#239 - COACHING: Marketing a Restaurant in the Middle of Nowhere ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: KICKFIN Thousands of restaurants across the country use Kickfin to send instant, cashless tip payouts, directly to their employees’ bank accounts, the second their shift ends. Get in touch today for a personalized demo and see how restaurants and bars across the country are tipping out with Kickfin. VISIT: kickfin.com/demo. ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: POPMENU If you’re a restaurant owner you need a great website that not only looks beautiful, but helps drive more traffic and sales. Use POPMENU to take your business to the next level. Best of all, listeners of this show can lock in one, set monthly rate… and get $100 off their first month.  VISIT: https://popmenu.com/restaurantstrategy ***** Episode 239 is another one of these live coaching calls, recorded for your benefit. I was introduced to Jeannine Jabaay while I was speaking at Bar & Restaurant Expo this past spring in Las Vegas, NV. She's the owner of Bear Creek Lodge and Dirty Skillet. The property she runs is in Hope, Alaska... basically in the middle of nowhere (as she explains). She agreed to a recorded coaching call to help her work through some of the unique challenges she faces with her property. But if you think her problems are too different from yours, you'd be 100% wrong. I think you'll find many similarities between the issues you face and the struggles she has. Do not miss this one!     IMPORTANT LINKS: Dirty Skillet: https://www.dirtyskillet.com/ Bear Creek Lodge: https://www.bearcreeklodgeak.com/   ***** Introducing... the P3 Mastermind ProgramThe 3 Ps stand for PROFIT, PROCESS, and PROGRESS! Let me show you how to generate consistent, predicatable 20% profit every single month.  Learn more by setting up a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

#238 - How to Get Better Waiters   ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: TRIPLESEAT Revolutionize your private event planning with Tripleseat's all-in-one platform. Boost new booking sales by 30%, generate more leads, create contracts, BEOs, and more. Plus listeners of the show get a discount when you sign up. VISIT: https://tripleseat.com/restaurantstrategy/ ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: DAVO Don’t let sales tax spoil your business. Stay on top of sales tax with automation from DAVO by Avalara so you can spend less time in the back office, and more time in the front of house. Click the link below to learn more and try DAVO free for the first month: VISIT: https://www.DAVOsalestax.com/restaurantstrategy ***** Your waiters are your first line of defense (or offense). They are your sales force, customer service, and PR all wrapped up into one role. They will have more contact with guests than you can ever hope for as an owner or operator.  Which means, you need them to be good.  So how then do you get good waiters? That's what this week's episode is all about. We're going to dig into the nitty gritty of finding, training, and retaining a service staff that can transform your restaurant.    ***** Everything changes when your restaurant starts generating consistent, predictable, 20% profits every single month. Are you ready to level up? To bring your restaurant to where you know it should be? Just imagine how consistent profit would change your like.  Ready to learn more about my P3 Mastermind Program?  Schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule 

#237 - Charlie Eblen, Founder of Single Tree BBQ *****  This week's episode is brought to you by: MARGIN EDGE Take control of your costs with using MarginEdge. Best of all? No contract. No setup fee. Free and unlimited training and support.  VISIT: marginedge.com/chip ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: 7SHIFTS 7shifts is the team management platform for restaurants. From hiring, to scheduling, training and retaining, they’ve got the tools you need to help you run your business with ease. Better understand your restaurant, hit your labor targets, and keep your entire team connected. Plus, 7shifts integrates with POS and payroll systems you already use and trust! Join over 30,000 restaurants using 7shifts today. Restaurant Strategy listeners get 3 months free. VISIT: https://www.7shifts.com/restaurantstrategy ***** Many of the guests on this show are accomplished operators who are only to happy to share their wisdom and experience after years (or decades in the industry). But what about those just starting out? Charlie Eblen is the founder of Single Tree BBQ and his experiences are newer, having just launched the brand a couple of years ago. On Episode 237 I wanted to track the early moves he made to get his company where it is now.  To many first-time owner/operators, this is going to sound very familiar. And I hope his advice and learnings can help all of you get to wherever it is you're going with your restaurants. Great guy, great conversation!    IMPORTANT LINKS: Single Tree BBQ - https://www.singletreebbq.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/singletreebbq/?hl=en Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SingleTreeBBQ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@stbbq YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcdltRbqsUtVD_7gABvZ5lA?app=desktop GET IN TOUCH WITH CHARLIE: Email: charlie@singletreebbq.com Phone: 615-307-0120   ***** What would your life look like if your restaurant could generate consistent, predictable 20% profits? My guess is it would change everything for you. If you've been open for at least a year, are generating at least a million dollars in revenue, but struggle with profitability... Then set up a free 30-minute strategy session to learn more about my P3 Mastermind: (The 3 Ps stand for Profit, Process, Progress)  Click the link to schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule   

