Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

With Excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guest, the Founder of Big Grover Brewery, Matt Swift. Matt Swift grew up in the restaurant business. His mom, Faye Swift, opened Sluggers in Coralville, IA when Matt was just a young boy. Matt would go on to work in that restaurant learning about a hospitality first mentality and High standards before opening his first restaurant, Black Stone, in 2007. With numerous partners, Matt has since gone on to open Red's Ale House (2009) Big Grove Brewery Solon (2013), 30 Hop (2014), Pullmans bar (2015), Mosely's Barbecue and Provisions (2016), Big Grove, Iowa City (2017), Saint Burch Tavern (2018), Tribute (2020), and the Iowa Athletic Clun (2021). Today's feature affiliate: Bentobox. In need of a restaurant website? Click this link to find out why so many of my guests use Bentobox! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote or mantra: "Not preparing is preparing to fail." In this episode with Matthew Swift we will discuss: Dealing with a massive floods that ruins your restaurant Partnerships Candor Exiting partners Scaling Transitioning from restaurant to brewery Community involvement Today's sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Plate IQ, your Accounts Payable Automation and Expense Management solution. PateIQ works with 20,000 restaurants across the country. Plate IQ uses OCR "Optical Character Recognition" and Deep Machine Learning to eliminate manual data entry from the AP process. Automate the full life cycle of your invoices from General Ledger coding to bill payment via PlateIQ's VendorPay network. With PlateIQ's VendorPay you can seamless flow from invoice upload to paying your bills. You can earn cashback on invoices from over 180,000 vendors. With Plate IQ Vender Pay, you can see what is due when. Schedule payment by check/ACH/or Plate IQ Card. Lastly, VendorPay is also FOR Vendors. Keeping your vendors happy will give you leverage in negotiating your terms. Vendors participating in Plate IQ's VendorPay network LOVE it because it shortens Day Sales Outstanding by 25% - AKA: Vendors get paid 25% faster. To learn more head to plateIQ.com/unstoppable to get at least 25% off implementation. Fluctuating food prices. Staffing challenges- Now more than ever you need to control costs to remain profitable. MarginEdge is a restaurant management software that lets you see your food and labor costs in real time. By automating your invoice processing and totally digitizing your back office, MarginEdge saves your team hours on paperwork and gives you instant insights to manage your prime costs. Try MarginEdge free for 30 days. No contract. No setup fee. Learn more at marginedge.com/unstoppable Over 20,000 restaurants trust ChowNow (chownow.com/unstoppable) for their online ordering. With ChowNow, you'll take control of your online presence, connect with more local diners, and keep your hard-earned profits. Join the free ChowNow Marketplace to reach new customers without commissions. Want to go big? Put your restaurant in the spotlight with ChowNow Direct—a full suite of branded ordering and marketing tools, including your own app! For a limited time, Restaurant Unstoppable listeners save 30% on a ChowNow Direct annual plan. Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Good at saying yes and following through What is your biggest weakness? Details What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? Energy What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Staffing Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. Practice candor What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? Push atmosphere, respect the guest What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin Atomic Habits:An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations? 7Shifts What is one thing you feel restaurateurs don't do well enough or often enough? Be present, be on the floor Name one service you've hired. 7Shifts If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be? Not preparing is preparing to fail Take the time to know the people around you Practice candor Contact info: Email: matt@biggrovebrewery.com Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Matthew Swift for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time! Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

With Excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guest, Kelly Valentine. Kelly Valentine is the Founder of Femmes in Food where she is a consultant + champion for #ladyowned Food & Beverage brands. She also has a decade of experience designing, curating + operationally executing pop-up dinners + events ranging from intimate gatherings to multi-day experiences. She's worked with street vendors to James Beard award-winning chefs and lives for the magic that's created when you bring strangers together to share a meal at a communal dining table. Check out episode 886 with Dina Samson as mentioned in today's episode. Check out episode 896 with Steph Sellers as mentioned in today's episode. Today's feature affiliate: Bentobox. In need of a restaurant website? Click this link to find out why so many of my guests use Bentobox! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote or mantra: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about." "I can do hard things." In this episode with Kelly Valentine we will discuss: What is a pop-up? What are the different varieties of pop-ups? When should someone try their first pop-up? What is branding? Taxes and legalities Menu design and sized best practices How to market a pop-up How do pop-ups benefit the host location and the pop-up operator mutually? Track everything What is Femmes In Food? Today's sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Plate IQ, your Accounts Payable Automation and Expense Management solution. PateIQ works with 20,000 restaurants across the country. Plate IQ uses OCR "Optical Character Recognition" and Deep Machine Learning to eliminate manual data entry from the AP process. Automate the full life cycle of your invoices from General Ledger coding to bill payment via PlateIQ's VendorPay network. With PlateIQ's VendorPay you can seamless flow from invoice upload to paying your bills. You can earn cashback on invoices from over 180,000 vendors. With Plate IQ Vender Pay, you can see what is due when. Schedule payment by check/ACH/or Plate IQ Card. Lastly, VendorPay is also FOR Vendors. Keeping your vendors happy will give you leverage in negotiating your terms. Vendors participating in Plate IQ's VendorPay network LOVE it because it shortens Day Sales Outstanding by 25% - AKA: Vendors get paid 25% faster. To learn more head to plateIQ.com/unstoppable to get at least 25% off implementation. Fluctuating food prices. Staffing challenges- Now more than ever you need to control costs to remain profitable. MarginEdge is a restaurant management software that lets you see your food and labor costs in real time. By automating your invoice processing and totally digitizing your back office, MarginEdge saves your team hours on paperwork and gives you instant insights to manage your prime costs. Try MarginEdge free for 30 days. No contract. No setup fee. Learn more at marginedge.com/unstoppable Diageo Bar Academy equips bartenders, servers, managers, and hospitality professionals with the insights, stories, and tools to be better - raising the bar on industry standards. Diageo Bar Academy reaches a diverse audience, with backgrounds and skill levels of all ranges- providing them with skills, knowledge, and the techniques they need to improve their personal and professional lives. Contact info: Instagram... Personal: @kellyjvalentine Business: @femmesinfood Website: femmesinfood.com Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Kelly Valentine for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time! Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

With excitement, allow me to introduce to you today's guest, Executive Chef and Partner at Big Grove Brewery, Ben Smart. An Iowa City native, Ben studied Geo Science at the University of Iowa. After graduating, it didn't take long for Ben to realize that he wasn't cut out for the office life, so he went back to study at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids to study Culinary Arts. After a few short stints cooking in Iowa City, IA and Kansas City, MO, Ben moved to Woodinville, WA in 2008 to work at The Herbfarm. He didn't know it then, but he would spend the next six years of his career at The Herbfarm. In 2012, Ben and his family were ready to make the move back to Iowa, and coincidently, he got a call from an old family friend for an opportunity to be the Executive Chef at a new restaurant opening in Solon, IA; Big Grove Brewery. Ben jumped at the opportunity. Today Ben is a Partner in Big Grove Brewery in Solon, IA, Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City, IA, Pullmans Bar and Diner in Iowa City, IA, and St. Burch's Tavern in Iowa City, IA. Today's feature affiliate: Bentobox. In need of a restaurant website? Click this link to find out why so many of my guests use Bentobox! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote or mantra: "Show me your friends, I'll show you your future." In this episode with Ben Smart we will discuss: Culinary school Networking Fine dining Mise en place Farm to fork Leadership Soft skills Tapping your professional network Visioning Labor Business partnerships Educating staff CORE values Imposter syndrom Today's sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Plate IQ, your Accounts Payable Automation and Expense Management solution. PateIQ works with 20,000 restaurants across the country. Plate IQ uses OCR "Optical Character Recognition" and Deep Machine Learning to eliminate manual data entry from the AP process. Automate the full life cycle of your invoices from General Ledger coding to bill payment via PlateIQ's VendorPay network. With PlateIQ's VendorPay you can seamless flow from invoice upload to paying your bills. You can earn cashback on invoices from over 180,000 vendors. With Plate IQ Vender Pay, you can see what is due when. Schedule payment by check/ACH/or Plate IQ Card. Lastly, VendorPay is also FOR Vendors. Keeping your vendors happy will give you leverage in negotiating your terms. Vendors participating in Plate IQ's VendorPay network LOVE it because it shortens Day Sales Outstanding by 25% - AKA: Vendors get paid 25% faster. To learn more head to plateIQ.com/unstoppable to get at least 25% off implementation. Fluctuating food prices. Staffing challenges- Now more than ever you need to control costs to remain profitable. MarginEdge is a restaurant management software that lets you see