FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution

We have several new projects launching in 2021. Here's a preview! Restaurant Marketing School Hosted by famed digital marketer Eric Siu and Michelin-rated restaurateur Josh Kopel, RMS provides daily digital marketing tips, giving restaurateurs the tools they need to communicate with their existing customers and reach an entirely new customer base. Each episode is only 4-7 minutes, providing bite sized, actionable information that listeners can implement in their restaurants that day. Release Schedule: Monday-Friday Season 1 launches 1/11/21 Restaurant Influencers: The Playbook Restaurant Influencers offers readers a peek at the playbook of successful restaurateurs from across the country. Informative and actionable, these are the stories, tools and resources that will ensure the hospitality industry thrives. Digital publication launches 1/18/21 Release Schedule: Daily Sign Up for Our Weekly Newsletter: https://pineapplepost.news Book time on my personal calendar: https://bit.ly/3otQm8z Download our restaurant recovery guide: https://bit.ly/2ZAcmo0 Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

In Season 3, the restaurant revolution is taking a new shape. As we see our way out of the pandemic the new ideas and strategies we've implemented have taken root and blossomed. We have entered the Restaurant Renaissance. Season 3 focuses on the revolutionary ideas and leaders that have thrived during this difficult time, empowering listeners to walk a similar path. Sign Up for Our Weekly Newsletter: https://pineapplepost.news Book time on my personal calendar: https://bit.ly/3otQm8z Download our restaurant recovery guide: https://bit.ly/2ZAcmo0 Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

No different than Season One, I find it impossible to pick out my favorite episodes from Season 2. Having said that, I do have my favorite lessons.... We've got much more planned for Season 3 which launches January 5th. Sign Up for Our Weekly Newsletter: https://pineapplepost.news Book time on my personal calendar: https://bit.ly/3otQm8z Download our restaurant recovery guide: https://bit.ly/2ZAcmo0 Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

For many of us, wine is hard. It’s a world with a language all its own and there’s just something about it that’s always made feel foolish. Whether by design or not, that uneasiness…that inaccessibility needs to change. One of the soldiers leading the charge towards diversity and inclusion is Julia Coney. Her mission is to bring the world of wine to underserved groups and bringing diversity to the industry at large. Today we explore her role within the industry and her efforts to make the wine world look more like the world around us. For more on Julia and her initiatives go to www.juliaconey.com Sign Up for Our Weekly Newsletter: https://pineapplepost.news Book time on my personal calendar: https://bit.ly/3otQm8z Download our restaurant recovery guide: https://bit.ly/2ZAcmo0 Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

We all do it. We look at someone else’s restaurant in awe, wondering how they got a custom shoe deal or lines out the door. When does a restaurant transcend food and beverage and become an idea? John Seymour of Sweet Chick seems to have cracked that code. Today we discuss how to build a brand, culture and community. We also discuss how those efforts translate into survival in tough times like these. To check out John’s latest initiatives go to www.sweetchick.com Sign Up for Our Weekly Newsletter: https://pineapplepost.news Book time on my personal calendar: https://bit.ly/3otQm8z Download our restaurant recovery guide: https://bit.ly/2ZAcmo0 Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

2020 has been the most educational year of my life. It’s amazing what you see when you take a moment to look around. I’ve spent the last 20 years in this industry, blind to the struggles of so many. Well, my eyes are open now and I’m ready to become part of the solution. I sat down with Saru Jayaraman of One Fair Wage to discuss the inequities in our industry and what we can do to change them. To offer support of get support go to www.onefairwage.org Sign Up for Our Weekly Newsletter: https://pineapplepost.news Book time on my personal calendar: https://bit.ly/3otQm8z Download our restaurant recovery guide: https://bit.ly/2ZAcmo0 Sign up for the free town hall featuring JET TILA: https://bit.ly/33Pa06P

Can good, nutritious food be reasonably priced? Can it be cheap? Is healthy food is a human right? Sam Polk thinks it is and he’s putting his money where is. Sam created Everytable, a company dedicated to offering nutritious food at a low price point…and he intends to make a profit while doing it. Today we discuss how Sam is bucking convention and using the big corporations playbook to make a big impact on local communities. For more on Everytable and their mission go to www.everytable.com Sign Up for Our Weekly Newsletter: https://pineapplepost.news Book time on my personal calendar: https://bit.ly/3otQm8z Download our restaurant recovery guide: https://bit.ly/2ZAcmo0 Sign up for the free town hall featuring JET TILA: https://bit.ly/33Pa06P

Vulnerability is the superpower that can change the world and, in the moment, is changing the face of the hospitality industry. When Chef Irene Li opened her books revealing that her busy, award-winning restaurant Mei Mei was breaking even, the news went viral. Diners were shocked and restaurateurs were forced to take a hard look in the mirror. The jig was up. Today Irene opens her books again, giving us insight into what Mei Mei is today and what it will become in the future. For more info on Mei Mei’s virtual classes and CPG offering go to http://www.meimeiboston.com Sign Up for Our Weekly Newsletter: https://pineapplepost.news Book time on my personal calendar: https://bit.ly/3otQm8z Download our restaurant recovery guide: https://bit.ly/2ZAcmo0 Sign up for the free town hall featuring JET TILA: https://bit.ly/33Pa06P

I bought into the same dream you did: build a restaurant, make it successful, rinse and repeat. How well did that work for you? It took me down the path of exhaustion, frustration and, ultimately, failure. Ari Weinzweig, co-founder of Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, Michigan, took a different path. He created a community of businesses, each supporting the next. He stayed small and strategic, investing heavily in his team. He’s built the stuff dreams are made of and today we tackle how he turned those dreams into reality. Click here to check out Ari’s tools and resources. Click here to check out Ari’s community of businesses. Click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

You can’t talk to Robert Egger without asking yourself one simple question: What have I done with my life? Robert has dedicated his life to supporting the hungry, sustainability and those in desperate need of a second chance. He’s weaponized food in the fight to end hunger and build community. Today we discuss his revolutionary ideas around charity needs to change and how we, as restaurateurs and chefs, can play a vital role. For more on Robert and his upcoming projects go to fuckingshitup.net Click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

