Jeff Gigante has built some of Tampa Bay’s most recognized restaurants, but his path began with a failed pizzeria, a canceled acting job and a $40,000 debt he had no idea how to repay.

In this episode of Fractured But Fearless, Dr. S. Irfan Ali sits down with Jeff, founder of Next Level Brands, to explore the failures, risks and personal experiences that shaped his approach to entrepreneurship and hospitality.

Jeff shares how he went from studying theater and pursuing acting in New York to helping transform Tampa’s restaurant scene. He explains why storytelling sits at the center of hospitality, how his team hires for attitude over experience and why every restaurant carries a responsibility to create meaningful memories for its guests.

The conversation also examines one of the defining moments of Jeff’s career. When COVID-19 shut down businesses across Florida, his team urged him to close. Jeff chose to reinvent the restaurant instead. He launched takeout, fed first responders and found a creative way to solve Tampa’s toilet paper shortage. The campaign generated national attention and helped lay the foundation for Next Level Brands.

Jeff and Dr. Ali also discuss imposter syndrome, charitable giving, the hidden cost of success and the mindset that allows leaders to move through fear. Jeff shares how training with Wim Hof changed his understanding of human capability and why he views pressure as a privilege.

This conversation offers a candid look at what it takes to build a company, lead during a crisis and create a life grounded in relationships and purpose.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• How Jeff moved from acting into the restaurant industry
• Why his first pizzeria failed after only a few months
• How he overcame fear while opening his first Tampa restaurant
• Why Next Level Brands hires for attitude and personality
• How company culture influences the guest experience
• What “pressure is a privilege” means to Jeff
• How Wim Hof training changed his view of personal limits
• Why Jeff refused to close his restaurant during COVID
• How a toilet paper promotion generated national attention
• Why failure has played a larger role in his life than success
• How charitable work changed his understanding of leadership
• Why relationships ultimately define a meaningful life

CHAPTERS

• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:31 Jeff Gigante’s lifelong ambition
• 01:03 Elevating Tampa Bay’s restaurant scene
• 02:15 From theater student to restaurant entrepreneur
• 04:24 Opening a pizzeria while still in college
• 06:06 Borrowing $30,000 to start the business
• 07:08 A crisis two weeks before opening
• 08:16 The first major challenge Jeff overcame
• 09:00 Why the restaurant failed
• 10:00 Choosing between acting and hospitality
• 11:18 Booking a role on a soap opera
• 11:43 The show gets canceled
• 12:17 Jeff decides to pursue restaurants
• 13:21 Seeing Tampa’s potential early
• 15:05 Pitching a New York restaurateur on Tampa
• 17:45 Feeling terrified while starting the business
• 19:00 Reframing fear as excitement and readiness
• 20:38 Imposter syndrome at a 400-seat restaurant
• 22:00 Connecting business with community service
• 23:00 Meeting WWE superstar Titus O’Neil
• 25:13 Activating your heart instead of writing a check
• 27:00 Building a culture around human experience
• 28:17 How Next Level Brands approaches culture
• 29:28 Hiring for attitude over experience
• 30:34 Growing to more than 700 employees
• 31:00 The personal cost of success
• 32:42 Why pressure is a privilege
• 34:16 Meditation, breathwork and cold plunging
• 35:00 Training with Wim Hof in Poland
• 36:00 Discovering the mind’s hidden capacity
• 37:27 Building a legacy for your children
• 39:19 How Jeff’s restaurant survived COVID
• 41:11 Refusing to close the business
• 42:00 Feeding first responders
• 42:46 Solving Tampa’s toilet paper shortage
• 43:50 The campaign that went viral
• 44:06 National media attention and reinvention
• 44:55 Protecting employees during the shutdown
• 46:47 Why leaders must lead during a crisis
• 48:25 Remaining a student of life
• 50:32 Jeff’s advice to young entrepreneurs
• 51:16 Why failure matters more than success
• 52:48 Measuring life through relationships
• 54:16 Defining the responsibility of hospitality
• 55:00 Creating “laid-back luxury”
• 56:38 Honoring every guest’s decision
• 58:04 What’s next for Next Level Brands
• 01:00:00 Friends are strangers we haven’t met

Mentioned in this episode:

Fractured But Fearless - Cold Open