your food and labor costs in real time. By automating your invoice processing and totally digitizing your back office, MarginEdge saves your team hours on paperwork and gives you instant insights to manage your prime costs. Try MarginEdge free for 30 days. No contract. No setup fee. Learn more at marginedge.com/unstoppable Diageo Bar Academy equips bartenders, servers, managers, and hospitality professionals with the insights, stories, and tools to be better - raising the bar on industry standards. Diageo Bar Academy reaches a diverse audience, with backgrounds and skill levels of all ranges- providing them with skills, knowledge, and the techniques they need to improve their personal and professional lives. Knowledge Bombs: Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Discipline What is your biggest weakness? Organization What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? What is their connection to food? What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? All the moving parts Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. Cut the tape What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? Push our BOH team to "table touch" What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations? Toast - KDS What is one thing you feel restaurateurs don't do well enough or often enough? Training their people - professional development Name one service you've hired. Bergan KDV - Business solutions If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be? Surround yourself with people that challenge you Find something worth sacrificing for Life moves fast, so slow down and try to enjoy it Contact info: Instagram: @biggroveben Email: ben@biggrove.com Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Ben Smart for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time! Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

With excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guest, Co-Founder of Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack, Jack Piper. Jack got his start in Iowa City working at the legendary China Garden Restaurant, where he learned about amazing service, the importance of attention to detail, and leading by example. Jack, also a natural artist, used his ability to land himself in NYC where he was mentored by world-famous artist, Marilyn Minter. Minter took a likely to Jack, and as a result, jack got more opportunities than most in the world of art, but he was turned away by the art industry by its politics, however, this experience left a huge influence on his life. Jack went on to work in the FOH in many fine-dining restaurants throughout the US including NYC, Utah, and Texas before doing 4 years with the Cheesecake Factory where he learned a ton of systems and culture. In 1998 the Discussion to open Atlas in Iowa City, IA started and by 2000 the restaurant was open. Atlas had a successful 17-year run under Jack's ownership before he sold the restaurant to Matt Swift and Ben Smart. During that time Jack also opened Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack and Basta Italian Restaurant. He also took Jimmy Jack's popular BBQ sauces nationwide with Amazon, and throughout the region in 150 local retailers. Check out episode 870 with Chef Pierre Hilzim and Monica Davidson as mentioned in today's episode. Check out episode 894 with Jack Piper as mentioned in today's episode. Today's feature affiliate: Bentobox. In need of a restaurant website? Click this link to find out why so many of my guests use Bentobox! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote or mantra: "Win your morning, win your day." In this episode with Jack Piper we will discuss: Start by bottling sauces and selling them in your store, not online Can you at least pull off that much 👆🏽 Packaging/graphic design Location (on a shelf) Obtaining a bar code Determining "Nutrition Facts" Distribution Determining "suggested retail" Contracts and lawyers Pricing Marketing Today's sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Plate IQ, your Accounts Payable Automation and Expense Management solution. PateIQ works with 20,000 restaurants across the country. Plate IQ uses OCR "Optical Character Recognition" and Deep Machine Learning to eliminate manual data entry from the AP process. Automate the full life cycle of your invoices from General Ledger coding to bill payment via PlateIQ's VendorPay network. With PlateIQ's VendorPay you can seamless flow from invoice upload to paying your bills. You can earn cashback on invoices from over 180,000 vendors. With Plate IQ Vender Pay, you can see what is due when. Schedule payment by check/ACH/or Plate IQ Card. Lastly, VendorPay is also FOR Vendors. Keeping your vendors happy will give you leverage in negotiating your terms. Vendors participating in Plate IQ's VendorPay network LOVE it because it shortens Day Sales Outstanding by 25% - AKA: Vendors get paid 25% faster. To learn more head to plateIQ.com/unstoppable to get at least 25% off implementation. Fluctuating food prices. Staffing challenges- Now more than ever you need to control costs to remain profitable. MarginEdge is a restaurant management software that lets you see your food and labor costs in real time. By automating your invoice processing and totally digitizing your back office, MarginEdge saves your team hours on paperwork and gives you instant insights to manage your prime