Wisking it all

About the Episode Stephanie Olson, the Founder and Campaign Director of RestauWant, discusses the inspiration behind founding RestauWant and how her journey began in the hospitality industry. RestauWant offers full-service digital marketing solutions for restaurants, with a focus on optimizing ad spend and creating compelling storytelling campaigns. They help restaurants increase revenue by incorporating different event types, upselling, and diversifying campaigns. Stephanie emphasizes the importance of integrating all marketing efforts and tracking the performance of ads to ensure cost-effectiveness. She also highlights the role of photography and video in capturing attention and conveying the unique value of a restaurant. Looking ahead, RestauWant is excited to work with new restaurants, grow their team, and continue making a difference in the industry. Takeaways RestauWant offers full-service digital marketing solutions for restaurants, focusing on optimizing ad spend and creating compelling storytelling campaigns. Integrating all marketing efforts and tracking the performance of ads is crucial for cost-effectiveness and revenue growth. Photography and video play a significant role in capturing attention and conveying the unique value of a restaurant. RestauWant is excited to work with new restaurants, grow their team, and continue making a difference in the industry. Timestamps *Timestamps* 00:00 Introduction 01:22 Inspiration behind RestauWant 04:00 What RestuaWant works on 05:54 Integrating the art of story-telling to video strategy 08:17 Focusing revenue by incorporating marketing campaigns 14:24 Creating Efficient and Effective Marketing Strategies 20:55 Competing for restaurant customers with creative advertising 23:51 The Importance of Moments of Truth in the Restaurant Industry 25:35 Managing reputation by encouraging positive reviews online 29:02 Staying Up-to-Date with Marketing Trends in the Hospitality Sector 30:35 Advice for Improving Online Visibility and Engagement 32:46 The Role of Photography 34:48 Future Trends in Digital Marketing for Restaurants 36:06 Dream marketing campaign 38:11 What's Next for RestauWant

About the Episode In this episode, Zach Goldstein, Founder and CEO of Thanx, discusses the creation and purpose of his guest engagement platform designed for restaurants. Thanx aims to drive customer lifetime value through data-driven insights, focusing on loyalty programs, data capture, marketing automation, and data visualization. Zach highlights successful loyalty programs from brands like Velvet Taco, Chipotle, and Taco Bell, and introduces the concept of "Loyalty 3.0." He also explores the transformative role of AI and machine learning in personalizing customer experiences, the importance of CRM in marketing, and the future of guest engagement solutions. Thanx offers modular, point-of-sale agnostic solutions to help restaurants achieve their business goals and stand out in a competitive market. Takeaways Thanx is a guest engagement platform for restaurants that focuses on driving customer lifetime value. Data is crucial in understanding customer behavior and driving repeat visits. Thanx offers loyalty programs, data capture, marketing automation, and data visualization solutions. The platform aims to make data-driven marketing easy for small businesses and is point-of-sale agnostic. Thanx works with mid-market and enterprise brands in the restaurant industry. Thanx helps restaurants drive repeat business and increase customer lifetime value through personalized marketing and rewards. The company focuses on understanding guests as individuals and tailoring marketing efforts to their specific preferences and behaviors. Thanx offers a modular solution that integrates with other restaurant tech systems, allowing for customization and flexibility. Restaurants should evaluate solutions based on their ability to achieve business goals and provide long-term value, rather than just feature checklists. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 01:19 Overview of Thanx 03:38 The Challenge of Driving Repeat Visits 06:35 Measuring Success in Guest Engagement 09:16 Where Thanx Evolve to: Digital Ordering and Customer Data 11:33 Who's a Good Fit Customers for Thanx 12:42 Walkthrough Experience Using Thanx 16:26 Clients Success Story 20:00 How CRM works on Thanx 23:30 Future Ideas Thanx Working on 26:28 Where to Draw the Line in Personalized Marketing 29:11 Advice to Restauranteurs for Looking Solutions 33:21 Choosing Solutions Based on Business Goals and Long-Term Value 36:16 What's Next for Thanx 38:22 Where to Find Thanx

