Welcome to Wisking it all, where we interview hospitality professionals who put everything on the line to do what they do, and we try to understand how and why? Contrary to most businesses the hospitality business is mainly made up of people who are passionate about their trade. Not many people go into it for the money but go into it for the passion of delivering a unique customer experience.
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Are you a restaurateur who feels overwhelmed by all the management tasks you have to do? You’re not alone. Restaurant Management Made Simple by WISK.ai is here to help. In our podcast, we talk about everything from recipes to invoices to purchasing and inventory. We’ll show you how to take care of all these tasks 5x faster, so you can focus on what you do best – running your restaurant. Our podcast is packed with valuable information that will help you streamline your restaurant management p ...
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S2E59 - Creating a Winning Restaurant Culture that Lasts
49:05
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About the Episode In this conversation, Jason Berkowitz, founder of Arrow Up Training, shares his extensive journey in the hospitality industry, detailing his passion for the field and the lessons learned from opening nearly 100 restaurants. He emphasizes the importance of training, feedback, and maintaining clear processes to ensure operational ef…
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S2E58 - The Leadership, Culture, and Profitability Connection
32:39
32:39
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About the Episode In this conversation, Sam Fonseca takes us through his fascinating journey, beginning with his first encounter with Raising Cane's in California, and the impactful career choices that followed. From record-breaking sales at Raising Cane’s to leading the busiest location of Dave’s Hot Chicken, Sam's story is a testament to the powe…
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Ways to Grab and Retain Attention at Your Restaurant
52:01
52:01
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52:01
About the Episode In this conversation, Matt Plapp, CEO of America's Best Restaurants and Dryver, shares his extensive experience in restaurant marketing, discussing the evolution from traditional to digital marketing strategies. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling, customer engagement, and building a strong customer database. Matt also hi…
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S2E56 - What's Missing in Your Restaurant's Loyalty Program?
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39:16
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39:16
About the Episode In this conversation, Olga Lopategui, founder of Restaurant Loyalty Specialists, shares her journey from corporate roles in international marketing to establishing her own consulting firm focused on restaurant loyalty programs. She discusses the common pitfalls restaurants face when implementing loyalty programs, the evolution of …
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S2E55 - The Secrets to Niche Hotel Concepts and Efficient Operations
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55:02
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55:02
About the Episode In this engaging discussion, Scot shares his methodologies in concept development, emphasizing market research and unique positioning, like the creation of a Persian and Eastern Mediterranean concept for a historic British manor house hotel. He advocates for pushing boundaries, tackling implementation challenges, and ensuring oper…
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S2E54 - Innovate or Evaporate: Vision for the Future of Restaurants
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About the Episode Jay Ashton, hospitality and food service business coach and consultant, discusses the evolution of the restaurant industry and the challenges faced by restaurateurs. He shares his personal journey in the industry and how it saved him from a chaotic upbringing. Jay also explores notable trends in the restaurant space, such as the i…
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S2E53 - Balancing Creativity, Efficiency, and Guest Engagement
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41:44
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41:44
About the Episode Olivier Rassinoux, Vice President of Restaurant and Bar at Patina Restaurant Group, discusses his background and the operations of the restaurant group. The group owns 30 restaurants with different concepts and is owned by Delaware North. They have a significant business with Disney and also operate in New York, Boston, and Southe…
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S2E52 - Connecting Plates and People: The Success of GiftAMeal with Andrew Glantz
32:59
32:59
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32:59
About the Episode In this episode, we’ll explore how GiftAMeal transforms everyday dining experiences into opportunities for generosity, with a stunning milestone of 2 million meals donated to food banks. We'll discuss the metrics and emotional connections that drive customer loyalty and behavior, and reveal how restaurants—from local spots to nati…
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S2E51 - Bikky’s Mission to Empower Restaurants Through Data
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32:19
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32:19
About the Episode Abhinav Kapur, co-founder and CEO of Bikky, discusses the customer data platform for restaurants and the importance of understanding guest behavior. Bikky pulls in data from various sources, such as point of sale, payments, online ordering, reservations, and loyalty, to help restaurants gain insights into their customers. Kapur sh…
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S2E50 - Mapping Future Plans Through Machine Learning with Branden Mcrill
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49:33
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49:33
About the Episode Welcome to Episode 50 of the Wisking It All Podcast! Today, we're thrilled to have Branden Mcrill, co-founder, and CEO of Five Out, join us for an insightful discussion on the universal challenges within the restaurant industry. With over 26 years of hospitality experience, Branden dives deep into the critical aspects of achieving…
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S2E49 - Hover Takes Flight: Drone Delivery to Hard-to-Reach Areas with Cameron Rowe
