Media Test Kitchen

Communication and digital wellness took center stage on Rising Tides Live as Marisa Cali filled in for Shawn Walchef and led a conversation on our relationship with technology. Operators, entrepreneurs, and creators shared real experiences navigating constant connectivity and the challenge of staying present. A clear theme emerged: technology is a powerful tool, but without intention, it can take...

In this Pitch the Tide session, Stephanie Florio , Co-Founder of Swob , introduces a mobile-first hiring platform built for high-turnover, hourly workforces. Swob uses its AI assistant, Emma, to streamline job posting, screen candidates, and accelerate communication through real-time notifications and text-based outreach. The platform helps operators quickly identify and connect with qualified can...

Leadership stories took center stage on Rising Tides Live as Ward Olgreen filled in for Shawn Walchef and the community explored a powerful question: what moment in life actually changes how you lead. Operators, entrepreneurs, creators, and advisors shared deeply personal experiences that shaped their approach to leadership. From health crises and personal loss to early career lessons and moments...

In this Pitch the Tide session, Rich Simmerman , Founder and CEO of Cantaloupe AI , introduces an AI-driven hiring platform designed for frontline roles. Cantaloupe uses a conversational AI agent, Cleo, to conduct interviews, assess candidates, and predict turnover risk. The platform delivers ranked candidates directly to managers, saving time and improving hiring quality in high-turnover industri...

Customer Success took center stage on Rising Tides Live as Shawn Walchef , joined by co-host Ryan Skrzypczynski, and the community explored what the term really means across restaurants, technology, and entrepreneurship. While often associated with SaaS metrics like retention and churn, the discussion revealed a simpler truth: customer success is about helping people achieve the outcome they hoped...

In this Pitch The Tide session, Ron Goldman , product consultant at Zenzap , introduces a secure communication platform designed to separate work messaging from personal texts. Zenzap helps restaurant teams organize conversations, assign tasks, and keep operational information in one place. The platform brings structure, accountability, and AI-powered search to everyday team communication. Separat...

Shawn Walchef led storytelling is one of the most powerful growth strategies in modern business. Shawn Walchef explains why leaders who build in public move faster, create trust, and unlock unexpected opportunities. By consistently sharing lessons, deals, and real experiences through digital media, founders create a public track record that partners and customers can discover instantly. The conver...

Old school fundamentals took center stage on Rising Tides Live  as  Shawn Walchef and the community explored a simple question: what timeless tactics still work in a new school world? From eye contact, handwritten notes, and personal phone calls to showing up in person and learning people’s names, operators and entrepreneurs shared reminders that technology may change the tools but not the princip...