About the Episode In this episode, Angelo Esposito sits down with Michael Beck, Co-founder and CRO of Popcorn GTM, a dynamic agency specializing in go-to-market strategies within the hospitality tech sector. They delve into the nuances of marketing to the hospitality industry, discussing evolving sales strategies and the art of differentiation in a crowded market. Central to their conversation is the role of empathy and deep industry insight in fostering meaningful connections with clients. Popcorn GTM sets itself apart by infusing a rock and roll pop culture vibe into its operations, emphasizing not only revenue growth for clients but also cultivating a vibrant and engaging work culture. The discussion also covers broader challenges and opportunities in the restaurant sector, especially concerning technological advancements like AI and XR. They address the ethical use of customer data, the significance of comprehending AI's practical applications, and the value of mentorship in navigating the industry landscape. Michael also shares his commitment to waterway conservation, reflecting on his project aimed at purifying rivers and lakes. The episode wraps up with both offering book recommendations and a lighthearted debate on the hypothetical benefits of time travel for sealing business deals. Takeaways Selling into the hospitality industry requires empathy and industry knowledge. The sales landscape has shifted from hero salesmen to risk mitigation and tribal selling. To stand out in a competitive market, brands should focus on creating a unique and memorable identity. Popcorn GTM differentiates itself by bringing a rock and roll pop culture swagger to its work and focusing on revenue creation for its clients. Restaurant operators should assess their pain points and quantify the cost of those pain points before choosing a tech system. AI and XR are playing a significant role in the restaurant industry, but it is important to understand the utility and ethical considerations of these technologies. Customer experience is a key focus in the restaurant industry, but there is a fine line between personalization and manipulation. Finding good mentors is crucial for personal and professional growth. Waterway conservation is an important cause, and efforts should be made to clean up rivers and lakes. Book recommendations: 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People' by Stephen R. Covey and 'Start with Why' by Simon Sinek. The superpower of time travel would be useful for going back and correcting mistakes in sales interactions. Timestamps 00:00 Selling into the Hospitality Industry 04:15 The Shift in the Sales Landscape 08:22 Empathy and Industry Knowledge 13:29 Standing Out in a Competitive Market 16:35 Popcorn GTM: Bringing a Rock and Roll Pop Culture Swagger 24:31 The Impact of AI and XR in the Restaurant Industry 41:10 Balancing Personalization and Ethics in Customer Experience 44:03 The Importance of Waterway Conservation 45:58 Book Recommendations for Sales Professionals 46:56 The Superpower of Time Travel for Closing Deals

CEO and Founder of Breadth Marketing, Sebastian Stahl, shares his restaurant journey. From opening his first restaurant in Guatemala to establishing a successful restaurant in Miami, he discusses the challenges and lessons learned. He emphasizes the importance of strategy, technology, and building a sustainable brand for restaurant success.

About the Episode In this conversation, David Goldstein, the Managing Partner at FoodTech Connect and Vice President of Growth at Franklin Junction, discusses his passion for food and technology. He shares his experience working in the food tech industry and the lessons he has learned from the hospitality scene. David also talks about the future of dining and the impact of technology on the food experience. He shares his insights on living a remote life in Latin America and highlights the trends in food tech and startups. Finally, David provides tips for raising capital and shares his contact information. Takeaways The intersection of food and technology is an exciting space with opportunities for innovation and growth. Resilience is a key trait in the restaurant industry, both for operators and those working with restaurants. Technology, such as robotics and AI, is changing the way we dine and experience food, with automation and personalization becoming more prevalent. Latin America is a region with great potential for food tech startups, and there are many exciting projects and trends emerging in the industry. When raising capital, it is important to focus on the fundamentals of the business and demonstrate profitability and strong business metrics. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 01:31 David Goldstein's passion for Food and Technology and background 04:03 The evolution and learnings from UberEats 06:06 What is FoodTech Connect 08:30 Unexpected Learnings from the Industry 12:10 How Technology Changes the Restaurant Environment 17:13 Living abroad, the experience, and the difference 20:17 David Goldstein's interest as Venture Capitalist 23:41 Tips on how to raise capital 25:00 Where to find David Goldstein