Stalking is illegal but I don’t know how else I would describe the process I used to book Chef JJ Johnson for the show. Why? Because he has something important to say. JJ sees food as a common language and uses it to educate the masses about who we are and where we come from. Today we delve into his culinary education and the path that led him to where he is today. Click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

If there’s only one lesson to be learned from helping someone open a restaurant it’s that it would be a bad idea to open up one yourself. Max Sheets spent his professional life helping restaurateurs scale their businesses to massive proportions. At some point along the way, he caught the entrepreneurial bug and decided to strike out on his own to create Chick N Max. Today we discuss the tools and tricks he learned from corporate giants and how he implemented those in his restaurant concept. To check out his employee handbook click here. Click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

Here in America, we don’t know what the winter will bring. But we can look to Australia, who’s just coming out of the cold winter months, for indicators of what’s to come. Today I sit down with Shaun de Vries of Open Pantry Consulting. In this episode we discuss how the Australian Hospitality Industry fared during the winter and what we can do stateside to prepare for the colder months. For more on what Shaun and the Open Pantry team are working on go to openpantryconsulting.com Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

When you hear truth, it resonates. The first time a read a book by Seth Godin, I knew in my heart he was speaking the truth. I just read his newest book, The Practice, and I had to talk to him about it. I believe the right mindset is what will help us prevail in these difficult times and this book has helped get me back on track. We talk about The Practice and much more in today far reaching conversation. Be sure to pick up his new book, The Practice, available wherever you buy books. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

Working in hospitality is a calling. I felt called to serve people and, as a restaurateur, I’ve done just that. Chef’s have a different calling, to feed and nourish the masses. Today we chat with Dan Giusti, the former executive chef of Noma. Dan walked away from the prestige of fine dining to serve a bigger purpose. Through his company Brigaid, he’s committed his life to turning school cafeterias across America into scratch kitchens led by seasoned chefs. Today we explore the work that goes into revolutionizing the American school food system. For more on Brigaid go to chefsbrigaid.com Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

Restaurateurs tackle many problems, but money problems always make it to the top of the list. If we’re going to rethink the whole industry we need to start with financing. We start these passion projects deeply in debt and spend the first several years trying to dig our way out. That’s no way to run a business! My search for innovative ideas to avoid debt financing led me to Johann Moonesinghe. On this episode we chat about his company InKind, a restaurant financing company that’s created a debt free model worth exploring. For more on InKind go to www.inkind.com Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

Twice a week, I show you the world I see. The world I want to live in. It’s filled with big names, big stories and bright futures. But there’s something to be said for the small stories...The independent restaurateur fighting the good fight in a forgotten neighborhood. There’s hope and inspiration there as well. Today we chat with Andrea Abdallah, owner of Barcito in Downtown Los Angeles. Andrea is proof that we can change the whole industry by changing the way we do business. Her story of struggle and survival epitomizes the reason why I’ve dedicated my life to serving those that serve the world. For more on Barcito, go to www.barcitola.com Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

Everyone has a different definition of success. But, if we all had to pick one, we’d probably pick Sam Nazarian's. His company, SBE, owns 36 hotels and over 200 culinary and nightlife venues globally. He’s worked with everyone from Philippe Stark to Jose Andres. And even in the midst of a global pandemic he’s expanding, opening Citizen’s a 40,000 sq foot eatery later this year. Sam has dominated every tier of hospitality for more than a decade now and today he unpacks his winning strategy. For more on SBE and their upcoming projects go to www.sbe.com Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

No one could have seen the utter decimation of our industry coming, right? Granted there were signs we were on shaky ground but I, for one, was too busy to see them. Michael Tingsager, on the other hand, was not. I reached out to Michael after pouring over the content on his website. The issues we’re tackling today, he was discussing more than a year ago. He’s a hospitality futurist. He can clearly see where we’re headed and what we need to do to ensure we get there safely. Today we dive deep into our past, present and the opportunities that lay before us. For more on Michael, go to www.hospitalitymavericks.com Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

The greatest lesson I’ve ever learned is that personal development is professional development. I learned that lesson and countless others from Verne Harnish and the platforms he’s created. Verne has spent his life trying to support the endeavors of Entrepreneurs just like you and me. In these difficult times we need guidance from the best teachers out there. That’s why I asked Verne to be on the show. Links Scaling Up Wolfgang Puck's HBR article Margaret Heffernan Verne's Resources Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

We’ve covered countless pivots on this show but I wanted to try something different. Today we chat with Krystle Mobayeni, founder of BentoBox. Krystle and her team created a plug and play website design service designed for our industry. She’s been touting the importance of the online experience for restaurants since long before the pandemic. There was no need to pivot! Retail, online ordering and so much more were readily available through Bentobox. During this time of great struggle, I see tremendous value in talking with visionaries like Krystle that have created solutions to problem we didn’t even know we had. For more on BentoBox go to getbento.com Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.ant to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://bit.ly/YelpRestaurants to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

If you own and operate the best restaurant in the world does that make you the best restaurateur in the world? If I didn’t believe that Will Guidara was the best before our conversation I certainly do now. His love of craft and of industry inspired him to create not only a restaurant empire, but to create the Welcome Conference: a platform whereby the hospitality industry can come together to chart a better future for all of us. Today we chat about what it takes to be the best, the strategy to get there and what's he's doing to make sure we, as an industry, come out of the pandemic stronger than ever. To learn more about the Welcome Conference go to welcomeconference.org Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

What's it take to become an overnight success? The short answer is years of dedication and hard work. Chef Johnny Ray Zone took Nashville hot chicken, an obscure regional dish, and turned it into an international institution. The guy is a hot chicken mogul selling out 1,000’s of sandwiches a day, setting his own rules with the delivery companies and partnering with Post Malone on new promotions. I looked to him for inspiration when I opened my own fried chicken joint but I did it for money and never achieved the level of success that he has. Why? Because it’s his authenticity that has made him a star. Zone walks the walk and, in today’s conversation, he walks me though his path to greatness. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

Staring down the barrel of a 60% permanent closure rate...It's time to fix what's broken. It’s time to change the game. The hospitality industry is at a pivotal point and it has becomes painfully obvious that business acumen and strategic planning will matter just as much as resilience.There's no shortage of resources ranging from how to apply for loans to how to negotiate with your landlord. At some point, we will turn our sights towards the future and, when that time comes, we’ll need to the tools and strategies to thrive, not just survive. In the hospitality industry, we fix our own problems. This is no different. We’ve created a group called The Hospitality Game Changers It’s on Facebook, a platform you already use daily It’s a space just for us where we’re tackling the most difficult issues facing our industry and creating solutions. It’s updated daily with the most compelling audio, written and video content to make sure you’re plugged in to what’s going on today and what can help us tomorrow. It’s quick, easy and free to join. Just click here or login to Facebook and search Hospitality Game Changers in the search bar. Click join and you’re all set. We can’t change the cards that we are dealt, but we can change how we play the game.

