Top Business Leaders Show

Jason Ogden is the President and Partner at Syrup, a marketing agency specializing in fostering revenue and maturity for B2B companies. With a robust background in finance and operations, Jason spearheads revenue-generating initiatives, account services, and financial operations at Syrup. Prior to his role at Syrup, Jason served as the Director of Finance at Codesmith Development, where he establi...

Octavia Gilmore is the CEO of Creative Juice, a minority and female-owned creative agency, disrupting marketing the millennial way. From discovering her passion for graphic design at 14 to founding her agency at age 23, Octavia's journey epitomizes creativity, determination, and entrepreneurship. With a mission to promote diversity and empower minority and female-owned businesses, she has transfor...

Markus Pineyro is oomi Digital Kitchen's Co-founder, a dedicated entrepreneur and visionary leader with 18 years of experience in the restaurant industry. His journey began with the founding of Dallas-based Urban Taco in 2007, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit. In 2020, Markus ventured into the world of digital innovation by co-founding oomi Digital Kitchen, a delivery-only kitchen that levera...

Jonathan Weathington is the CEO of Shuckin' Shack Oyster Bar, a fresh seafood and cold beer concept with locations spanning the Carolinas, Georgia, Maryland, Florida, and Illinois. Featured on the cover of FSR magazine and making appearances on Good Morning America, Jonathan has garnered recognition in esteemed publications like The Wall Street Journal , The Washington Post , and Nation's Restaura...

Jeff Kennedy is Founding Partner at Moe's Original BBQ, a venture that began in 2001 as an effort to bring Southern flavors to the mountains of Colorado. Armed with a marketing degree from the University of Alabama, Jeff's journey has been a fusion of culinary passion and a commitment to creating spaces that exude comfort and inclusion. His focus on hospitality aligns with his belief in the import...

James Choi is the Owner of Cafe Dulce and a seasoned entrepreneur with a unique journey. Initially aspiring for a career in the PGA Tour, James found himself on a different path, obtaining his CPA license and working at Ernst & Young. Drawing upon his entrepreneurial spirit, he assisted his mother in launching various small businesses, including a chocolate boutique in Zurich, Switzerland. Today,...

Peter Boniface is the Owner and Co-founder of Yampa Sandwich Company. He grew up in Sandwich, Massachusetts, where he learned how to cook and blend flavors from his mother. He started in the restaurant business in 1983 and moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado in 1991 with the intention of being a ski bum. Seeing the need for a local quality delicatessen, Peter and David Pepin opened the first Yamp...

Mehdi Zarhloul is the CEO of Crazy Pita Restaurant Group, a beloved fresh-casual Mediterranean cuisine establishment he founded in Las Vegas in 2006. Recognized for its delectable signature dishes and warm service, Crazy Pita Rotisserie and Grill has been a top choice in the city for over 17 years. Driven by the brand's consistent success, in 2022 Mehdi embarked on expanding his culinary vision, l...

Ric Ochoa is the Owner of SoCal Pizza in Norwalk, California. With 17 years of experience in sales operations, Ric's love for cooking led him to open SoCal Pizza in 2010, where he introduced a pasta bar and proudly sources fresh ingredients from local small businesses. Actively engaged in the community, his commitment to excellence earned SoCal Pizza the 2018 Small Business of the Year Award, a te...

Mario Valencia is a multi-store Robeks franchisee and seasoned entrepreneur who has leveraged over two decades of food industry experience into a transformative business venture that mirrors his profound personal health journey. As an Air Force veteran who has battled to overcome PTSD, anxiety, and obesity, Mario's commitment extends beyond business success to the well-being of his community, cham...

Patrick Terry, Owner and Co-founder of P.Terry's Burger Stand, launched the brand's first location on July 5th, 2005 in Austin, Texas. Inspired by classic burger stands like Mack Eplen's in Abilene, P.Terry's emphasizes fresh, all-natural ingredients — from its beef and chicken to fresh-cut fries devoid of trans fats. Beyond its signature burgers, the menu includes fresh-squeezed beverages, house-...

Leigh Feldman is the CEO of Bishops Cuts/Color, a unisex hair shop concept with franchise locations in 21 states. Founded in 2001, Bishops provides customers with haircare services fueled by art, music, culture, acceptance, and community. Leigh was the CMO of Bishops and has been with the company for six years. Before that, he spent six years working for Rebel Industries as their Vice President an...

