Send us a text Aaron Roberts is the President and Executive Producer at Rising Tides Creative, an all in one creative resource which is used by some of the most forward-thinking restaurants in the industry such as Cali BBQ. Rising Tides Creative is known for bringing restaurants and other brands to life online, and brought those same creative juices to this episode of Give an Ovation! On this edition, Aaron and Zack discuss: Why most restaurants are hesitant to create on social media Mistakes re...
Oct 14, 2022•23 min•Ep. 174
Send us a text Tim McLaughlin is a restaurateur and restaurant tech extraordinaire. Having owned two restaurants, Tim understand the grit, innovation, and drive that it takes to run a business in the restaurant industry. Now, as the CEO of GoTab, Tim applies this experience to making payment processes easier and other operations run more smoothly. On this episode, Tim and Zack discuss: Empowering guests Optimizing the payment process Taking advantage of tech Takings risks and opportunities other...
Oct 10, 2022•26 min•Ep. 173
Send us a text What's the record for person involved in the most organizations at one time? It might just be our guest today, Ellis Winstanley with 11 active positions currently listed on his LinkedIn, some of which include Board Member of the Texas Restaurant Association, President of El Arroyo in Austin, and President of Axial Shift, an operations platform for restaurants. Whichever position you choose, Ellis brings valuable experience to this edition of Give an Ovation! On this episode, Ellis...
Oct 07, 2022•26 min•Ep. 172
Send us a text Joe Monastero is the COO of Texas Restaurant Association. TRA aims to serve as an indispensable resource for the hospitality and foodservice industry. TRA membership enables your company to build customer loyalty, rewarding careers and financial success. Joe understands what it means to grow a business. Through TRA he is dedicated to helping any and all restaurants and restaurateurs grow their brand. On this episode, Joe and Zack discuss: Overcoming obstacles (i.e global pandemic)...
Oct 03, 2022•24 min•Ep. 171
Send us a text Jason Berkowitz is the Founder of ARROW UP, a highly-designed training tool for reducing liability, insurance premiums, and building a stronger culture in restaurants. He has extensive restaurant experience, having been involved in over 40 restaurant openings and was most recently the COO of Tocaya Organica. On this episode, Jason and Zack discuss: How to retain staff for free How to establish systems for staff success The number one human desire More Thanks, Jason!...
Sep 30, 2022•28 min•Ep. 170
Send us a text Juan Orrego, Co-Founder and CEO of Cuboh, knows what it takes to provide an optimal third party experience. Cuboh consolidates all your online ordering tablets in one device. Juan's middle man perspective has raised him an expert in efficiency, visibility, and post ordering experience. On this episode, Juan and host Zack Oates discuss: Ghost Kitchens Third party delivery Customer journey What it takes to keep customers returning More Thanks Juan!...
Sep 26, 2022•21 min•Ep. 169
Send us a text Clay Dover is a true restaurant marketing vet with over 30 years in the industry (even though he barely looks 30 years old)! Clay is the CEO and President of Velvet Taco, a concept known for its gourmet tacos and strong brand. He has former experience as a Marketing Manager for Chili's, the VP of Marketing for Apex Restaurant Group, the CMO of Raising Cane's, and more. Tune in to this episode to learn: What goes into making a memorable guest experience The importance of tuning int...
Sep 22, 2022•36 min•Ep. 169
Send us a text Bryan Solar, GM of Restaurants at Square, is a pro at using tech to help restaurant owners, staff, and customers to bridge gaps. Square builds common business tools in unconventional ways so more people can start, run, and grow their businesses. Tune in to learn how you can optimize tech within your business! On this episode, Bryan and host Zack Oates discuss: Leveraging tech Consistency in quality and service Making consumers and staff feel valued More Thanks Bryan!...
Sep 19, 2022•24 min
Send us a text *Editor's note: Jodie was the Chief Marketing Officer of Fazoli's at the time of this podcast recording. She has since become the CMO of Donatos Pizza. Jodie Conrad is a restaurant marketing veteran with over 30 years in the industry and experience in marketing at Wendy's, Coca-Cola, Fazoli's, and more. She's now the Chief Marketing Officer at Donatos Pizza, a nearly 200-location brand. Jodie is a long-time friend of Ovation and dropped some knowledge bombs on this episode! On thi...
Sep 15, 2022•25 min•Ep. 166
Send us a text Colin Webb is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sauce Pricing. Sauce allows you to leverage your restaurant data to increase profit margins and grow sales. In just a few clicks, your company can scale expert pricing strategies. With an eye for data optimization, Webb's expertise enables him to unlock a goldmine of data for companies. On this episode, Colin and host Zack Oates discuss: Dynamically pricing menu items Smarter pricing strategies Managing being short staffed and maintaining qu...
