← Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
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- [00:00]
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What up Unstoppables? We have a very special episode for you today and we titled it something along the lines of the best investment or the number one investment to become Unstoppable. And here's the the secret. The truth is the number one investment is investing in yourself. And the best way to invest in yourself is by surrounding yourself with mentors, with, with. It's. It's investing yourself through education and getting access to information and getting access to community. That's the best way to invest in yourself. You are the average of those you surround yourself with. So want to become the best. If you want to invest in yourself, get access to those individuals. And that is what we're offering you with Restaurant Unstoppable Network. Please listen to today's episode. There's a very important message for you at the very end, so just trust us. We're doing something special here. We want you to be a part of it. Enjoy today's episode. Welcome to restaurant unstoppable. For 10 years and over 1,000 episodes, I've been traveling the country chasing word of mouth leads and having in person only long form discussions with the industry's finest owners and operators. Our mission is to inspire, empower and transform the restaurant industry by bridging the gap between this generation's leaders and the next. Listen to today's guest and so many others and get one step closer to becoming unstoppable. This episode is made possible by Marquee Today. Accurate listings and complete menus and they're not complete without photos on Google are key to performing well in search. Marquee makes it easier by automating updates across Google in 80 plus sites, including your own website. Marquee allows you to strengthen guest relationships, improve, review ratings and perform better in search by responding to all reviews. Schedule your meeting today with Marquee by heading to restaurantunstoppable.com marquee marquee. And when you use that link, you will save 15 off the sticker price of any of the Marquee packages. That's Restaurant Unstoppable.com Are you thinking about franchising your restaurant? Well, success doesn't have to mean a hundred units overnight. With the right plan, you can build a profitable local or regional franchise brand and the intern Nicola Law Firm can help. Visit www.frenchelawsolutions.com or call 1-800-976-4904. Let them know that you're part of the Restaurant Unstoppable family while you're there and have a real conversation with Charles Enter Nicola to find out if franchising is the right decision for you. Plus, sign up for the upcoming how to franchise your business live event@restaurantunstoppable.com franchise. Do you wish you could have all of your restaurant needs and solutions under one roof? Well, you can. It's called Restaurant Systems Pro. And with Restaurant Systems Pro, you get accounting systems, budgeting systems, costing systems, purchasing systems, inventory management systems, labor management systems, training systems, and systems to create and implement checklists. And on top of all this, Restaurant Systems Pro has their own native general ledger, and they're in the process of launching their own pos, which they are so appropriately naming serve because that's exactly what they do. To learn more, head over to restaurant unstoppable.com RSP where you can schedule your own demo, watch a demo that I did with Restaurant System Systems Pro CEO Fred Langley, or catch every and all testimonial we've ever recorded on the show. That's restaurantunstoppable.com RSP with excitement. Allow me to introduce to you today's counterpart guest. What are we calling you? Jared Parisi.
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B
I'm the. I'm. I don't know.
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A
Producer.
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B
Co producer.
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A
Co producer. Editor.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Manager of Eric Cacciatore at times. Right hand man. Dude. Something that I don't know if you're aware of. Ten years as of 2025, we've been working together.
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B
I thought it was 2016.
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A
Was it 2016?
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B
I think it was 2016. Almost nine years. Yeah.
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A
It's crazy it's been this long, but the last time we did a Getting personal was episode 1061. That was in February of 2023. Or is that right?
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B
Yeah, 24.
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A
24. Thank you. See, it keeps me straight. We had. Did you listen to that episode?
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B
I did. I listened to it yesterday.
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A
What are your thoughts?
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B
I definitely have a question based on some of the things you said you wanted to. Basically, I have a question about how it's been traveling in the camper versus without the camper because you said that you were going to be able to do some things with the camper that you weren't able to do without it. So I'm curious about if you're able to do those things and how much better it is and what it's like. I think it would be interesting for you to talk about that, but. No, I thought it was. I thought it was interesting. I feel like we're still building out a lot of the things that we said we were going to build out.
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A
Yeah.
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B
In that episode. So that was a little over a year ago.
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A
So it was definitely interesting listening to that. And, like, I was like, like cringing at having to listen to it because it was like, this is almost two years ago. Like, what did we say? How much of what we said was accurate? We hold true. Like, it's always that questioning yourself and your integrity. Integrity. When you put things into the world and you say, I'm going to do this. Did we do it? So today I want to cover basically, you know, I want to reflect on what that last. Getting personal, like, what you said, like, did what we say happened. I want to talk about what the last two years has been like, you know, going into that deeply. I want to talk about new core values. So that's something that's, I think, a big deal for me as well. We're going to talk about where we're at today. Basically paint the picture of where we're at today and, like, where we're going. So that's what I'm hoping to unpackage today. Before we do that, we got to get that motivational, inspirational ball rolling with a success quote or mantra. Do you remember what you said last time?
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B
Yeah, I said, darkness is difficult and pathfinders are few.
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A
Yeah, man.
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B
I still think that's a pretty intense quote. I think it applies to, like, a lot of things in life, you know, like just light and dark. You know, I think the. The metaphor is there even in something like Star wars, like the light side, the dark side. If you want to go to the light, you have to illuminate. I think the world around you. And not everyone can do that. And if you can do that, you can consider yourself a pathfinder. I'm trying to think of. I'm trying to think of, like, what my current mantra is. My current mantra is just like, I don't know. I've been. I don't know what. But I think that that mantra still applies. Like, darkness is difficult, pathfinders are few.
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Yeah, I said, ain't nothing to it, but to do it. I believe.
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B
Yeah.
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A
I'm gonna add to that a few others. So I'm gonna use two quotes that were the kick in the ass I needed to get this podcast started. The first one is if you're looking for something and you can't find it, there's a good opportunity there. The second one is if. If you just make your life about. I'm paraphrasing this next one. Or maybe it's. You can have everything you want in life if you just Help enough other people get what they want in life. And those are the two quotes that, like, I needed to hear to say. Like, I need to start my own podcast. Because what I wanted was to, you know, open my own restaurant someday. $200,000 in debt, 27 years old. Couldn't pay off my school loans. Working in restaurants. No bank would give me a loan. I was like, well, I can learn. You know, as long as I'm working with restaurants and I'm learning, I can help a lot of people right now with this podcast. And I was looking for the podcast, and I couldn't find it. So, yeah, that's what I'm gonna say today. And I think the other one I'm add on to that is can't stop, won't stop, baby. Just.
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B
Just keep showing up unstoppable.
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A
Yeah, dude. So, I mean, where to start, dude? So, last Getting Personal episode again, that was February 2024, episode 1061. If you want to check that out before listening to this to see how accurate. Dude, I think we're just all over the place. That's kind of. I was almost embarrassed at how just chaotic it was of just, like. Just like, literally throwing yourself into the. And saying, well, let's just swim. Let's see what happens.
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B
Chaotic. What, the. The. The episode itself or where we were.
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A
Okay, the episode itself, where we were, like, just. I think that's kind of my. Like, status quo is just go for it. Or it has been just. Just like, again. Ready, fire, Aim. So anything else stand out for you? I mean, I have some notes here.
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B
But I'm curious from that episode.
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A
Yeah.
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B
Um, I just. I feel like. Yeah, I don't know. I feel like. I feel like it's. It's. It's on this thing here that you. This little outline you wrote here. But I definitely think we need help. Yeah, we need, like, a third person, which Callan was great, but I think that, like, we need someone who's a little more focused on things that we need. Like, I don't know, what. What do you think that we, like, we need an. We need an implementer. Yeah, you know, like, I do the editing. You haven't. We haven't really mentioned, like. I mean, I know that I'm mentioned here and there, and I've been on the. Getting personal and whatever, but, like, I'm your editor. I edit the audio, and I publish the audio. I do copywriting. I now. I edit the video. I make promo clips. That takes up, like, a decent amount of my time. I also have other clients. And I work in the service industry. Once again, I work at a bar. And I'm trying to kind of get into, like, a managerial role there with everything I've learned with Restaurant Unstoppable. But if, if, if I was the kind of person who wanted to take on, like, more stuff when it comes to Restaurant Unstoppable, or if, like, I, I wanted to, like, kind of manage you or like, direct or like, steer the ship, like I could. But I don't really think that that's in my wheelhouse. And I. So I think, like, we need. I think we need a third person to implement stuff, like implement your ideas.
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A
100 agree. And that was actually something that I had at the very bottom of our, you know, agenda. To talk about today is just to put it out there that we need help and where we are. What the big emphasis on our last getting personal almost a year and a half ago or a little over a year and a half ago was basically that one of the big reasons why I wanted to get into the camper was so I get content scheduled into the future.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Because this one week on the road, three weeks home. One week on the road, three weeks home. It's just not enough to get any deep work done. And you're constantly being like, you can't develop habits that way either.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Routine. And it was just unsustainable. And I, I couldn't, I couldn't work on the business. I was stuck working in the business. That three weeks wasn't like I was twiddling my thumbs up. I was scheduling interviews. I was getting ready for the next road trip.