41:05
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41:05
About the Episode Cameron Rowe, the founder of Hover, discusses the drone delivery startup and its focus on last-mile food delivery. He shares his background in the drone space and how he transitioned from doing real estate photography to starting Hover. Cameron also talks about his experience with Techstars and appearing on Dragon's Den (the Canad…
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S2E48 - Formula on How to Make Your Customers Feel Welcome with Mehdi Zarhloul
39:47
39:47
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About the Episode Mehdi Zarhloul, CEO of Crazy Pita Restaurant Group, shares his journey from working in restaurants as a teenager to opening his own Mediterranean restaurant chain. He discusses the challenges and successes he experienced along the way, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, Mehdi also talks about the importance o…
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S2E47 - Simplifying Online Reputation Management with Shereen Qumsieh
45:23
45:23
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About the Episode Shereen shares her insights on the importance of integrating feedback channels and trend analysis in online reviews, and how Akira's platform helps businesses manage their online presence effectively. She discusses the development of conversational data and how AI can provide unique insights on customer feedback, identifying excep…
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S2E46 - Move Your Restaurant’s Needle: Key Tips to Restaurant Success with Monte Silva
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About the episode Monte Silva, an owner and restaurant executive coach with over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, shares his journey from starting as a dishwasher at the age of 15 to eventually transitioning into restaurant management, operations, and coaching. He emphasizes the importance of creating a perfect business model tha…
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S2E45 - Why Less is More: Slimming Down for Big Wins with CEO of Shootz, Harold Isaac Walters
44:06
44:06
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About the episode Harold Isaac Walters, CEO and co-founder of Shootz, shares his journey in the food and beverage industry. Shootz is a Hawaiian Asian fusion restaurant that specializes in fried chicken katsu. Harold's background in tech and e-commerce influenced his approach to running Shootz, focusing on data collection and digital marketing. He …
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S2E44 - Boosting Restaurant Efficiency and Restaurant Services Insights
47:19
47:19
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47:19
About the Episode In this conversation, Angelo Esposito interviews John Florinis, EVP Product at MealTicket, about his journey in the fintech and payments industry and the evolution of restaurant technology. They discuss the importance of POS, inventory management, and labor management in the restaurant tech stack. They also explore the challenges …
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S2E43 - Driving Restaurant Visits with RestauWant’s Visuals
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41:14
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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…
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S2E42 - Strategies on How to Keep Customers Coming Back with Zach Goldstein
39:20
39:20
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39:20
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…
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S2E41 - Making Sales Pop: Unique Sales Approach with Michael Beck
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49:13
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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…
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S2E40 - Helping Restaurant Shine Through Marketing with Sebastian Stahl
50:52
50:52
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50:52
About the Episode Sebastian Stahl, CEO and Founder of Breadth Marketing, shares his journey in the restaurant industry. He started developing a taste for the business in college and opened his first restaurant in Guatemala City in 2005. After facing challenges and learning valuable lessons, he opened a full-service restaurant in Miami's Wynwood are…
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S2E39 - Food Tech Trends and Innovations with David Goldstein
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25:58
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25:58
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…
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S2E38 - Empowering Restaurant Owners with Full Course
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47:43
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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…
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S2E37 - The Future of Restaurants Is Digital with Carl Orsbourn
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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…
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S2E36 - Developing Digitally Omnipresent Restaurants with Checkmate
38:23
38:23
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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 …
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S2E35 - Jennifer Ryan on Building Trust in Hospitality with Croux Staffing Solutions
54:03
54:03
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54:03
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 t…
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S2E34 - Inside the National Restaurant Association Show: Trends, Tech & Sustainability with Marcus Viscidi
33:46
33:46
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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-base…
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S2E33 - Lowering Your Restaurant’s Labor Cost While Improving Retention
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34:50
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About the Episode Jim Taylor, founder and CEO of Benchmark Sixty Restaurant Services, shares his journey in the restaurant industry and the lessons he has learned along the way. He emphasizes the importance of people and data in the industry and how they can drive success. Jim also discusses the services provided by Benchmark Sixty, including impro…