About the Episode In this episode, Lauren Fernandez, the CEO of Full Course, shares her journey from being a lawyer to becoming a restaurant operator and entrepreneur. Raised in an immigrant family, she was instilled with a strong work ethic and a belief in generational improvement. After obtaining a law degree and an MBA, she made the career shift to become a restaurant owner. She bought three restaurants and quickly turned them around, eventually building a total of 11 restaurants. This experience led her to identify three major challenges in the restaurant industry: the lack of fair and equitable capital for early-stage restaurants, the need for expertise in scaling businesses, and the lack of support and mentorship for founders and employees. These challenges inspired her to start Full Course, a company that provides education, mentoring, consulting, and investment support to emerging and established restaurant brands. Full Course is an incubator, accelerator, and investor in early-stage food and restaurant brands. They provide growth capital, operational support, and development expertise to help founders stabilize, optimize, and grow their brands. The company offers a wide range of education and coaching services, including a free learning center and a Navigator group coaching program. They are committed to supporting underrepresented founders and promoting diversity in the industry. Full Course is actively seeking restaurant brands that are differentiated and have a strong purpose and mission. They have upcoming investments and are launching their second fund. Takeaways: Lauren Fernandez's career shift from lawyer to restaurant operator was influenced by her upbringing in an immigrant family and a belief in generational improvement. The challenges she faced as a restaurant owner inspired her to start Full Course, a company that provides support and resources to emerging and established restaurant brands. Full Course focuses on addressing the lack of fair and equitable capital for early-stage restaurants, the need for expertise in scaling businesses, and the lack of support and mentorship for founders and employees. Fernandez emphasizes the importance of clear expectations, repeatable actions, and rewarding desired behavior in creating efficient and successful restaurant operations. Full Course is an incubator, accelerator, and investor in early-stage food and restaurant brands. They provide growth capital, operational support, and development expertise to help founders stabilize, optimize, and grow their brands. Full Course offers a wide range of education and coaching services, including a free learning center and a Navigator group coaching program. They are committed to supporting underrepresented founders and promoting diversity in the industry. Full Course is actively seeking restaurant brands that are differentiated and have a strong purpose and mission. They have upcoming investments and are launching their second fund. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:01 What makes Lauren Shift from General Council to A Restaurant Operator 04:30 Lauren's Experience in her First Restaurant 08:28 Reinvesting in Your Employees 10:24 How Lauren Achieved Multiple Restaurant Investments 16:15 Organizing Inventory Management System 20:08 Training Staff and Reward Systems 21:54 Tasks Delegation 24:15 Empowering and Improving Processes 26:14 Full Course: Incubator, Accelerator, and Investor 27:30 Operational Support and Subject Matter Expertise 29:31 No Extra Costs Needed: Full Course Foundation: Education Platform and Learning Centers 30:13 Resources to Expect from Full Course 33:41 Seeking Differentiated Restaurant Brands 38:10 Success Stories 42:09 Future Plans and Programs 44:41 Where to find Full Course