Jeremiah Tower is the father of contemporary American cuisine. From Chez Panisse to Stars, he impacted cuisine and culture. He stepped off the line and into the dining room, creating the role of the celebrity chef, I believe that, as an industry, we need to blaze a new trail and I thought it was a good idea to talk to the guy that blazed the trail for Alice Waters, Danny Meyer and, well, me. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

What does the COO of a $350 million restaurant conglomerate have to teach independent restaurateurs? More than you can imagine. Kat Cole worked her way up the ranks from a waitress to executive vice president of Hooters, went on to become the president of Cinnabon and now sits as the COO of Focus Brands, a corporation consisting of household names like Schlotzsky’s and Jamba Juice. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. HIGHLIGHTS A new perspective on education Mentorship Establishing a leadership position within a organization Pivoting to leadership within an industry The role of women within the hospitality industry Dealing with press The role of tech in hospitality Taking a bowling alley approach to management Connecting with your story Big wins, big mistakes

Jon Taffer knows what's up. Though he's made a name for himself as a television personality, Taffer is a stone-cold operator. This guy knows his sh*t. On this episode he presents revolutionary ideas on what the restaurant can do to survive today and what the industry will look like tomorrow. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. HIGHLIGHTS A vision for the kitchen of the future The 3 key functions in a restaurant Safe dining protocols Pricing adjustments Elements of leadership Alternatives to discounts Being honest with yourself Reaction management Enforcing customer masking and safety protocols Resetting America

Picking a favorite episode from season one would be like a parent picking a favorite child. Having said that, I do favorite lessons. Here are my top three from Shawn Walchef, Josh Holtzman and Sam Marvin. We’ve have much more planned for Season 2 which begins October 6th. Be sure to tune in next week for the Season 2 premier featuring Jon Taffer.

Be sure to check out FULL COMP Season 2 beginning October 6th featuring: Jon Taffer Kat Cole Seth Godin Antonia Lofaso Jeremiah Tower Brooke Williamson Ari Weinzweig Sam Nazarian and many more!

A look back at some of the most inspiring moments with several of our most notable guests including Matthew Jennings, Andrew Zimmern, Joe Sasto, Jet Tila, Daniel Shemtob and Nyesha Arrington.

He was the Chief Restaurant Officer of Union Square Hospitality Group with 20+ locations. Then he became the president of BarTaco, a restaurant group with 30+ locations across 10 states. In his spare time became a master sommelier. By all metrics, Sabato Sagaria is a huge success. But with such a high failure rate in the industry, what elements are required to achieve that level of success? Today, Sabato teaches us the lessons he learned while working with the best to become the best. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. Highlights Redefining leadership at Union Square Hospitality Group Rolling out a zero-tipping initiative The importance of trust and transparency A one-size-fits-one approach Possessing a growth mindset/focus Can every job be your dream job? Creating growth opportunities within your company The importance of word-of-mouth advertising How to create word-of-mouth advertising Guest communication strategies 100% table touches WTF moments The perils and benefits of integrating with a larger company Lessons learned from a giant corporate structure

What are the best investments that you can make in your restaurant or in our industry? Eduardo Rallo is an investor in restaurants, in restaurant tech and in people. In this episode, we explore his winning strategy for seeing and seizing the opportunities out there. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. HIGHLIGHTS The story behind creating and scaling the World Wrap brand The importance of being naive Setting up roles for success The importance of investing in talent Taking on venture capital The pressures of institutional funding Expanding from restaurateur into restaurant investing Early investment in Opentable The story behind Pacific Catch The next big gold rush in hospitality The future of tech in the restaurants

Carlos Santana said “there nothing is more contagious than enthusiasm.” Wil Slickers is living proof that he was right. He has carved out his own place in the hospitality landscape through ingenuity, authenticity and transparency. On this episode, we follow along on Wil's entrepreneurial journey beginning with his first gig in the industry. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Beginning in the hospitality industry Good with people but no job skills Hired at the front desk of a hotel Starting the podcast Wil moved from the original hotel job to Oregon Working in a boutique hotel Had a thirst for learning more abut the industry Inspired by a Tony Robbins and Gary V video on podcasting Started the podcast in 2018 Wil was 25 years old Growth of the podcast Interviewed first guests Acquired sponsors Growth in audience Quit job to pursue the podcast full time End of 2019 The formula for the podcast Other industry podcasts were boring and monotone Short, simple and to the point Gary V type sound Showing authenticity is the key to growth Podcasting is a new exciting medium 900k active podcasts in the world Far fewer than YouTube channels Possible to grow other mediums from the podcast What is a destionationnaire Alternative term to “hospitality provider” Someone wired to create remarkable experiences that are anticipated and shared Destinationnaire awards Using podcasting creatively in hospitality businesses Creating a private podcast for hotel guests Information on the hotel Hisory of the hotel Local amenities Creating a private podcast for staff Creating a private podcast for restaurant patrons Covid19 - have sanitisation conversations in realtime with customers via all of these different mediums Advice for new podcasters Learn something from your guests Focus on being adaptable Learn editing and distribution Engage with your community Put your audience first Create value through multiple media mediums Podcasts create a direct line between industry leaders and the listening audience Podcasts as a service It is scary to put yourself out there Never been a better time to do it Future for Wil Slickers Constant evolution of the podcast concept Doing podcasts interviews himself Starting in real estate and owning hotels Future of hospitality Industry standards will be raised post pandemic Transparency is key to the new generation of hospitality businesses Words to industry Enjoy the down time Be open to new opportunities Say “f***” it and get out of your comfort zone