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B
Right.
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A
And you have to try to squeeze 10 interviews into eight to 10 interviews into a week. So, like, you got to. There's a lot of coordinating that's involved.
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B
That was one of my questions. I'm going to interrupt you. So how. What is it like being on the road with. No. Like, you don't have to be anywhere or you don't have to catch.
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A
Yeah, I want to talk about that the last. So when we talk about the last two years, I want to get into, like, what that's been like. But I agree with you. You know, we 100 need help and my. I guess to kind of tease about what we're going to talk about the next. The last two years or year and a half. It has paid off. I think that the new approach is working really well. For example, when I returned from this last road trip, I had content scheduled into November, and I got back in May Yep. So I've since May to a little more than two months ago, have been working on Restaurant Unstoppable almost six months to just focus on what's the next thing we need to do to improve, you know. So, you know, it has been working out, but just because I have the time doesn't necessarily mean I'm the right person for the, in the right seat.
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B
Right.
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A
Of Restaurant Unstoppable when I'm working on the business. So what, I mean, what, you're the CEO like, or you're the founder, like, what do you mean? Like sit in any seat you want. I'm a visionary, I'm a dreamer, I'm an idea person, 100%, you know, I, like we had Mark Winters on the show and we talked about rocket fuel, that, that relationship between the visionary and the integrator. I need an integrator and I have people that I've scouted that I would love to have be the full time integrator. And they're more like just kind of like donating their time right now and volunteering. But the reality is to get an integrator, you're looking at a six figure salary. You're looking at like, it's not like it's a huge lift, it's a lot of work, you know, and those people, they're directors of operations, they're, they're presidents, they're, you know, they're, they're like technicians. In the world of media today, like those people are in high demand too. So I think that's part of the reality is just like, where do you find that person and like how do you make sure that they're being taken care of? Like they got to be really passionate about the restaurant industry if they're going to do it for free. Right?
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B
Yeah.
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A
So I think those are kind of my challenges. So there was a huge emphasis on basically like I can't work on the business when I'm constantly trapped in the business trying to keep up with two on site interviews a week. That was, that was the, the challenge and the, the narrative leading into that is like, what is our core? What is our one thing? Right. We talked about this. Oh, her name is escaping me right now. But what is your one thing? Comes up. Ed Doherty talked about your, your one degree. Put your energy into doing one thing. Really. You said our one thing really well, was going to be long form in person interviews. And we did that and you know, I guess that is, would you say that's still our one thing?
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B
Well, now we're doing workshops, virtual workshops.
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A
Right.
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So, yeah, no, I think, I think the, I think what makes Restaurant Shoppable unique is the story, like the in person interviews with people telling their story while simultaneously giving knowledge and mentorship and giving advice and like, you know, business advice in terms of restaurants. But like, there's that story and there's that like, long form. It's like some of your interviews are over two hours long. Like, and I think that kind of in some ways butts heads with the, like more pointed, like, how do you specifically do a thing in a restaurant? You know, And I'm just so curious, like, what do our listeners want? What do they. Why are they here? Are they here because they just like to hear people who do what they do talk about their life and their story and like their restaurants with some business advice peppered in there, or do they want, like pointed business advice? Like, I don't know the answer to that question, but I do feel like what makes the podcast unique is the long form interviews. Like the just the conversation, like a two hour conversation with a specific type of person, someone who owns or operates a restaurant. And I just, I think that that's different from what we're doing in the network. And so I don't know how to like, Right. Like, wrap my head around that. That difference and like, where to lean into more or whatever.
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A
So I think the one thing that I don't know if it's necessarily the long format in person interviews as much as it's we are students. I'm going to people to learn. I don't really have a plan going into that conversation. I'm there just to find out where are you now, how'd you get here and where are you going? You know, and I just dig deep, deep, deep, deep, deep. And I'm just looking like my interview is my research. That's literally what's happening. It's journalistic. I don't know who I'm talking to. When I go to a city, I might have three or four interviews lined up and they're usually past guests that are like the cream of the crop. Like, when I went to Texas and when I went to like Oklahoma City, I was getting past guests on the show.
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B
Yeah.
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And the reason why is because I want to go deeper. If you were on the show five years ago and the first time we covered 20 years, what's the, what's the last five years been like?
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B
Right.
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A
So you can get granular, you can get more into like, what are your beliefs, what are your values? Like, where are we going? Like, it's more philosophical. And also you have a rapport with that person. So they kind of know what to expect, but they're also going to tell you what's going on in that city since the last time I've been there.
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B
Right.
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A
So it's that really just letting the industry. I think our one thing is, is to be a platform for the industry to steer that. Like, I think Restaurant Unstoppable isn't my podcast, it's the industry's podcast. I literally let the industry steer the ship.
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B
Right.
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A
And what people tell me, what they're recommending, what they're like, this is the technology we're using that also steers the ship of, like, that's my research that that dictates future content. And to kind of talk about what the last two years has been like. I fucking did that, dude. Like, that's what happened. And I'm really proud of that. And it. Not easy, right? I think we spent almost. I spent three months on the road the first time and then two months on the road the second time. So all together, I've been traveling the country for five months over the past year and a half. So a third of my existence in the year and a half has been living in a truck camper.
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B
Nice.
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A
Yeah, it's crazy.
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B
Is it fun?
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A
Dude, It's. It's. It's free, you know, it's freeing, for sure.
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B
Yeah.
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A
There comes. I mean, that's another thing. Like, I had no idea what to expect. I had to learn how to dump shit out of a truck camper. Like, I had to, like, figure out what that's all about and like, you know, sleeping in parking lots. I've seen some weird things happen in the middle of the night in parking lots, dude. Tell you that much right now. Weird. Like, it's been a trip, man. It literally has been.
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B
Are you able to. Is it. Do you think the. The like, do you think your job is better, easier? You think you're delivering better content by not having to catch a flight home or be home by a certain time or 100%.
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A
That was something that came up is like, you go into these communities, you're there for a week, you start networking, and then these, like, all these opportunities are on the table and you have to leave.
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B
So do you think you caught up all the opportunities you possibly could have?
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A
I think it's a good balance. You know, I think the longer you stay, the more you can tap into, but you want to get voices to represent different parts of the country.
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B
Yeah.
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A
But if you've been listening to the content right now on the podcast, we're in Texas.
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B
Yeah. Austin.
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A
So we just got into Texas as the episodes are rolling out. And you're going to start seeing this happen in real time in the podcast where I'm talking to somebody, I have them call somebody out. You're seeing it happen right now, but then something will just get mentioned on the show. Then I go, oh, while I'm in town, I might as well go follow up with that person.
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B
Yeah.
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A
So, you know, I think, yeah, 100% I'm able to do the work I've always wanted to do journalistic work where I can just go and network and let the story, let the narrative steer the ship. And the narrative is word of mouth. And that's always been our unique solid, our unique selling proposition, which is just trust and trust. In my mind, the truest form of marketing and information gathering is talking to people. You know, it's, it's, I'm talking to people that, that have, they don't know what questions I'm gonna ask them. There's no agenda. I'm just showing up and pulling back layers. What comes out comes out. So that's what I'm really proud of. And then you mentioned the workshops. Right. So another thing changed in the past two years. I don't know if I should hold off. Do you have any questions about the being on the road? Should we unpackage that more this episode is made possible by Marquee today. Accurate listings and complete menus and they're not complete without photos on Google are key to performing well in search. Marquee makes it easier by automating updates across Google and 80 plus sites and even your own website. Marquee allows you to strengthen guest relationships, improve review ratings and perform better in search by responding to all reviews. Marquee even has its own AI powered suggested review response which helps you create on brand natural responses in less than a minute. And it gives you real insight insights into guest feedback across all your review platforms, including Google, Yelp and even doordash. Marquee helps you improve local search performance and SEO faster. Plus you can manage your listings, menus, social media and reviews more efficiently. Schedule your meeting with Marquee today by heading to restaurantunstoppable.com Marquis that's M A R Q I I Because you're a restaurant unstoppable listeners, you will get 15% off the sticker price of any Marquee package. But you have to use that l restaurantunstoppable.com Marquis I think we should.
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B
I don't know, man. Like, I feel like an organization should be like. I mean, we're only two people. I'm definitely, like, a little bit confused about what we're doing.
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A
Yeah.
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B
But I guess my question is, like, in a perfect world, like, do you just want to be on the road talking to people? Or do you want to be, like, hosting thing, like, pointed workshops that are about, like, teaching people a specific thing within the restaurant industry? Like, do you just. Do you personally, like, just want to be having conversations? Like, if restaurant Unstoppable could exist, where you're just traveling and just talking to people and you didn't have to worry about money, is that all you would do?
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A
I love that part of what I do. Don't get me wrong. I love meeting people. I love seeing the country. I love going into these restaurants, not just talking about it, but seeing it, developing the relationships, meeting people who listen to the show while I'm on the road. I love all that. I will say three months at a time or four months at a time on the road, away from home, away from family, living in a camper, living on the streets. Like, being an urban camper, you know, that's kind of what I am.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Can wear on you.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And, like, you know, it's hard to explain, man. Like, when you wake up in your home, you wake up, you know where you are.
