Best John Viviani Podcasts (2024)

1
Hunter Evans on winning awards without losing yourself 35:48

3h ago35:48

35:48

I can’t tell you how many folks reach out to me with struggling businesses. Interestingly enough, they’re not interested in learning how to run a better business, they’re interested in learning how to win awards. Something as significant as a Michelin star or as simple as a James Beard Nomination can mean the difference between a busy dining room a…

1
Zachary Engel on building a high performance team 35:31

2d ago35:31

35:31

Building a restaurant is hard. Building a high performance team to work in that restaurant is harder. Today we sit down with chef/owner Zach Engel to talk about how the culture he grew up in informed the culture of his company. We discuss the merits of mutual investment, how to hire correctly, and how to create a company culture so pervasive that y…

1
Movies Where the Car is the Star 363 50:55

3d ago50:55

50:55

You know the movie, the car is why we remember it. It wasn't for the acting or the story. If it weren't for that car(s) it wouldn't be fit for 3 AM TV. www.nodrivinggloves.comBy John Viviani

1
Rosalie Guillem on the growth strategy from one to 67 locations 38:20

6d ago38:20

38:20

There’s power in focus and I can’t provide a better example of how that power translates to success than Rosalie Guillem. She took a simple cookie and turned it into a national brand. Today we sit down to discuss how she’s methodically grown this focused brand over the years and the decisions she’s made that directly led to her meteoric success. Fo…

1
Renee Guilbault on transforming your restaurant career 38:12

9d ago38:12

38:12

Your employees deserve a career they can get excited about, and so do you. Today we sit down with Renee Guilbault, an industry expert, to discuss how intention, modeling, and roadmapping can give us a clear path forward for ourselves and our teams. As it turns out, a clear vision of the future reveals the path to get there. Pick up Renee’s book A T…

1
You Ask, We Answer, Maybe 362 1:04:15

9d ago1:04:15

1:04:15

We have one of our Q&A shows. These are always fun and let us cover a variety of topics. We start with some of the latest news and create our own questions. www.nodrivinggloves.comBy John Viviani

1
Tomer Blechman on the path from chef to entrepreneur 36:34

13d ago36:34

36:34

If only knowing how to cook was enough to guarantee success as a restaurant owner…In today’s competitive environment, our industry requires excellence in both menu development and business strategy but I have yet to find a school that teaches both. Those that make it, like Tomer Belchman, pick up culinary skills in culinary school and business skil…

1
Fabio Viviani on crafting a concept guaranteed to succeed 35:57

16d ago35:57

35:57

The pandemic taught many of us many different lessons but it taught Chef Fabio Vivani how to fight back. The chef spent the years rebounding from the pandemic curating a concept that he believes is not only recession proof, it’s pandemic proof. Today we sit down to discuss the formula he’s crafted for guaranteed success so that we too can protect o…

1
What were they Thinking AKA Dumb Ideas 361 59:09

17d ago59:09

59:09

Some automotive things are dumb- Inventions, cars, accessories, people- the list is endless. Join No Driving Gloves on the Livestream and provide your thoughts. www.nodrivinggloves.comBy John Viviani

1
Nikita Seal on the joyful path to restaurant success 35:08

20d ago35:08

35:08

Nikita Seal shares many qualities with the average restaurateur. She’s smart, hard working, and focused on serving her guests to the best of her ability. But there’s one quality that makes her stand about amongst the rest: she’s one of the happiest people I’ve ever met. Nikita has cracked the code on how to transform the day to day grind of restaur…

1
Kevin Beary on how to create an iconic bar program 35:42

23d ago35:42

35:42

You may not know Kevin by name but you definitely know Kevin’s work. As Beverage Director of Three Dots and a Dash in Chicago, Kevin has helmed a cultural revolution in Tiki cocktails over the last decade. Today we sit down to discuss the essential elements of an iconic beverage program, the value in a blockbuster non alcoholic offering, and the fu…

1
Driving Classics 360 1:01:25

26d ago1:01:25

1:01:25

Can you daily drive an old car? Are their challenges? Can it be done?By John Viviani

1
John Manion on succeeding in a major market 35:24

27d ago35:24

35:24

Two decades in our industry would equate to 80 in any other industry so there’s something to be said for getting to the top and staying there. Today we chat with John Manion, a chef who has dominated the Chicago dining scene for almost 20 years. We sit down to discuss the long road to the top and what’s required to maintain relevance in a competiti…