Great food, drinks and service are only half the battle. What's the point of offering a world-class product and service if no one knows about it. As hospitality professionals we are as responsible for marketing our wares as we are for perfecting them. But how? Enter Brett Linkletter of Misfit Media. Brett and his team have been working for years to master social media marketing and advertising. On this episode, Brett runs us though his tips and tricks for sharing your vision with the world. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Beginnings of Misfit Media Marketing vs Advertising Marketing articulation of what makes your product or service good Advertising is to create awareness Misfit Media three stage process Difficulties during Covid 150+ clients pre-covid 25% clientele canceled wiith no warning 25% paused until further notice Pivoting during Covid Optimizing systems for online Develop new systems Becoming more effective as an agency Investing more during Covid DineLine Integrated solution from marketing to sale enables online ordering for restaurants POS integration Misfit Media marketing integration delivery from third party apps Restaurants haven’t changed much in the past 100 years Opportunity to do things differently Josh has done physical advertising e.g mailers Found more success with digital paid advertising Paid advertising works so well because it is hyper focussed Underutilized - restaurants are slow to move into technology Misfit Media find the best results with Facebook and Instagram advertising Next Door and Yelp marketing have good results too Budgeting for paid social media advertising Ad spend of $500 per location per month No need to spend more than that Frequency of an ad - number of times someone has seen the ad Wasting money if the same people are seeing the same ad again and again Messenger is also high open rate Average engagement rate for followers is 0.5% Advertising to grow followers arre not useful Create a custom audience after collecting data Enables you to exclude customers already collected Every dollar spent is going to acquisition and building database Advertising group should be min 30,000 people Key KPI Cost per contact Good average is $1-1.20 per lead If 20% of leads collected convert to customers, that is a $5 acquisition Biggest advertising mistake Boost posts No KPIs for success Lazy way to advertise Learning abut social media advertising Restaurant Accelerator course by Misfit Media Billy Gene marketing programs Reopening campaigns step by step

Philip Camino is out to save his restaurants but, in the process, may be able to help save the industry. Today we discuss how he’s expanding the concept of team to include his vendors and how wellness plays a central role in his restaurant operations. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Transforming the business during Covid Looking at ways to mitigate risk Reduce costs Get more efficient Speak to landlords and stakeholders Building a partnership with landlords Collaborating with landlords rather than being against them Less tennants in the next 6-12months More failures happening within the next year Mid level spaces - much less demand Philip’s professional background Director of Finance at the Student Union Corporate job in enternatinment management company Corporate marketing Moved to LA and began in hospitality Lessons from a varied professional background People are everything World class artists and brands have world class teams Strong teams attract other talented people The hospitality job market Hiring has been hard in the past couple of years Even BOH hard to hire Essential to the running of the restaurant Restaurants will have a more diluted talent pool post-pandemic Covid is creating opportunity Reset of the industry 35% restaurant closures 35% less competition 65% of restaurants who are left will hopefully get 100% of the remaining business Finding a stronger team Wages will come down More top talent available Some of the best hospitality professionals in the world are now available Benefits to remaining restaurants Better team Better supplier relationship Better opportunities to capitalize Less competition Redefining relationships with vendors and landlords Widening the definition of “team” Principles of mutual investment Poor current working conditions for employees in the hospitality industry No health insurance No 401k Long work hours Initiatives for better employee compensation Bonuses based on actionable metrics depending on position Example: executive chef receives bonuses for cutting prime costs Receives a profit share of money saved Gameifying health and wellness Whoop app to encourage healthy habits Financially incentivize better recovery score Recovery score made up of wellness metrics to measure your stress levels Resting heart rate Sleep Respiratory rate Heart rate variability

I’ve never wanted to be the first anything. It takes courage to do something no one has ever done before, to dream a new dream. Chef Andrea Drummer has that courage. Today we discuss the changing tides within our industry and our culture...covering everything from cannabis to diversity. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Noticing race inequality Grew up poor in a middle-class neighborhood Noticed white flight Noticed the difference in education when attending a partially private, predominantly white high school and majority black high schools Called an n-word at age 19 by a man in a pickup truck Starting in culinary Always been creative in the kitchen 1st career in non-profit Advocated against cannabis use 2nd career as a cannabis chef Getting into cannabis cooking Moved to California from New York Went to culinary school Stress of culinary school caused illness Severe chronic pain Prescribed opiates but took cannabis instead to relieve pain The body metabolizes cannabis in a different way with food Cooking with cannabis made sense Making cannabis use accessible Increasingly being used by the older generation Less likely to be smokers The effects of a cannabis meal Choose your own strength Particpants inform Andrea of what they want to experience Tolerance Strength of high Andrea can infuse on site to strengthen the high Cannabis quality Purchased wholesale One grower Organic, outdoor grown High in THC Business during Covid More enquiries for private dining experiences Focussing on delivering at-home solutions to patrons Minorities and women in the industry Andrew Zimmern mentioned we have the opportunity to change how minorities and women have been treated so far in the industry Andrea creates equality in culture Focusses on uplifting black women Importance of good work environment Kitchens used to be hostile Chefs would throw things Andrea redefines her working kitchen Better working hours Friendly environment If you are not good to yourself, you are not good for the kitchen Black Lives Matter Being apolitical is damaging to the movement Silence is impactful Encouraging non-black folks to listen and be open to hearing the truth The world is changing We all have a desire to be better We are still creating and learning during this time Success has no playbook Andrea is relatively new to culinary business Creating her own rules with intention Being true to oneself Reflecting during Covid Opportunity to be authentic and original when everything is quieter