Sep 12, 2022•23 min•Ep. 165
Send us a text Sam Caucci is the CEO and founder of 1Huddle, a training platform that aims to improve staff performance and better prepare employees for the workforce. 1Huddle has changed the training game by engaging employees with quick paced games that are customizable to the company's brand and can be played in under five minutes. If you're feeling déjà vu, this is our 2nd episode with Sam - 1 wasn't enough! On this episode, Sam and host Zack Oates discuss: Why restaurant training is broken ...
Sep 09, 2022•22 min•Ep. 164
Send us a text Rachael Nemeth truly understands what it means to work in the restaurant industry, from line cook to manager! Nemeth now takes on being CEO at Opus, a powerful training technology designed for your "deskless" workforce. Opus creates multimedia lessons and distributes them over mobile, helping you to strengthen your workforce. On this episode, Zack and Rachael discuss: Effective training Meeting workers where they are Strengthening your workforce More Thanks, Rachael!...
Sep 06, 2022•22 min•Ep. 163
Send us a text Bennett Maxwell is the CEO of Dirty Dough, home to super-stuffed cookie bombs! Dirty Dough is bringing one-of-a-kind cookies to the masses, and helping entrepreneurs find passion and success! With a background in sales, Maxwell brings his charismatic spirit to the Give An Ovation Podcast! On this episode, Zack and Maxwell discuss: Picking a franchise Advising hopeful entrepreneurs The mechanics of sales More Thanks, Bennett!...
Aug 22, 2022•25 min•Ep. 162
Send us a text Steve Madonna is the SVP of Culinary at Bar Louie, the Original Gastrobar concept with about 70 locations nationwide. Previously, Steve spent 12 years working as a Chef and Culinary Director at Wolfgang Puck. Steve is an expert is menu design and brought a Puck-ton of actionable insights to this edition of Give an Ovation. On this episode, Zack and Steve discuss: The importance of using data to make menu decisions Taking the emotion out of menu items and listening to customers The...
Aug 15, 2022•20 min•Ep. 161
Send us a text Clayton Wood, CEO at Picnic, is pursuing innovation by making automation the future. Picnic is the essential back-of-house assembly line. The modular food prep station assembles your pizzas with precision and speed, delivering a consistent product every time. Say hello to the future of restaurant tech with this week's podcast episode! On this episode, Clayton and host Zack Oates discuss: Creating consistency Automation The reality of robots in the kitchen More Thanks, Clayton!...
Aug 08, 2022•23 min•Ep. 160
Send us a text Tammy Billings is a co-founder at Aben, a marketing operating system that alerts, executes, and measures ROI from data. Tammy's foundational belief for Aben was the idea that the data available to large enterprises should be open for all businesses to leverage. With an affinity for sales, technology, and data analytics, Tammy brings her vision to this week's episode of Give An Ovation. On this episode, Tammy and host Zack Oates discuss: Market positioning Pairing internal and exte...
Aug 01, 2022•27 min•Ep. 159
Send us a text Akash Kapoor, CEO and Founder of Curry Up Now, is renowned for more than his growth from food truck to brick and mortar. As Chief Troublemaker, Akash is an expert in finding growth through discomfort and pushing the envelop. Tune in to find out key tips on growing your business and stepping outside of your comfort zone! On this episode, Akash and host Zack Oates discuss: Defeating the status quo Stepping outside your comfort zone Finding the right tech for you Creating a welcoming...
Jul 25, 2022•21 min•Ep. 158
Send us a text Richard Zaro, Founder and CEO of Cutlets Sandwich Co., is looking to disrupt the sandwich landscape and nationalize cutlets. Zaro has proven his ability to keep the consumer happy and smooth out the consumer journey through online interactions. On this episode, Richard and host Zack Oates discuss: Customer satisfaction Consumer touch points Online order and delivery More Thanks, Richard!...
Jul 18, 2022•20 min•Ep. 157
Send us a text Allen Beck, director of off-premise and catering at Costa Vida, is an expert in all things third party and online ordering. This week, he brings experience with catering and working as a go-between to our podcast and shares how he reaches out and maintains relationships with third parties. On this episode, Allen and host Zack Oates discuss: Third party relationships Dynamic pricing and elasticity Developing accuracy More Thanks, Allen!...
Jul 11, 2022•21 min•Ep. 156
Send us a text Nick Bogacz, founder and president of Client Pizza & Draft House, has proven his ability to grow a business. With over 20 years of experience in the pizza and restaurant industry, Nick opened his first location in 2012 and has grown his operations to six current locations! On this episode, Nick and host Zack Oates discuss: Managing responsibilities Building your team Using online marketing to meet expectations More Thanks, Nick!...