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B
Yeah.
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A
You know where your toothbrush is. You know where, like, all of your things are. Like, I. I kind of have that in my camper. I have, like. I have places for things.
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B
Yeah.
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A
But, like, I literally wake up and I'm like, where am I? Like, I have to look out the window and be like, where did I park? Like, what. What city am I in right now? And I think just not knowing where you are, like, literally needing a GPS to get everywhere you go.
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B
Right.
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A
Just is taxing.
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B
Oh, yeah. I agree. It just. I know you mean it just that.
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A
That takes energy.
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B
Yeah.
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A
You know, it just takes energy to just exist.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Way more than you would think. So you don't have a lot of extra mental bandwidth to. To, like, create or to plan or to strategize. So I guess where I'm going with, like, it's. It's. It's taxing, you know, that's one thing I didn't predict going into this. I do think I need to find balance.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And that's kind of where I'm at right now. Another thing happened in the Past year and a half. I have a girlfriend. I live with her.
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B
Yeah.
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A
We did two months apart this year. So the first trip was San Diego. And back when I first got the camper, it was pretty ambitious. For our first road trip this past winter, I went to Texas and back by way of a bunch of other stops. And that was hard on our relationship, you know, So I think it's just a matter of finding balance. The other thing that happened the past two years is we bought. We brought back remote interviews.
- [24:25]
B
Yeah.
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A
So that was the teaser that I had. Workshops.
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B
Yeah. Can I. I wish we had more time. Do. We should almost do a part two? Because I just. I have so many questions to go. Right. Yeah, I know, but, dude, we could go deep. Yeah. My. What? One thing, like, the thing that's weird is, like, I listen to every single one of your interviews, obviously. So, like, I'm just, like, very embedded. Like, I know everything that's going on with this whole thing. And one thing I kind of find interesting is, like, you. You are. You don't. There seems to be like a. You seem like you admit that you're, like, a chaotic person. You just do whatever you do. But, like, I feel like you're. You're at the same time, like, you're trying to force yourself into these boxes. And it's like. Like, for example, like, even though you travel the country and you go into these people's restaurants, like, you wouldn't know that from the interview. Like, you don't talk about where you are really ever. It's like the conver. I'm not saying that your interviews. I think that your interviews are, like, subconsciously, whatever. They're better because you're on site. And I know what it's like to go into a space with the hope of interviewing someone. And, like, being in the space definitely gets you further and closer to that 100. But, like, your. Your interviews, like, don't really mention usually, like, where you are. They're strictly about business and the person telling their story. So it's like, it's kind of interesting. Like, I know that you don't like marketing, but it's like, you're very much not. Like, what you're doing doesn't seem, like, very clear, like, what the whole point is.
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A
Right.
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B
Does that make sense? No, it does make, like, you never ask about, like, the physical space. I mean, you do sometimes, if it's relevant. And, like, I know you don't talk about food, but it's like, then why be there?
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A
Because it's about the relationship. So, like, I believe behind every great restaurant's a great person.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And really, like, I think that's one of our other unique selling propositions, is that if you want to open a restaurant, like, it starts with you. You know, like, the one common theme about all amazing restaurants is that they have badass people behind them. Yeah. So, like, the journey starts with, who are these people? What are their beliefs? Their business beliefs? What are their values? Like, how did they get here? What did that journey look like? Restaurants. There are no two restaurants that are exactly the same. So I can. I can talk about, like, the hierarchy and how you create opportunity for other people, but the details of, like, operations, I don't think those translate as well. And I hear what you're saying in terms of, like, I don't really get in. To me, it's not about me. Like, Restaurant Stoppable isn't about me. It's about all the other people that are out there.
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B
Yeah.
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A
Trying to. Like, I'm just trying to make an example of these people. I'm a student. I'm trying to share my platform with them.
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B
Right.
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A
So I don't know if that answers your question.
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B
It's not really a question. It's just, like, I'm so in it that, like, I don't ever step back and, like, really think about it. I just think it's. Yeah. I don't know. Like, I feel like there's so. I feel like Restaurant Unstoppable could go in so many directions, but, like, it takes so much effort to, like, choose one and commit to it.
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A
Right.
- [27:38]
B
Like what? I don't know. I feel like what you're doing, and I know what you're gonna say. You're gonna say, oh, that would be cool if we could do that. But, like, what you're doing lends itself so much more to, like, video and, like, 100% and, like, being, like, an influencer online.
- [27:54]
A
So we had Sam. Right.
- [27:56]
B
I know.
- [27:57]
A
So 2022 into 2023, I got an SBA loan, and I figure, well, how do I use this money to grow the business? I need help. I need a videographer. I'm traveling the country, and there's nobody capturing. I'm too busy capturing the story of these individuals. I don't have time to capture my own story. You know, I'm too in it that I. It's hard for me to stop 10 interviews in five days to eight days. Like, you're running around like a madman trying to figure out where you're going next. And the idea behind having Sam with us was to have somebody capture what's actually happening, to pull people in.
- [28:36]
B
Right.
- [28:37]
A
The reason why Sam's no longer with us is because it was expensive to have a videographer.
- [28:41]
B
Right.
- [28:42]
A
You know, I think I was charging or he was around $5,000 a month, I think is what I was paying just to have him work with us.
- [28:48]
B
Yeah.
- [28:49]
A
That doesn't include travel, that doesn't include food.
- [28:51]
B
No, I know.
- [28:53]
A
So, you know, we're looking closer to like $7,000 a month between six and seven. Right around six. So like that wasn't sustainable. I was hoping that his presence in a year and a half would be able to drum up enough revenue where we could then use that additional content in that presence to offset his cost. Yeah, it just takes longer. It's the same story with restaurants. Like, why do restaurants fail? They're under capitalized. I had no idea how much work it takes to be a media company.
- [29:21]
B
Oh yeah.
- [29:22]
A
Like there's a reason why at the end of a movie, the credits are as long as, like it takes an army to do that stuff.
- [29:30]
B
So I guess kind of what I was getting at is like, I, I would be curious. I feel like we've asked this question before, but if you're listening or if you're watching, like, why do you listen? Like, why are you here? Why do you listen to Restaurant Unstoppable? Is it because you like long form open ended conversations and stories with people who do what you do? Or are you here because like you want pointed advice, business advice on how to run a restaurant? I think, I feel like with Restaurant Unstoppable, it, I think to inspire, empower and transform the restaurant industry. I really think inspire is the one that people are here for the most. If I had to guess, like you just hear other perspectives from people who do what you do, successful people, or at least successful within the lens of Restaurant Unstoppable, which is not to say that's more or less successful than you would expect or hope to be, but it's like people who are getting organically recommended. That's the lens, you know what I mean? Which is a good lens. But it's like you're. I think that people are here just to. Because we've said it before, restaurant owners are so like in the work, they don't usually have time to like talk to other people who do what they do. So I think that that's why people are here. Just like the inspiration and. But the, the how we doing? I don't know. That's just my guess. But I get. But you still want to, like, serve your. But you still want to, like, serve your customer or, like, your listener, so you gotta, I don't know, figure out what that means.
- [31:13]
A
Yeah. So I, you know, so I think this is perfect timing with just mentioning the workshops, bringing back the workshops. And I love that you. You shared the core value or the mission statement, man. Which is proof that what these things are meant to be echoed and shared. And I am very intentional about echoing the mission statement to inspire, empower, and transform the industry. So how I think that that manifests is the interviews, going out, learning, being a student first. That is inspire. Go out and share stories. And that's how we get inspired, is through stories, hearing from people who were where we are and how they overcame the challenges that we're having and showing that it's possible. That's inspiration. Empowerment is like, okay, so here's where you are today. I'm gonna drill down. I'm gonna empower you with the knowledge these people have, which is one thing I'm really proud about. Over the past year and a half, I think I've gotten much deeper, more granular about. Tell me about your organizational structure. Tell me about how I started asking, like, flat out, like, what is your percent profit like, and how much? Like, what is. What are your prime costs? And, like, what does that look like? What. What is your tech stack? Lay it out for me. Like, I'm really trying to get people to open up and to share information, knowledge. That's empowerment. And then transformation. Inspire, empower, transform. Also go even further with empowerment, I think bringing back the workshops. So we're learning in that moment, like, what does your business look like right now? As they're recommending individuals who've helped them. Coaches, consultants, technologies, services. I'm going to those people, the specialists, and I'm saying, teach me about what you do. That's empowerment. That's. The workshops are empowerment. So we're bringing back the workshops. We're going deeper in my mind. Transform, inspire, empower, transform. You transform. The only way to transform, in my opinion, is with community. Community is with other people to, like, literally hold you accountable and to lift you up. I think that's our job as leaders, restaurant owners, is to first work on ourselves, Inspire, empower ourselves, transform ourselves. And then as we ascend, we have to bring people with us. So that's kind of what RU Network is about, is like, here is my network of people over 1200 episodes who have been referred to us or through word of mouth, organically. And now we're coming together in a community, a network, to lift each other up, to go further together. Because to your point, I am chaos.