#236 - How to Build a Network of Peers   ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: TRIPLESEAT Revolutionize your private event planning with Tripleseat's all-in-one platform. Boost new booking sales by 30%, generate more leads, create contracts, BEOs, and more. Plus listeners of the show get a discount when you sign up. VISIT: https://tripleseat.com/restaurantstrategy/ ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: DAVO Don’t let sales tax spoil your business. Stay on top of sales tax with automation from DAVO by Avalara so you can spend less time in the back office, and more time in the front of house. Click the link below to learn more and try DAVO free for the first month: VISIT: https://www.DAVOsalestax.com/restaurantstrategy ***** Each and every week, I see first-hand the impact a network can have on someone's business. My P3 Mastermind gathers owners and operators from all over the world onto a weekly coaching call where we work through issues in a systematic fashion. Best of all, the members get to draw inspiration from the "wisdom of the group."  Whether you're part of an "official" group, or whether your network is just a handful of operators getting beers once a week doesn't matter. What matters is that you find your tribe, and gather them consistently. This week I'll explain why I think you need a network... and most importantly, how to go build one of your own.    ***** Everything changes when your restaurant starts generating consistent, predictable, 20% profits every single month. Are you ready to level up? To bring your restaurant to where you know it should be? Just imagine how consistent profit would change your like.  Ready to learn more about my P3 Mastermind Program?  Schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule 

#235 - CEO of HUSTL Hospitality, Danni Eickenhorst *****  This week's episode is brought to you by: MARGIN EDGE Take control of your costs with using MarginEdge. Best of all? No contract. No setup fee. Free and unlimited training and support.  VISIT: marginedge.com/chip ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: 7SHIFTS 7shifts is the team management platform for restaurants. From hiring, to scheduling, training and retaining, they’ve got the tools you need to help you run your business with ease. Better understand your restaurant, hit your labor targets, and keep your entire team connected. Plus, 7shifts integrates with POS and payroll systems you already use and trust! Join over 30,000 restaurants using 7shifts today. Restaurant Strategy listeners get 3 months free. VISIT: https://www.7shifts.com/restaurantstrategy ***** Danni Eickenhorst about three years ago. We were in the midst of the Covid-19 Crisis and she and her husband had just become partners with Steve Ewing, a bona fide rock star and owner of the iconic St. Louis eatery, Steve's Hot Dogs.  In the years since, she's managed to turn that brand around and has helped expand into a new, larger location... plus they're now one of the main vendors for the new St. Louis MLS soccer arena. As if that wasn't enough, she and her husband also recently took over The Fountain on Locust, and are helping to shepard the brand into a new era.  She is a member of my P3 Mastermind, and it's been incredible to see how the group has helped shape the direction of her company. We get into her background, trajectory, and the future of where she things her company is going. I am constantly learning from this woman, and I know you'll get a ton out of this conversation.  IMPORTANT LINKS: Steve's Hot Dogs - https://www.steveshotdogsstl.com/ The Fountain on Locust - https://www.fountainonlocust.com/   ***** What would your life look like if your restaurant could generate consistent, predictable 20% profits? My guess is it would change everything for you. If you've been open for at least a year, are generating at least a million dollars in revenue, but struggle with profitability... Then set up a free 30-minute strategy session to learn more about my P3 Mastermind: (The 3 Ps stand for Profit, Process, Progress)  Click the link to schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule   