Bennett Maxwell is the Founder of Dirty Dough. Beginning his entrepreneurial journey in elementary school by selling candy bars, Bennett now leads a pioneering cookie-selling franchise. Dirty Dough's innovative centralized production introduces the first-ever three-layer cookie, streamlining franchise operations by addressing challenges like waste, quality control, and supply chain at the corporat...

David Dittenber is Co-founder of BYOD — Bring Your Own Data. The company creates easy-to-use digital tools to improve operations and enhance customer experience. David is a longtime restaurant operator whose mission has been to leverage technology to address common problems with everyday operations in the restaurant industry. With BYOD, he has come up with an answer to restaurant systems that don'...

Josh Molina is the CEO of Makers & Finders, a specialty coffee brand and Latin café with locations in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada. Josh is a first-generation Colombian-American entrepreneur who opened his first brunch restaurant at age 25. A graduate of University of Nevada-Las Vegas, he toured the coffee countries of South America in 2013.  In this episode… Talk to anyone who successfully lau...

Brent Schwoerer is the Owner and Founder of Engrained Brewing Company. Raised on a family dairy and grain farm, Brent earned his bachelor's in mechanical engineering and a master's in human resources from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. After a decade in the corporate world — including two years in Brazil focusing on new product development — Brent established Engrained Brewing Co....

Steve Rowbotham is the Managing Director at Navigator Technology, an innovative solution that connects brands to the travel industry with first-party data. He is a former Olympic medalist whose current passion is building a global marketing technology business. Steve is also the Chief Commercial Officer at Ink, a travel media company. In this episode… Learning how to overcome setbacks is a key ski...

Matthew Rosenberg is the Founder and CEO of M-Rad Architecture and President of Fabel, a Miami-based restaurant. Matthew has been acknowledged by publications such as Forbes, where he was featured on their "Small Giants" list and INC. Magazine, which highlighted him as one of the top designers to watch. Over his career, Matthew has made significant contributions to various projects throughout Nort...

Nicole Tanner is the Founder of Swig, which sells customized drinks, cookies, and treats. She started Swig in 2010 due to her love of Diet Coke and because she noticed a lack of connectedness in other drive-thru concepts. She is a mom of five children and grandma of four grandbabies who enjoys hiking in the outdoors and spending time with her family. In this episode… How much experience do you nee...

Matthew Guelke is CEO and Co-founder of The Plant Cafe Organic, a San Francisco Bay Area restaurant group. In 2023, The Nature Conservancy selected The Plant as the most sustainable restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area. In January 2023, The Plant was recognized among the top 30 global food & beverage brands by the Real Leader's Sustainable Impact Award. Its goal is to bring 100% organic food a...

Anthony Valletta is the President at bartaco, which currently has 26 locations across 12 states. As an executive, Anthony is an analytical and hands-on leader with a wealth of knowledge regarding all aspects of the business from quick-service restaurants and fine dining startups to corporate operations. His people development and leadership skills have enabled him to build high-performing industry...

Chris Medhurst is President and Chief Operating Officer at District Taco, with multiple locations in and around Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Chris started working at District Taco as a General Manager in 2010 before becoming Director of Operations, then VP of Finance and Operations, then Chief Financial Officer, and now President and COO. In this episode… When a restaurant l...

Josh and Pamela Beadel are the Owners of The Breakfast Bar, with two locations in Long Beach, CA. After many years of working in the restaurant industry, they founded the concept in 2013 with a vision for blending brunch and happy hour. Josh and Pamela introduced a happy hour at The Breakfast Bar called "the walk of shame" from 6-8 a.m., which is very popular with people who work overnight. In thi...

Joanna Gossett is a serial entrepreneur who, along with her husband, owns and operates an executive recruiting practice, manages real estate, and handles administration for their fitness clubs, pizza shops, and cell phone stores. She also serves as Area Representative for Romeo's Pizza, a franchise poised to expand across the US. As Founder of Elite Hire Consulting, Joanna has placed over 100 mid-...

Kenneth Price is a Franchisee at Pizza Guys, an established California-based pizza restaurant with more than 70 independently-owned franchises. As Kenneth developed his entrepreneurial skills in the restaurant industry, he knew he wanted to build his own business. In 2020, he founded KAP's HVAC, a specialized company that provides commercial and residential heating and cooling services and has sin...