Jul 05, 2022•19 min•Ep. 155
Send us a text Michel Falcon is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, creator of a successful hospitality company, and is currently building Brasa Peruvian Kitchen. His expertise is in restaurants, customer experience management, company culture, employee engagement, and career development (#SteerYourCareer). On this episode, Michel and host Zack Oates discuss: What being a people-first restaurant means How to surgically cut costs How to pay your employees well More Thanks, Michel!...
Jun 28, 2022•31 min•Ep. 154
Send us a text Sun Choi is the Co-founder of Yummy's Korean BBQ and Sushi, a family-run restaurant located in Orem, Utah. In this episode of Give An Ovation, Sun Choi offers valuable insight as to what inspired him to leave the IT security industry and open a restaurant alongside his family. This episode is extremely personable as we learn more about his culture, motivations, and priorities. On this episode, Sun and Host Zack Oates discuss: His transition from the tech to restaurant industry Inc...
Jun 21, 2022•19 min•Ep. 153
Send us a text Chad Horn, Co-founder and COO of Devour, is bringing restaurant tech to a whole new level. Devour is the first web3 payments, NFT and rewards platform catering to restaurants and their guests. Chad has paved a people-oriented career and is bringing the immense opportunities of Web3 technology to restaurants. Chad's episode is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the changes coming for the restaurant industry. You don't want to miss out. On this episode, Chad and Host Zack ...
Jun 13, 2022•22 min•Ep. 152
Send us a text This episode of Give An Ovation Features Lee Kindell, Founder and CEO of Moto Pizza! Famous for their deepish and other delicious and doughy menu items, Kindell is an expert at bettering your brand. The key ingredient? Passion. Tune in to Lee's deep dish on how to develop your brand through passion, skill, and drive. On this episode, Lee and Host Zack Oates discuss: Developing brand elements Pushing through obstacles Importance of passion More Thanks Lee!...
Jun 06, 2022•27 min•Ep. 151
Send us a text As CEO and founder of Piestro, a fully automated pizzeria, Massimo Noja De Marco is no stranger to thinking creatively and bringing positive guest oriented service culture. With over 20 years experience in the hospitality industry, Massimo is commandeering innovation within the restaurant industry. On this episode, Massimo and Host Zack Oates discuss: Ghost kitchens Quality over quantity Understanding the consumer More Thanks Massimo!...
May 31, 2022•28 min•Ep. 150
Send us a text As founder and CEO of not one but two companies, Troy Hooper is a jack of all trades! As founder and CEO of Kiwi Restaurant Partners, Hooper offers hospitality consulting, management, development, franchising, and concept creation services. This podcast is especially engaging and you definitely won't want to miss it. On this episode, Troy and Host Zack Oates discuss: What makes a successful franchise Consistency Communicating with the consumer More Thanks Troy!...
May 23, 2022•32 min•Ep. 149
Send us a text Tomer Molovinsky is the CEO and cofounder at Per Diem. Per Diem is a subscription business that partners with neighborhood businesses to create food and drink experiences their customers love. Tomer has built Per Diem into a company where hospitality and innovative tech meet. On this episode, Tomer and Host Zack Oates discuss: In store vs digital perks Applying life skills Future of restaurants Customer experience More Thanks Tomer!...
May 16, 2022•24 min•Ep. 148
Send us a text Gage Anderle is a director of virtual brands at Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., a family owned restaurant franchise. His experience in brand management, sales growth, strategic planning, and more has enabled Gage to take brands from brick and mortar to 100+ ghost kitchen operations. Tune in to hear what Gage has been cooking up in the virtual scene and where he plans to take this industry. On this episode, Gage and Host Zack Oates discuss: Virtual concepts Third party marketi...
May 09, 2022•19 min•Ep. 147
Send us a text Solomon Choi is the founder and CEO of 16 Handles. 16 Handles is New York City's first self serve frozen yogurt shop. With over 20 year experience in the restaurant industry, Solomon's restaurant concept became the segment leader in NYC and grew to over 40 locations internationally. Tune in to hear how he rose to the entrepreneurial top and took a bite out of the big apple! On this episode, Solomon and Host Zack Oates discuss: Building a global brand Marketing application Staying ...
May 02, 2022•39 min
Send us a text Alex is a restaurant industry innovator, in-demand speaker, and passionate advocate for restaurant operators and workers. A fourth-generation restaurateur, the restaurant business has been in Alex’s blood for over 85 years. Alex currently leads Nextbite, a digital platform designed to develop restaurant delivery. Tune in for his expertise in restaurant tech! On this episode, Alex and Host Zack Oates discuss: Restaurant delivery tech Restaurant infrastructure Hospitality Brand laun...
Apr 25, 2022•24 min•Ep. 145