One sacrifice that we all seem to make is that we spend an exorbitant amount of time away from our families. Personally, I worry about the impact that my career will have on my daughter. There are case studies out there, though and today’s guest, Christy Vega is one of them. Her restaurant, started by her father, has been in business for over 60 years. It’s one thing to love what your father does for a living, it’s something else entirely to choose that career path for yourself. Today we discuss the struggles and successes associated with saving the family business. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES The beginnings of Casa Vega Building a family business Building a strong staff culture Casa Vega staff as family Many staff members are long term Have been working there for 40+ years Struggles as an operator Not taken seriously as she was raised within the restaurant Not taken seriously as a woman Machismo Many of the staff are men Worked harder than anyone else to earn the respect of staff Differences in leadership styles Ray Vega Ruled with an iron fist Magnetic personality Strict Business minded Christy Vega Collaborative approach Adapts to change Follows feedback from staff and guests Weaknesses of Casa Vega Antiquated systems Takeout was not efficient Ideas for other revenue streams Popups in stadiums and airports Pivoting during the pandemic Used menu ideas for stadiums and airports to create a to-go offering Developed a drive-through system using PPP loan Set up the entire operation in 4 days The hospitality industry is a great teacher Your ability to problem-solve comes out of your education in the industry Not taught in school The personality to thrive in the hospitality industry Slightly insane Addicted to the atmosphere Hard working Optimistic Entrepreneurs are optimistic Restaurateurs are 10x more optimistic Greatest lesson from Christy’s father Business is business Through every hardship, it is a normal part of business Not to let the hiccups affect you Thinking of the next generation Christy’s kids are inspired by her work She wants them to be part of the business but also is fearful of their future Words to the industry Keep moving One foot in front of the other We’re all in this together

It's been really interesting to see chefs who are normally concerned with running a restaurant suddenly lobbying Congress, all in an effort to show how restaurants tie the whole nation together, economically and culturally. Today we discuss the fight for the survival of our industry and our planet with one of the chefs leading the charge. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES How Rick started in sustainability Rick has always been a “greater good” person Working together for the future of community Willing to sacrifice for the greater good To be sustainable, a restaurant needs a difference economic model organic/ethical produce is more expensive Most restaurants break-even or lose money Rick’s restaurant loses money Ways Rick is redefining his restaurant Commitment to local producers Revising pay structure 20% service charge on all checks Use service charge to pay FOH & BOH staff Hired back staff at a slightly lower hourly rate Split additional gratuity between FOH staff Is the industry ready to reopen? Have we had enough time to reflect? Issues need to be addressed before reopening Open-book management All staff know the business financials Having a strong culture Being open with staff about anxieties and fears Frontera has long-term staff Multigenerations Retirement age staff 50% split men and women Independent Restaurants’ Coalition has a weekly summit Speakers to advice on different issues Advocating for the Restaurant’s Act 25% of unemployment comes from the restaurant industry Less than 8% of PPP loans went to restaurants Restaurants’ Act would ensure a cash grant for independent restaurants to survive More loans are not helpful 30 senators & 160 House of Reps cosigned the bill Rick’s success is fuelled by desire to introduce Americans to Mexican food and culture Lived in Mexico for a long time Rich, complex cuisine Most Americans think of tacos, burritos, nachos, and margaritas as Mexican food Nachos considered American food in Mexico City Spreading the word TV work 12 seasons of long-time TV show “Mexico One Plate at a Time” Books Restaurants Advice to young people graduating from culinary school This will be tough You have shown you are not afraid of hard work The whole world will be redefined Create your own model Interactions with guests are important to BOH too Frontera went to a takeout/delivery model Rick was sad as there was no interaction with guests Pivoting during the pandemic Transformed Topolobampo into a private dining library space

I’ve spent so much time worried about myself and my own restaurant, I haven’t given much thought to the next generation of restaurateurs coming down the pike. What do they think about what’s going on? Are they discouraged by what they’re seeing? Do they have any valuable insight to share with us as we try to sort our way through this? On this episode we sit down with Eric Cacciatore, aspiring restaurateur and podcaster, who offers a unique perspective on the past and future of the hospitality industry. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES The value of networking in person Business is about relationships How Restaurant Unstoppable started There hasn’t been a culture of openness in the hospitality industry Everyone seems to be doing amazingly until they close down Lack of vulnerability is isolating Most successful hospitality leaders are the most generous with their path Mentors Eric looks up to It could be the best time to open a restaurant Lots of opportunities More human capital than before Restaurant Unstoppable podcast shows the industry as it is Intended to be motivating and inspiring Can be disheartening as the industry is very difficult Guests are honest with their failures The best of the best can still be struggling Two keys to growth in the restaurant industry Cash flow People How the pandemic has affected the podcast Making new mistakes The myth of the perfect storm Eric has learned the best variables to become successful via the podcast Knowing the lessons stops you from diving in Start with what you have Open-book management Opening your books to your team Teaching them how to run a business Being transparent and vulnerable Increases the bond in the culture Creates a team of leaders you can promote from within Vertical integration Growing deep rather than wide Investing in the next generation of people Making the business as airtight as it can be Developing a solid culture Expand into a community of businesses Plans for Restaurant Unstoppable Creating a network of past guests, listeners, tools, and resources in one place Creating a restaurant group Partnering with other restaurateurs Fear of failure Due to having a podcast about restaurant success, Eric feels pressure to be successful Starting where you can Focusing on organic growth Having a 10-year goal in mind Not expecting overnight results Building relationships Giving up equity in your business can make you lose autonomy Words of encouragement Where there is disaster, there is opportunity Indians used to burn fields to trigger new growth You don’t have to do it alone Know your strengths and weaknesses Dream with your team Set great goals

Branding experts like Chef Jet Tila have created an all-weather strategy for ensuring they’re able to provide for their families no matter what happens. The secret is creating multiple revenue streams through diversification. It’s not a easy process but the end result is looking pretty good these days. On this episode Jet Tila takes us on the journey from executive chef to household name. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Starting in entrepreneurship Dropped out of high school Became a chef on a fishing boat Had many skills Commerce Accounting Customer service Culinary skills Career path into hospitality Hosted cooking classes at his mom’s house Written in the Times Went to culinary school Wanted formal education to assimilate into the culinary world Getting credentials Being an executive chef felt isolating Restaurants were a means to an end Didn’t allow for family time The importance of mentorship Studying the brands of chefs Jet idolizes Neil Fraser Bobby Flay Brave entrepreneur Elton Brown Media savvy Guy Fieri Global brand Read business books Ask questions to great people Diversification is key To transcend, a person needs to become an institution You can be in multiple places as once Steps to becoming a brand Put your name where your restaurant is featured Get to know PR people Go the extra mile Getting onto TV Teaching in the School of Cooking in LA Taught working professionals how to cook Students happened to be producers One TV producer worked for the food network Networking is important Doing a good job Introducing yourself politely Lessons learned Blowing off Mark Peel by being too arrogant Find phenomenal mentors Be gracious for the opportunity Rejecting a job at Google What would life have been like? Goals before 2020 2019 busiest year in Team Tila history Looking at TV pilots Consulting with major TV networks and brands Social media growth The effects of the pandemic Lost momentum 60% down on revenue Pivoting into digital Netflix shows and NBC Licensing and marketing opportunities Food Network Live A-ha moments Finding balance between family and business We have an addiction to work Mental health fuels us to be high achievers but also hurts us Finding time for himself Space to reflect The future post-pandemic Many won’t survive The share of the market will increase Learning to work from home more Words to the industry This will pass Find a way to get through this as there is light at the end of the tunnel We can learn the lessons