- [33:48]
B
Yeah.
- [33:48]
A
I am a dreamer. I need other people around me who are good where I'm weak. And you might be feeling like that right now if you're listening to this. Like, who do I go to? Well, other. Well, you can go to other owners who have those unique skills and go further together. You can go to the experts. Right. What are you thinking?
- [34:04]
B
I guess I'm just thinking, like, why we have. There are just so many more listeners than there are network members. And I understand, like, not everyone's going to convert, but that. I feel like that's what leads me to believe that people just like to hear the interviews, and they just like to hear from people who do what they do. And your unique style of, like, going over two hours, I think is. I think is what separates Restaurant Unstoppable from any other, like, restaurant business podcast. I'm not trying to. I'm not trying to, like, argue or anything. I'm just. I'm, like, trying to, in the moment, like, wrap my head around, like, the people in the network. Like, what. What are they asking you? Like, why are they there?
- [34:50]
A
I think they're there because they don't know what their next step is.
- [34:53]
B
I think also they want community. They want to talk to people.
- [34:56]
A
Exactly. They want to be able to connect. They want to be able to bounce ideas off of people. They don't know what their next step is. And I think they're also very overwhelmed with the. The Internet. In the world of everyone saying that this is how to do it. This is how to do it. I have all of your secrets. No, I have all the secrets. And it's just like, like, like they're being pulled in a million different directions of, like, what's next? Or, this is the next technology to invest in. No, you need this technology. And it's just like, here's where I am. Like, what's. I only have this many resources. What's the next thing? I need to get to where I'm going? What's the next step? And I. And I hope because of my 12, 12 years of just getting perspective and sharing how people have gotten from A to B, that I can be, like, well, based off of where you are, your strengths, your weaknesses, your business model, your resources, your market. This should be your next step. Yeah, and that's really my. My responsibility in the network is to be a curator of Perspectives and information and knowledge and people of. In relationships and say, I'm not the person that's good in the details, but I know a guy, right? I know a gal. Like, let me. Let me. Let me use my influence to pull, to call on that person to serve you in this moment. So, like, listen to your challenges. Okay. Let me schedule a mentoring session, whether that be a past guest, a restaurant owner, or maybe let me schedule a workshop, an expert that I can go to and say, hey, can you do a workshop on this challenge?
- [36:38]
B
Yeah.
- [36:39]
A
Okay, well, let me schedule that around the individual who asked for it so I can put that person in the same room with this expert. So after the workshop, like, they can ask their own questions, right?
- [36:51]
B
No, I thought I've. I've definitely witnessed that. And I think if you're listening and you're wondering if you should join the network, like, especially. That's probably the biggest. The big, like, the. Your ability to influence the content of the podcast as a network member is pretty amazing. Like how Tommy specifically asked about chargebacks, and then we literally did an episode in a workshop about chargebacks, which is like, I. I had never heard of any of that stuff. So, like, the network member said, I'm struggling with this. You said, okay, let me get an expert in. And then you did. And even I just want to also plug, like, the restaurant systems pro, Fred Langley P and L Power Hour is incredible. Like, that Fred Langley is such a, like, giving person, and he's also just so knowledgeable about the business side and the numbers of running a restaurant. Like, the fact that you could be in the network. Join in on one of those and. And have him look at all your numbers and tell you, like, ways to tighten it up. Like, basically for free.
- [37:55]
A
Right?
- [37:55]
B
Like, that is incredible because I don't join those live. I listen to them afterwards. And I'm sitting there and I'm like, this is incredible. Like, this right here is worth the price of admission to the restaurant.
- [38:04]
A
Unstoppable Network 100 Save people thousands and thousands of dollars. We've been only doing this for, like, I think the. Almost like six or seven months. We've been doing the. Since the beginning of the year.
- [38:12]
B
Yeah.
- [38:13]
A
And he saved members thousands of dollars.
- [38:15]
B
It's.
- [38:16]
A
They've only spent a couple hundred. If they've been in the network since January. $47 a month. Like, you do the math. What Is that, like, $300?
- [38:24]
B
Yes.
- [38:24]
A
You know, like, duh.
- [38:28]
B
I know. Believe me, like, the value is there 100%. Yeah.
- [38:32]
A
So this isn't I don't want to make this about promoting what we're doing.
- [38:36]
B
But you should promote what you're doing.
- [38:37]
A
Yeah. Like, I mean, that's what I need to be better about, you know? And I think that for a while I was really hesitant to promote what I was doing because I wanted to make sure that what I was doing was, like, I don't take what I do lightly. Like, if I'm doing something, I want to make sure that it helps people. My biggest fear is being a con man. I think I've talked about this before and it's. What is a con man? Well, I think at the root of the word, it's, it's taking the confidence that you build in a relationship and you exploit it.
- [39:12]
B
Right?
- [39:13]
A
And I have a lot of confidence. My unique selling proposition, I like to say, is trust. So, like, I. If I say something, I want to make sure that, like, I'm not screwing somebody over in the network is challenging because you're dependent on other people. So, like, I might have all of the right intentions in the world. I might say, we're going to do this, this P and L Power hour every other week. But what happens if Fred is like, I don't want to do this anymore, you know? So fortunately, Fred is amazing and I don't see that happening.
- [39:42]
B
Right.
- [39:42]
A
And if it does happen, hopefully we have another expert that is just as good in the numbers as he is. But, like, right now, if I'm opening a restaurant, I'm going to Restaurant Systems Pro. Like, I'm going Fred. So, like, it's. It's just all those. Those things. So, like, also, like, it's back to my weaknesses, like, the user experience. Like, I might have the right vision and intention, but can I execute it in a way that people aren't? Like, what the is this? Like, how do I navigate this website? Like, I'm lost. Like, this doesn't make sense. I really struggle with that. And I feel like over the past, literally almost two years since we went live last, our personal last, like, it's been tweaking and fine tuning and trying to get what's in my head into a digital space that represents what I'm trying to do. And I've never fit well in boxes.
- [40:26]
B
Right. You know, or on the Internet.
- [40:28]
A
Right? Exactly. Like, I don't like computers. I'd rather drive across the country and do an interview than sit on a computer and talk to somebody. Anyway, what are you thinking? I'm going down a rabbit hole. I'm. I'm all over the place again. Keep me in track, Jared.
- [40:48]
B
No, I was thinking, actually, the. The bar that I'm working at, I want. It's a very unique bar. We. I. I want to start a podcast there. And the owner is asking. He's. He's like, well, what if. What if 24 months from now, like, you don't want to do it? He wants to create a podcast where, like, you don't need a host. And I'm like, what are you talking about? Like, that sounds very difficult. But he's like, what if in 24 months, like, you don't want to do it? And I'm like, dude, let's just do it and see what happens. Like, do you want to. Not specifically to him, but in general, like, what you're talking about. Like, do you want to not do it, or do you want to do it until you can't do it anymore? You know what I mean? Like, you were mentioning, like, one way to find out. Yeah. Like, what if Fred decides not to do it? It's like, all right, well then do it now.
- [41:36]
A
Right.
- [41:36]
B
While he wants to.
- [41:37]
A
Exactly.
- [41:38]
B
But I do know what you mean. Like, integrity. Like, you want to create something that people actually get value out of, and you. You don't want to look like a ding dong. If you say you're gonna do something, you don't do it.
- [41:47]
A
Yeah, exactly. So it's really just a matter of, like, before I get on the top of a mountain and start screaming, come do be a part of this. Like, I want to start with an mvp get.
- [41:57]
B
But if no one gets in there, then you. Then you're not gonna want to do it. If you tell people to join, I'm talking about in general. If you tell people to follow you and enough people follow you, that's the motivation to keep going, you know?
- [42:08]
A
Exactly.
- [42:09]
B
And that's what I told him to do about the podcast. I was like, dude, I make a lot of podcasts. Nobody listens to them. So, like, if you and I start a podcast, you already have a fandom. Like, you already have people who follow you and they start listening. Like, dude, that's my motive. I've been looking for that since I started podcasting people to actually fucking listen.
- [42:27]
A
Right?
- [42:28]
B
So I'm like, that's the motivation. So let's just do it.