costs. Try MarginEdge free for 30 days. No contract. No setup fee. Learn more at marginedge.com/unstoppable Over 20,000 restaurants trust ChowNow (chownow.com/unstoppable) for their online ordering. With ChowNow, you'll take control of your online presence, connect with more local diners, and keep your hard-earned profits. Join the free ChowNow Marketplace to reach new customers without commissions. Want to go big? Put your restaurant in the spotlight with ChowNow Direct—a full suite of branded ordering and marketing tools, including your own app! For a limited time, Restaurant Unstoppable listeners save 30% on a ChowNow Direct annual plan. Contact info: Instagram: @jimmyjacksribshack Email: iowacityjack@gamil.com Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Jack Piper for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time! Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

With excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guest, Founder and Chief Cookie Officer of Cookies & Dreams, Stephanie Sellers. Iowa native, Stephanie Sellers, discovered her love of baking as a kid peering over the counter as Mimi (her long-time babysitter) taught her the basics while they baked up a storm. her "hobby" later turned into a full-time business-- baking wedding cakes birthday cakes, & more for the community & local restaurants. Stephanie and her husband went on to open a couple of restaurants where baked goods were always featured. Then, amidst the pandemic in early 2020, Cookies and Dreams was launched. Today Cookies & Dreams has sold close to ONE MILLION COOKIES and have scaled to 4 brick and mortar locations with two more opening in the summer of 2022 throughout Iowa. Check out episode 894 with Jack Piper as mentioned in today's episode. Today's feature affiliate: Bentobox. In need of a restaurant website? Click this link to find out why so many of my guests use Bentobox! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote or mantra: "There is no secret; keep going." In this episode with Steph Sellers we will discuss: Mentors Problem solving Customer service Closing a business Whole sale Construction and contractors Staffing Pop ups Farmers markets Mental health Motherhood and entrepreneurial leadership Today's sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Plate IQ, your Accounts Payable Automation and Expense Management solution. PateIQ works with 20,000 restaurants across the country. Plate IQ uses OCR "Optical Character Recognition" and Deep Machine Learning to eliminate manual data entry from the AP process. Automate the full life cycle of your invoices from General Ledger coding to bill payment via PlateIQ's VendorPay network. With PlateIQ's VendorPay you can seamless flow from invoice upload to paying your bills. You can earn cashback on invoices from over 180,000 vendors. With Plate IQ Vender Pay, you can see what is due when. Schedule payment by check/ACH/or Plate IQ Card. Lastly, VendorPay is also FOR Vendors. Keeping your vendors happy will give you leverage in negotiating your terms. Vendors participating in Plate IQ's VendorPay network LOVE it because it shortens Day Sales Outstanding by 25% - AKA: Vendors get paid 25% faster. To learn more head to plateIQ.com/unstoppable to get at least 25% off implementation. Fluctuating food prices. Staffing challenges- Now more than ever you need to control costs to remain profitable. MarginEdge is a restaurant management software that lets you see your food and labor costs in real time. By automating your invoice processing and totally digitizing your back office, MarginEdge saves your team hours on paperwork and gives you instant insights to manage your prime costs. Try MarginEdge free for 30 days. No contract. No setup fee. Learn more at marginedge.com/unstoppable Over 20,000 restaurants trust ChowNow (chownow.com/unstoppable) for their online ordering. With ChowNow, you'll take control of your online presence, connect with more local diners, and keep your hard-earned profits. Join the free ChowNow Marketplace to reach new customers without commissions. Want to go big? Put your restaurant in the spotlight with ChowNow Direct—a full suite of branded ordering and marketing tools, including your own app! For a limited time, Restaurant Unstoppable listeners save 30% on a ChowNow Direct annual plan. Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Epically curious What is your biggest weakness? Trying to do too much What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? Good, positive vibe What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Being a new mom Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. Assume positive intent What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? Say "guests" instead of "customers" What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? The No Rules Rules Book by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations? Text message marketing What is one thing you feel restaurateurs don't do well enough or often enough? Emotional intelligence Name one service you've hired. Break Bread IT Consulting If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be? Don't lose sight of what you are passionate about Don't try to do everything by yourself Be mindful of emotional intelligence Contact info: Website: idreamaboutcookies.com Instagram: @idreamaboutcookies Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Steph Sellers for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time! Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