#234 - How to Market in Reverse *****  This week's episode is brought to you by: SPOTON You may think of them as a POS system, but SpotOn is so much more.  With SpotOn you get a seamless restaurant tech solution that actually boosts revenue and manages costs. Book a demo today and see how SpotOn is changing the whole game.  VISIT: https://www.spoton.com/chip ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: 7SHIFTS 7shifts is the team management platform for restaurants. From hiring, to scheduling, training and retaining, they’ve got the tools you need to help you run your business with ease. Better understand your restaurant, hit your labor targets, and keep your entire team connected. Plus, 7shifts integrates with POS and payroll systems you already use and trust! Join over 30,000 restaurants using 7shifts today. Restaurant Strategy listeners get 3 months free. VISIT: https://www.7shifts.com/restaurantstrategy   ***** I often speak about the Triangle Principle, a framework I developed years ago to better market restaurants. It basically says: "There are three sides to a triangle, just like there are three sides to successfully market a restaurant... Attraction, Retention, Evangelism." The bottom line is you gotta get people in, get people back, and get people talking. And the only way to market is to focus on achieving those three goals. To do it well, you gotta start with the end in mind. You've got to market in reverse.     ***** Same results, but a brand new name: The Restaurant Strategy P3 Mastermind The three Ps stand for PROFIT, PROCESS, and PROGRESS. (Our three pillars.)  Curious to learn more? Schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule 

#233 - Franchise Roundtable - PART 2 ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: KICKFIN Thousands of restaurants across the country use Kickfin to send instant, cashless tip payouts, directly to their employees’ bank accounts, the second their shift ends. Get in touch today for a personalized demo and see how restaurants and bars across the country are tipping out with Kickfin. VISIT: kickfin.com/demo. ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: POPMENU If you’re a restaurant owner you need a great website that not only looks beautiful, but helps drive more traffic and sales. Use POPMENU to take your business to the next level. Best of all, listeners of this show can lock in one, set monthly rate… and get $100 off their first month.  VISIT: https://popmenu.com/restaurantstrategy ***** I have spent my entire career in restaurants, but nearly all of that has been spent working with independents. Some multi-unit groups here and there... but very few franchises. But I've been getting more and more questions about franchising. So...  I decided to pull together a panel of knowledgable individuals: Lauren Fernandez, Troy Hooper, and Darryl Sangster. This week and next we'll be taking a deep dive into the world of franchising. This week, we're going to look at things from the perspective of the franchisee, answering some key questions that many listeners have sent me... like, "What should I look out for in an agreement?" "How do I know if it's the right company for me?" "What sort of return should I expect"... and many more!  OUR DISTINGUISHED PANEL: Lauren Fernandez: https://www.fullcourse.com/ Troy Hooper: https://www.krpusa.com/ Darryl Sangster: https://sangsterfranchisegroup.com/   ***** Same results, with a new name: The P3 Mastermind ProgramThe 3 Ps stand for PROFIT, PROCESS, and PROGRESS -- our 3 pillars!  Learn more by setting up a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

