Restaurant Owners Uncorked

Wil sits down in-person with Tim McLaughlin, technologist-turned-operator who founded GoTab after opening two Caboose breweries and confronting real service-model pain (giant spaces, staffing constraints). Years before COVID, Tim taped QRs to tables and proved guests will change behavior to avoid pain (lines), which pushed GoTab to build not just ordering but a deep KDS and, later, a POS when closed ecosystems (e.g., API roadblocks) blocked integrations. Today GoTab focuses on operations over payments, hybrid service (QR + handheld + kiosk), open integrations, and white-glove 24/7 support, while running lean and profitable (not “growth at any cost”). With Opsie for inventory/costing, expansion in higher-labor markets like Australia, and an operator-first pricing philosophy (inspired by Costco’s cap idea), Tim argues tech should feel invisible, amplify hospitality, and never replace it.10 Takeaways Pain drives adoption: guests embraced QR ordering in 2018 at Caboose Commons to skip long lines—two years before COVID. Operations > payments: GoTab’s edge is the KDS/factory-mindset—batching, throttling, inventory links—not just taking money. Hybrid service wins: seamlessly mix QR tabs, handheld orders, kiosks, and traditional POS—flip zones on/off in real time. Open…for real: GoTab publishes APIs and keeps integrations (even with competitors to Opsie) because operators need choice. Closed ecosystems cost you: API fees/blocks pushed GoTab to build its own POS so operators aren’t held hostage. Service is strategy: 24/7 phone/text/chat, humans + AI, fast responses—because hospitality vendors must model hospitality. Lean and profitable: modest capital, disciplined hardware R&D, profitable growth > headline valuations. Inventory is the sleeper win: most independents skip it; Opsie aims for “no-effort” inventory & COGS visibility inside GoTab. Follow labor costs: higher-labor markets (e.g., Australia with double-time on holidays) adopt efficiency tech faster. Pricing with trust: exploring a Costco-style profit cap; focus on transparent value, not nickel-and-diming via fees.

Episode SummaryIn this heartfelt episode of Restaurant Owners Uncorked, host Wil chats with Heidi Whitcomb a passionate and deeply committed independent restaurant owner in Florida. With nearly 40 years in hospitality, Heidi embodies service, gratitude, and resilience. She shares her journey from early jobs at Subway and Kmart to bartending, truck driving, entrepreneurship, and ultimately founding Raise the Bar & Grill. Her approach to hospitality goes far beyond food and drinks. It's about people, community, empathy, and raising standards in an industry where service and heart are often lost. Through adversity, hard work, and unfiltered honesty, Heidi proves that leading with love and purpose creates meaningful impact in business and in life.Key Takeaways Hospitality Is About People First – Heidi believes the industry is about serving others with genuine love, not just making money. Happy Teams = Happy Guests – Run your business by caring for your employees first; great service starts with a strong culture. Lead From the Front – As an owner, Heidi jumps behind the bar, onto the line, or wherever needed—no task is beneath her. Mental Health Matters – Her restaurant practices “Mental Health Mondays” to check in with both staff and guests. Serving Others Is a Responsibility – Hospitality is a service profession that requires intention—details like garnishes and quality matter. ADHD as a Superpower – Heidi credits her ADHD for her energy, multitasking ability, and relentless drive. Resilience Through Adversity – From working 20-hour days to surviving a car accident that broke her neck, Heidi keeps moving forward. Build Community Through Service – Her business prioritizes veterans, seniors, children, and local neighbors with loyalty and purpose. Consistency Builds Trust – She refuses to cut quality even with rising costs—customers deserve value. Gratitude Is Everything – Heidi tears up when talking about her customers—her success is built on human connection and thankfulness.

Wil talks to Jeffrey Boland, Director of Operations at Mac’s Hospitality Group (home of Mac’s Speed Shop and South 48/Southbound concepts). Jeff shares an intensely honest journey—from addiction and getting fired in construction to finding belonging in restaurants, achieving sobriety at 22, and transforming into a purpose-driven leader. He explains how recovery shaped his leadership philosophy, why mental health must be normalized in hospitality, and how Mac’s now offers free therapy access to employees. This episode is packed with real-life leadership tools: building equity with your team, using communication as an instrument, connecting through vulnerability, and leading with service and courage. Jeff reminds us that hospitality is the best industry in the world—because it saves people and builds community.10 Key Takeaways Hospitality can save lives — Jeff found belonging, purpose, and a path to recovery in restaurants. Sobriety is a journey, not an event — AA helped him get sober; therapy helped him heal and grow. Belonging drives loyalty — People stay when they feel seen, valued, and part of a team. Leaders must meet people where they are — Support comes before standards; people before performance. Mental health access is leadership — Mac’s offers free counseling through therapist interns for any employee who needs help. Vulnerability builds trust — Jeff openly shares his addiction and recovery story, and it inspires others to ask for help. Communication is a superpower — He trains leaders to “play their voice like an instrument” in tough conversations. Culture comes from consistent care — Mac’s runs quarterly leadership workshops that focus as much on people as profit. Imposter syndrome is real — Jeff uses tools like “putting thoughts on trial” to overcome self-doubt and anxiety. Giving back fuels purpose — Jeff serves on the board of the Isabella Santos Foundation, reinforcing the heart of hospitality: service.