About the Episode In this episode, Carl Orsbourn, Author of "Delivering the Digital Restaurant" and Consultant in the hospitality space, shares his journey from working at big companies like BP to diving into the startup world. He discusses the importance of operational experience and the lessons he learned during his transition to entrepreneurship. Carl also talks about the inspiration behind his book, highlighting key concepts such as leveraging marketplaces and transitioning to a direct channel. He emphasizes the significance of collecting customer data and remarketing to create a personalized customer experience. Additionally, Carl Orsbourn discusses various topics related to the restaurant industry, including capturing customer data, direct ordering, the future of delivery and logistics, dynamic pricing, and the role of technology in restaurants. He also talks about his involvement with Juicer and the concept of data-driven pricing. Carl shares his insights and experiences, providing valuable information for restaurant owners and operators. Takeaways Operational experience is valuable and can be applied across different industries and company sizes. The restaurant industry needs to embrace digitization and off-premise dining to stay competitive. Marketplaces provide access to incremental customers, but restaurants should aim to transition to a direct channel to build customer loyalty. Collecting customer data is crucial for remarketing and creating personalized experiences. Capturing customer data is crucial for restaurants to build relationships and communicate with customers in the future. Restaurants should consider using their on-premise business to promote their direct ordering channels and loyalty programs. The future of delivery and logistics in the restaurant industry is still evolving, with potential solutions including alternative delivery channels and automation. Dynamic pricing can be a powerful tool for restaurants to optimize revenue and provide personalized experiences for customers. The integration of technology and data in the restaurant industry is essential for improving operations and enhancing the customer experience. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:20 Transition from Big Companies to Startups 05:40 Writing the Book on Restaurant Digitization 08:30 Venturing into Juicer and Advisory Roles 09:03 Lessons from Transitioning to Entrepreneurship 10:38 Overview of the Book: Delivering the Digital Restaurant 13:02 Insights from Being a DoorDash Driver 16:11 Leveraging Marketplaces and Transitioning to a Direct Channel 22:29 Capturing Customer Data and Direct Ordering 24:02 The Future of Delivery and Logistics 28:11 Dynamic Pricing and Consumer Perception 32:14 Introduction to Juicer and Data-Driven Pricing 40:45 Carl's Current Endeavors and Future of Restaurant Technology 45:00 Where to Find Carl and His Work

About the Episode Vishal Agarwal, Founder and CEO of Checkmate, delves into the company's pivotal role in integrating third-party orders into restaurant POS systems. He outlines how the organization has expanded to support over 50 POS systems and 100 ordering platforms, propelling restaurants into a state of digital omnipresence. Vishal shares his motivation for founding the company, centered on a deep understanding of the challenges faced by restaurant operators. He underscores the commitment to customer-centricity, highlighting the offer of risk-free trials to demonstrate the solution's effectiveness. Vishal also details the company's approach to piloting and scaling their solutions for prominent brands, along with the essential business practices that underpin their success, including the importance of assembling the right team and maintaining comprehensive documentation. Furthermore, he explains Checkmate’s strategies for helping restaurants safeguard and augment their revenue through innovative power management and continual evolution. He points out the benefits of real-time dashboards and alerts that allow for the monitoring and optimization of digital operations. Vishal also discusses how Checkmate enhances customer satisfaction through optimized menus and A/B testing, and concludes with insights into the future of restaurant technology and the impact of remote work on urban centers. Takeaways Checkmate integrates third-party orders into restaurant POS systems, helping restaurants become digitally omnipresent. Understanding the pain points of restaurant operators is crucial for developing effective solutions. Putting customers first and offering risk-free trials can lead to successful partnerships with large brands. The process of piloting and scaling involves optimizing menus, customizing solutions, and providing exceptional service. Having the right team and solid documentation are fundamental for business success. Checkmate helps restaurants manage and protect their revenue through power, management, and evolution. Real-time dashboards and alerts are used to monitor and optimize digital operations. Optimizing menus and offering A/B testing can improve customer satisfaction. The future of restaurant tech lies in consolidation and finding a balance between centralized and distributed solutions. Remote work is here to stay, but downtown cores may not fully return to pre-COVID levels. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:47 Checkmate Overview 03:19The Inspiration Behind Checkmate 05:10 Developing and Creating Solutions 11:46 Checkmate’s Success Stories 15:23 How Checkmate Enable and Provide Technological Solutions to their Customers 18:36 Running and Managing Multiple POS Systems Smoothly 20:40 POWER, MANAGE, and EVOLVE: Managing and Protecting Restaurant Revenue 25:29 How Checkmate Satisfy their Customers through Menu Optimization 28:43 Hard Work, Consistency, and Resilience: Key to Achieving Goals 29:52 The Next Few Years of Restaurant Tech 32:53 The Impact of Remote Work on Downtown Cores 37:13 Where to Find Checkmate