Every restaurateur knows how important their digital footprint is but who has time for all of that? It’s hard to tweet when you’re backwaiting tables because your busier didn’t show up. Then the pandemic hits and, like it or not, your entire livelihood is determined by an audience you chose not to grow online. I found myself in the same boat and worried it was too late. The good news is that it isn’t and Shawn Walchef of Cali Comfort BBQ is going to tell us exactly how he transformed his restaurant into a BBQ media company. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES The beginnings of Cali Comfort BBQ 2019 achievements Cali BBQ relied on digital marketing due to having a non-obvious location Getting people to care about BBQ, community and craft Becoming your own PR person A publicist was out of budget for Cali BBQ Shawn about books to learn about PR Focus on finding your own voice Internet has changed the way traditional business is done Cali BBQ became a media company when they were struggling in 2008-09 Why the internet is more reliable for marketing Provides actionable, measurable analytics Physical ads in newspapers are not as measurable Creating digital hospitality Hospitality has a competitive advantage Connection to customers Willingness to serve Having a full-time host is an example of investing in hospitality Recreating this experience digitally Responding to online reviews Interacting no Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram Proactive mindset to online audience building The difference between digital marketing and being a media company Digital marketing is about telling your own story online Media companies also tell the stories of others Cali Comfort BBQ share stories within the community Operators who are willing to be vulnerable online do best During Covid, operators are sharing their story and struggle Connecting with the community The key is reframing your relationship with your smartphone The pros and cons of outsourcing Outsourcing enables you more time You won’t learn as much if you outsource straight away Shawn originally did all social media, podcast editing, and blogging in house Now employs blogger and podcast producer Consumer habits have changed Pivoting during Covid19 Asking the right questions during this time Your website is your #1 asset Be known for what you do best Book recommendation: Story Brand by Donald Miller Focusses for getting started in digital marketing Continuous experimentation is what got Shawn and his company to level it is today Personalization of digital hospitality Now is the greatest time to build digital infrastructure for the future Social media is just one aspect of online marketing

I know what the data says, but what’s really going on behind the scenes? Is anyone hiring right now? Is anyone using this as on opportunity for expansion? Few can offer more insight than Brad and Jacqui from BMRS Hospitality Recruitment. They have been placing the best people with the best restaurants for almost two decades now. Today we take a glimpse into the present and future of the hospitality job market. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Opening BMRS Hospitality The niche of BMRS Candidates are long term relationships Initial reactions to the pandemic Changes in the industry Street dining is possible Alcohol off-licensing possible Important restaurants are closing How restaurants are coping Some pivoting to takeout Some pivoting to patio dining Some are just getting by Staying in business to keep undocumented workers employed Rent is a big determining factor Many restaurants could stay in hibernation if rent were removed Stalling date for a later date would land restaurants in insolvable debt Some companies are renegotiating There will be more real estate available post-pandemic Change the financial landscape for restaurateurs Candidates are reflecting Remaining positive 100 positions in March reduced to 10 There are jobs available Recruitment is a buyer’s market There are opportunities to work for amazing restaurants Talent pool is larger than it has ever been Many jobs will open all at once when the restaurants reopen LA Chef’s conference LA Times opened the Food Bowl Connected with them to do an industry event in 2019 - Labor Crisis Summit 100s restaurateurs attended Gained a lot of press Conference was intended to happen in March 2020 Big chefs and restaurateurs attending Open Table sponsoring Intended to be a food festival and conference Had to be postponed to 2021 Advice to candidates Network There may not be a position but building relationships is worth it Utilize LinkedIn and job boards Spruce up your resume Get aggressive Go the extra mile to be noticed Write personalized cover letters Present your resume beautifully Clients are always willing to meet great talent Josh has hired people he doesn’t have a position for Reevaluating the team Labor costs are skyrocketing Restaurateurs will be more discerning with who they hire

My name is Joshua Kopel and, up until March, I was a Michelin-rated restaurateur. Today, I'm not quite sure how I would define myself. In this moment, I cannot help but look back on the choices I've made and question them. It hard to look in the mirror, as a person and as an industry but this is the time to do it. Together, let's ask the tough questions and come up with better answers. This is our opportunity to grow, change and come back better than before. If you'd like to join the conversation, join us every Tuesday and Friday.

This one’s coming totally out of left field. I had the pleasure of being on my friend Luke’s podcast and I enjoyed the conversation so much, I stole some of it to share with you here. Luke is a digital marketer who’s built some huge brands within the industry. You’ll also get to hear a bit more of me than you normally do. Sit back, relax and listen to these 2 old dogs chew the fat. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Independent business owners struggle to create content Independent businesses have always struggled Slim margins 16hour days They feel that they have no time to create content Content Imposter Syndrome The feeling your content doesn’t stand up to the content in your industry Discouraging to try and compete with the huge amount of content on the internet Honesty tips the scale Be your unique business online Share what you do and the way you do it Showing your team and behind the scenes gets much more engagement Honesty builds a stronger connection with your audience Create the content you want to see in the world Elizabeth Tilton went viral because of their reopening guide They didn’t make it to go viral It was true to self Selfless stuff you are doing will resonate more than anything else People see through the hard sell Example Two members of staff manually assembled 600 hand sanitizer dispensers before they were shipped to customers Luke uploaded the security footage of them doing this Audience loved it Mundane everyday details are what makes your business interesting Everyone leaves happy philosophy Explains the vision of Josh’ restaurant Setting that expectation that there is nothing that they won’t do to make sure that the patron leaves happy Empowered staff to operate independently under this guiding philosophy Telling patrons that their happiness was important de-escalates any upset It’s a privilege to turn around bad feedback in real-time There are no limits to service Josh once fully comped a meal and drinks for a table of 8 Restaurant was running low on food Offered a free meal off menu of what food was left Having a passion for service is why we stay in the business Knowing your core passion is the most important thing The importance of teamwork Allowing them to put forward ideas Showcase their talents on It takes the whole team to make a shift run smoothly Customers pick up on team spirit No Us Without You Non-profit that feeds families of undocumented workers Having a holistic approach in digital and real-life created success Created a movement Taking a leap of faith Many miss the opportunity to act Scared of failure Those who take a leap are the ones who succeed

I’m going to let you in on a big secret. Many of the successful entrepreneurs I know are all following the same playbook. The book is called Traction and the strategy is called EOS, the entrepreneurial operating system. It’s like rocket fuel for your business. Don’t believe me? I don’t blame you. That’s why I brought in the experts. Today we’re having a discussion with executive coach, Josh Holtzman and his client and famed Hospitality magnate Dave Kaplan of Death & Co. The total earnings of the companies Josh coaches equates to ONE BILLION DOLLARS in revenue. How does he do it? What creates that level of growth? It’s all covered in todays conversation. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES For Josh H, there’s nothing more fulfilling than to work with more leaders Works with 25 companies in LA Industry agnostic. EOS is for growth-orientated organizations Josh K implemented EOS in his own restaurant Solved foundational issues in his own organization The benefits of EOS EOS puts operating systems and tools together in a cohesive system Makes transforming your business more actionable Death & Co examples The aim of EOS Gino would be the first to say he didn’t create the concepts He curated them Helping business owners get in control and master their businesses Foundations of the EOS model Entrepreneurs wrestle with 136 issues at any one time Tackling 6 things can help to solve the 136 issues 6 things to focus on in business Mistakes Josh K made in his restaurant business Some things were not aligned with the vision Brought in a sommelier and invested in a $25k sustainable wine list Was not helpful to the business Having a vision constantly in mind and living the core values helps to focus efforts The importance of core values Death & Co raised 2.7 million on a crowdfunding platform Found EOS during this pivotal moment Had the leadership read the book Met Josh Holtzman and hired him as a professional guide to fully implement EOS Operational and organizational void in the hospitality industry It is spoken about as if hospitality is completely unique to the other businesses of the world That’s not true at all Three areas of issues How does EOS work in the midst of a pandemic Pivoting during the pandemic Focussed on social media outreach Offered experiences via their retail Supporting staff during the pandemic (Death & Co) Free mental health for all staff Daily newsletter for all staff Staff relief fund Death & Co created a reopening playbook They shared this with others in the industry Transparency is a key part of their company ethos Business doesn’t have to be this hard Business owners struggle with so much

Dine in is done yet again. Parts of California are facing another stay at home order. What do you do if you own a restaurant? What do you do if you own 2 or 3 or more. Tara Lazar owns 6 spanning all sectors of hospitality. While most of us are struggling to pivot one location, Tara is masterminding how to ensure all 6 survive the year. Today we get real about the struggles she’s working to overcome and the highs and lows along this path. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Owns 6 locations Building was about taking opportunities when they came Having multiple locations is more entertaining and stimulating The restaurant revenue offsets the cost of management labor from the catering company What has it been like as a woman in the industry Fight a lot harder to be taken seriously The network of restaurateurs is a gentlemen’s club Woman leaders tend to be of an older generation Initial reaction to Covid This could be devastating on the catering side Failed with communication during Covid Stayed really quiet which stressed out staff Started having zoom calls and updates every two weeks Being realistic with your team How many will be able to come back in the fall? Being honest about not knowing the answers Failure depends on so many things out of our control Landlord Government restrictions Consumer behavior Restaurants in charge of public safety Food sourced responsibly Following safety regulation An outbreak in your restaurant could be devastating Using contact tracing forms Greatest fear How do we keep staff safe Using PPP loan Distributed to staff who needed it Paid staff to stay home Was hoping that the team would repay this by working when the restaurant was able to reopen Unfortunately many wanted to collect unemployment instead Pivoting during Covid Does not want to do fast-casual or ordering online Less interaction with clients Branded to-go packaging to be more experiential To-go model at Cheeky’s Redefining hospitality How do you anticipate your guests when you don’t know who they are? Following comment cards and customer surveys Success in 2020 Already been successful Realigned with what is important Automating BOH operations Makes work more efficient Would like guests and staff together again Short term goals Keeping staff on the payroll Long term goals Partner with companies Acquire businesses Growing wide vs growing deep Buying out competition Expand into a different market Innovations caused by Covid Cocktails to go Cocktail food truck Farmer’s market boxes New to-go packaging Online to-go platforms Word to the industry Show your appreciation to your customers for supporting you

People won’t be hanging out in large groups for a very, very long time. It’s a tough pill for me to swallow and that’s not even my sector of the industry. Event planners are going to need to get scrappy if they’re going to find any work in the coming year. One event planner I’m not worried about is Natasha Miller. She embodies the word resilience and has taken her events company digital. Today she unveils the bleeding edge of virtual events, marrying together work and play. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Officially started Entire productions in 2001 Transitioned to representing acts and producing events Fake it until you make it Would say yes to everything and then figure out how to do it It took Warren Buffet 9 years to make his first million dollars Everyone wants to get rich quick Natasha didn’t care about being rich until recently Planning for retirement Educational path Went to college on violin scholarship Didn’t graduate Self-taught entrepreneurship No mentors Attended the Goldman Sachs 10k SD Already millions of dollars in revenue at that time Learned so much Terrified by the accounting education but it was crucial Every year after the course, grew 65% each year Entrepreneurs Organization 3-year course at MIT Entrepreneurial Master’s class at Havard Access to so many incredible entrepreneurs Implementing what you have learned Learning not to implement everything at once Goals pre-Covid Grow by 25% Splitting Entertainment production and Event Production Planning their biggest event of the year March 17th 2020 Retail costs would be $500k City shutdown on March 16th 2020 Initial reaction to Covid Panic, sorrow, and nervousness Canceling WeWork lease Making difficult choices regarding the team Feeling grateful for aspects of Covid A chance to step back Reflecting on the business Repairing broken parts of the business Having the space to improve the business Pivoting during Covid Everything has worked so far Created a variety show platform for virtual events Bite-sized shows with educational or entertaining speakers Internal marketing event Still of value to clients Goal is to keep Entire Productions top of mind with client base The growth of virtual events Expanding people’s businesses One client has a 200 client in-person event every year Expanded to 2000 virtual events Less prominent post-Covid but is here to stay 53% of all restaurants will permanently close Also possible in the events space Younger businesses are quick to pivot Older businesses have mostly been giving up faster Failure depends on overheads Cash is king The events industry isn’t well represented in government

