Ovation Podcasts

Brandon and Zane Hunt are brothers who have shaken and shaped the pizza industry since they opened Via313 in 2011. Brandon and Zane began Via313 out of a trailer in Detroit determined to expand and serve everyone up a slice. Now as a multi-unit brand, Via313 continue to serve delicious deep dish pizza all while perfecting their guest experience. On…

Patrick Pleiss is the Co-Founder and Head of Operations at Hyperlocology. Hyperlocology is a a marketing platform that enables franchise brands to centrally control local advertising, across the most powerful digital channels, for their hundreds or thousands of locations. On this episode you'll learn more about: Helping locations help themselves Fi…

This week's episode welcomes on Matt Wampler, CEO and Co-Founder of ClearCOGS, a company utilizing AI to automate demand planning. If you've ever wondered how to balance profitability and the guest experience, tune in to Matt's expertise on predictive analytics. On this episode, you'll learn from Matt about: Forecasting and customer satisfaction We…

Julie Wade is the Senior Director of Marketing at Taziki's, a cafe with a fresh take on the Mediterranean diet. On this week's episode of Give an Ovation, Julie brings her extensive marketing expertise (strategy, product development, brand, etc.) to the table. Tune in to hear how her marketing utility belt has helped her master the food and beverag…

Mike Snow is a 14 year entrepreneur whose most recent venture, Ocavu, is shaking up the restaurant industry. Ocavu has changed the way we approach ordering a menu item in a restaurant by placing a true to life size, high-fidelity scan in the consumer's life. This creates a better experience for the customers by aligning their expectations with real…

This week's episode of Give An Ovation welcomes on Nick Petrocci, current Director of Off Premise for the fast-casual brand, Zaxby’s. Nick lead an Off Premise Growth team focused on the health of digital ordering channels including the custom-built, proprietary Zaxby’s mobile apps and website alongside the 3rd party delivery marketplaces. On this e…

Many of you know him from the wrestling ring, but whether he's delivering a total smackdown or instructing a DDP Yoga course, Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) is a prime example of transforming and chasing your passions. Now as the Founder and CEO of DDPY (Diamond Dallas Page Yoga), Diamond continues who help others achieve their true potential and reboun…

Dan Posner is the VP of business development at Big Leap. Big Leap is an award-winning digital marketing agency founded on trust, focused on relationships, and motivated by your long-term success. While Dan is unarguably well versed in SEO and reputation management, his passion for sales and connection is evident throughout this week's episode. Tun…

Gary Chaglasyan is a restaurateur and serial entrepreneur with over 25 years experience launching 65+ hospitality projects. Gary is an expert in automation and helping businesses becomes more efficient while still maintaining a sense of control over those critical tech touchpoints. On this episode, you'll learn from Gary about: The evolution of off…

Tim McIntyre is the former EVP of Domino's and current Founder of T/M Communications LLC. McIntyre has 35 years of experience under his belt in communications and public relations. His expertise in communications enables him to advise on optimizing internal and strengthen external communications. On this episode, you'll learn from Tim about: How to…

Ray Titus is the CEO of United Franchise Group and its affiliated companies. Ray has elevated franchising from a career to a calling. His philosophies on growth, positive attitude, and family, influence the core values that have driven success within the brands he has developed from conception to international expansion. Tune if to hear his keys to…

After 27 years of delivering restaurant tech transformations for iconic brands including Friday's, Applebee's, Potbelly, CrunchTime, US Foods, Main Event, and Le Duff America, Tamy Duplantis is now the Founder and CIO of Return on Information. Return on Information helps to define and implement integrated technology stacks catered to your brand tha…

This week's episode welcomes on Christine Staley, Founder and CEO of Magic City Hoagies. Magic City Hoagies is all about bringing a new and exciting approach to sandwiches. Christine does so effortlessly with her passion for spreading positivity and creative eye. One of her many strengths is her ability to align clients with the most suitable promo…

This weeks episode of Give An Ovation welcomes on our very own Chief Experience Officer (CXO) and Co-Founder, Derek Morgan. Derek's expertise in product engineering and customer success enables him to speak as to why Call-to-Text is the most requested feature addition and how it helps our customers continue to win in the restaurant tech space. On t…

Ed Baklor is a former Disney/WestJet/JetBlue Executive with a solid business foundation focused on Operational Excellence and Guest Experience. Ed is skilled at curating an excellent guest experience from very little. Learn from his experience as a service expert in taking whatever is given you and crafting an experience that will leave your guests…

Amir Hudda is a technology entrepreneur who has founded and grown four startups in the past 20 years. Amir’s passion has been to create and bring new technologies and products to market, his technology depth and business skills have helped launch innovative solutions that address critical business problems. Currently, Amir is the CEO of Qu (formerl…

Sterling Douglass is the Co-Founder & CEO of Chowly, a leading restaurant technology company helping restaurants optimize off-premise sales and operations. Sterling began his career in data analytics as an actuary before founding Chowly. His entrepreneurial spirit drove him to make it simpler for small and mid-sized restaurants to leverage best-in-…

On this week's edition of Give An Ovation, Carl Orsbourn and Meredith Sandland join us for another forward thinking and innovative episode. With the publication of their second book in the Delivering The Digital Restaurant series, The Path to Digital Maturity, Carl and Meredith impress the importance of taking your tech seriously. From interface to…

Nick Bogacz is the President/Founder of Caliente Pizza and Draft House. With over 20 years experience within the restaurant industry, Nick has held many positions has grown a business from the ground up. If you are an entrepreneur who enjoys the restaurant industry and are looking to build an enterprise, this episode is for you. On this episode, yo…

Jeff Fenster is the Founder and CEO of Everbowl, a superfood bowl that encourages consumers to "unevolve™" - to live actively and eat "stuff that's been around forever™". Fenster is serial entrepreneur whose expertise in curating real relationships has driven a strategy for success across his many business ventures/industries. Not afraid to fill th…

Mike Bausch is Owner at Andolini's Worldwide Restaurant Group, a Guinness World record holder, and Author of Unsliced. Mike Bausch strives to keep giving back within the restaurant industry and has accomplished just that through his experience as a restauranteur, thought leadership, and more! Tune in to this week's episode to discover how to apply …

Blaine Hurst, former CEO of Panera Bread, has an extensive 40 year long career working with the likes of Boston Market and Papa John's. Now as an advisor, Blaine believes that a strategic mindset is developed rather than inherent. Blaine helps restaurateurs to develop the ability to see what needs improvement and how to execute such improvement. On…

Jeremy Julian is the COO of CBS Northstar, an industry leader in hospitality POS technology, helping restaurants maximize efficiency and profitability. With its software, hardware, and portfolio of services, CBS offers thousands of restaurants the peace of mind that comes with a smooth POS experience. Jeremy is in touch with the challenges and issu…

Ryan Thorman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bango Bowls, a growing health food and quick services chain. Ryan knows how to develop the fundamentals of your business, bur more importantly, maintaining a "bigger picture" perspective. Ryan's expertise on transitioning from a business to an organization is something you won't want to miss on this week's …

Carolyn Walker has curated an esteemed and well rounded career having worked for the likes of Fritos Lays and Saatchi & Saatchi advertising. Now at Response Marketing, Carolyn started as a freelance consultant but quickly advanced to her current position as CEO and Managing Partner. Carolyn has an eye for internal and external development and has p…

Andrew Glantz is the Founder & CEO of GiftAMeal, a local marketing program that helps provide a meal to a family in need each time a guest takes a photo at a partner restaurant. Over 500 restaurants currently participate and over 1,300,000 meals have been given so far! Andrew believes that profit and purpose can be consistent goals hence his expert…

Audrey Hogan in the COO of TimeForge, a single dashboard service capable of mainstreaming and optimizing HR and Operations. Audrey is a Swiss army knife of talent that can teach you how to optimize labor management and boost your team. With an eye for and education in technical communication, Audrey is an expert on the crossroads of software and in…

With over 15+ years experience as a CPA, Anne Gannon is now the Principal and Founder of the Largo Group. The Largo Group provides clients with a clear understanding of the dynamics of their business to achieve lasting growth and success based on an innovative accounting model. Anne strives to look beyond balancing books and deliver actionable insi…

Yazan El-Shalabi and Yasser Ali are the Founders of Shelby's, home to legendary shawarma, poutines, falafels, and more! Their journey began as two young college students and now they run a multi franchise brand. Tune in to hear Yazan and Yasser's rise to the top and how they've mastered growth pertaining to social media advertising, franchises, and…

With over 24 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, Gregg Majewski has developed an expert eye for growth. To highlight his incredible experience within the space, Gregg has invested in restaurants and worked as former CFO, COO, and CEO of Jimmy John's (where he grew stores from 33 to 300). Now, Gregg is the CEO of Mongolian concept…

Matt Vance is the Co-Founder and CEO of Mobrium, a platform aimed to streamline your employer reputation on sites like Glassdoor, Indeed, Comparably and InHerSight. Furthermore, Matt Vance is the author of The Review Cycle, a book which outlines a disruptive new consumer behavior model. Tune it to hear Matt's expertise on generating and managing mo…

On this week's episode of Give An Ovation we are flipping the mic around and welcoming on Ovation's very own, CEO and Founder, Zack Oates. Having started as a soda jerk at Friendly's and then transitioning into tech startups, Zack brings his expertise within the restaurant industry, hospitality, and tech to the table as we flip the script. With ove…

Flint Finlinson, Co-Founder and CEO of Propaganda Inc., is a brand and marketing expert specializing in strategy development. Propaganda, Inc. is an agency dedicated to "Brand Transformations" and helping to develop your higher brand purpose. Having transitioned from retail to restaurants, Flint understand what it means to position your brand not j…

Euripides Pelekanos is the CEO of Bareburger, a kitchen and bar that offers big flavor in a big bun. With over 13 years experience with Bareburger as the CEO and Co-Founder, Euripides knows what it takes to learn from the past and apply hindsight to the future. As someone who has grown his brand into an international business, you're going to want …

Jensen Cummings, a legacy figure within the restaurant industry, is uncovering and remedying fallacies within the industry. Having transitioned from a top chef to behind the scenes managerial operations, Jensen has an all encompassing understanding of restaurant industry operations. On this episode, you'll learn from Jensen about: Restructuring the…

Justin Egan is the VP of marketing, franchise development, and digital strategy at Craveworthy Brands. His expertise includes consumer-focused branding, building digital guest experiences, franchise development and restaurant/marketing tech. On this episode you'll learn from Justin about: Delivering cravable foods and experiences End-to-end marketi…

Bob Andersen has spent over 20 years in the restaurant industry, with experience as a Managing Director at Boston Pizza, the President of MOOYAH, the Executive Vice President of United Franchise Group, and much more. Bob is currently the President of The Great Greek Grill - a delicious, growing brand with over 40 locations. What you'll learn on thi…

Matthew Marx is an expert in technology leadership and he uses this knowledge to build and operate high growth products and businesses. In the restaurant industry, Matthew applies his expertise on the benefits of tech to improve operations and elevate your brand. On this episode, you'll learn from Matthew about: How to introduce omnichannel operati…

Find out how the cooking and prep that goes on back-of-house impacts the guest. Gavin Kaysen, Founder and chef of Soigné Hospitality, knows how the unseen operations play a heavy role in developing creativity, community, and a positive guest experience. Tune in to this weeks episode to learn how the culinary touch can bring people together and stra…

This weeks episode of Give An Ovation welcomes Fred LeFranc, the CEO of Results Thru Strategy, a consulting company that specializes in restaurant and hospitality brands. With his strategic eye and forward thinking tactics, Fred knows how to leverage your company's strengths and strengthen weaknesses. On this episode, you will learn from Fred about…

Yigal Adato, Founder of Unlock The Leader, brings his expertise in leadership training and personal development to this weeks episode of Give An Ovation. This is a crucial conversation on how to improve internal operations through individual progression. Tune in to hear Yigal's perspective on how personal growth contributes to the health of your bu…

Arguably the biggest factor to bring about a positive guest experience is the state of your employees. Bobby Amoah, CEO of River Health ensures a system where you can do just that by providing quality primary care and mental health services for your employees. While taking a step outside of the restaurant industry, this episode has everything to do…

Have you ever wondered how to better leverage your technology? Or what integrating your technology can mean for your guests? Pete Gibson, former CIO of Friendly's and Johnny Rockets, has a solid record of successfully leveraging tech, improving operations, and developing high-performing teams globally. As a Chief Information Officer, Pete has exten…

Steve Raggiani is a Co-Founder of 8it, the simplest way to find food. 8it provides curated food recommendations and popups in New York City. Steve's main goal? Simplify the the food search and filter out bad reviews. Steve brings his innovative eye for greatness to this weeks episode of Give An Ovation. On this episode, Steve and host, Zack discuss…

On this episode of Give An Ovation, we are one click away from restauranteurs and focusing on industry specific consulting. Bassem Nowyhed is a Multi-Unit Owner and Founder of Invig Consulting. Invig Consulting has reimagined the way brands, convenience stores, and restaurants connect and do business. Bassem is a leading innovator in business devel…

Michael Brown has over 30 years experience in the restaurant industry and is a master in guest experience. Having owned Chick-Fil-A locations for about 14 years then working alongside Flying Biscuit and Bojangles, Michael knows his fried chicken. With his most recent role as Sr. director of guest experience at Zaxby's, Michael brings his expertise …

Micha Magid is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Mighty Quinn's BBQ, a traditional barbecue dining experience that opened in 2012 our of Manhattan's East Village. Mighty Quinn’s is one of the first authentic barbecue experiences in a fast casual setting. Micha's emphasis is providing amazing food, great atmosphere, and quick service at convenient locati…

Matt Plapp is the Founder and CEO of America’s Best Restaurant and Restaurant Marketing That Works. Matt began his digital marketing journey back in 2008 helping restaurant owners increase their profits by attracting the attention of their customers every week. Matt brings his passion for helping people build successful businesses to this week's ep…

Nicole Tanner is the current Owner and Founder of Swig, a booming beverage brand launched in 2010 in St. George, Utah. Nicole brainstormed the idea for a drive-by drink shop which has now grown to 45 locations from Utah and Arizona to Texas and Oklahoma! While Swig offers personalized sodas and sweet treats, Nicole ensures a culture of connection a…

Damian Otero is the CEO of Real Tacos, authentic Mexican street food based out of Atlanta. The chefs at Real Tacos strive to recreate the characteristics of tacos from various regions of Mexico using the freshest cuts of meat and cooking with ingredients sourced only from there. As CEO, Damian focuses largely on improving operations with an emphasi…