About the Episode Jennifer Ryan, the Co-founder and CEO of Croux and Blueroot, shares her journey in the tech and hospitality industry. She started as a server in New York, then went into finance and real estate before launching a healthy food restaurant in Alabama. During the pandemic, she faced challenges in the restaurant industry and realized the importance of listening to customer feedback and focusing on what truly moves the needle. She then co-founded Croux, a platform that connects trusted talent with understaffed businesses in the hospitality industry. Croux is a platform that provides flexible work opportunities for individuals in the hospitality industry while helping businesses fill staffing gaps. The mission is to economically empower communities, starting with individuals and local businesses. The platform offers benefits, tax support, flexible schedules, and fast payment to support workers. It also helps businesses retain their core staff by providing additional support and extra hands when needed. Croux focuses on the event space and works with businesses that are mission-aligned. The company is experiencing growth in existing markets, expanding to new markets, and developing new technology features. Takeaways Listening to customer feedback and focusing on what truly moves the needle is crucial for success in the restaurant industry. Iterating and evolving quickly is essential for survival and growth in the hospitality industry. Being open to feedback and willing to make changes based on customer needs can lead to unexpected success. Starting a tech company like Croux can be a way to address industry challenges and support businesses in the hospitality sector. Techstars can provide valuable support and resources for entrepreneurs in the tech industry. Croux provides flexible work opportunities for individuals in the hospitality industry and helps businesses fill staffing gaps. The platform focuses on economically empowering communities, starting with individuals and local businesses. Croux offers benefits, tax support, flexible schedules, and fast payment to support workers. The platform helps businesses retain their core staff by providing additional support and extra hands when needed. Croux is experiencing growth in existing markets, expanding to new markets, and developing new technology features. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and the Importance of Croux in the Hospitality Industry 03:03 Challenges and Listening to Customer Feedback in the Restaurant Industry 08:48 The Journey from Restaurant Owner to Tech Founder 13:06 The Role of Iteration and Evolution in the Hospitality Sector 24:09 Techstars: Empowering Entrepreneurs in the Tech Industry 26:59 Balancing Staffing Needs and Business Viability 28:27 The Challenge of Low Wages and Thin Margins 29:24 Economically Empowering Communities Through Croux 31:14 Onboarding and Using the Croux Platform 34:35 Roles and Opportunities on Croux 36:27 Utilizing Croux in the Event Space 38:43 Retaining Core Staff and Filling Staffing Gaps 43:57 Growing and Expanding Croux

About the Episode Marcus Viscidi, VP of Enterprise Sales at Informa Connect, discusses the trends and challenges in the food service industry, particularly in relation to trade shows and conferences. He highlights the importance of technology in streamlining operations and improving customer experiences. Viscidi also mentions the rise of plant-based options and sustainability as key trends in the industry. He emphasizes the need for experienced and well-capitalized operators in the restaurant business and discusses the importance of addressing food waste and reducing single-use plastic. The conversation covers topics such as plastic waste in the restaurant industry, trends in the post-COVID landscape, and trade shows in the food service industry. The main themes are sustainability, industry trends, and trade shows. Takeaways Technology plays a crucial role in streamlining operations and improving customer experiences in the food service industry. The rise of plant-based options and sustainability are important trends in the industry. Experienced and well-capitalized operators are more likely to succeed in the restaurant business. Addressing food waste and reducing single-use plastic are key sustainability challenges in the industry. Plastic waste is a significant issue in the restaurant industry, with approximately 30% of food purchased in restaurants going to waste. Restaurants are exploring ways to reduce waste and optimize their ordering to minimize food waste. The post-COVID landscape has seen a shift towards convenience and experience as key factors for consumers. Alcohol consumption among Gen Z is decreasing, which may impact full-service restaurants that rely on alcohol sales. Trade shows, such as the National Restaurant Association show, provide valuable opportunities for networking, learning, and staying updated on industry trends. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction and Background 07:55 Trends in the Restaurant Space 12:39 The Future of Technology in the Restaurant Industry 22:01 The Impact of Changing Alcohol Consumption Habits