your best year yet! You...

Barrett Black, fourth generation pitmaster at Black's Barbecue (est. 1932), joins us to discuss managing a family business across 4 locations with his dad and brother, how a $30 beef rib they thought would fail became a bestseller, how they predict price increases on meat products, and the challenges of honoring 93 years of tradition while staying relevant in an increasingly competitive BBQ m...

Peter Richie, the first CEO of McDonald's Australia, shares the origin story of losing $15 million over 7 years before turning profitable. From opening the first McDonald’s Australia using a generator, to taking it from the bottom 5% globally to #1 in just 5 years. He reveals why he spent 30% of corporate profits on training, the exact scripts used to build confidence in 15-year-olds, and how...

Las Vegas marketing expert Eric Gladstone reveals why most restaurant owners are leaving massive money on the table and shares the important secrets behind social media, influencer marketing, and community building that actually move the needle. If you think marketing is just posting food photos and chasing viral moments, this episode will completely change how you approach growing your restaurant...

Restaurant owners are working themselves to death while their businesses suffer—but burnout expert Vesna Hrsto reveals it's not about working harder. Learn the simple morning habit, sleep strategy, and mental shifts that can pull you out of the hospitality burnout canyon and actually make your business profitable again. You’ll hear:00:00 - The Redline Effect: Why Hospitality Owners Are Shells...

After 43 years in the restaurant business, Nick Palmeri reveals his industry secrets. Why his employees stay for 10+ years while most restaurants have high staff turnover, how he can spot a bad employee in just 2 hours, and the one skill that separates restaurants that survive from those that go bankrupt. You’ll hear:00:00 - Why Italian Food Has a Secret Advantage Over Other Cuisines05:11 - The Mi...

James Trees went from nearly dying in a car crash to building six restaurants doing over $20 million in revenue. He shares the brutal mistakes he made on Kitchen Nightmares, why most restaurants fail, and the simple changes that took one struggling restaurant from losing money to 24% food cost. You’ll hear:00:00 - From Dishwasher to $20M: The Impossible Journey02:40 - Working Overtime Almost Kille...

Dayna Cooper and her chef husband built two restaurants, but success wasn't what they expected. Today she’s revealing the simple systems and honest conversations that turned their struggling restaurant around, and how easy it is for ANY hospitality business to find an extra $200 a day hiding in plain sight. You’ll hear:00:48 - "It Was Breaking Even But Breaking Us"03:07 - The Harsh...

Las Vegas chef Bruce Kalman runs multiple successful restaurants and today we’re breaking down why a restaurant isn’t just about cooking great food. We investigate the small money leaks you don’t even see draining your business of profit, as well as the importance of treating your team right. He shares his advice on hiring good people, creating memorable experiences that keep customers coming back...

On today’s episode, Adam Bortz, owner of Little Italy Coffee Roasters, breaks down the non-negotiables, systems, and mindset shifts that took him from roasting for 10 customers to building a business that actually runs without him. He reveals why working crazy hours is actually a sign you're failing, and how his business partner leaving actually unlocked massive growth. You’ll hear:01:47 - Wh...

Phil was burned out, hating his cafe, and ready to quit, but instead, he reconnected with his vision, made tough team decisions, and applied simple menu tweaks that changed everything for him. Now he works less, sees his kids more, and people are lining up to work for him. You’ll hear:02:18 - The marriage red flag every restaurant owner ignores06:19 - How community saved my cafe 17:30 - Firing two...

From knifeless kitchens to powerful mindset shifts, Jeff Leipnik joins us today to share his journey scaling to 15 restaurants and the lessons he's learned along the way. He opens up about maintaining a successful 30-year business partnership with his wife and the simple system that has prevented them from having a single fight. Whether you're looking to overcome burnout, strengthen your...

Today we head out to Darwin Australia to chat with Romal Shrestha, owner of Darwin Catering Company. We discuss how stepping away from day to day operations and knowing when to quit, all led to receiving 40-50 enquiries per day, and employing over 200 people. You’ll also hear about how he created a food delivery app in just three days AND outperformed Uber Eats during covid. You’ll hear:02:18 - Yo...

Tom Potter started Eagle Boys back in 1987 and grew it to over 200+ stores generating over a $100 million a year in revenue before exiting. Why was it so successful? And why did they collapse? Today we talk about the key to a successful franchise business, the three things you need to focus on to grow your business and what to do when it all feels like it’s falling apart. You’ll also hear about hi...

Most restaurant, cafe & bar owners aren’t getting the most out of their social media. In fact, even if you’re posting every day your content might be the thing that is turning potential customers away. Today I’m joined by Taylor Craig, founder of Delish Digital, who has spent 17+ years helping her clients make the most of their socials, and turn followers into real paying customers, and she ow...

Has your dream of owning a restaurant, cafe, bar or food truck turned into a nightmare? Today I’m answering two of your questions to talk through some of the REAL struggles that restaurant owners are facing. First up is Seb from Ottawa who has been doing a steady trade pulling $15k weeks … until 3 new venues opened up around him. Now he’s unsure whether to discount, offer bundle deals or do someth...

If your restaurant, cafe, bar or food truck looks successful from the outside … but behind the scenes you’re broke, struggling and don’t know what to do next. You’re not alone. And it’s not your fault. This industry has been set up to fail … In today’s episode I share my story with you. You’ll hear 01:12 - Why you’re working harder than ever .. but still broke3:13 - What Domino’s taught me about m...

Andrew Baturo is one of Brisbane’s most accomplished restaurateurs. With over 30 years in the game, was part of the team that brought Wagamama to Australia, created Libertine 20 years ago, and co-founded DAP & Co; the group behind Walter’s Steakhouse, Popolo, and The Gresham. Today, he continues to shape Brisbane’s dining scene with venues like Tillerman and the reimagined Naldham House. Today...

Ever wondered what the operations look behind millions of meals every single year? Steve Sidd opened his first restaurant when he was 18 years old, now he’s behind 12 venues, 26 different dining concepts, 40 event spaces, a centralised warehouse, a software company, and a franchise network. We talk about why he centralised his operations, the things that most owners don’t pay attention to which co...

Everyone wants to open a venue. But no one talks about what it really takes to keep the doors open. In this episode, I sit down with Jackie Middleton, the operator behind Earl Canteen, Dame, and Golden, to pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to build (and survive) in this industry. She’s been in the game 15+ years. Opened 15 venues. Shut some down. Lost money. Made money. Put her every...