In this lively Restaurant Owners Uncorked chat, Anesh Bodasing, founder of fast-casual Indian concept Tiffin Box, traces a 30-year hospitality journey that began with an audacious “give me 60 days” pitch to Hard Rock Café in Cape Town, winds through Canada, South Africa, the UK, and South Florida, and culminates in launching Tiffin Box in 2019 (right before COVID), surviving a bruising first year, testing a food hall, shutting the original West Palm store, and smartly pivoting to dense college-town sites (FSU/FAMU in Tallahassee, UF in Gainesville). Framing Tiffin Box as “Chipotle for Indian,” he shares lessons on branding, build-out nitty-gritty, cash-flow reality, and a service-first ethos (own the mistake, fix it fast, win loyalty), while aiming to “crack the code” for mainstreaming authentic, everyday Indian food and ultimately franchising.10 TakeawaysBold beginnings pay off: confidence got Anesh his first shot at Hard Rock and set the tone for his career.“Chipotle for Indian” creates instant understanding for new guests unfamiliar with the cuisine.Brand words matter: “Americanized” signaled watered-down; switching to “fast, fresh Indian” restored credibility.Cash flow rules everything during build-out; opening day is the first chance money can flow back in.Owner vs. operator: the job shifts from running shifts to deciding lights, outlets, signage, leases—every detail.Pandemic resilience: momentum stalled in 2020, but tight pivots (and lessons from a short-lived food hall) refined the model.Site strategy upgrade: closing West Palm and targeting student-dense, walkable college corridors increased fit and foot traffic.Service > food > price: great service makes guests forgiving and price-agnostic; poor service makes every dollar feel worse.Reviews are a gift: answer fast, fix the problem, and you’ll often create your most loyal fans from a bad moment.Founder availability matters: post your number, handle issues personally, and build trust at scale.

SummaryBranden McRill, Detroit-raised restaurateur, operator, and Michelin-star winner, traces a career from dish pits to Alinea and stints with Danny Meyer, Jean-Georges, Alain Ducasse, Marcus Samuelsson, and more, before cofounding acclaimed NYC spots Pearl & Ash and Rebelle (earning a Michelin star within months). He then expanded to Philadelphia, while recently relocating home to Michigan. He shares a philosophy that rejects “balance” in favor of riding life’s waves, embracing calm and chaos, paired with risk tolerance and a bias for action. McRill argues hospitality pros are innate givers who deserve tools that free them to be present with guests; that’s the promise of 5-out, his forecasting and automation platform that continuously re-forecasts sales, labor, and product needs (and can close the loop on purchasing and prep), augmenting, not replacing, human judgment, especially on messy, human scheduling. He sees adoption accelerating as AI gets embedded in existing systems. Waves, not balance: McRill manages life and work by accepting cycles of calm and intensity and staying steady through both.Risk forward: He credits outsized wins to taking big swings, and not letting fear of others’ opinions block action.From Alinea to Michelin: Early exposure to elite kitchens set standards that shaped Pearl & Ash and Rebelle, which earned a Michelin star just months after opening.Hospitality first: The joy is creating experiences that “wash over” guests; tech should buy back time for that human work.Tech as a new teammate: AI in restaurants does the jobs most shops aren’t doing (analysis, forecasting), rather than replacing core human roles.What 5-out does: Pulls POS, weather (historic + forward), traffic, and local events to forecast revenue by hour; converts that into labor budgets, item-level sales, purchasing, and automated prep lists.Closed loop optionality: 5-out can auto-send POs and prep, or let teams review/override—human in the loop where it matters.Re-forecasting nightly: Like a stock ticker, the plan updates every day so operators always see the best available signal.Why some don’t adopt: Cost, another login, and rollout friction - hence faster traction with multi-unit groups that have champions.Future = partnerships: Mass adoption for independents will come as AI embeds inside familiar tools; best results will come from specialized apps working together (e.g., Schedulefly + 5-out).

