Episodes

In this session, Elizabeth Doss took the stage to present IzzyInc Studios — a creative studio helping restaurants, brands, and leaders stand out through custom animated GIFs. With more than 6 billion views on her personal creations and another 5 billion across client libraries, Elizabeth showed how GIFs can do more than make people laugh — they can drive attention, spark conversations, and even close deals. From helping operators celebrate guests online to giving sales teams memorable tools that...

In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef, the focus was on delegation—why it’s so difficult, how to improve, and what leadership looks like when you let go. Shawn admitted his own struggles as a restaurant owner trying to juggle manager and owner duties, and how becoming a father forced him to rethink what he should hand off. Midway through, he even delegated hosting to Chris Tripoli so he could step away for a call—putting the lesson into practice. Guests added their own in...

Tab Commerce is redefining finance for restaurants by turning the humble corporate card into a cash flow lifeline. CEO and founder Ty Wilson shares how his background in restaurants and banking inspired him to tackle the chaos of paper checks, vendor payments, and tight margins head-on. Today, thousands of operators use Tab to simplify spending, access higher credit limits, and extend terms up to 60 days — all supported by software built specifically for hospitality. In this Digital Hospitality ...

This weekly Friday series gives founders the mic to share their vision and get unfiltered feedback from a community of operators, leaders, and peers. In this session, Jason Berkowitz took the stage to present Arrow Up Training — a platform built by restaurant operators, for restaurant operators, to help teams become safer, stronger, and more prepared for the realities of the industry. From cutting compliance risks and turnover to transforming supervisors into true leaders, Jason showed how Arrow...

In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Mike Bisceglia filling in for Shawn Walchef, the focus was on the power of storytelling—why it matters, how to practice it, and what makes a story stick. Mike opened up about his own journey creating the Bad Weather Fans podcast, sharing how a chance Twitter argument, a towed car, and years of late-night persistence turned into a 279-episode show now signed to a network. Guests followed with their own “war stories” from kitchens, careers, and life ...

Running a restaurant through text messages and group chats may feel convenient, but it often leads to chaos. In this episode of Digital Hospitality, Zenzap co-founder and CEO Guy Weiss explains why hospitality needed a better solution — one that feels as simple as chat, but is secure, structured, and built for work. From onboarding and shift swaps to sales updates and task delegation, Zenzap gives restaurants a calmer, more efficient way to communicate. Discover how this mobile-first tool is alr...

Welcome to the first Pitch the Tide, hosted by Shawn Walchef. This new Friday series puts founders on stage to share their vision and get real-time feedback from a community of operators, leaders, and peers. In our kickoff session, Erin Hooper introduced Franchise Systems Ai, a platform designed to help brands scale smarter by systematizing processes and unlocking data-driven growth. Interview Takeaways: AI can unlock smarter franchise growth — by standardizing processes and surfacing data, to...

In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Matt Wampler, CEO & Co-Founder of ClearCOGS, filling in for Shawn Walchef, the conversation centered on how restaurants can harness AI as a form of “learned intelligence.” Matt opened with his own story of struggling through the early days of restaurant ownership, sleeping in the back of his Jimmy John’s, and realizing the value of having a true “finger on the pulse” of operations. That experience led to ClearCOGS, built to help operators forecast ...

Danny Klein, Vice President of Editorial at QSR and FSR Magazine, has spent the last decade chronicling the restaurant industry’s evolution. From his early, nerve-wracking days at the National Restaurant Show to launching packed conferences, Klein has built a career on amplifying the voices of operators. He’s watched trends shift from SEO to curated storytelling, from robotics hype to AI results, and from automation to a renewed focus on hospitality. For Klein, the mission is clear: listen to th...

In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef, the spotlight was on engagement—what it really means, how to build it, and why it matters. From “the truth vibrates the fastest” to the art of making stories sticky, the conversation moved through practical lessons on creating attention, trust, and loyalty. Guests explored how speed and relevance fuel social media, how to mine everyday logs for story gold, and why one-to-one connections outlast broad marketing buckets. By treating en...

In this episode of Digital Hospitality, host Shawn Walchef sits down in Las Vegas with two industry powerhouses: Matt Plapp, CEO of America’s Best Restaurants, and veteran restaurant coach David Scott Peters. Together, they unpack why storytelling is the most powerful weapon independents have against chains and why events like Pizza Expo are vital for growth and energy. If you’re a restaurant owner searching for clarity, connection, or customers, this conversation is a must-listen. Interview Tak...

PodPitch is helping entrepreneurs, creators, and businesses land more podcast interviews without the manual grind. Co-founded by Parker Olson, the platform automates research, qualification, and outreach, enabling users to connect with the right shows at scale. In the past year alone, PodPitch has powered more than one million outreach emails, representing nearly 8% of all podcast interviews booked. Beyond placement, Olson emphasizes the ripple effects: podcasts create relationships, provide rep...