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S2E32 - Automating Your Invoice Management With Factura.ai
44:10
44:10
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About the Episode Bradley Bloch, CEO of Factura.ai, discusses the journey of building an AP automation software specifically designed for multi-unit businesses in the restaurant industry. He shares his transition from private equity to the food world and how the idea for Factura.ai came about. The software aims to simplify and streamline the accoun…
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S2E31 - Bite’s Kiosk Innovation and Automation with CEO Brandon Barton
38:11
38:11
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About the Episode Bite is a self-service software company that specializes in kiosk ordering for restaurants. Their goal is to enhance and elevate hospitality by providing a guest-centric experience. Kiosks offer benefits such as reduced wait times, personalized recommendations, and the ability to switch languages. While the COVID-19 pandemic initi…
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S2E30 - Crafting Stories in the Culinary World with Danny Klein
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52:49
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About the Episode Danny Klein, Editorial Director at QSR and FSR magazines, shares his journey to becoming the Editorial Director and discusses the evolution of the restaurant industry. He highlights the growth of fast-casual restaurants after the recession and the emergence of fast-casual 2.0 brands. He also discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pa…
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S2E29 - Running A Digital Food Hub with Markus Pineyro of OOMI Digital Kitchen
38:23
38:23
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About the Episode OOMI Digital Kitchen is a digital food hall based in Dallas, Texas, that focuses on making great food and specializes in delivery and carryout. The founder, Marcus Pinero, shares his background in the restaurant industry and the inspiration behind creating a digital food hall. The concept of OOmi Digital Kitchen involves operating…
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S2E28 - Transforming Restaurant Managers Into Hospitality Leaders with Jason E. Brooks
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47:57
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About the Episode In this episode, Angelo Esposito interviews Jason Brooks, a hospitality professional with over 30 years of experience. They discuss various topics related to the restaurant industry, including getting into the business, lessons learned from top brands, actionable tips for restaurant operators, and the importance of coaching as a l…
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S2E27 - Operating Healthy Restaurants with Alessandro Biggi - Founder, Avo
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33:19
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About the Episode In this episode, Angelo Esposito interviews Alessandro Biggi, the founder of Avo, a destination for seasonal nourishing and uniquely crafted salads and bowls. Alessandro shares the inspiration behind Avo and how the concept evolved to focus on healthy and filling meals. He discusses the challenges and learnings of starting a resta…
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S2E26 - PathSpot's mission to make 99.9% germ-free restaurants a reality
32:22
32:22
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32:22
About the Episode PathSpot is a comprehensive health and safety operation system for the food service industry. Their flagship product is a hand scanner that detects invisible contaminants on hands after washing. PathSpot aims to optimize safety, reduce waste, and improve employee satisfaction. They have gained traction by focusing on customer feed…
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S2E25 - Grills, Grit, and Growth: Charlie Eblen's Recipe for Business Expansion
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48:06
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Episode Notes Amid the pandemic, Charlie Eblen boldly initiated Single Tree Wood Fire BBQ, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit. The name 'Singletree' was chosen to commemorate his grandfather, a multifaceted individual: a 27-year Army veteran, an attorney, a federal judge, and a leader in both the Four-H Club and the Masons. For Eblen, 'Singletre…
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S2E24 - Notch’s Innovative Approach to Accounts Payable for Restaurants
35:56
35:56
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About the Episode In this conversation, Angelo interviews Jordan Huck, CEO of Notch, a technology platform that specializes in automating accounts payable and accounts receivable for the food service industry. They explore the inspiration behind Notch, detail the customer onboarding process, and highlight the advantages for restaurants managing mul…
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S2E23 - Seth Cohen on Adapting and Growing Sweetfin
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32:49
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About the Episode Seth Cohen, President and Co-founder of Sweetfin, shares the story of how the Premium Poke concept was created and grew to 20 locations. He discusses the challenges of opening the first location, the importance of having a strong team and company mission, and the incorporation of customer feedback. Cohen also shares his future pla…
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S2E22 - Building Connections Through Feedback with Zack Oates
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48:42
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About this Episode: Zack Oates, Founder and CEO of Ovation, discusses the importance of human connection in the hospitality industry. He introduces Ovation, a platform that helps restaurants collect feedback from guests and improve their operations. Zack shares his journey to Ovation, including his experience in startups and the lessons he learned …
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S2E21 - Transforming Marketing Campaigns with Evocalize's Data-Driven Tools
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51:42