Wil sits down with George and Amanda of Vicious Biscuit for a follow-up on their whirlwind year since they last joined Restaurant Owners Uncorked a year ago. Franchise growth, a disciplined “partners not franchisees” approach, and a tech stack that supports (but doesn’t replace) hospitality. They unpack a loyalty + first-party app launched Aug 12 that’s smashing acquisition/retention goals, clever perks (weekday free biscuit + jam bar), and a catering program tied to rewards. The brand pairs data with old-school site walks, rigorous training, and weekly franchise support to scale methodically amid real-estate, labor, distribution, and regulatory headwinds. The episode also celebrates how collaborative the hospitality industry is. and it's rising-tide ethos, with George and Amanda mentoring operator, and recent Restaurant Owners Uncorked podcast guest, Tyler Kotch,  over dinner10 takeawaysVicious Biscuit now operates 3 franchise and 7 corporate units; Fishers, IN targeted for Dec 2025, with ~10 more openings following in 2026.They’ve signed 13 franchise partners and prioritize “partners over pace,” saying no often to protect a legacy brand.Loyalty + first-party app (live Aug 12) is exceeding acquisition, retention, and redemption expectations—without being discount-driven.Differentiators include a weekday free biscuit + jam bar to drive dine-in and catering tied to loyalty (rewarding the gatekeeper).Rollouts are patient and pilot-heavy (a planned 2-week pilot stretched to 12 weeks) to ensure smooth ops for franchisees.Real estate is chosen via data-driven rifle shots (Placer, heat maps) plus on-the-ground visits and conversations with neighboring operators.Training is systematized (ExpandShare, videos, 4-week cadence) with weekly check-ins and detailed open checklists to prevent costly delays.The brand balances tech with true hospitality, resisting overly transactional models and emphasizing human guest experience.Headwinds: site/inspection bottlenecks, insurance spikes (e.g., Florida), labor costs, distribution hiccups, and storm recovery (e.g., Boone after Helene).Schedulefly is evolving Restaurant Owners Uncorked into a media business (films, articles, webinars, forums, maybe conferences) to foster peer learning, illustrated by George & Amanda’s hands-on mentoring of Tyler Koch (PIE.ZAA).

Wil talks with Jeff Perera, founder of Jeff’s Bagel Run, to unpack a quintessentially scrappy entrepreneurial tale: laid off in 2019, Jeff stayed home with his kids while his wife returned to work, and, prompted by her longing for authentic New York-style bagels, he taught himself to bake from scratch in their kitchen, turning a novice’s sticky-fingered mishaps (including a rescue call to King Arthur Flour’s baker hotline) into a perfected recipe that evoked childhood nostalgia for his wife. What began as porch pick-ups and 20-mile deliveries for four bagels snowballed during the pandemic into home deliveries of 40 dozen a day, farmers-market lines that braved Florida rainstorms, and eventually a first leased storefront in July 2021; by 2025 the brand boasts 24 locations (6 corporate, 18 franchised), a laser-focused “bake fresh, bring joy, build community” ethos, and a franchise pipeline of 141 signed agreements—all while rejecting scalable shortcuts like frozen products or off-site baking to preserve the artisan, open-kitchen magic that turned a love story into a booming bagel empire.10 Key TakeawaysStart with passion, not a plan—Jeff learned bagel-making purely to please his wife, not to launch a business; the emotional “closed-eyes, transported-to-Long Island” moment proved the recipe’s power. Do unscalable things early—driving 20 miles for four bagels, delivering porch-to-porch, and trading bagels for toilet paper during COVID built loyalty and refined operations. Embrace humility and ask for help—calling King Arthur’s hotline, inviting chef Tim Keating to critique kitchen layout, and leaning on mentors accelerated learning without ego. Niche down ruthlessly—86’d labor-intensive black-and-white cookies rather than outsource them to uphold the “bake fresh” pillar; no freezers, no sandwiches, no toasting—just hot bagels, spreads, and coffee. Pandemic chaos = opportunity—stockpiled flour, bought a commercial mixer, and leveraged Instagram/DM orders to scale home production to 40 dozen/day while the world shut down. Franchising preserves community feel—chose franchise model to let owner-operators replicate the intimate, open-kitchen vibe Danielle and Jeff created in store #1. Hire for cultural & culture fit—early hires came from Instagram video submissions; now stress team chemistry in tight QSR kitchens where “customers can tell” if the vibe is off. Location is king—target “bagel deserts” in the Southeast/Southwest; repurpose closed Einstein, Starbucks, and bank drive-thrus; prioritize high-traffic Publix-anchored centers. Morning-only model simplifies labor—6 a.m.–2:30 p.m. operation enables one-shift staffing, owner-operator flexibility, and weekend bonkers volume without late-night burnout. Give back to earn loyalty—partnering with Give Kids the World, Make-A-Wish, and local schools; community pillar turns customers into advocates and franchisees into neighbors.

