The Stanza

Gaetano Guarducci, part of the Sant Ambroeus Hospitality Group co-founded by his father, shares insights from the restaurant world. He discusses how they blend Milanese tradition with modern trends and the importance of maintaining brand integrity. Gaetano reveals their strategies for navigating economic downturns while opening new restaurants at a rapid pace. He also highlights the significant influence of fashion collaborations on their brand and the challenges and successes involved in transforming a historic establishment into a modern dining experience.

Gary Vaynerchuk is a serial entrepreneur and media mogul, while David Rodolitz is a veteran in NYC hospitality and co-founder of the VCR Group. They explore the future of fine dining, discussing the groundbreaking NFT membership model at their Flyfish Club. The duo dives into the evolving landscape of private members clubs and social dining, blending culinary excellence with innovative technology. They also tackle the challenge of negative feedback in the restaurant industry and the role of AI in redefining dining experiences, ensuring a unique conversation filled with insights.

It's a pleasure to welcome you to the 2025 season of The Stanza. Thank you for tuning in.Submit your pitch deck to be featured in "Investment Committee", a new column in The Stanza newsletter here.Subscribe to the newsletter here and follow on instagram.Episode highlightsOverview of the new podcast seasonThe art of the cold emailCareer advice for young peopleAnswering your Q&A:Limiting beliefs & dreaming bigBest tips on growing a digital communityPrivate members clubsValidation from billionairesLuxury groups buying real estateFashion / hospitality brand pivotsExcited for this year's podcast season!!

Jamie Caring, founder of Sevengage Consultancy, shares insights on building iconic hospitality brands. He discusses strategies for launching and scaling businesses, psychology of members clubs, and the evolution of Soho House. Topics include member retention, special touches in hospitality, lifestyle brand expansion, and challenges in the industry.

Explore the world of exclusive memberships in hospitality with insights on structuring effective programs and the psychology behind exclusivity. Hear about trends in the industry, privacy in LA vs spontaneity in NYC, and advice for operators of members clubs. Dive into the behind-the-scenes of creating memorable experiences and the future of the industry.

The podcast delves into pitching to high-end hospitality clients and designing a CRM based on personal guest experience. It explores views on private dining clubs like ZZ's and the future of members clubs. Also discussed are loyalty programs in luxury hospitality and the expansion into the UK market.

Subscribe to ⁠The Stanza⁠, a newsletter at the intersection of investing, hospitality, & fashion. Today's guest is Bianca Rangecroft, founder of Whering. Whering is a digital wardrobe and styling app that allows you to catalogue your clothes, create outfits, and get styling suggestions. As of today, the app has 1.5M users. Think of it as the modern app version of Cher's wardrobe from Clueless. Prior to Whering, Bianca worked at Goldman Sachs in asset management.   We chatted about fundraising as a first time founder, how she financially supported her transition from Goldman to entrepreneurship, and her view on the future of sustainable fashion. I appreciated Bianca's honesty throughout the conversation and I know any early stage entrepreneur will benefit from this interview. Episode highlights: How Bianca's experience at GS prepared her for Whering Funding start up and living costs in the early days Bianca's key fundraising insights Growing Whering's user base How she built a tech company as a non technical founder Vision for Whering and the future of circular fashion   *Apologies in advance for the slight background noise! Download Whering: https://whering.co.uk/ Connect with Bianca on IG: @biancarangecroft or LinkedIn Follow The Stanza on IG / TikTok: @thestanzamedia

Alek Koenig, the founder and CEO of Settle, talks about building cash flow solutions for CPG brands. Highlights include the consumerization of business software, transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurship, managing a company in times of economic uncertainty, and fundraising from institutional investors.

Subscribe to The Stanza, a newsletter at the intersection of investing, hospitality & fashion. This episode is sponsored by Peoplevine - the best hospitality CRM software. Check out why Peoplevine is used and loved by the best private members clubs and book your free demo here. "Everything he touches turns to gold" - this is what a brutally honest friend said to me about today's guest, Raphael Farasat. Raphael is the founder of award-winning Truffl Agency and co-founder of Last Crumb Cookies, the viral luxury cookie brand. He's worked with the likes of Tesla, LinkedIn, and Heineken, and as the creative director behind really cool upcoming consumer brands such as Better Bagel, Barcode Drinks, Boba Ice Cream, Jean Dousset, and more. We chatted about the power of metaphor when it comes to building a world for a brand, his creative process, and taking a contrarian approach when it comes to marketing and storytelling. Every founder building a consumer facing business - whether that's a cpg brand, hospitality group, or marketplace - can benefit from this interview. Episode highlights Raphael's creative process A networking strategy that brings aligned opportunities Applying the scarcity model from streetwear to cookies How to create a contrarian brand that people love Metaphors and consumer psychology How to create a membership program that fosters customer loyalty Connect with Raphael on IG: @raph_ More on Truffl Agency: https://truffl.com/ Try Last Crumb cookies: https://lastcrumb.com/

Subscribe to The Stanza, a newsletter for investors & entrepreneurs in the creative industries: Welcome to The Stanza (thestanzamedia.com) Thank you to Peoplevine for sponsoring this episode. Peoplevine is the best CRM for hospitality businesses. All the best private members clubs use Peoplevine - click to see why and book your free demo: The Guest & Member Experience CRM for Hospitality Brands (peoplevine.com) Today's guest is Brandon Snower, founder of Le Alfre, a menswear brand based in NYC. You may recognize his brand story from his viral TikTok, in which he shares how he went from investment banking to starting a brand during the pandemic. We chatted about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship, how he managed having $3,000 in his bank account at one point, how he's positioning Le Alfre in a sea of new fashion brands, and getting great press for Le Alfre. He's made incredible progress in the 2 and a half years he's been working on Le Alfre, not only from a sales perspective, but he's also secured investment from the former head of Richemont Group N. America. Well done!   This interview really highlights an attitude I think is essential for all entrepreneurs, and that is resourcefulness. Some people may even call it "scrappiness". My view is that it's the willingness to find solutions instead of feeling defeated when you come across obstacles. We touch on that in the episode, but I wanted to mention that it's a trait I've noticed in all successful people.   Episode highlights Transitioning from investment banking to entrepreneurship How to network effectively Le Alfre's branding philosophy Creating a members club for Le Alfré customers Having your founder story go viral on TikTok Strategies for securing great press Taking the right risks Advice for entrepreneurs Connect with Brandon on IG: @Brandon.Snower Le Alfre on IG: @le.alfre Follow The Stanza on IG/TikTok: @thestanzamedia