Wil sits down with Tim Wittman, a Denver-based developer and founder of Brewello, a white-label mobile app built for independent cafés and bakeries. Rooted in the same “simple tool + legendary support” ethos as Schedulefly, Brewello integrates directly with Square to enable order-ahead, loyalty, and push notifications—without the complexity or high cost of larger tech platforms. Tim shares how the idea was born after seeing local cafés struggle, why he’s focused solely on independents, how his success-based pricing model works, and why word of mouth, authentic partnerships, and community trust will always beat venture-backed speed.10 Takeaways Shared philosophy: Both Schedulefly and Brewello focus on simplicity, fair pricing, and treating customers like family. Founder origin: Tim, a longtime software consultant, created Brewello after seeing beloved Denver cafés close and spotting an unmet need. Square integration: Brewello connects directly to Square (covering ~80% of local cafés), removing extra management layers. Practical value: Enables order-ahead, fast pickup, and loyalty without complexity—ideal for local cafés and bakeries. Affordable model: Base version is transaction-fee based (cafés can pass along or split fees); the Pro tier adds marketing tools for $100/month. Built for scale: Technically robust enough to handle large volumes, though focused on small to mid-sized café operators. Community pride: Local customers love when their neighborhood café “has an app,” driving engagement and loyalty. Grassroots growth: Tim’s early success has come from referrals, Coffee Fest demos, and built-in customer feedback loops. Marketplace debut: Brewello recently joined the Square marketplace—another grassroots step toward broader visibility. Sustainable growth: Tim and Will align on long-term, values-first growth over the VC “rocket ship” model.

SummaryOn this Restaurant Owners Uncorked episode, Wil talks with Village Juice & Kitchen cofounders Clyde Harris and Lonnie Atkinson about building a clean-food concept that’s as craveable as it is good for you. Born from Lonnie’s California-shaped passion for fresh, minimally processed ingredients—and reinforced by Clyde’s cancer journey—the brand grew from farmers’ markets and a pop-up (first juice in 2015, first restaurant in 2016) to seven locations today: two corporate stores (Winston-Salem and the new Raleigh), one franchise (Optimist Hall, Charlotte), and four licensed university outlets (Wake Forest, Elon, USC—South Carolina, and High Point). They unpack price/value myths, menu pillars (cold-pressed juice, bowls, wraps, toasts, plant-based “Billy Cakes”), and an all-are-welcome approach to dietary needs. The growth plan is disciplined—more corporate stores across NC, selective university deals, and a push into hospitals (including a signed deal with UNC Health)—funded store-by-store to protect control and culture. Along the way: lessons in space efficiency (down to 550 sq ft), brand standards and audits, partnerships with college athletics, and the core belief that servant leadership and legendary hospitality make the operation work.10 Takeaways Mission in a line: “Food that tastes as good as it makes you feel.” Origin story matters: farmers’ markets → pop-up → first shop; community pulled them forward. Seven locations, four of them campus licenses; Raleigh is the newest corporate store. Value over “cheap”: whole-food portions can out-value fast food, especially without the “juice add-on.” Menu discipline: scratch dressings, organic where it counts, gluten-free/vegan friendly, and customizable. Space mastery: proved the model in tiny footprints (550 sq ft food-hall unit) with smart line design. Athletic partnerships drive volume and credibility (pregame meals, practice smoothies). Hospitals are a natural next channel; UNC Health deal signed while they scout the on-campus spot. Grow slow, keep control: NC-first corporate expansion; fund each store with its own investor group. Culture wins: treat people exceptionally → low turnover, friendly service, consistent reviews.

Wil welcomes guest Ken Stemke, owner of Main Street Social in Libertyville, IL, an upscale Italian-American restaurant with its own wine label. Ken traces his hospitality spark to bussing tables in high school, then a 35-year career in banking that armed him with the financial discipline many restaurants lack. He shares how a seasoned team, empowerment, and a recent, internally driven menu refresh (60+ dishes tested) improved culture and guest experience. The convo dives into COVID cash-flow planning, POS frustrations, the importance of listening to staff and guests, policy headwinds like tip-credit changes, rising costs/tariffs, tech overreach, and why independent restaurants—and local coalitions—are essential to community life. Key Takeaways Banking → hospitality advantage: Ken’s finance/accounting background gave him crucial cash-flow and planning skills most operators need but often lack. Seasoned staff pays off: With servers averaging ~40 in age and long tenures, May Street Social avoids much of the turnover drama. Empowerment drives innovation: Shifting decision-making to loyal team members led to a broad menu refresh without outside consultants. Manufacturing mindset: Treat each dish like a mini job—know costs, margins, and process control just as in production. Plan for storms: During COVID, Ken worked off daily cash-flows and prebuilt “Plan A/B/C” responses to policy changes. Policy ripple effects: Eliminating the tip credit (e.g., in Chicago) raises labor costs significantly and can hurt independents more than chains. Tariffs & uncertainty pinch demand: Cost shocks (produce, glass, wine) and scary headlines can temporarily depress traffic. Right-sized tech: Restaurants should resist feature bloat; deploy only tools that simplify ops (Ken is doubling down on using Schedulefly fully). POS matters: Weak reporting and lack of integrations create friction; handhelds and better data can smooth service pacing. Community is the moat: Independent restaurants anchor local identity; forming downtown/indie coalitions amplifies marketing and advocacy.

Wil  sits down with Emily Williams Knight, CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA), which represents 58,000 restaurants, 1.4M employees, and nearly $137B in annual sales. Emily explains how the TRA protects a pro-business regulatory environment so operators can focus on guests and teams, not red tape. She shares a pandemic origin story: brand-new in the role, she built a “war room,” forged bipartisan relationships, helped shape PPP/RRF fixes, and pushed for one of the earliest statewide re-opens, becoming a nightly “north star” for Texas restaurants.Today’s headwinds: uncertainty across demand patterns, labor/immigration constraints disrupting the full “plant-it to plate-it” chain, protein inflation (beef unlikely to ease until ~2028 due to shrunken herds, import frictions, and disease risk), and looming seafood import tightening. Emily flags swipe fees (3–4%+), opaque delivery chargebacks/penalties, and rising insurance/rent/cleaning costs that small operators can’t keep passing to guests. TRA’s approach: advocate first by collaboration (then legislate if needed), and deliver practical operator wins—e.g., a $9/mo Teladoc program (including mental health) for employees/families, childcare policy via an Employers for Child Care task force (8 of 9 bills passed), and exploring lower-cost payments (e.g., stablecoin rails) to challenge card duopolies.Throughout, Emily underscores that independents are community infrastructure - first to show up in disasters, central to local identity - and urges owners to engage with their state associations for advocacy, education, and scaled benefits. Her north star: be courageous and pragmatic - simple solutions to complex problems - so small restaurants can survive the current squeeze and keep delivering hospitality.Key Takeaways TRA at scale: 58k restaurants, 1.4M employees, ~$137B sales—largest private-sector employer in Texas. Advocacy matters: TRA blocked well-intended but risky mandates (e.g., restaurant staff administering Narcan) by educating lawmakers. Bipartisan playbook: Results come from working both sides of the aisle and building trust before crises hit. Pandemic “war room”: Early reopen, nightly updates, and PPP/RRF fixes made TRA a lifeline for operators. Core problem = uncertainty: Demand patterns, costs, and supply reliability are too volatile for 4–6% margin businesses. Labor/immigration shock: Shortages ripple from farm to kitchen; near-term ask is work permits for long-time, law-abiding workers. Protein pressure: Beef relief unlikely until ~2028 due to herd rebuild cycles, import constraints, and disease risks; seafood supply faces stricter import rules. Cost traps: Swipe fees (often 3–4%+) and delivery chargebacks/penalties are eroding margins; TRA is pushing transparency and policy fixes. Practical benefits: TRA offers a $9/mo Teladoc (incl. mental health) for employees/families and is advancing childcare solutions to improve retention. Independents = community infrastructure: They fuel local identity and disaster response—consumer support and association engagement are vital.