Kristina Garrison, a Ukrainian-raised San Franciscan turned globetrotting mom of two, and her classically trained chef husband David Garrison have just soft-opened Grub Smokehouse in a coworking-space kitchen in Youngsville/Wake Forest, NC—their non-traditional barbecue haven born from a hole-in-the-wall California burger joint shut by COVID, four-and-a-half years of culinary inspiration across Europe and Israel, and a ChatGPT-assisted leap to the Tar Heel State with five suitcases and zero local ties. In week three of word-of-mouth operations, they’re smoking everything in-house (12-day-brined pastrami, scratch sauces, seasonal salads, daily sweet-potato cinnamon rolls) on a shoestring DIY buildout, balancing 14-hour grinds with yoga, cold plunges, and an industry discount while betting that perfect-bite flavor symphonies and organic influencer meals will turn curious locals into loyal regulars in a growing melting-pot market.10 Key TakeawaysNon-traditional BBQ = perfect-bite melody: Every sandwich/sSant is engineered for balanced flavor layers—smoky meats, house pickles, scratch sauces, seasonal produce—so one bite sings like a song. No shortcuts, no cans: Zero preservatives, no can opener in the kitchen; everything brined, smoked, pickled, or baked fresh daily (pastrami alone: 12-day brine → smoke → steam). Tiny menu, massive focus: Just 5 sandwiches, a few salads, 2 desserts—narrow to nail execution and avoid waste (day-old bread becomes bread pudding). Global palate, local roots: Four-plus years in Croatia, Italy, Spain, Israel re-inspired Kristina & David Garrison; now sourcing from NC farmers and a local bakery to keep it fresh and community-supported. DIY on a dime: Vacant coworking kitchen → smoker install + handmade wallpaper/paint; low overhead lets labor-intensive quality shine despite inflation squeezes. Organic growth > paid hype: Soft-open via word-of-mouth + free meals for genuine local foodies/influencers; authenticity trumps bots or fake reviews. Balance is the new hustle: Yoga, breathwork, sauna, cold plunges replace the old “work hard, party hard” chef culture—keeps Kristina & David Garrison fit and sustainable long-term. Know your niche, own your price: Slightly higher tabs justified by love and prep; not for everyone, but perfect for foodies who crave preservative-free craftsmanship. First year = grind with savings: Expect 12–14-hour days, weight loss, dual jobs; success demands 1-year runway and DNA-level passion (they almost opened a second CA spot pre-COVID). Community heartbeat: Industry discount + rising-tide networking; independent restaurants remain essential third places for real human connection in a screen-heavy world.

Dimitri Syros, a Greek-American former teacher and law school graduate, launched The Breakfast Company with his mother in Sarasota, Florida, in October 2020 amid the COVID pandemic, transforming her dream of a small coffee shop-bakery into a full-service breakfast-and-lunch concept that exploded from day one. The family leveraged their multi-generational restaurant heritage, including translating his late grandfather's recipe book, to fuel rapid growth to five locations with two more opening in June 2025. Facing soaring labor costs (tipped wages rising from $6 to $15/hour), inflation, hurricanes, and immigration impacts on supply chains, Syros emphasizes preserving soulful, community-driven service over fast-casual efficiency while experimenting with drive-thrus, standardized builds, and potential franchising to scale responsibly without losing family involvement or local intimacy. He credits early closure at 2 PM, above-market pay, promoting internal managing partners, and a strong support system for staff retention and personal balance in an industry he views as society's vital gathering place despite its relentless challenges and imposter syndrome.Family hospitality roots run deep, with Syros growing up busing tables and washing dishes from age 12 across 40 restaurants, but initially forbidden from pursuing it professionally.Opened first location during COVID with masks and dividers, yet it was "gangbusters from day one," leading to unintended full-time involvement over law school.Post-COVID years 2021–2022 were historically booming for restaurants, misleading Syros into aggressive scaling before 2023–2024 normalization hit.Labor costs squeezing margins: Florida tipped minimum wage up $1/year, from $6 to $11 and heading to $15, forcing value focus without shrinkflation or $20 omelets.Breakfast/lunch hours (7 AM–2 PM) enable better staff recruitment, including working parents and second-job holders, plus time for owner balance like gym and family.Pay above market (e.g., $20/hour dishwashers) reduces turnover, training costs, and culture loss versus cycling through cheaper labor.Immigration policies in Florida raising produce costs/quality and hurting morale, alongside hurricanes wiping out seasonal tourism revenue.Scaling with family and promoted internal managing partners to maintain "family touch" while exploring drive-thrus (bakery/coffee focus) and prototype builds for franchising efficiency.Finished law school on scholarship despite remote operations, pivoted to business/immigration franchising expertise, but chose restaurants after one month as attorney.Restaurants as community bedrock post-malls/COVID, fostering real interactions amid declining social skills, with independents keeping money local through genuine hospitality.

Wil hosts Tyler Kotch, founder of PIE.ZAA (Asheville & Charlotte), for a candid chat about spotting late-night demand, building a hyper-focused high-margin pizza concept (five-item menu, 28" pies or 12" slices), surviving COVID, navigating a painful partner split, and scaling methodically toward franchising. Tyler shares lessons on location strategy, simplifying operations to reduce waste, ditching phones in favor of in-person/email and AI ordering, fixing third-party delivery headaches via Takeout Central, and the bigger mission: build a people-centric company, communicate face-to-face, and leave a legacy—possibly across 30–100 locations—using a mountains/city/beach testbed with the FDD in motion.10 takeaways:Simple wins: Five-item menu; whole 28" pies or 12" slices—less waste, faster training.Late-night niche: PIE.ZAA launched to serve post-10pm demand; pizza delivers the margins.Go big on product & packaging: 28" pies + distinctive black boxes = walking billboards.Location is leverage: Foot traffic/tourism/density; first 60–90 days set the trajectory.Market fit varies: Asheville skews to whole pies/families; Charlotte South End to slices/young pros.Phone-free by design: No live phone lines; AI ordering + in-person/email encourage real communication.Control the last mile: Shift to Takeout Central drivers reduced delivery damage/complaints.Choose partners wisely: Misalignment is costly; Tyler rebuilt post-split in 2022.Franchise runway: FDD/approval pending; “mountains/city/beach” proof points precede scale.Culture over control: People-centric leadership, low micromanagement, purpose beyond money.

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 TakeawaysPain 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 TakeawaysHospitality 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 TakeawaysHospitality 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 TakeawaysShared 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 TakeawaysMission 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 TakeawaysBanking → 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 TakeawaysTRA 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 TakeawaysNonlinear 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 TakeawaysFrom 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 TakeawaysOrigins 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.

Wil talks with Anthony Hamilton of Icon Group Hospitality about building people-first restaurant businesses that last. They riff on digital minimalism (Wil’s flip phone!), presence with family, and the hard edges of hospitality—burnout, 24/7 crises, substance abuse—then pivot to how thoughtful leadership, balance, and systems can make the work sustainable. Anthony traces his path from CIA-trained chef to operator/educator to acquiring legacy independent brands and venues, explaining creative deal structures, venue-first catering strategy, and a culture that prizes productivity over performative “grind.” The throughline: lead with hospitality, invest in people, use simple tech well, and protect the soul of beloved neighborhood institutions.Key takeawaysPresence beats obsession: Ditching always-on smartphones can reduce noise and make you a better leader, parent, and human.Hospitality is holistic: Mental health, family time, and modeling balance are part of the job, not perks.People > spreadsheets: “Internal customers” (your team) drive guest experience; treat them with autonomy, flexibility, and respect.Productivity > hours: Question 50+ hour weeks; manage to outcomes, not optics.Predictive labor wins: Forecast sales, schedule to targets, and adjust—don’t try to “cut” your way out after the fact.Simple tech scales: Use lightweight tools (like scheduling/communications) your staff actually adopts; avoid bells-and-whistles bloat.Legacy brand stewardship: When buying independents, preserve what locals love while modernizing ops; owners are often the brand—honor that story.Creative deals keep doors open: Mix owner financing, profit-sharing, and note-holding to match seller needs and protect cash.Venue-first catering strategy: Securing exclusive/long-term venue leases reliably feeds the catering pipeline.Unreasonable touches pay back: Small, thoughtful gestures (a $60 video game + handwritten note) can lock in lifelong clients.Turnover is expensive: Retention beats replacement—paying an extra $0.50–$1/hour can save thousands in churn costs.Lead by example: Owners will always care most; don’t expect staff to out-hustle you—set the standard and the tone.

Part I: People-First Leadership → Culture Over Everything

In this episode of Restaurant Owners Uncorked, Wil welcomes Darren Spicer, co-founder and CEO of Clutch Coffee Bar, a fast-growing drive-thru coffee concept with 17 locations across the Carolinas. Darren shares his journey from bagging groceries to working at Dutch Bros, then taking a leap from a successful medical sales career to build Clutch Coffee with his co-founders. The conversation dives into the brand’s philosophy of serving “positive energy,” its people-first culture, growth strategy, and the importance of authentic customer service as a differentiator in an increasingly transactional industry. Darren highlights lessons learned in funding, location strategy, and leadership while underscoring his belief that hospitality is about genuine human connection, not just speed or convenience.Key TakeawaysOrigin Story: Darren’s first taste of customer service came as a teenage barista, which shaped his passion for hospitality.Dutch Bros Influence: His time at Dutch Bros taught him the value of culture and service, but a shift tp franchising pushed him to start Clutch.Founding Clutch: In 2018, Darren and two co-founders self-funded Clutch with $500K, opening two stores within four weeks.Unique Experience: Clutch delivers “positive energy” through upbeat music, face-to-face ordering, and genuine interactions, not just transactions.Drive-Thru Focus: The model is primarily drive-thru with small footprints, initially built from converted buildings, now expanding with custom builds.Company-Owned Model: All 17 locations are company-owned to preserve brand consistency and culture, though franchising may be considered later.Growth Strategy: Targeting 5–10 new stores per year with careful site selection—favoring ease of access, visibility, and commuter-heavy routes.Customer Base: Average customer is a 33-year-old female, but Clutch appeals to anyone on the move, from students to retirees.Challenges: Rising coffee tariffs and labor costs require careful pricing strategies while maintaining customer experience.Leadership Philosophy: Darren emphasizes intentional training, consistent reinforcement of culture, and leading by example to scale hospitality.