With excitement allow me to introduce today's guest, the Founder of RestaurantRockstars.com, Roger Beaudoin. Roger is a 27-year veteran Restaurateur and Founder/ President of Restaurant Rockstars. He is an expert at Staff Training, Operating Systems and Maximizing Restaurant fProfit. Roger is a 2 X Author, Personal Restaurant Coach, Creator of the Restaurant Rockstars Academy, Sales Stars Staff Training, and Co-Creator of the SRV Training APP. Roger is also host of the weekly Restaurant Rockstars Podcast. You can reach him at roger@restaurantrockstars.com Check out episode 371 with Jack O'Sullivan as mentioned in today's episode. Check out episode 413 with Roger Beaudoin as mentioned in today's episode! Check out episode 226 with Roger Beaudoin as mentioned in today's episode! Check out episode 213 with Roger Beaudoin & David Long as mentioned in today's episode! Check out episode 123 with Roger Beaudoin as mentioned in today's episode! Check out Restaurant Strong by Peter LeSar as recommended in today's episode. Today's feature affiliate: Bentobox. In need of a restaurant website? Click this link to find out why so many of my guests use Bentobox! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote or mantra: "Success is about the journey, not the destination." In this episode with Roger Beaudoin we will discuss: Pre-meal meetings are essential Training all staff on all positions, both BOH and FOH Educate, entertain, and inform your guests Why did Roger create Sales Stars? Tracking marketing Internal marketing Constant reinvention Core values and culture You need to leverage technology for the best training and guest experience Today's sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Plate IQ, your Accounts Payable Automation and Expense Management solution. PateIQ works with 20,000 restaurants across the country. Plate IQ uses OCR "Optical Character Recognition" and Deep Machine Learning to eliminate manual data entry from the AP process. Automate the full life cycle of your invoices from General Ledger coding to bill payment via PlateIQ's VendorPay network. With PlateIQ's VendorPay you can seamless flow from invoice upload to paying your bills. You can earn cashback on invoices from over 180,000 vendors. With Plate IQ Vender Pay, you can see what is due when. Schedule payment by check/ACH/or Plate IQ Card. Lastly, VendorPay is also FOR Vendors. Keeping your vendors happy will give you leverage in negotiating your terms. Vendors participating in Plate IQ's VendorPay network LOVE it because it shortens Day Sales Outstanding by 25% - AKA: Vendors get paid 25% faster. To learn more head to plateIQ.com/unstoppable to get at least 25% off implementation. Fluctuating food prices. Staffing challenges- Now more than ever you need to control costs to remain profitable. MarginEdge is a restaurant management software that lets you see your food and labor costs in real time. By automating your invoice processing and totally digitizing your back office, MarginEdge saves your team hours on paperwork and gives you instant insights to manage your prime costs. Try MarginEdge free for 30 days. No contract. No setup fee. Learn more at marginedge.com/unstoppable Diageo Bar Academy equips bartenders, servers, managers, and hospitality professionals with the insights, stories, and tools to be better - raising the bar on industry standards. Diageo Bar Academy reaches a diverse audience, with backgrounds and skill levels of all ranges- providing them with skills, knowledge, and the techniques they need to improve their personal and professional lives. Contact info: RestaurantRockstars.com srvnow.com Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Roger Beaudoin for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time! Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

With excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guest, Co-Founder of Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack, Jack Piper. Jack got his start in Iowa City working at the legendary China Garden Restaurant, where he learned about amazing service, the importance of attention to detail, and leading by example. Jack, also a natural artist, used his ability to land himself in NYC where he was mentored by world-famous artist, Marilyn Minter. Minter took a likely to Jack, and as a result, jack got more opportunities than most in the world of art, but he was turned away by the art industry by its politics, however, this experience left a huge influence on his life. Jack went on to work in the FOH in many fine-dining restaurants throughout the US including NYC, Utah, and Texas before doing 4 years with the Cheesecake Factory where he learned a ton of systems and culture. In 1998 the Discussion to open Atlas in Iowa City, IA started and by 2000 the restaurant was open. Atlas had a successful 17-year run under Jack's ownership before he sold the restaurant to Matt Swift and Ben Smart. During that time Jack also opened Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack and Basta Italian Restaurant. He also took Jimmy Jack's popular BBQ sauces nationwide with Amazon, and throughout the region in 150 local retailers. Check out episode 878 with Donald Moore as mentioned in today's episode. Today's feature affiliate: Bentobox. In need of a restaurant website? Click this link to find out why so many of my guests use Bentobox! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote or mantra: "Win your morning, win your day." In this episode with Jack Piper we will discuss: Ego and pride Cleanliness as a server FOH Constructive criticism Upselling Selling food products online Today's sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Plate IQ, your Accounts Payable Automation and Expense Management solution. PateIQ works with 20,000 restaurants across the country. Plate IQ uses OCR "Optical Character Recognition" and Deep Machine Learning to eliminate manual data entry from the AP process. Automate the full life cycle of your invoices from General Ledger coding to bill payment via PlateIQ's VendorPay network. With PlateIQ's VendorPay you can seamless flow from invoice upload to paying your bills. You can earn cashback on invoices from over 180,000 vendors. With Plate IQ Vender Pay, you can see what is due when. Schedule payment by check/ACH/or Plate IQ Card. Lastly, VendorPay is also FOR Vendors. Keeping your vendors happy will give you leverage in negotiating your terms. Vendors participating in Plate IQ's VendorPay network LOVE it because it shortens Day Sales Outstanding by 25% - AKA: Vendors get paid 25% faster. To learn more head to plateIQ.com/unstoppable to get at least 25% off implementation. Fluctuating food prices. Staffing challenges- Now more than ever you need to control costs to remain profitable. MarginEdge is a restaurant management software that lets you see your food and labor costs in real time. By automating your invoice processing and totally digitizing your back office, MarginEdge saves your team hours on paperwork and gives you instant insights to manage your prime costs. Try MarginEdge free for 30 days. No contract. No setup fee. Learn more at marginedge.com/unstoppable Diageo Bar Academy equips bartenders, servers, managers, and hospitality professionals with the insights, stories, and tools to be better - raising the bar on industry standards. Diageo Bar Academy reaches a diverse audience, with backgrounds and skill levels of all ranges- providing them with skills, knowledge, and the techniques they need to improve their personal and professional lives. Knowledge bombs Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success? Exceeding expectations What is your biggest weakness? Overthinking What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview? Honesty What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it? Time management Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team. You're entitled to nothing All decisions are made in the best interest for the guest What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff? Create a joint, not a scene What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? Setting The Table by Danny Meyer GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations? Toast POS Name one service you've hired. Goldbelly If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be? You're not entitled to anything, you must earn it Exceed expectations Win your morning Contact info: Instagram: @jimmyjacksribshack Email: jack@jimmyjacksribshack.com Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Jack Piper for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

With excitement, allow me to introduce to you today's guest, David Dressler. David began his hospitality career at age 6, working in a family-run hotel in the Adirondacks. After graduating from the Ecole Hôtelière, David built a career in luxury hospitality with Four Seasons hotels. Combining his professional experience with his personal style, he shaped and scaled Tender Greens' distinctive heart-centered culture. After leading as Tender Greens President and Chief People Officer, David founded Quiet Advisory where he holistically coaches and advises purpose-driven entrepreneurs. He is married to Randi and they have two amazing kids. Check out Ten Year Plan: How the Founders of Tender Greens Sacled Their Heart-Centered Brand by David Dressler and Erik Oberholtzer as mentioned in today's episode! Check out episode 882 with David Dressler as mentioned in today's episode. Check out episode 887 with Erik Oberholtzer as mentioned in today's episode. Today's feature affiliate: Bentobox. In need of a restaurant website? Click this link to find out why so many of my guests use Bentobox! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote or mantra: "When you are lost, go back to where you came from." In this episode with David Dressler we will discuss: What is a purpose-driven organization? The importance of fiscal responsibility Conscious capitalism The Tender Greens purpose Today's sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Plate IQ, your Accounts Payable Automation and Expense Management solution. PateIQ works with 20,000 restaurants across the country. Plate IQ uses OCR "Optical Character Recognition" and Deep Machine Learning to eliminate manual data entry from the AP process. Automate the full life cycle of your invoices from General Ledger coding to bill payment via PlateIQ's VendorPay network. With PlateIQ's VendorPay you can seamless flow from invoice upload to paying your bills. You can earn cashback on invoices from over 180,000 vendors. With Plate IQ Vender Pay, you can see