- [42:30]
A
When it comes to franchising your restaurant, you don't have to dream about a hundred locations. Overnight real success means five strong locations or 10, local or regional, whatever fits your vision. And that is what the Internicola law firm is all about for over 30 years, intern Nicola law firm has been helping restaurant owners across the country build smart, scalable and cost effective franchise systems. They're not just lawyers, they are franchise development experts who focus on honest advice. Real growth in a five year vision. Here's what to do next. Visit www.frenchiselawsolutions.com or call 800-976-4904. Contact Charles intern Nicola and let him know that you're a part of the restaurant Unstoppable Family. You'll have a conversation. You'll learn what franchising really takes and most importantly, whether it's the right move for you. Plus sign up for the upcoming how to franchise your business live event@restantstoppable.com franchise where we'll cover everything you need to know about franchising your restaurant the smart way. Or contact Charles today@franchise lawsolutions.com 800-976-4904 behind every great restaurant is a great person. The key to being great is to be of service to others. And this holds true for all organizations, not just restaurants. After spending a month in Phoenix, Arizona being hosted by Restaurant Systems Pro CEO Fred Langley, I got to experience firsthand Fred's desire to serve. It all started when I got there. Fred gave me the keys to his house and to his office building. When Fred leaves work every day, I witnessed him go coach one of his two sons baseball teams. And when Fred's neighbor lost power when they were hosting their son's birthday party, Fred offered to host the party at his house. Eric, why are you sharing this? Because how you do one thing is how you do everything. And believe me when I say that the desire to serve extends to Fred's restaurant clients. There are no secrets or shortcuts to life or restaurant success. There's only discipline, hard work, and the desire to do the right thing. Fred and his team at Restaurant Systems Pro are here to serve you with the systems and resources to be more disciplined so you can do the hard thing, which nine times out of 10 is the right thing. With Restaurant Systems Pro you get accounting systems, budgeting systems, costing systems, purchasing systems, inventory management systems, labor management systems, training systems, and the systems to create and implement checklists. On top of all this, Restaurant Systems Pro also has their own native general ledger and they're in the process of launching their own pos, which they are so appropriately naming Cersei Curve. And you know what? If you don't want to change your pos, that's absolutely fine because Restaurant Systems Pro integrates with all major POS providers. To learn more, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com RSP and you will find a link to schedule a demo with their sales team. A demo I personally did with Restaurant Systems Pro CEO Fred Langley and all 18 of our testimonials that we've recorded since the beginning of Restaurant unstoppable. Again, that's restaurantunstoppable.com RSP. No, right now, I'm feeling like the best I felt about Restaurant Stoppable since I started Restaurant Unstoppable. Like, that feeling of, like, there's an opportunity here. There is a group of people who are terribly underserved. They need help, and this thing can literally change the world. And I believe I've changed the world. Like, that's a crazy thing to say out loud, but I get weekly messages from people who say, your podcast has helped me so much, and if you.
- [46:12]
B
Believe, you should send those to me.
- [46:14]
A
If you believe in the butterfly effect.
- [46:16]
B
Yeah.
- [46:16]
A
You know what I'm saying? Like, if it's. If it's. If I'm changing that many people's lives or if not, I. But the work I'm doing, the stories that I'm sharing from other people is having that much of an impact and that those people have so much influence on their communities across the country. Like, we're making a difference. And it's not just me. There's other creators out there doing good work to.
- [46:36]
B
You know, you should send me all those messages.
- [46:39]
A
I. I'll. I'll do my best.
- [46:41]
B
I want to see them.
- [46:42]
A
So I feel like now what I'm doing is it's the next level where it's like, we've. If the last 12 years has been about being a student and just feeding myself with perspective and information, the next 12 years needs to be about, okay, I have a lot in me. I have to get it out, and I need to organize it and create what I would like to call the RU path, You know, where if you're here based off of your, you know, the type of person you are in the. The business model and your. Your goals, then here's a path I recommend for you step by step. And, like, that's the next project that we have to work on.
- [47:23]
B
Do you have any paths outlined in your head already?
- [47:26]
A
I mean, yeah, and then a lot of those paths or, you know, what's happening in Restaurant Unstoppable live right now. Restaurant Unstoppable Network. So it's live events. Like, I'm going to Fred Langley And I'm using Restaurant Systems Pro. And if I'm raising money, I am raising enough money to cover the. The salary of somebody who is us, like a. Some type of controller or like accountant that knows Restaurant Systems Pro. And I'm going to be like, anyway, like leveraging the tools that already exist and plugging them into my business instead of trying to create them from scratch. Using systems like eos, the entrepreneurial operating system. Having clear five year goals and cadence meetings to keep us on track and to focus on three things that each key member can do to move us towards that five year. Like all this stuff is what's happening. Are you live right now?
- [48:21]
B
Now?
- [48:22]
A
So we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. Yeah, we're going to dive into this. But yeah, like that, like the biggest lessons, profit first, all the power hours are what I would do if I was opening a restaurant tomorrow, going to the source and collaborating with those people. But it's not on paper yet. Like step by step where you can go to ru.compath and get that PDF laid out for you. Like that's the next project is what I'm saying.
- [48:49]
B
Okay.
- [48:50]
A
So anyway, looking at the time, I want to make sure that we get everything out.
- [48:56]
B
Yeah.
- [48:56]
A
That we wanted to talk about. But I b. Basically what I'm feeling right now is really good. I mentioned we're bringing back workshops. The whole idea behind those workshops is to unpackage and to go deeper into what we're learning and to. To serve our listeners. Like our listeners. Our. Our community members are dictating the workshops. Literally, the members are dictating the live events. I'm there to make it happen for you. That's where we left off in the conversation. And I want to talk about the new core values. So my core values I discovered, and you'll hear this in an episode I did with Sean Finter, are bad core values or were bad core values? They're more like guiding principles. I don't know. Do you remember the old core values?
- [49:36]
B
Not really. Well, I mean, yeah, kind of. I'm looking at these now, so it's confusing me. But yeah, like we have integrity, we have fun. I'm sorry, I don't remember.
- [49:46]
A
That's all right. Maybe I wasn't see, there were bad core values. So my. I think the core values, the last I worked on them were freedom, integrity. Wait, no, those are the new ones. Did I. Oh, here are the old ones. Sorry. So the last time I worked in the core values, at least like before I changed them, it was Integrity. We do what we say we're going to do. We are students. We're constantly learning and growing. We are teachers. We're constantly teaching and lifting others up with us. We are communicators, we are collaborators, and we have fun. Those were the core values. The more I think about it, the more, like, guiding principles. Like, that's how you know that that's what the most successful people do. They do what they say they're going to do. They just start. They have integrity. They do the thing. They're constantly working on themselves, growing as a person, as a student, and becoming a better version. And then they're taking what they're learning and they're. They're. They're teaching other people how to do it and lifting people up and bringing them up with them and providing opportunity for others. And then they're constantly communicating their values, their vision. What has to happen, whether that be with, like, EOS meetings. Like, here's where we are, here's where we need to go. How do we get there? They're communicating, and they realize that they can't do it alone, that they have a lane that they stay in, and they surround themselves with other people. Like, those are like. Those are like the. You know, the. The guiding principles. Like, that's like, almost uniformly through all the interviews I've done, and also I threw in there. We have fun. Because I think people even like the founding, the founding father said, like, life, liberty in the pursuit of happiness. But the reality is happiness that suggests that, like, we don't have happiness. We're pursuing it. We're trying to get it. The truth is, happiness is a choice. You can choose happy today. You can choose to have fun today. You can choose to live in the moment and look back and recognize your gains, or you can live in the gap and look to where you want to be and realize that. And that's just a place you don't want to be because you're in a place of scarcity. Be grateful for what you have. Be happy today. So those were the values today? They are. These are core values. These are my core values. Freedom, integrity, curiosity, transparency, service to others, and transcendence.
- [51:56]
B
So sick.
- [51:57]
A
Yeah, I actually just added that one today because I was like, something. We'll get to that. So I'm gonna unpackage these. So. Freedom. I found out through lots of personality tests that my number one core value is freedom. Like, everything I've done in my life has been in pursuit of freedom. I was a commercial pilot. I thought birds had the Best life. They could fly anywhere, they could go anywhere. Like, that's freedom. I became a commercial pilot. It sounds so stupid when I say it out loud. Podcaster. Like, I was trying to have freedom and autonomy, to go talk to people and do things I want. Ever since I started the podcast, I want to be on the road and just go. Freedom, right? And then also, like, just, you know, I think freedom is a choice, you know, so. And I think a lot of times people, when they hear freedom, they're like, I just want to go sit on the beach, or, I want freedom to do nothing.
- [52:47]
B
Yeah.
- [52:47]
A
You know, it's just like, okay, well, yes, that is, you can choose to do that. But I think freedom, the true form of freedom, is the choice to do something hard that you want to do that's autonomous, that that matters to you.
- [53:02]
B
Yeah.
- [53:03]
A
And it's not gonna be easy.
- [53:06]
B
Right.
- [53:06]
A
You know, so, like, I think doing.
- [53:08]
B
The hard thing, the freedom to choose your battle.
- [53:11]
A
Exactly. To fight. And so that brings me to the four types of freedom. Freedom of purpose, freedom of relationships, freedom of time, and freedom of money. And I think it has to be in that order. If you have freedom of purpose to give your time to the cause, that matters. If you have the right, why, you can deal with any. How if you get that down, what is your purpose? Like, work towards that, and it's gonna suck. It's gonna be hard. But being able to choose that thing, it. There's like, almost like. Like, it's like a religious experience, you know? Like, it's powerful. And then if you can choose relationships, so freedom of purpose, freedom of relationships. The people that you do it with, the people you love, the people who compliment you, the people who share your values. If you're doing hard things with people you love. Misery loves company, dude.
- [54:00]
B
Yeah. Yeah.
- [54:01]
A
You know, like, it's not as bad if you're doing it with people you love and you're going. People who share the same. They see. They want to see the same. Change the world you want to see. And then time, like, if you're doing hard things that you love with people you love, like, time flies by. You have freedom of time. Like, and then the money will come. Freedom of money will come because you'll be able to endure and outwork people. So, like, that's freedom, integrity, pretty straightforward. Also, I recognize that this is the most overused core value. Like, it's overplayed. I get it. But do what you say you're gonna do. That is a core value. Show up. Just keep showing up. And like, it's, it's doing the hard thing over time that's gonna get you to where you're going. Curiosity is like this idea of like, I don't have the answers. Like, what's gotten me here is my. I going to others who know more than I do. Keeping an open mind, realizing two truths can be one true at the same time. Having, like listening to both sides of the aisle and trying to understand different perspectives and just, just. And just being open minded really at the end of the day, like, to me, that's what curiosity is. And it's also like this idea of being a student.
- [55:10]
B
Right.
- [55:10]
A
Always learning transparency. Like, I'm showing my work. I don't claim to have the answers. Like, I'm. I'm looking for a little bit of forgiveness if sometimes I go down the wrong path, you know, And I think transparency builds trust. Show your work, word of mouth, and then service to others. Like, we, we're tribal we. And it is in us to exist to serve others. When we serve others, we're seen and valued by the tribe. And I think that being seen is hospitality. You know, like seeing others helps us be seen.
- [55:47]
B
Yeah.
- [55:47]
A
You know, so existing to serve others. And I think that's what we do with the podcast. We try to keep that at the forefront of everything we do. It's not for me, but it's for the listener and for the member, the community member, and then transcendence. So, yeah, this is getting better every day. This is better tomorrow than we are today. Be the future you today. What is that? That vision of the. The you you're trying to become. Be one step closer to that person today. Do something hard today that is uncomfortable to get you to that place that's transcendental ascendance. And that plays off of Inspire, Empower, Transform.
- [56:26]
B
Charis1 says Visualize wealth and put yourself in the picture. Yeah. And you could train, you could trade wealth with anything. But visualize what, whatever it is. Paint the picture in your head and then paint yourself into the picture.
- [56:37]
A
Yeah. And I think, you know, I just started reading the. A series of books from Ben Hardy. So the first book I discovered from him was 10x is easier than 2x. Love that book. He's writing a lot of these books in collaboration with Dan Sullivan, who was like this, one of the most successful coaches out there, diving into Dan Sullivan's practices, but putting them into books because Dan's not a great writer. And the three books that I've been listening to was be. Was it Be it be Your future self now, I think it's. Is it today be your future self now is the title of that book and the gap in the gain, which is really having a big influence on me. Who not how then 10x. And he has his newest book that just came out, which is the science of scaling, which I'm really excited. It comes out in audible like on the 26th of July. But he gets into a lot of the stuff of like he's an organizational psychologist.
- [57:27]
B
Okay.
- [57:28]
A
So like he writes from the perspective of like a, like a doctor and he's like talking to you about the mindset and how to live in a way that progresses. So a lot of what I shared is like a reflection of his thoughts. I just want to give credit there where credit's due. But what do you think of the new core values?
- [57:46]
B
I, I think they're great. I think I definitely have a new perspective. I'm a bartender. I became a bartender in February of this year. I would do it for four to five days a week in a very service minded company. Trying to think of how to really explain that we're so much more about the people in the community than we are about beer or whatever. And yeah, the seeing people being a bartender is like like 50% being a therapist, like straight up and just like it's, it's so interesting like who comes in and why. And I've even asked people, you know, partly from listening to your podcast, like I will straight up ask people not if it's their first time in the bar, but we have a lot of regulars. I will ask people, I'm like, why do you come to like, why do you come to a bar? Like, why, why are you here?
- [58:40]
A
Yeah.
- [58:41]
B
And like the answers are so interesting. It's never beer, you know what I mean? So that whole service to others thing, like, you know, I've had people tell me about their divorce or like they're this and that. And it's so interesting like the dynamics of like if there's one person in the bar and like they really just want to talk to the bartender. It's like you just have to stand there and talk to them. It's, it's, it's really interesting is that.
- [59:06]
A
Have you tried connecting your patrons? And like one thing that's come up in the podcast is like, okay, like if you're trying to, like if you got, if you're busy and you don't want to be rude to this person, you can be like, make an introduction dude.
- [59:18]
B
I mean I introduce people all the time, like, and that's what I've been told that I'm good at. That I'm just like, yo, you should talk to this person. Because, like, pretty much everyone who comes in there is a regular. But yeah, it's. It's. It's cool to work on this podcast and actually work in the industry. I'm trying to think of. No, I think. I think these are all. As someone who listens to your podcast and knows you really well and works for us for Unstoppable, like, these all make perfect sense. Yeah.
- [59:47]
A
And if those core values. And I'll run through them again one more time just to refresh your memory. Freedom, integrity, curiosity, transparency, service to others, and transcendence. Being a better version of yourself tomorrow or today than you were yesterday or in tomorrow than you were today.
- [60:02]
B
Yeah.
- [60:03]
A
If those resonate with you, those are the core values of restaurant. Unstoppable, network. That's what we're all there to do. We're there to be curious. We're there to learn. We're there to share information. We're there to lift each other up. We're there to. To set goals and to help each other reach those goals. And if you want access to my network of people, like, I will serve you with this. This network. My. My podcast is. Your podcast is what I'm trying to communicate.
- [60:26]
B
Yeah.
- [60:27]
A
So. Yeah, man. So I think that kind of like, summarizes kind of where we are today with what we're trying to do. And I. And I. I know that I sound like a broken record sometimes when I talk about what I don't like, when I look at the world and I see the realities of podcasting and what podcasting is becoming. And one of the things I'm really transparent about is struggling financially right now because I'm literally turning away sponsors because, you know, the sponsors I am working with, by the way, I want to give a shout out to, you know, Restaurant Systems Pro Marquis, ME's Intercanola law firm intern Nicola. Intern. Enter Nicola. What did I say?
- [61:08]
B
You say Inter Canola all the time.
- [61:11]
A
Sorry. Sorry.
- [61:12]
B
It's okay.
- [61:15]
A
Intern Nicola.
- [61:16]
B
Think of the name Nicola. Like Nicola.
- [61:21]
A
My bad.
- [61:21]
B
Nikola Tesla. Isn't that the guy? It's a name. Enter. And then Nikola.
- [61:26]
A
Enter Nikola Law Firm. Thank you, Jared. So all my sponsors, incredibly grateful. But the thing is, like, I'm choosing these sponsors, and I think that's the big difference is when I was in 2023, I was asking a hundred thousand dollars. My goal was to get a hundred thousand dollars I remember, you know, and we had success. But what I didn't realize is the strings that come attached with that $100,000 and you lose your autonomy when you're taking on that kind of money from your sponsors. Your service becomes two sponsors, not listeners.
- [61:57]
B
Yeah.
- [61:58]
A
And I want to make sure that it's clear that none of these people that I'm currently or none of these organizations that I'm currently being sponsored by are doing that.
- [62:05]
B
Yeah.
- [62:06]
A
You know, but for me it's more about finding people that I want to promote. Because if the future of taking on sponsors means you have to get them on the show and collaborate with them and promote them like you believe in them, then I have to believe in them. So it's not about how much money I can get from that sponsor, but it's about finding things I believe in so I can effectively promote them.
- [62:28]
B
Yeah.
- [62:29]
A
So that's kind of where we're at with sponsors. Taking less money than I was in the past. Hoping that, you know, building community around these tools and getting the recurring revenue can offset that difference. So that's kind of the strategy right now.
- [62:44]
B
So your strategy is to hope?
- [62:46]
A
No, the. I, I believe, you know, I believe that if you exist to serve people and you do the right thing and you are better at promoting yourself, which I need to be better about.
- [62:56]
B
Have you ever heard the quote, faith is making virtue of not thinking? No. Something to think about.
- [63:03]
A
I believe. I believe in the work we're doing and I'm doing what we've learned. Learned. I'm existing to serve others. And if you do that consistently over time, then it will come back to you. The law of reciprocity, you know, like I believe in that.
- [63:17]
B
So we live in a dog eat dog world, Eric.
- [63:20]
A
Yeah. So like, I think, you know, one of my biggest challenges and where I am today and I've had two months now and I have four more months. Or is it four more months? August, September, October. I have three more months to continue to work on building out the user experience.
- [63:36]
B
How's that timeline going? Do you think you're. Where do you think you're going to be or where do you think you need to be by the time you get back on the road?
- [63:42]
A
I think I need to be to the point where we have. I think we're there, Honestly, I think we're there. But now what needs to happen between now and when I get on the road is I need to get people in.
- [63:54]
B
We've built it.
- [63:55]
A
Yeah, the MVP is there. So like the first two Months has been like, is this thing getting to the point where I feel like, without a doubt, if you sign up and you show up, all I can do is create the space. You have to show up. If you show up, you will be served. We're there. But now I need to start promoting like a mofo. I need to start getting the word out, and I need to start letting people understand and know what we're doing.
- [64:20]
B
And that you should be guests on other restaurant podcasts.
- [64:23]
A
100. That's part of the strategy. The other part of the strategy, too. You see those books to your right, the Expert Secrets Secrets, Traffic Secrets. And I think, is there another one there called Secrets to your far right, bottom?
- [64:35]
B
I don't even know. Oh, traffic secrets.com secrets, expert secrets.
- [64:40]
A
So it's learning again. I'm not an integrator, so the biggest thing that slows me down is I have to build this stuff.
- [64:45]
B
Yeah.
- [64:46]
A
And there's also a science to promoting. There's a science and a mechanical part to marketing, too. And that's where my focus is going right now, is on, okay, I have all this stuff inside my head, and I have to organize it, I have to get it out and to put it on paper. So what we're doing, why we're doing it, how we're doing it, are you unique? Our uniqueness of. Of why we're doing it, how we're doing all that is on paper, communicated, and it's aligned with actually putting it to paper. And that whole process of getting that out and then into a digital representation is not intuitive for me.
- [65:21]
B
Right.
- [65:22]
A
So that's what we're working on now. Plus also, you know, just getting out there and. And promoting and creating ads and, you know, creating, like, landing pages and trying to collect emails, like, all that stuff. So it's a very, you know, they say 5% of your list converts. I've been bad about collecting emails. So going forward, you're going to hear a lot of us promoting what we're doing on the podcast. Promoting landing pages, promoting our strategic partners, and giving away resources in exchange for contact information. So if we can get to 10,000. So my goal at the beginning of 2025 was to get to 10,000 email subscribers, to get to 250 RU live members, and to get the RU path onto paper. So between now and the end of the year, my goal is going to be to focus on getting that 10,000, because 5% of 10,000. What is that?
- [66:26]
B
How many times is 100 going to 10,000? 100 times 500.
- [66:31]
A
500.
- [66:32]
B
Yeah.
- [66:33]
A
So if I can get between 1% and 5% of my list of 10,000 to sign up for RU Network or are you live? Then we will be a completely autonomous independent media company. That will equate to. My goal is 250ru live members, and I'm thinking maybe even 500ru library members. We'll get into what those mean, how those are separate. But if we can do that, then we can literally exist to serve nobody but our listeners. And we can do it with a team. I can hire people, I can outsource, and we can do it better than we've ever done it before. So 10,000 email subscribers equates to approximately $20,000 a month. And people might be thinking to themselves, that's a lot of money, Eric. Why do you need that much money? I'm not pocketing that $20,000 a month. There's taxes, there's travel, operational expenses. Currently you're making more money at Restaurant Unstoppable than I am. I take 25 profit or owners pay right now. And that's enough to keep the lights on for me. As more money comes in, I will take less to bring on people we need. I. I don't need to get filthy rich with this podcast. You know, it's that. That's not what drives me. So, any questions?
- [67:59]
B
No.
- [68:00]
A
So we mapped out where we are today. What is Restaurant Unstoppable Network? Let me answer that question. Kind of already alluded to it, but if you're looking at a hierarchy, Restaurant Unstoppable llc.com or Restaurant Unstoppable.com llc. Yeah, below that, Restaurant Unstoppable podcast. Restaurant Unstoppable Network. Below Restaurant Unstoppable Network, you have RU Library, RU Live and soon to be RU Path. So RU Library consists of ad free content, early release content, and bonus content. So if you want to support this podcast for 14.99amonth, you can get ad free bonus early release content. You can also get access to our unstoppable. Our AI that has over 1200 transcripts added to it it. And it's cross referenced with spreadsheets. So you can ask it about specific episodes. You can ask it to summarize episodes. You can ask it, which episode should I Listen to About XYZ has ARI WineSwag ban on Restaurant Unstoppable. Yes, here are the episodes. So it's really a tool to mine the mountain of data. If you're a listener of the show and you're like this scroll of episodes 1200 episodes. Where do I start? You start with RU library. The Ruai, the unstoppable. You can ask it any question and it will literally point you in the right direction. There's also a searchability tool, which we're kind of limited. I want to be transparent, like again, one core value. So our searchability tool is a portal into Airtable from ClickFunnels. Airtable is our database where we keep track of sponsors, episodes, guests and all that stuff. Stuff. We started using it a couple years ago. The archive only goes back to 800, we have to. Or 700. We have to continue to build that back that archive. But we have complete lists of episode numbers and titles. So I'm just being transparent that that's a work in progress and it's a little glitchy with the portal that we're kind of limited to what we can build. But as more people come in, that's going to be something that we work on. We're going to outsourcing at VAS to work on that backlog, that searchability tool. If you're just looking for like you can still type things in. But I'm just being transparent. The real value is in that the AI that we've. The custom GPT we created. So I talked about the searchability tool, the AI, the AD free content. That's what you get with RU Library. And basically that bonus content is all the live events that we're having. So if you want to see what the live events Jared was talking about, all the things that Fred is doing, he watches these videos and he edits them. If you want to see all of our live events and listen in and learn, then you get access to those in RU Library. Plus all those live events also get uploaded to the AI. So it's a very robust, powerful AI agent.
- [70:56]
B
It's very cool.
- [70:58]
A
Yeah. So all that for 14.99amonth, there's a ton of value there. And then if you want to be a part of the conversations that you're listening to, if you want access to me every other week where I listen to you and I literally reverse engineer the content to serve your needs, then join RU Live. And that is essentially everything that I just shared, plus access to a calendar. Literally that is all it is, is access to a calendar in terms of like the tangibleness of RU Live. But that calendar gets you access to my network and it gets you access to me. And you can join all of our live events. And there's four types of live events right now. There's restaurant stoppable workshops which you hear as podcast episodes. There are mentoring sessions which are basically one on one or panels of people, past guests that I know who are answering your unique challenges, typically restaurant owners. And then there are power hours. Currently we have a handful of power hours. This is still mvp. Like we're still working with this. This could change and evolve as we go. But right now we have operations power hours, we have financial power hours, we have marketing power hours and we have people and probably going to be some type of legal power hour. So within those buckets we have our operations, we have Stephanie Robson. Badass. Like, that woman is incredible. She's gonna be making herself available once a quarter. We have Sean Finter, who is the founder of Bar Metrics, who is literally the coach and consultant for all the best bars out there. Like this guy's network alone is amazing.
- [72:37]
B
I'm definitely joining that one.
- [72:38]
A
Yeah, he's gonna be going live once a month for an hour. When the first one is in September. I want to say it's the 11th. Every like second or third Thursday. Don't quote me. We have an EOS power hour under operations. I'm partnering with Blake Winters, who's literally grew up in a of eos. His father is Mark Winters, the author of Rocket Fuel, who is probably the one of the most well respected implementers that exists. He's descendant of that and he, he's specializing in the restaurant industry. That is once a quarter as of right now. So if you're interested in eos, the entrepreneurial operating system and you want a network of other restaurant owners using this and access to an integrator, then you can get that. No pressure to sign up and to use his services as an integrator, but I recommend it. Then we have financial power hours. That's a separate bucket. Right now we're doing the P and L Power hour. Fred Langley, which you talked about, where you show up with your, with your spreadsheet, your, your, your P L. We share the screen and he just tells you where the opportunities are.
- [73:44]
B
From my perspective, that, that right there, those alone are worth the price of admission.
- [73:48]
A
That is every other week. And we give you goals like here's your homework. Come back. Did you do it it? Then we eos that. Did he do it? Why or why not? You know, then we help you identify solving. We discussed why you what maybe might be getting in your way. Yeah, that's so powerful. So. And then we also have profit first power hours with Casey Anton, the author of Profit first for Restaurants. And she's every quarter. So if you're interested in putting in implementing profit first I will get you to the author who wrote the book on it literally. And then we're playing around with marketing power hours right now. I, I self confessed issue with a lot of marketers. They tend to muddy the water and bring their own agendas into the mix. Sorry, this is personal. It's how I feel. There's always an ulterior motive. So I'm really looking to go to restaurant operators who are marketers like like chief marketing officers or fractional marketing people or just restaurant owners who are super passionate about marketing and sharing what they've learned. And right now Anatos and who is a fractional CMO is going to be starting that real soon. I'm super excited about that. And then people power hours we had I think Rudy Mick. We got Rudy Mick to commit he's operations and people People's is one of those things. I don't know. I'm struggling with that because I know so many people who are leaders or like experts in leadership and culture that I'm still a little indecisive there. But I also have lawyers in my network that I want to reach out to for legal power hours. This is all kind of unfolding. That's it. That's. Are you live. That's all. Yeah, there's a ton of value there. No, I know it's growing as we go.