Robbie Schloss, founder of Castle Hospitality Group, joins Shawn Walchef on Digital Hospitality to share how he built Shore Club Chicago and scaled JoJo’s ShakeBAR. Robbie explains how nostalgia, immersive experiences, and over-the-top shakes turned JoJo’s into a social media sensation. He also breaks down why tech partners like Toast and F3 are critical for growth. From Winter Wonderland pop-ups to his “Robbie’s Recs” videos, Robbie shows how creative marketing, culture, and community can fuel ...

In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef, the focus was on public speaking and the “Stage Theory”—how showing up on stage, online, or in front of a camera creates opportunities far beyond the moment. Guests opened up about their own fears, breakthroughs, and lessons learned, from corporate presentations to casual livestreams, highlighting how preparation, confidence, and storytelling shape every audience connection. The conversation underscored that great speakers aren’t bor...

Adam Rainy and David Valentine turned a chance connection into 3 Keys and Company, a growing restaurant management group operating multiple concepts across the Southeast. Scaling came with its share of challenges — from juggling facilities to keeping financials clear across several locations. That’s when KitchenSync stepped in. By streamlining reporting and integrating seamlessly with their systems, KitchenSync helped them cut end-of-month reports from weeks to just days. With better clarity, Ad...

In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef, the conversation explored the shifting landscape between old media and new media—and what that means for storytellers, business owners, and consumers alike. From newspapers and cable TV to podcasts, livestreams, and TikTok, the group compared how information is created, shared, and trusted in a world where everyone can be their own broadcaster. The discussion touched on the enduring value of legacy outlets, the democratization of con...

Kevin Planovsky, Principal and Head of Growth at Croud, is helping brands merge technology, strategy, and storytelling to create stronger guest experiences. After selling his boutique Atlanta agency, Kevin joined Croud’s global, tech-enabled marketing team to focus on multi-location restaurant and retail growth. His philosophy blends first-party data analysis with authentic storytelling, ensuring every interaction feels personal. Beyond Croud, Kevin invests in ventures like Relish, a platform th...

In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef, the conversation centered on the uncomfortable, unpolished, and ultimately rewarding process of building in public. Whether you’re launching a product, reshaping your brand, or just trying to find your voice, the act of showing your work before it’s perfect can feel terrifying—but also deeply liberating. This session explored why vulnerability is a competitive advantage, how imperfection builds trust, and what happens when you trade ...

Running a high-volume hospitality group requires more than just great food and vibes. It takes airtight systems and rapid response. That’s why Nils Westlind partners with F3, a restaurant technology and support provider that helps power his Chicago concepts from the ground up. F3 handles everything from network setup to real-time issue resolution, ensuring that operations run smoothly even during peak hours. When a late-night systems crash threatened thousands in sales, F3 showed up in person to...

US Foods is reimagining the traditional food show with Food Fanatics 2025, an immersive event for restaurant operators happening August 19–20 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Behind it all are industry veterans like Lance Reynolds and Chef Scott McCurdy, whose passion for helping operators grow is the heartbeat of the event. With live demos, hands-on tech, and real-world workshops, this isn’t just about food—it’s about the future. “This is about recharging,” says Scott. “Come recharge with us.” For...

Martha’s Vineyard restaurateur Ted Courtney has spent his career navigating the highs and lows of seasonal business. But with two popular restaurants in a competitive market, he needed more than experience. He needed reliable systems. In this episode of Digital Hospitality, Ted shares how KitchenSync transformed his financial operations, giving him real-time insights, cost control, and objective data that help his team make smarter decisions every day. If you are a restaurant owner trying to bal...

In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef, the community gathered around a powerful idea: how can creators build an authentic audience from anywhere in the world? The guest was David Lissah, a UK-born entrepreneur and creator who moved to Bulgaria in 2024—and whose candid content about life abroad turned into a viral storytelling journey. What began as a simple Instagram DM between Shawn and David quickly evolved into a real-world connection, a podcast recording in Sofia, and...

David Lissah didn’t move to Bulgaria planning to be a content creator — but that’s exactly what happened. By sharing his honest story online, he built a personal brand, launched a freelance business, and discovered the power of authentic content. In this conversation, Lissah shares how staying true to yourself (and setting healthy boundaries) leads to long-term success. He explains why business owners are already creators — and why documenting your journey opens doors. Whether you’re an aspiring...

Brian Hassan, Co-CEO of Kickfin, joins Digital Hospitality to break down the “No Tax on Tips” bill and why it matters for every restaurant operator in America. He explains how the legislation works, who qualifies, and why digital tip tracking is essential for compliance and employee financial health. From avoiding audits to helping staff build credit, Brian makes a clear case for ditching cash and embracing transparency. If you want your business and your team to benefit from the new rules, this...