In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Dean LaBay, the community focused on the power of storytelling as a tool for connection, growth, and trust. Participants shared how showing up honestly, learning in public, and telling imperfect stories can create real momentum in business and life. From personal experiences to professional lessons, the conversation reinforced a shared belief: when people participate, listen, and support one another, their stories lift the entire community.

• Your Story Matters More Than Production – The session reinforced that meaningful stories do not require polished setups, expensive equipment, or perfect delivery. What resonates most is honesty, specificity, and the willingness to share real experiences as they happen.
• Growth Happens in Public – Progress accelerates when people stop waiting until they have it figured out and start sharing along the way. By learning out loud and showing both successes and failures, creators and operators build trust while gaining clarity through repetition.
• Participation Creates Momentum – Community is not built by watching from the sidelines. Momentum comes from engaging, listening, contributing, and encouraging others. When people participate consistently, individual growth turns into collective progress.

• Cali BBQ Media: https://content.calibbq.media/
• Join Our Next Show: https://betheshow.media/rising-tides/
• Shawn Walchef on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/
• Dean LaBay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-labay-%F0%9F%A5%94-18584631/

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying...

Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences...

Runbin Dong built Scale Social from a simple belief shaped in his family’s restaurant: hospitality starts with people, not platforms. After growing up working every job in the house, Runbin saw firsthand how trust, familiarity, and human connection drive real loyalty. Scale Social applies that same mindset to marketing by helping restaurants capture authentic customer content without asking guests to perform or post publicly.

• Hospitality That Starts at Home – Runbin Dong’s approach to Scale Social is rooted in his upbringing in a family restaurant, where hospitality was learned through lived experience, not theory. Growing up around the business shaped his belief that companies grow through human connection first. That philosophy now guides how Scale Social helps operators tell real stories, focusing on authenticity rather than manufactured marketing.
• Marketing That Meets Customers Where They Already Are – Scale Social was built on the insight that customers want to share experiences but do not want the work of posting publicly. Rather than forcing behavior, the platform removes friction by capturing authentic content in the moment and handling the rest. The result is marketing that feels natural, personal, and trusted by the people who see it.
• Local Stories That Drive Real Results – By focusing on hyper local content created by actual customers, Scale Social helps operators market where it matters most. Seeing a familiar face in a video is more powerful than broad reach or influencer scale. For multi location and franchise brands, this approach creates alignment by giving both operators and brand leaders clear visibility into what is truly resonating at the local level.

• Runbin Dong LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/runbindong/
• Runbin Dong Email: runbin@scalesocialai.com
• Scale Social Online: https://www.getsocialscale.com/

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying...

Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences...

In this episode of Pitch The Tide, Ben Roscillo, Director of Business Solutions at Factura.ai, shares how his background as a restaurant operator led him to tackle one of hospitality’s biggest headaches: accounts payable. From years of managing invoices by hand to building solutions for multi-unit brands, Ben explains why Factura.ai was designed specifically for restaurants at scale. He breaks down how automation and AI-driven invoice processing reduce errors, save time, and help teams grow without adding headcount. At its core, Factura.ai gives operators back the freedom to focus on people, service, and expansion instead of paperwork.

• Operator Built Solutions – Factura.ai was designed by people who lived the problem. Ben’s years as a restaurant manager and consultant shaped a platform built specifically for the realities of multi-unit operations, not generic accounting workflows.
• Scaling Without Burnout – Manual AP breaks teams as companies grow. Factura.ai helps operators process thousands of invoices accurately while keeping headcount flat, protecting work life balance and reducing costly errors.
• Technology That Gives Time Back – By automating invoice coding, approvals, and location detection, Factura.ai removes busywork and lets operators focus on people, service, and strategic growth instead of paperwork.

• Ben Roscillo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-roscillo-221904130/
• Factura ai LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/factura-ai
• Cali BBQ Media: https://content.calibbq.media/
• Join Our Next Show: https://betheshow.media/rising-tides/
• Shawn Walchef on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying...

Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences...