765: WORKSHOP Media First/Restaurant Second Shawn Walchef

765: WORKSHOP Media First/Restaurant Second Shawn Walchef

Author: Inspiring interviews with todays most successful restaurateurs 2-days a wee December 3, 2020 Duration: 1:29:15

Over the last 12 years Shawn Walchef's restaurant, Cali Comfort BBQ, and media business has generated over twenty five million dollars in sales in San Diego, California without ever adding another single location. His greatest location curse became his greatest gift as it forced him to focus on all things digital just to stay in business. Currently his team has developed a plan to scale with a new bbq media model that is three times more profitable than his first business.

Check out Episode 675: The Power of getting Involved in Your Community with Shawn Walchef 

Check out RestaurantOwner.com as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out Restaurant Solutions, Inc. (RSI) as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out If This Then That as mentioned in today's episode!

Check out Zapier | The easiest way to automate your work. as mentioned in today's episode!

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

In today's workshop with Shawn Walchef we will discuss:

  1. Stay curious, get involved, ask for help
    • Every day at your restaurant is an event, treat it like that
    • Digital storytelling through smartphones
  2. Establish relationships NOT based on exchanging money
    • Put on events for people as favors
    • Document and share everything
  3. If you are overwhelmed with the abundance of apps and platforms...
    • the internet breaks down to
      • video
      • audio
      • images
      • written word
  4. When it comes to the step by step of sharing your work online...
    • the 4 P's are
      • Plan
      • Produce
      • Publish
      • Promote

Today's sponsor:

RestaurantOwner.com is an online community of independent restaurant owners and managers who want training and tools to build a better restaurant and a more profitable, successful business. Resources include hundreds of downloadable templates, training videos and online courses on topics such as recipe costing, prime cost, improving the guest experience and building a positive culture. RestaurantOwner.com also conducts regular live webinars on a variety of timely and relevant topics. Whether you're thinking about opening a restaurant, in the planning stages, or already have multiple locations, RestaurantOwner.com has resources that can help you make better decisions, streamline operations and elevate the thinking and level of engagement of your team.

7shifts is a modern labor management platform, designed by restaurateurs, for restaurateurs. Effectively labor management is more important than ever to ensure profitability and restaurant success. Trusted by over 400,000 restaurant professionals, 7shifts gives you the tools you need to streamline labor operations, communicate with your team, and retain your talent. Best of all 7shifts integrates with the POS and Payroll systems you already use and trust (like Toast!) turning labor into a competitive advantage for your business. Restaurant Unstoppable members get 3 months, absolutely free.

Contact info:

Email: shawn@calibbq.media

Website: calibbq.media

Twitter: @ShawnPWalchef

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post.

Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them.

And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates.

Huge thanks to Shawn Walchef for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!

Eric Cacciatore sits down with the people who actually run the show in the world of food service. Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore is built on conversations with established restaurateurs and seasoned professionals who have navigated the intense realities of the industry. Twice a week, these interviews dig past the surface, focusing on the tangible details of leadership, team management, and effective marketing that separate a thriving venue from a struggling one. You’ll hear firsthand accounts of what worked, what didn’t, and the often-overlooked decisions that shape a restaurant's path. This podcast serves as a direct line to collective experience, whether you're dreaming of your first opening or steering a multi-location group. The dialogue is practical, centered on the daily grind and long-term strategy needed to build something lasting. For anyone invested in the business of hospitality, these regular episodes compile a vital resource, turning shared insights into actionable knowledge for your own journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 1000

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Podcast Episodes
650: Damien Watel on Partnerships and Humility [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:03
French-born Damien Watel got his start in the restaurant industry at the age of 25 working for his uncle's two Dallas restaurants. In 1999 Chef Watel opened Bistro Vatel, which had an 18-year run and earned Watel recogni…
649:  Lisa Astorga-Watel on Taking Chances, Networking, and Presence. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:41
Chef/Owner Lisa Astorga-Watel grew up in Santiago, Chile, before moving to Houston, Texas where she attended The Culinary Art Institute. Astorga-Watel's ambition started early wit the opening of her own catering business…
648: Scott Roberts on Persistence and Hard Work [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:53
The Salt Lick has a story that dates back to the 1830s when Scott Robert's ancestors came to TX with Steven F Austin and moved to Driftwood, TX in the 1870s. Over the next 100 years, BBQ techniques were developed by Robe…
647: Ben Poremba on Transforming Communities One Block at a Time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:06
Israeli native, Ben Poremba moved to St. Louis to earn a BA in philosophy from the University of Missouri. He also attended University of Gastronomic Studies in Parma, Italy. Today Poremba is Chef/Owner of Bengelina Hosp…
646: Nick Bogacz on Guerilla Marketing Tactics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:32:12
After 16 years of working in the pizza biz from delivery driver to store manager, Nick Bogacz built the confidence to open his own pizza place in 2012. Today, Bogacz is the President and Founder of Caliente Pizza & Draft…
645: Ben Berg on Assuming Nothing While Anticipating Everything [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:05
Born in New York City, Ben Berg has been in the restaurant business for over 17 years working for upscale steakhouses in Las Vegas, Mexico City, and his hometown. Prior to his career in restaurants, Berg received a Maste…
644: Charles Clark and Grant Cooper on True Restaurant Etiquette [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:19
Clark Cooper Concepts, lead by Chef Charles Clark and Grant Cooper, is the group behind Ibiza, Brasserie 19, Coppa Osteria, Punk's Simple Southern Food, and The Dunlavy, was brought to life in 2001, when they decided to…
643: Damian Mandola on Attention to Detail [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:28
Damian's 40+ years of experience started with "Damian's Fine Italian Food"- a restaurant he started as a college senior in 1975. Damian's experience took him from his first restaurant to becoming a fixture in the Houston…
642: Johnny Carrabba on Community, Family, and Enthusiasm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:56
After attending college at St. Thomas University in Houston, Johnny began working in the local restaurants owned by members of his family. In 1986 he opened Carrabba's with his uncle, Damian Mandola. In 1993 they entered…
641: Greg Scheinman on Selecting Restaurant Insurance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:50
Today we're discussing restaurant insurance. Specifically, the elements that should be in your insurance package, what these different elements cover, and what to consider when selecting an insurance broker. Joining us f…