#106.
Josh sits down with Eli Feldman, founder of Elided Opinions and Shy Bird, to explore the rapidly changing dynamics of restaurant management and hospitality. Feldman shares insights on how restaurants must evolve beyond traditional dining models to survive in today's competitive landscape, emphasizing the critical need to monetize customer attention for higher-margin revenue streams. The conversation covers the transformative impact of technology on operations, from AI-powered customer interactions to data-driven insights that enhance both efficiency and dining experiences.

The discussion examines the fundamental challenges facing the industry, including rising operational costs, declining profitability, and the ongoing debate around delivery services potentially undermining the social essence of dining out. Feldman and Sharkie explore innovative approaches to restaurant economics, including the potential of franchising models and the importance of creating unique, memorable experiences that differentiate establishments in an oversaturated market. They also address how restaurants can leverage technology and data analytics to better understand customer preferences while adapting to shifting consumer behaviors in the post-pandemic hospitality landscape.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey

Visit Shy Bird: https://www.shybird.com/

Follow Eli: @feldman_eli

#105.
Josh sits down with Britney Ziegler, Founder and CEO of Panso, to explore the innovative world of restaurant technology and hospitality management. Britney shares her entrepreneurial journey of launching a comprehensive restaurant technology platform that streamlines multiple tools into one unified system. She reveals how her team's industry experience has been crucial in reducing onboarding friction, particularly through hiring people directly from restaurants who understand the unique challenges operators face. The conversation covers Panso's strategic approach to building in stealth mode, allowing for careful product refinement before market launch, and the critical importance of helping restaurants understand and leverage their customer data for success.

Britney discusses the art of deal-making in the restaurant business, emphasizing how industry connections and word-of-mouth strategies have driven their sales approach. She outlines her vision for empowering restaurants with true customer data ownership through what she describes as a genuine CRM system that enhances customer loyalty and collaboration. The discussion touches on the transformative potential of AI in enhancing customer engagement and operational efficiency, while also exploring the significance of strategic partnerships in driving business growth. Throughout the conversation, Britney reflects on the personal growth that comes with entrepreneurial success and her commitment to revolutionizing how restaurants connect with and serve their customers.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey

Visit Panso: https://www.hellopanso.com

Follow Britney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/britney-ziegler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoE6VJ-R7LU&t=108s

Today, we’re highlighting Josh's appearance on Restaurant Unstoppable with host Eric Cacciatore. This insightful repost episode explores the critical foundations of successful restaurant operations. Josh breaks down the essential elements of running a restaurant from pre-sale planning through post-sale execution, emphasizing how consistency in food preparation and explicit recipe communication can make or break an establishment's success. The conversation reveals how meez has evolved from a simple recipe management platform into a comprehensive menu engineering tool that helps restaurateurs balance their creative vision with operational profitability.

The episode examines the delicate equilibrium between creative chaos and systematic order that defines the restaurant industry, while exploring how technology can enhance rather than replace the human elements of hospitality. Josh and Eric address the shifting landscape of dining economics, the emergence of experience-driven consumption, and the potential for food to serve as medicine in our evolving relationship with health and wellness. They also tackle forward-looking topics including AI's impact on employment, community engagement strategies, and how the industry can transform its approach to align vision with actionable results that benefit both operators and guests.

Links and resources 📌

Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com

Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez

Follow Josh on instagram: @joshlsharkey

Visit Restaurant Unstoppable: https://www.restaurantunstoppable.com/

Follow Restaurant Unstoppable: @restaurantunstoppablepodcast