1
Becca McIntyre on the right way to launch a limited time offer 32:31

1M ago32:31

32:31

There’s an art to creating a perfect limited time offer. It has as much to do with the offering as it does with the messaging around the offering. Becca McIntyre of Craveworthy Brands is an LTO expert, having created an endless series of limited time offers for the biggest brands in the country. Today she sits down to discuss the essential elements…

1
Car Life Balance 359 49:44

1M ago49:44

49:44

While we all love cars, there needs to be some balance, right? I mean with jobs, family, and maybe even other hobbies is there a way for your life not to be consumed by cars? We end the show by discussing whether it is worth paying more for the performance or higher trim levels on your collector car. www.nodrivinggloves.com…

1
Greg Willman on how to create the next big franchise 35:37

1M ago35:37

35:37

Rarely do we open a restaurant without the aspiration to open many. Sure luck plays a role but there are some folks out there that seem to have the secret to scaling. Today we sit down with Greg Willman, an investor and restaurateur who, after becoming the largest Qdoba franchisee in the world, has set his sights on dominating with a new brand. In …

1
Obadiah "Obie" Ostergard on the evolution in mindset from chef to restaurateur 37:01

1M ago37:01

37:01

I’ll be the first one to say that if you’re looking to achieve greatness in our industry, focus is the key. Today’s guest, Obie Ostergard, may just prove me wrong. A trained chef turned operations guru, Obie has mastered the hardest parts of our industry in both front and back of house. In our conversation Obie unpacks the lessons he’s learned and …

1
International Motorsports Hall of Fame Heritage Preservation 9:42

1M ago9:42

9:42

There was a surprise appearance by Richard Petty's 1973 STP stock car. We talked with Eric and discussed the car and why it is out and about. (spoiler- Supporting the International Motorsports Hall of Fame Heritage Preservation Event. We first sat down with one of the volunteers helping support the behind-the-scenes efforts of MOB INC. www.MOBINCBH…

1
Golden Cars 358 57:44

1M ago57:44

57:44

Remember that Golden Chevy we talked about at the end of February? Well, it just sold at auction. We discuss the amazing sale price and much of the story behind the car, as a lot of the questions and assumptions when it debuted have become less murky. www.nodrivinggloves.comBy John Viviani

1
Mistie Boulton on the risks and rewards of dynamic pricing 38:10

1M ago38:10

38:10

Misite Boulton has had the inside track on our industry for years. As a consultant and secret shopping agency, she’s seen the best and worst that our industry has to offer. Her vantagepoint also gives her the ability to see trendlines in our industry that wouldn’t be readily obvious without such a large client base. Today we sit down to discuss how…

1
David Dittenber on AI's Game-Changing Role in Restaurants 41:37

2M ago41:37

41:37

All anyone wants to talk about today is AI and the way that it’s going to change our industry in the future, but I find it nearly impossible to see how it’s impacting day to day operations today. That’s why I called my friend and fellow restaurateur Dave Dittenber to discuss his latest project MABEL. MABEL is the assistant we deserve and that we’ve…

1
We Bring Our Worst! 357 56:46

2M ago56:46

56:46

Last episode we discussed a TIME magazine article on the 50 worst cars. We didn't like that list. This week we talk about our ideas of the worst cars. But before that, we talk about the US car market and Tariffs. www.nodrivinggloves.comBy John Viviani

1
Jonathon Sawyer the keys to sustainable success 35:00

2M ago35:00

35:00

There’s this old curse I remember hearing when I was younger, “May you get what you wish for.” What if you do get it all…the locations, the accolades, the attention and it’s not all it’s cracked up to be? Then what? Today we sit down with celebrity chef and restaurateur Jonathon Sawyer to discuss what happens when our dreams become reality. He shar…

1
The Next Generation at MOB INC #4 21:55

2M ago21:55

21:55

Today we talk with the next generation of car enthusiasts! YES, THERE IS A NEXT GENERATION! Jacob tells us about the 1969 Twin Turbo Camaro he built with his grandfather and father, starting when he was 14. Then Alex gives his review on one of the cars in attendance. We finish with MOB Inc. sponsor and 17-year-old business owner Preston Frye who di…

1
ReRelease! What Makes a Car The Worst 356 1:03:27

2M ago1:03:27

1:03:27

The audio has been remastered and now listenable! We start to analyze a Time Magazine article from 2017 in which Dan Neil declares the 50 worst cars in history. He does this with no qualification of what makes a car the worst. This list includes the Model T (he does mention this will be controversial). Link to the Time Magzine article. Feel free to…