What can save this industry from absolute destruction? I’m betting on math and practical business fundamentals. That’s why I’ve invited Roger Beaudoin to chat on this episode. Roger has been preaching these ideals for years. He’s more than a teacher, he’s an owner and operator as well. Rather than giving us advice, he walks us through the strategy he's using to turn the pandemic into a windfall. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Building a dream team restaurant is important Allows you to have an exit strategy Allows you to have time with your family and friends Allows you to enjoy having a business Saw an opportunity when running a ski resort Inspired by a Switzerland bar with an international buzz The ski resort he ended up at needed transforming Sophistication Community Entertainment Learned the business piece by piece Training staff to have his back Controlling costs to maximize profits Creating a premium customer experience Expanding the business to one day leave it Technology was never Roger’s strong point Never has an interest in technology Created systems on pen and paper It was Roger’s wife who convinced him to have an online platform to expand the business Started the podcast 6 years ago Roger’s wife is the CTO Why Roger went back into restaurant operations New restaurant opens pre-Covid Investment in improvement Creating a business model Grab and Go market and cafe Was ideal during Covid Pivoting during Covid Covid makes everything unstable Taking the temperature of the room before making a decision Using the loans Redefining success You don’t know what you’ve got until you start running it Covid was a good thing overall for the new restaurant because of the grab&go model Goals after Covid Opening multiple locations Lessons learned through the podcast Chief Culinary Officer of The Cheesecake Factory Philosophy on staff: lead by example and promote from within Empower your staff Not everyone will make it through Covid We can only succeed by not giving up Being excited for the future Interviewing more podcast guests Upgrading the Sales Stars video course

You’ve gotta bet big to win big In 2019, Daniel Shemtob leveraged millions to build the hospitality empire of his dreams. Food trucks to fine dining and even a catering company, he’s focused on absolute domination of the industry. Daniel built a big ship and now he needs to captain it through an economic disaster. On this episode we cover the lessons he’s learned over the last 4 months and the plan he’s created to thrive in the future. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Successes in 2019 Daniel considers himself an entrepreneur first and foremost Redefining goals in 2020 Changing perspectives with assets and liabilities Preux and Proper was 6000sq ft Was an asset Now a liability - too much space Honing focus can help avoid this shift Taking on too much can turn an asset into a liability Fixed costs have been the most challenging Rent Opportunities during Covid Big shifts in the market cause opportunities Previously would jump on opportunities Now considers things for longer Josh realized he struggled with focus Busy isn’t successful Busy isn’t profitable Pairing down from 15 objectives to 3 Best decisions made during the first 90days of the pandemic Getting ENDL loans He wanted as much capital as possible to have a runway Thinking like a startup Being willing to pivot Deploying funds correctly Rolling out a late-night experience Compensating for losing 40% of dine-in revenue Daniel lost a lot during the pandemic Becoming charitable Giving away shoes 100s shoes to those who needed them Giving away food 1500 meals Daniel’s mentor felt inspired by his positivity Reforming the businesses Fine-dining restaurant reopened to great success Catering will take the longest to reform Large events are where you make the most money Shoe company is doing well Sold out very quickly Is there more value in being small? Pre-Covid Daniel was doing well but not “crushing” Working extremely hard - spinning his wheels The ability to reset is a gift Brands Daniel is inspired by Sweet Green Looks at his own staff as the prize piece of his empire Being most proud of the culture he created The future of businesses are not in your control Being a great leader You are only a great leader if you know where you’re leading your team Daniel is leading team into a successful work dynamic Making money Quality of life Enjoy coming to work Have the team be more autonomous in their initiatives and taking ownership Ideas for creating a great culture What does post-Covid look like?

The pandemic did not pick favorites. No business owner was immune from the debilitating effects of the quarantine. Big restaurateurs with big restaurants and big rents need big plans to weather this storm. On this episode we chat with Celebrity Chef Adam Perry Lang who shares how he’s been affected and his strategy for rebounding. Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter. Click here to book time on my personal calendar. Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide. Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business. SHOW NOTES Work-life balance has always been a challenge Managing work time Priority lists 50% of the work you won’t see coming What is needed through this time is leadership We can’t delegate that at this time Showing up is 90% of it Adam has been working around the clock to keep things running Josh does not want to compromise on time with family again We get to look within and prioritize what is important Adjusting how we work though it is tough to imagine Imagining a new future Customer behavior won’t be the same when we go back to work People will be skittish until we have a vaccine Restaurants are the cornerstone of socializing Will fear stop people from coming out to restaurants? Leasing issues won’t go away any time soon Dealing with concerns and fear Maintaining momentum There is so much that we are not in control of Show up as best you can Love what you do There is so much to think about when running a restaurant now Pre-opening checklist Heath and safety regulations Creating resilience There is no one failure You make a mistake, step back and adjust His mom gave him a poster saying “in every crisis, there is an opportunity” Focussing on Adam’s passion helps him get through hard times Redefining success Success in Jan 2020 Anticipating the opening of Hamilton in the theater next door Motivating the team Feeling good at the end of the day Success after the pandemic hit Trying to be grateful for opportunities How can we help people in need? Being involved in St Joseph’s center Donate a meal for every meal produced to less fortunate and home-bound elderly The Mealbridge Frontline foods Feeding frontline hospital workers Making a safe environment Spoke to staff openly and honestly Making all staff feel comfortable and safe Shifting from fine dining steak restaurant to creating comfort food at a low price The restaurant is staying afloat No aim to make profits Sales volume is 5-10% of what it was before It is about survival The future of the restaurant Shifting to BBQ Lower check average Comforting