#232 - Telling Your Story is the ONLY Way to Thrive *****  This week's episode is brought to you by: SPOTON You may think of them as a POS system, but SpotOn is so much more.  With SpotOn you get a seamless restaurant tech solution that actually boosts revenue and manages costs. Book a demo today and see how SpotOn is changing the whole game.  VISIT: https://www.spoton.com/chip ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: 7SHIFTS 7shifts is the team management platform for restaurants. From hiring, to scheduling, training and retaining, they’ve got the tools you need to help you run your business with ease. Better understand your restaurant, hit your labor targets, and keep your entire team connected. Plus, 7shifts integrates with POS and payroll systems you already use and trust! Join over 30,000 restaurants using 7shifts today. Restaurant Strategy listeners get 3 months free. VISIT: https://www.7shifts.com/restaurantstrategy   ***** In his book Start With Why, Simon Sinek articulates his vision for leadership so clearly with something he calls "The Golden Circle." It basically says that most companies know WHAT they do, and HOW they do it better than anyone else... but they rarely figure out WHY they do what they do.  To take that one step further I want to share something Shawn Walchef and I talked about in a presentation we gave last year in Los Angeles called "The Two Whys."  The bottom line is... you are extraordinary. What you do is extraordinary. You simply have to understand why you do what you do, and explain why anyone else should care. Do that, and you will have build a brand that people care deeply about.    ***** Same results, but a brand new name: The Restaurant Strategy P3 Mastermind The three Ps stand for PROFIT, PROCESS, and PROGRESS. (Our three pillars.)  Curious to learn more? Schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule 

#231 - Franchise Roundtable - PART 1 ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: KICKFIN Thousands of restaurants across the country use Kickfin to send instant, cashless tip payouts, directly to their employees’ bank accounts, the second their shift ends. Get in touch today for a personalized demo and see how restaurants and bars across the country are tipping out with Kickfin. VISIT: kickfin.com/demo. ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: POPMENU If you’re a restaurant owner you need a great website that not only looks beautiful, but helps drive more traffic and sales. Use POPMENU to take your business to the next level. Best of all, listeners of this show can lock in one, set monthly rate… and get $100 off their first month.  VISIT: https://popmenu.com/restaurantstrategy ***** I have spent my entire career in restaurants, but nearly all of that has been spent working with independents. Some multi-unit groups here and there... but very few franchises. But I've been getting more and more questions about franchising. So...  I decided to pull together a panel of knowledgable individuals: Lauren Fernandez, Troy Hooper, and Darryl Sangster. This week and next we'll be taking a deep dive into the world of franchising. This week, we're going to look at things from the perspective of the franchisee, answering some key questions that many listeners have sent me... like, "What should I look out for in an agreement?" "How do I know if it's the right company for me?" "What sort of return should I expect"... and many more!  OUR DISTINGUISHED PANEL: Lauren Fernandez: https://www.fullcourse.com/ Troy Hooper: https://www.krpusa.com/ Darryl Sangster: https://sangsterfranchisegroup.com/   ***** Same results, with a new name: The P3 Mastermind ProgramThe 3 Ps stand for PROFIT, PROCESS, and PROGRESS -- our 3 pillars!  Learn more by setting up a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule

#230 - Profit is the ONLY Thing That Matters   ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: TRIPLESEAT Revolutionize your private event planning with Tripleseat's all-in-one platform. Boost new booking sales by 30%, generate more leads, create contracts, BEOs, and more. Plus listeners of the show get a discount when you sign up. VISIT: https://tripleseat.com/restaurantstrategy/ ***** This week's episode is brought to you by: DAVO Don’t let sales tax spoil your business. Stay on top of sales tax with automation from DAVO by Avalara so you can spend less time in the back office, and more time in the front of house. Click the link below to learn more and try DAVO free for the first month: VISIT: https://www.DAVOsalestax.com/restaurantstrategy ***** Profit is literally the ONLY thing that matters in your business. Great food and warm hospitality are in service of that bottom line. On today's episode we're talking about WHAT profit is... because I think some are confused. We're going to talk about WHY is should matter to each and every one of you. And finally, we're going to talk about the all important HOW... How you can build a path to profitability.    ***** Everything changes when your restaurant starts generating consistent, predictable, 20% profits every single month. Are you ready to level up? To bring your restaurant to where you know it should be? Just imagine how consistent profit would change your like.  Ready to learn more about my P3 Mastermind Program?  Schedule a FREE 30-minute Strategy Session: https://www.restaurantstrategypodcast.com/schedule