1
Andrew Zimmerman on how patience can be a competitive advantage 36:52

2M ago36:52

36:52

Chef Andrew Zimmerman has been a fixture in Chicago’s fine dining scene for almost two decades now. In his quiet pursuit of excellence he has collected a lifetime's worth of Michelin stars, forgetting the dozens of other accolades. We sat down today to discuss what has set him apart from his competitive set and the strategies he’s used to be as rel…

1
Justin Egan on creating a scalable restaurant brand 36:18

2M ago36:18

36:18

In my humble opinion, the world has enough restaurants. What the world lacks are new ideas and, sometimes those ideas manifest themselves in the form of a new restaurant concept. Today we sit down with Justin Egan of Wing It On to discuss the big ideas behind the blockbuster brand. Justin walks us through the step by step strategy they’ve used to s…

1
What Makes a Car the Worst 356 1:03:27

2M ago1:03:27

1:03:27

We start to analyze a Time Magazine article from 2017 in which Dan Neil declares the 50 worst cars in history. He does this with no qualification of what makes a car the worst. This list includes the Model T (he does mention this will be controversial). Link to the Time Magzine article. Feel free to provide any comment, because I don't think we are…

1
The Secrets to Growth & Scale 3:19

2M ago3:19

3:19

Sign up for this month's 5-Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting www.joshkopel.com Here's a Preview of the Amazing Stuff You’ll Learn: Day 1: You’ll learn the 3 Keys to Profitability that scale your restaurant’s cash flow without increasing your expenses so that you can stop worrying about money. Day 2: You’ll learn how to Master Margi…

1
Neal Foard on the Art of Crafting an Irresistible Brand Story (Part 2) 43:25

2M ago43:25

43:25

This is where the conversation turns actionable. We sit down again with master storyteller, Neal Foard, as he walks us through the step by step process he uses to craft stories that resonate. We discuss the essential elements of virality and how to build those elements into the stories we tell. Grab a pen and get ready to take notes, this is a mast…

1
Be a Suckerm Do Not 355 59:24

2M ago59:24

59:24

Take a look at various scams and frauds that can be found when purchasing a car. It doesn't matter if it is new, used, a classic, or antique, it is always buyer beware.By John Viviani

1
Neal Foard on the Art of Crafting an Irresistible Brand Story (Part 1) 45:53

2M ago45:53

45:53

What is great marketing? If we distill it down to its simplest form, it’s great storytelling. But, for most of us, there’s hesitation in putting ourselves out there. What would we talk about? Who would care? Today we sit down with master storyteller, Neal Foard, a marketing executive turned social media guru who’s collected close to half a million …

1
Darshak Mehta on the Fast Track to Scaling Profitability 41:01

2M ago41:01

41:01

For most of us, our career as restaurateurs is defined by making due with what we can afford. Sure it would be fantastic to bring on a Chief Financial Officer, a director of HR, and a day to day bookkeeper, providing real time analysis of our restaurants, but who can afford all of that? Well, through the internet and this globalized world we live i…

1
Recapping the 420 Event, Prepping for May the 4th 003 12:25

2M ago12:25

12:25

Just a quick one this week. We get Scott and Tom to sit down and talk about the first event. The good, the bad, and well there wasn't any ugly. www.mobincbhm.com Maserati of Birmingham Maserati of Birmingham Classic Car Motoring BareFish Gregg Black Construction Ultra Motorcars Mercedes of Birmingham Coretti Inc NBC Securities VW Supply Dr Brook Jo…

1
COllect It, Donate It, What Happens with It? 354 54:52

2M ago54:52

54:52

Sometimes your car doesn't become immortalized when donated. We discuss the various ways non-profits may use your donation for the betterment of the institution. www.nodrivinggloves.comBy John Viviani

1
Jason Brookes on the Daily Habits of Exceptional Leaders 41:50

2M ago41:50

41:50

You are not what you say you are. You are what you do on a daily basis. So if you want to be a great leader, you must act like a great leader. But what does that look like in practical application? Today we find out. We’re sitting down with Jason Brooks, famed multiunit operator, to discuss his path to leadership and the tactics, tools, and strateg…

1
Ellen Yin on Building an Unbreakable Restaurant Culture 33:35

2M ago33:35

33:35

I believe restaurants have always had a pervasive culture, albeit at times not the healthiest culture. Restaurateur Ellen Yin is out to change that and she’s leading by example. Today we sit down to discuss her unorthodox path through the industry and how in breaking the mold, she’s developed the formula to heal our industry. For more information o…