Episode 599: Hospitality Meets Investment: How Branded Hospitality Built a Bridge Between Restaurants and Tech

In this lively and entertaining episode of Restaurant Owners Uncorked, Wil Brawley sits down in the famed Branded Hospitality studio with Michael “Schatzy” Schatzberg and Jimmy Frischling, the duo behind Branded Hospitality Group. What begins as a nostalgic look back at their individual paths into hospitality, Schatzy from dishwashing at a bagel shop, Jimmy from bartending during his finance career, evolves into a deeper conversation about how their complementary backgrounds led them to create a unique investment and advisory platform for hospitality tech. Their journey includes operating and investing in restaurants, vetting emerging technologies, and launching a hospitality-focused investment vehicle that now includes nearly 60 companies. This episode blends humor, personal stories, sharp insights into tech adoption in restaurants, and reflections on the high-touch, deeply fragmented nature of the industry. Wil, Schatzy, and Jimmy also dive into cultural icons like Cheers and Rocky, all while echoing the central truth: relationships, trust, and simplicity still matter most in hospitality.

Key Takeaways:

Humble Beginnings in Hospitality
Schatzy started at a bagel shop at age 15 doing grunt work, later bartended at Duke’s, and eventually became a co-owner. Jimmy cut his teeth barbacking and waiting before moving into finance, hospitality was always a “gig job” until he circled back as an investor.

Complementary Partnership
Branded Hospitality was born from blending Schatzy’s deep operational experience with Jimmy’s financial acumen. Their combined perspectives helped them create a unique platform for restaurant tech investment and advisory.

Restaurant as Testing Grounds for Tech
Their real breakthrough came when they used one restaurant to pilot four tech tools: Pour My Bev, Chowly, Bbot, and GoParrot. That pilot validated their thesis and launched Branded’s broader investment strategy.

Fragmented Industry, Custom Solutions
With 70% of restaurants being independents, there’s no one-size-fits-all tech stack. Branded emphasizes operator-driven solutions. Tech must meet operators where they are and be something they'd actually pay for and use.

Investments and Approach
Branded has invested in nearly 60 companies via funds, SPVs, and family office partnerships. They screen over six companies a week and have a strong filtering process rooted in operational validation rather than pitch decks.

Importance of Word-of-Mouth 
Over InfluencersSchatzy and Jimmy stressed the value of personal trust networks in tech vetting. “Know and trust” beats paid influencers. Word of mouth is still king, especially in a people-first industry.

Tech Is a Support Role, Not the Star
Despite enthusiasm for AI, robotics, and personalization, the hosts emphasized that restaurants will always be about food, hospitality, and human connection. Tech enhances but doesn’t replace that.

Community & Independent Operators 
MatterIndependents aren’t just small players, they’re vital to neighborhood vibrancy and cultural identity. Branded sees Schedulefly as a valuable tool to build community and share knowledge among these operators.

The Future: Data-Informed, Human-Touched
They see a future where guest data is used meaningfully, like knowing who’s dining and what they love, but tied closely to real human engagement. Hospitality is still personal, even if it’s tech-informed.

Fun, Nostalgia, and Culture
From Cheers and Friends to Rocky and Godfather references, the episode celebrates the enduring joy of classic stories, mirroring the timeless essence of hospitality: welcoming, connecting, and making people feel at home.