what is due when. Schedule payment by check/ACH/or Plate IQ Card. Lastly, VendorPay is also FOR Vendors. Keeping your vendors happy will give you leverage in negotiating your terms. Vendors participating in Plate IQ's VendorPay network LOVE it because it shortens Day Sales Outstanding by 25% - AKA: Vendors get paid 25% faster. To learn more head to plateIQ.com/unstoppable to get at least 25% off implementation. Fluctuating food prices. Staffing challenges- Now more than ever you need to control costs to remain profitable. MarginEdge is a restaurant management software that lets you see your food and labor costs in real time. By automating your invoice processing and totally digitizing your back office, MarginEdge saves your team hours on paperwork and gives you instant insights to manage your prime costs. Try MarginEdge free for 30 days. No contract. No setup fee. Learn more at marginedge.com/unstoppable Over 20,000 restaurants trust ChowNow (chownow.com/unstoppable) for their online ordering. With ChowNow, you'll take control of your online presence, connect with more local diners, and keep your hard-earned profits. Join the free ChowNow Marketplace to reach new customers without commissions. Want to go big? Put your restaurant in the spotlight with ChowNow Direct—a full suite of branded ordering and marketing tools, including your own app! For a limited time, Restaurant Unstoppable listeners save 30% on a ChowNow Direct annual plan. Contact info: Quiet Advisory website: quietadvisory.com Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to David Dressler for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time! Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

Born and raised in North Kingstown, Kevin got his feet wet in hospitality early on. Starting as a cabana boy at Bonnet Shores Beach Club at just 15, he then worked at a variety of mom and pop spots throughout high school, gaining experience from dishwasher to pizza cook. It wasn't until he graduated, however, that he truly stepped into the restaurant industry. Under the mentorship of Chef Walter Slater at Junction Pizzeria in Wickford, Kevin truly fell in love with cooking and the undeniable adrenaline of the kitchen. While there, Kevin was inspired to enroll in Johnson & Wales' Continuing Education program which afforded him the chance to intern in Italy – an exciting opportunity to connect with his heritage and explore its cuisine. After four months, he returned home where he met his next mentor – and now-collaborator/Giusto General Manager – Aaron Edwards, and joined him at his new restaurant, Trattoria del Corso, as Chef de Cuisine. Here, Kevin's love for Italian food blossomed, but after a year was pulled back to Italy. For two and a half years, Kevin fully immersed himself in Italian culture and cuisine under Chef Lorenzo Polegri at Ristorante Zeppelin in Orvieto. It's here that he first experienced the creativity of freestyle, non-traditional Italian cooking, and Kevin credits this time and Polegri's tutelage with inspiring him to think outside the box while inside the kitchen. Back in the States, Kevin cooked at the famed Castle Hill Inn in Newport and then the Michelin-starred Del Posto in New York City. Opportunity again came knocking, and he headed back across the pond, this time to Paris. As Executive Chef, Kevin opened L'Office, a tiny bistro that garnered rave reviews and recognition both locally and internationally for its melding of French and Italian cuisine. In 2012, Kevin joined forces with the owners of The Salty Pig in Boston and developed its pasta program. Three years later, the team collaborated on a brand new restaurant concept, and in June 2016 opened SRV with co-chef Michael Lombardi. The Venetian-style Bacaro and wine bar was an immediate success, earning a 4-star review from Boston magazine, James Beard Award nomination, and continued critical acclaim since. Now, Kevin returns home with his high school sweetheart, Sarah, and young son to open his first independent restaurant concept in Newport. Giusto is a labor of love where familiar flavors come together in creative ways for a fun dining experience. Check out episode 269 with Kevin O'Donnell as mentioned in today's episode. Check out episode 861 with David Helbraun as mentioned in today's episode. Today's feature affiliate: Bentobox. In need of a restaurant website? Click this link to find out why so many of my guests use Bentobox! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote or mantra: "Keep moving and looking ahead. Don't be afraid to evolve." In this episode with Kevin O'Donnell we will discuss: Educating staff Milling your own flour Partnerships Communication Lease negotiation Opening a restaurant within a hotel Today's sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Plate IQ, your Accounts Payable Automation and Expense Management solution. PateIQ works with 20,000 restaurants across the country. Plate IQ uses OCR "Optical Character Recognition" and Deep Machine Learning to eliminate manual data entry from the AP process. Automate the full life cycle of your invoices from General Ledger coding to bill payment via PlateIQ's VendorPay network. With PlateIQ's VendorPay you can seamless flow from invoice upload to paying your bills. You can earn cashback on invoices from over 180,000 vendors. With Plate IQ Vender Pay, you can see what is due when. Schedule