- [75:34]
B
I will say even for me randomly this is kind of random. But if you do have, if you're in the network you like, if you have an issue that Eric has dealt with or has had a podcast about or knows an expert on, he will steer you in the right direction and give you a, give you an introduction. I got an email recently about that like was about like that I needed to trademark my business because like someone was trying to trademark my business name and I was like Eric, you did an episode on trademarks with a trademark lawyer. Like can I, can you introduce me? And so Eric literally like introduced me and the gentleman, I can't remember his name.
- [76:16]
A
I can't either.
- [76:17]
B
I'm so sorry. Either way, this trademark lawyer Eric sent me. The email connected us. I got on a phone call with him and he like just like laid out what was happening and I was like thank you. So that's just another example of like if Eric knows someone he will connect you with them because he has good relationships with all the people that he comes in contact with. David. David. Laser Bram.
- [76:43]
A
Laser Bram.
- [76:44]
B
Laser Bram Lizer. Bram.
- [76:47]
A
And that's the thing. And here's the other thing too. If you have a challenge with something, you're not the only one.
- [76:51]
B
Yeah.
- [76:52]
A
So if I can help you, I can help thousands of people. And that's kind of the mindset going forward. So if you join RU live and you reach out to me during or you have a conversation with me during coffee with Eric, which is the last live event that I didn't mention, which is every other week, I just make myself available for an hour to listen and to point you in the right direction. And if I don't have a solution, then that's a future workshop.
- [77:11]
B
Right.
- [77:12]
A
And I schedule it around your availability because I'm doing it for you. So the whole idea is. Or if it's a mentoring session, anyone who's in the network can show up to that mentoring session if it appeals to them. And that's kind of the idea. We go further together. Like you're steering the ship, but we're all on the ship. So if I schedule a live event, whether it be a workshop or a mentoring session, we all get access to that mentor. We can all ask our questions. That's kind of the vision right now. So that's it. That's are you live? And then are you PATH is the next project where I'm hoping to kind of treat it like a mastermind, like people. Whether you're at 0 to 3 locations, 4 to 10 locations, or 11 to 20 locations, my goal is to segment those, those groups of people and to create essentially masterminds where people come together using the lessons we've learned on the podcast to move forward together. And that's probably going to be like a six month long mastermind commitment. And if you're interested, email me ericestaurantstoppable.com title are you path? And I'll keep you in the loop. We're not quite ready there. We gotta get what's going, going more before I. So I can kind of automate that and shift my focus. I think we're done, dude.
- [78:33]
B
Well, I just want to say, I just want to say, yeah, Restaurant Unstoppable, man, we're still going. And if you're listening, please hit us up and let us know where you find the most value. Whether it's a comment or an email to eric ericestaurant stoppable.com or you can email me Jared P. Restaurant unstoppable.com that's J, A, R, E, D, the letter P. I. I'm curious about, like, where do you where, like, why do you listen? Is it because, like, what part of it specifically draws you to restaurant? Soft Bold. That's what I'd be very curious about. And I just want to say, like, I don't. I don't say how much I appreciate you enough, Eric. I think you're definitely an OG in the podcasting world, not just the restaurant world. It's very impressive, and I just want to plug myself real quick. So Sue Madre Podcast, Sumadre Podcast. Sue Madre Podcast is my podcast editing service. I could do for you what I do for Eric. I currently have four clients. They're all amazing, but I'm definitely open to taking on new clients. Like, I have literally taught people who just want to start a podcast, they know nothing about podcasting. I literally taught them how to do everything, what to buy. And one person in particular I'm thinking of, she has, like, an incredibly popular podcast, and she's amazing at it, and she's very good at it, and she's very. She loves it. So, yeah, that's what I do. I, you know, I would. I'm open to new clients. I also just want to plug one more thing, please. So In October of 2024, I went on a road trip. I'm plugging up my most recent miniseries nonfiction podcast, which is called There and Back Again. I'll link it in the show notes. I went. I drove to Iowa City because there are five incredible. There's more than five, but I had on my list five very, very old bars, some up to 100 years old, that are in Iowa City. I went there. I was there for six days. I kind of did the Eric approach. I just went into these places, and I was like, can I interview one person, like, from this bar who can tell me stories? So it's more of a memoir. So it's about my trip, trip to Iowa City to document these five really old bars and also drink in them and just, like, meet the people. So it's. It's called There and Back Again. I'll link it in the description. It's not restaurant business focused, but it's like, it's about bars, right? And, like, people.
- [81:03]
A
And if you're listening to this and you want to start a podcast, yo, like, restaurant unstoppable network, baby. Like, we got a podcast editor right here. Like, I can help get the word out. You can, you know, be a part. Like, I'm happy to help promote if anybody. Like, if you're listening to this, you probably want to start a restaurant related Podcast is my guess. So you're in the right spot. Like, we can help you out.
- [81:26]
B
I will also say, I will also say, like, Eric and I are pretty aligned. Also interested in, like, I believe in giving also, like, I never, like, I'm not the kind of. If you wanted to just talk to me about starting a podcast, like, I'm not going to charge you for my time just to like have a conversation. You know what I mean? Like, I like to. I have a meeting coming up with a potential client and my, my goal in that meeting is to be like, are you sure you want to do this?
- [81:51]
A
My goal, this podcast. Are you sure you want to open a restaurant?
- [81:54]
B
It's like my thing is to be like, I want to make sure you understand what you're getting yourself into before you like commit to doing it, which I think is like a fair thing, you know, like, I'm not trying to sell. I'm not trying to just get you on board to start paying me. I want to make sure you want to do this and then, and then like I'll help you do it.
- [82:11]
A
Right.
- [82:11]
B
So yeah, yeah.
- [82:12]
A
So one more, one more. Just summary of what we're looking for. Call to action before we say goodbye, our goal is to build RU Network up that consists of RU Library that consists of RU Live. We explained what those things are. If you're interested in either of those, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com live for ru live in restaurantstoppable.com ru library for ru library. We will have landing pages there. One more thing. We also have a one on one if you want two whole hours with me where I basically treat you like a guest and I interview you and I understand you and your business. It's called rest. It's called evolve. Restaurant stoppable/restaurantsoppable.com evolve. You can get two hours with me and I'll also get you three months access to Ru Live so I can serve you and actually connecting you with the people that I think you should connect with. And that helps steer the ship of the content in RU Live. So there are your calls to action. Restaurantstoppable.com RU Library/ru live and/ruevolve. Our goal is to get to 250 RU Live members by the end of the year and 500 RU Library members by the end of the year. If you do that, this podcast will literally be unstoppable and you will be the beneficiaries. Like, we will do some fucking amazing work. We've already done amazing Work with the limited resources we have. Like I'm stoked for the future. Like I know there is value here and thank you in advance. Help us meet our goal. We're at 31 right now. Are you live members? We have a long way to go, but we have six months to do it. I think we can, we can make it happen. Can't wait to see you on the other side.
- [83:54]
B
Hell yeah.
- [83:54]
A
Later. Wow. So we just dropped a ton on you and I don't mean to muddy the waters, but there's two things I wish I meant mentioned at the end of today's recording that I think would really serve you and frankly really help us get liquid because we have a lot to invest in and we need to get liquid. We need to have big item sales, full transparency. I'm not trying to pull any fast ones on you. The best way you can Support us is 1, by standing signing up for the annual option. When you go through the landing pages to sign up for either RU library or restaurant Unstoppable Live you get the option to sign up annually. That really supports us. Two, if you want to set up a two hour one on one with me, what you can do is head over to restaurantsoppable.com evolve. It's a two hour one on one where I literally just spend two hours listening to you, your story, your, your challenges, your strengths, your weaknesses, your opportunities. I just try to gather as much information about you as possible and then based off of what you've shared with me, I help steer you with your next steps in your business and I connect you, I literally connect you with the people that I think can help and I'll give you three months access, free access to all are you live where I will literally make those connections happen. And then lastly, somebody actually came to us in restaurant Stoppable network and they said I would love the option to be able to sponsor some of my team members to be here live in these events. You have marketing events, you have leadership events, you have, you know, like financial events. Like I don't need to be at all these events but I would love to assign my members to attend these events and have them get access to to your network. And that is an option. So basically email me Eric estaurant unstoppable.com if you're interested in that and if there's demand, what we'll do is we'll set that up, we'll make it possible and we'll get that rolling as fast as possible. So again those calls to action sign up for the annual option with either RU Library or RU Live. Do the RU Evolve which is a two hour one on one with me plus three months access to RU Live. Or let me know. Email me ericestaurunstoppable.com if you're interested in in a restaurant group package offer that will really help us out guys. And our goal is to get to 250 members by the end of the year. We're at 31 right now. Help us get to like 45 or 50 in the next month. That would be amazing. Thank you so much.