Wil sits down with Chris Moran, owner of Bullet Grill House in Point Blank, Texas—an hour north of Houston by Lake Livingston. Chris traces a winding path from teenage shifts at Big Boy to Pizza Hut GM postings across the Midwest, a pivot into automotive/oil & gas, and a “nights-and-weekends” stint at Ted’s Montana Grill that rekindled his hospitality bug. In 2019, he and his wife built Bullet Grill House from raw land—doing much of the interior themselves, debt-light by cashing out savings. After a strong first summer, COVID hit; they pivoted fast to curbside, takeout, and discounted beer/wine to-go—ironically exceeding February sales in April 2020. Since opening, they’ve posted year-over-year growth.Chris walks through lessons learned: keep operations simple and reliable (including moving back to Schedulefly), obsess over service consistency, and keep a close eye on vendor pricing. He’s grown the space with “McBullets,” a hidden-door Irish-style speakeasy room, and leverages their 4.4-acre lot to host the East Texas Showdown bikepacking event that brings 200+ riders each spring. While expansion is tempting, he’s focused on protecting the “mothership,” staffing depth, and community hospitality that turn first-timers into regulars.Key Takeaways Nonlinear path pays off: Early chain experience + manufacturing “lean” mindset shaped Bullet’s processes. Built, not bought: They acquired raw land and did much of the buildout themselves, staying (initially) debt-light to survive the early years. COVID pivot that stuck: Curbside + discounted beer/wine to-go drove April 2020 sales above pre-shutdown February and introduced future dine-in guests. Simple > shiny: Switching away from Schedulefly for “bells & whistles” backfired; they returned to what’s stable and staff-friendly. Watch your vendors: Distributor pricing can drift—tight, ongoing monitoring protects food cost. Staff for service, not just cost: Slight overstaffing can be a strategic advantage in remote markets and for guest experience. Grow inside your four acres: Added a speakeasy-style back room (“McBullets”) and use back acreage for events/camping/overflow instead of opening a second unit. Anchor community events: Hosting the East Texas Showdown (180–380 mile routes) fills the lot, sells serious calories, and cements local relevance. Brand clarity matters: Shifting perception from “biker bar next door” to full-service family restaurant took intentional service, menu, and messaging. Cautious about expansion: Protecting the core location and culture outweighs the allure of a second unit right now.

Edward (26) and Myi (27) went from hanging door flyers and delivering pies in high school to owning two Pizza Guys franchises in California’s Inland Empire. They share how a decade of on-the-line learning beat any business textbook, why the right partner matters, and what it took to pioneer a NorCal brand in SoCal—leases, permits, delays, and all. They dig into California’s new $20/hr fast-food wage, how corporate support and smarter deals helped them steady sales, and the community-first tactics that keep customers coming back. Above all, they’re building a culture by doing the hardest jobs themselves, mentoring their crew, and taking calculated risks—not lottery-ticket ones.5–7 Key Takeaways From door hangers to owners: Starting at the bottom gave them credibility with their team and an operator’s eye for the details that matter. Choose partners wisely: Drop the ego, communicate, and make decisions together—partnerships thrive on humility and trust. Calculated risk > blind risk: College can teach frameworks, but entrepreneurship is learned by doing; fail, adjust, repeat. Expansion is logistics, not just vision: GC delays, city permits, and rent during buildouts can crush timelines and cash—second-gen spaces can save ~$100–250K. Franchise leverage helps: Brand, ops support, and rapid promo pivots (e.g., after the $20/hr wage hit) can stabilize traffic when conditions change. Community beats coupons: Little gestures (a free ranch, knowing names) build word-of-mouth and event turnout in a non-tourist market. Lead by example: Owners doing the least desirable tasks set the standard; that’s how you create consistent service and product quality.

Sam Hart's journey into hospitality is a story of resilience, risk-taking, and reinvention. After dropping out of college multiple times and living out of his car, he discovered a passion for cooking while scraping by on cheap pasta and tomato sauce. That spark led him back to Charlotte, where he left a lucrative advertising career to attend culinary school and eventually train at Alinea, one of the world’s most celebrated restaurants. He returned to open Counter, a fine dining concept built on storytelling, music, and discipline, launched with just $35,000 during COVID. Over five years, Sam has grown as a leader, mentor, and innovator, developing restaurants rooted in creativity, resilience, and a fierce commitment to skill, not “talent.” His story blends lessons on risk, failure, discipline, health, and joy in pursuit of building something truly original.10–12 Key Takeaways Origins in Adversity – Dropped out of college four times, lived out of his car, and stumbled into cooking out of necessity. Discovery of Passion – Found freedom and creativity in cooking, which inspired a bold pivot away from marketing. All-In Decision – Quit his advertising job within 48 hours of realizing he wanted to pursue hospitality full-time. Early Sacrifices – Worked as a dishwasher for $8/hour while hustling with Uber, Lyft, and newspaper ad sales to survive. Mentorship Matters – Chef Rob Marilla became a crucial mentor, teaching discipline, fundamentals, and professionalism. Training at the Top – Earned a spot at Alinea in Chicago, where he learned the importance of discipline, organization, and precision. The Counter Concept – Progressive dining with storytelling, music pairings, and a 12-year, 100-menu arc ending in 2032. Bootstrapped Beginnings – Launched Counter with only $35,000 ($20k loan + $15k of his own) during COVID, relying on scrappiness and community support. Iterative Mindset – Embraced failure and constant adaptation rather than clinging to “what works.” People Over Banks – Refused bank loans; instead, worked with individuals who could bring value beyond money. Personal Discipline – Adopted daily practices of meditation, reading, fitness, service, and skill development to strengthen himself as a chef and leader. Philosophy of Joy – Rejects the idea of “talent” and fleeting “happiness,” instead pursuing skill, discipline, and lasting joy.