payment by check/ACH/or Plate IQ Card. Lastly, VendorPay is also FOR Vendors. Keeping your vendors happy will give you leverage in negotiating your terms. Vendors participating in Plate IQ's VendorPay network LOVE it because it shortens Day Sales Outstanding by 25% - AKA: Vendors get paid 25% faster. To learn more head to plateIQ.com/unstoppable to get at least 25% off implementation. Fluctuating food prices. Staffing challenges- Now more than ever you need to control costs to remain profitable. MarginEdge is a restaurant management software that lets you see your food and labor costs in real time. By automating your invoice processing and totally digitizing your back office, MarginEdge saves your team hours on paperwork and gives you instant insights to manage your prime costs. Try MarginEdge free for 30 days. No contract. No setup fee. Learn more at marginedge.com/unstoppable Over 20,000 restaurants trust ChowNow (chownow.com/unstoppable) for their online ordering. With ChowNow, you'll take control of your online presence, connect with more local diners, and keep your hard-earned profits. Join the free ChowNow Marketplace to reach new customers without commissions. Want to go big? Put your restaurant in the spotlight with ChowNow Direct—a full suite of branded ordering and marketing tools, including your own app! For a limited time, Restaurant Unstoppable listeners save 30% on a ChowNow Direct annual plan. Contact info: Instagram: @giustonewport Website: giustonewport.com Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Kevin O'Donnell for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

With excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guest, the Founder, and CEO of Flyfish Club, David Rodolitz. David's entrepreneurial drive in the hospitality industry started at an early age. In 2003, he founded Impulse Productions, a premier Event-Planning company that works with some of the largest Fortune 100 & 500 companies around the world. David is a founding partner of the Empellon Restaurant Group, which he operated and built alongside Chef Alex Stupak from 2011 -2019. During this time, he opened multiple concepts, including a 3-star NYTimes, 7,500 sq ft flagship in midtown, NYC. During the pandemic, David started kicking ideas around with friends Gary Vaynerchuk, Josh Capon, and Conor Hanlon to start Flyfish Club (FFC), the world's first member's only private dining club where membership is purchased on the blockchain as a Non-Fungible-Token (NFT) and owned by the token-holder to gain access to our restaurant and various culinary, cultural and social experiences. Today's feature affiliate: Bentobox. In need of a restaurant website? Click this link to find out why so many of my guests use Bentobox! Show notes… Calls to ACTION!!! Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and get your first 30 days on me! Connect with my past guest and a community of superfans. Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!) Favorite success quote or mantra: "I never dreamed of success; I worked for it. In this episode with David Rodolitz we will discuss: Membership models New business models Modernizing and monetizing restaurant models NFT's Today's sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Plate IQ, your Accounts Payable Automation and Expense Management solution. PateIQ works with 20,000 restaurants across the country. Plate IQ uses OCR "Optical Character Recognition" and Deep Machine Learning to eliminate manual data entry from the AP process. Automate the full life cycle of your invoices from General Ledger coding to bill payment via PlateIQ's VendorPay network. With PlateIQ's VendorPay you can seamless flow from invoice upload to paying your bills. You can earn cashback on invoices from over 180,000 vendors. With Plate IQ Vender Pay, you can see what is due when. Schedule payment by check/ACH/or Plate IQ Card. Lastly, VendorPay is also FOR Vendors. Keeping your vendors happy will give you leverage in negotiating your terms. Vendors participating in Plate IQ's VendorPay network LOVE it because it shortens Day Sales Outstanding by 25% - AKA: Vendors get paid 25% faster. To learn more head to plateIQ.com/unstoppable to get at least 25% off implementation. Fluctuating food prices. Staffing challenges- Now more than ever you need to control costs to remain profitable. MarginEdge is a restaurant management software that lets you see your food and labor costs in real time. By automating your invoice processing and totally digitizing your back office, MarginEdge saves your team hours on paperwork and gives you instant insights to manage your prime costs. Try MarginEdge free for 30 days. No contract. No setup fee. Learn more at marginedge.com/unstoppable Diageo Bar Academy equips bartenders, servers, managers, and hospitality professionals with the insights, stories, and tools to be better - raising the bar on industry standards. Diageo Bar Academy reaches a diverse audience, with backgrounds and skill levels of all ranges- providing them with skills, knowledge, and the techniques they need to improve their personal and professional lives. Contact info: Website: flyfishclub.com Instagram: Flyfish: @flyfish David: @rodolitz Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to David Rodolitz for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time! Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!