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Episode Notes In this conversation, we had the opportunity to interview Justin Ulrich, VP of Marketing at Evocalize, a tool that helps automate paid digital local marketing based on local data. Justin shares his marketing journey and how he transitioned to Evocalize. He also discusses successful marketing campaigns and the challenges faced by resta…
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S2E20 - Troy Hooper's Playbook for Restaurant Growth and Brand Expansion
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53:05
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53:05
About this Episode: In this conversation, Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palette America, shares his insights and advice on how to succeed in the restaurant business. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the formula for success and having the right information, education, and support. Troy talks about his journey in the hospitality industry and h…
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S2E19 - Leveraging Social Media & Tech for Restaurant Success with David 'Rev" Ciancio
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46:49
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About this Episode: In this episode, Rev Ciancio, Co-founder of Handcraft Burgers and Brew and Head of Revenue Marketing for Branded Hospitality Ventures, shares his journey in the hospitality industry and provides valuable marketing tips for restaurateurs. He discusses the importance of content creation and leveraging social media platforms like I…
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S2E18 - Chip Klose's Approach to Restaurant Growth
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56:00
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56:00
Episode Notes In this episode, Chip Klose, a Restaurant Coach with over two decades of experience, shares insights on improving profitability in the restaurant industry. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on customer needs and unique qualifications, managing revenue, cost of goods sold, and labor, and implementing effective marketing strategi…
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S2E17 - From Kitchen Management to Delivery with Empower Delivery's Full-Scale Solution
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About this Episode: Meredith Sandland, CEO of Empowered Delivery, discusses the benefits of their end-to-end order fulfillment system and how it enables restaurants to have their own 1099 fleet of gig workers. She shares her background in the restaurant industry and how her experiences led her to start Empowered Delivery. Meredith also talks about …
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S2E16 - Breaking Language Barriers in Hospitality: Rachael Nemeth's Opus Training Story
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46:35
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About this Episode: Rachael Nemeth, Co-Founder and CEO of Opus Training, shares her journey of starting the company and the challenges they faced in the restaurant industry. Opus Training is a training platform designed for hospitality businesses, offering micro-training that fits into the flow of work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it pivoted to p…
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S2E15 - Inside Captain AI's Delivery Tech with Ryan Perera
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37:35
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About this Episode: In this episode, Ryan Perera, CEO and Co-founder of Captain.ai, shares the background and overview of the company. Captain.ai is a suite of apps and software specifically made for restaurants with their own delivery drivers, enabling them to manage their drivers better and provide customers with real-time tracking. Ryan discusse…
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S2E14 - How Voosh is Solving Restaurants' Biggest Third-Party Challenges with Priyam Saraswat
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Episode Notes In this conversation, Priyam Saraswat, co-founder and CEO of Voosh.ai discusses the operational analytics dashboard and how it helps restaurants improve their efficiency. He also explains how Voosh.ai helps restaurants increase their sales through third-party platforms. Priyam shares upcoming features and invites listeners to schedule…
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S2E13 - Exploring Tech Trends in Hospitality with Kristen Hawley, Founder of Expedite
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Episode Notes In the latest episode of the Wisking It All Podcast, we're excited to feature Kristen Hawley, the founder of Expedite, a newsletter that delves into the evolving world of restaurant technology and hospitality. Kristen brings her unique perspective, discussing her journey and the significant technology trends reshaping the industry. Ke…
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S2E12 - Matt Newberg's HNGRY Approach to Food and Tech
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54:37
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Episode Notes In this engaging episode, we sit down with Matt Newberg, founder of HNGRY, to delve into the dynamic world where technology intersects with our food experiences. Matt shares the story behind HNGRY and discusses its unique position in the food-tech media landscape. We explore various facets of this intersection, including the impact of…
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S2E11 - Tech and Urban Commerce: A Curbivore Perspective
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37:35
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Episode Notes In this engaging episode of the "Wisking It All Podcast," we're honored to have Jonah Bliss, the Founder of Curbivore, as our guest. Curbivore's mission is to tackle the unique challenges presented by the rapidly changing post-pandemic economy. Their innovative approach brings together technologists, restaurateurs, retailers, local go…
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S2E10 - How JUICER Is Optimizing Digital Sales for Restaurants
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54:08
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Episode Notes Ashwin Kamlani, CEO and Co-founder of Juicer, shares his journey into the restaurant tech space and the evolution of their dynamic pricing concept. They initially focused on third-party delivery and used data to optimize menu prices. The concept of dynamic pricing was met with mixed reactions from restaurant groups, but they found suc…
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