This Week in Startups E1081: SevenRooms CEO & Co-Founder Joel Montaniel on raising $50M Series B during COVID, taking on large incumbents, helping restaurants leverage data to maximize customer experience
Jun 30, 2020
Joel Montaniel, CEO and co-founder of SevenRooms, discusses the transformative power of data in the hospitality industry. He shares insights on raising $50M during COVID-19, the fierce competition against larger incumbents, and the challenges restaurants face in managing customer relationships. Montaniel emphasizes the importance of personalized service and adapting to changing consumer behaviors. The conversation also touches on the evolving landscape of exclusive dining experiences and strategic approaches to enhance customer engagement.
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Risky Venture
- Joel Montaniel founded SevenRooms, a startup for restaurants.
- He did this despite the high failure rate of restaurants and the current pandemic.
Data-Driven Hospitality
- SevenRooms helps hospitality operators understand guests through data, a key element missing in existing systems.
- It's like a doctor's office without patient notes, starting from scratch each visit.
Building Customer Profiles
- SevenRooms uses phone numbers or email addresses to create customer profiles.
- They track preferences, purchase data, and connect to POS systems.