Restaurant Unstoppable – Episode 1206: "The Best Investment to Become Unstoppable"
Airdate: July 31, 2025
Host: Eric Cacciatore
Co-Host/Guest: Jared Parisi (Co-Producer & Editor)
Main Theme and Purpose
This "Getting Personal" episode dives deep into the philosophy and operational evolution of Restaurant Unstoppable. Rather than featuring a restaurant industry guest, Eric and his longtime collaborator Jared reflect on their journey, discuss core values, business pivots, and the strategies behind building a meaningful, impactful community for restaurateurs. The guiding thesis of the episode is that the best investment you can make is in yourself—through mentorship, community, and access to information.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Reflecting on the Journey and Business Structure
[04:00–15:00]
- Eric and Jared share personal reflections on nearly a decade of collaboration; the show's evolution and challenges.
- Frustrations over promises made in prior episodes and whether they've followed through:
- "It's always that questioning yourself and your integrity. When you put things into the world and you say, I'm going to do this. Did we do it?" (A, 05:14)
- Jared queries Eric about how traveling by camper has changed content creation and workflow.
2. Investment in Self – The Core Message
[00:00–06:00]
- “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...education and community.” (A, 00:45)
- Eric attributes his growth and Unstoppable Network's value to continuous learning, networking, and mentorship.
3. Operations, Team Structure, and Visionary vs. Integrator Roles
[10:16–13:22]
- Exposes the operational needs of Restaurant Unstoppable, the importance of hiring an “implementer” or “integrator”:
- “I’m a visionary, I’m a dreamer, I’m an idea person, 100%... I need an integrator...” (A, 12:17)
- Resource constraints prevent hiring full-time high-level staff, hence community-driven solutions.
4. Content Mission – Long-Form Interviews vs. Tactical Business Advice
[14:10–21:25]
- Debate: Are listeners drawn to the candid “life stories” or actionable, pointed business advice?
- Jared expresses curiosity over what truly resonates with listeners and how to balance both.
- Eric: Podcast’s uniqueness is being “on the road,” learning directly from restaurateurs in their element, led by word-of-mouth recommendations.
5. Life on the Road and Work/Life Balance
[17:51–24:28]
- Honest account of traveling/living in a camper: liberating but exhausting.
- “There comes...I had no idea what to expect. I had to learn how to dump shit out of a truck camper... I’ve seen weird things happen in the middle of the night in parking lots.” (A, 17:57)
- Challenge of balancing travel, relationship, and delivering quality content.
6. Evolution: From Interviews to Workshops and Community
[24:24–34:03]
- Returned to remote interviews & introduced workshops as deep dives into specific topics.
- Workshops and “RU Network” members now influence episode topics – a shift towards user-driven content.
7. Core Values and Maturation of the Brand
[49:36–59:47]
- Transition from old “guiding principles” to explicitly articulated core values: Freedom, Integrity, Curiosity, Transparency, Service to Others, Transcendence
- Eric’s personal story shapes these values: “Freedom” threads through decisions—commercial pilot, podcaster, camper.
- Transcendence: Striver’s mindset—being better tomorrow than today.
- Emotional moment:
- “If those resonate with you, those are the core values of restaurant unstoppable network. That's what we're all there to do.” (A, 60:02)
8. Building RU Network and Membership Offerings
[68:00–77:11]
- RU Library: $14.99/mo, ad-free and early content, transcripts search/AI tool, bonus content (mainly live event/workshop recordings).
- RU Live: Higher tier, full access to live events and workshops—mentoring sessions, power hours (Ops, Finance, Marketing, etc.), and direct access to Eric.
- “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.” (A, 70:57)
- RU Path (Upcoming): Mastermind-style, segmented by business stage (0–3, 4–10, 11–20+ locations), not yet live.
- “If I can help you, I can help thousands of people. And that's kind of the mindset going forward.” (A, 76:51)
9. Member-Driven Content & Testimonials
[36:38–39:41; 75:34–76:16]
- Real examples of members requesting workshops (e.g., Chargebacks) and Eric delivering.
- Jared shares his experience benefiting from guest connections (e.g., trademark lawyer introduction).
10. Transparency about Sponsorship, Financial Realities & Calls to Action
[61:12–64:20; 83:54–End]
- Eric is candid about sponsor selection, financial constraints, and a desire for listener/member-driven funding.
- “The sponsors I am working with... Your service becomes to sponsors, not listeners... For me it’s more about finding people that I want to promote.” (A, 61:57)
- Explains revenue goals, pricing logic, and reassures all surplus goes to growth and supporting the mission.
- Major Calls to Action:
- Sign up for annual RU Library or RU Live for maximum support and value.
- New “RU Evolve” 2-hour one-on-one consulting + 3 months RU Live access.
- Group/team packages for larger operations.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “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.” (A, 00:56)
- “Darkness is difficult and pathfinders are few.” – Jared’s recurring personal mantra (B, 06:09)
- “I'm a visionary... I need an integrator.” (A, 12:17)
- "Our one thing really well, was going to be long form in person interviews... I guess that is, would you say that's still our one thing?" (A, 14:01)
- “Our unique selling proposition… is trust. In my mind, the truest form of marketing and information gathering is talking to people.” (A, 19:23)
- "The journey starts with, who are these people? What are their beliefs? Their business beliefs? What are their values?... Really, like, I think that's one of our other unique selling propositions.” (A, 26:26)
- “If you’re listening ... why do you listen to Restaurant Unstoppable? Is it because you like long form open-ended conversations and stories ... or are you here because you want pointed advice?” (B, 30:02)
- "Inspire, empower, transform." — Summing up the mission through stories, knowledge, and community (A, 33:47)
- On the value of community access:
- "The biggest. The big, like, your ability to influence the content of the podcast as a network member is pretty amazing." (B, 36:51)
- Eric on transparency:
- "I have a lot of confidence. My unique selling proposition... is trust. So if I say something, I want to make sure that... I'm not screwing somebody over." (A, 39:11)
- "If those resonate with you, those are the core values of restaurant unstoppable network." (A, 60:02)
- "My podcast is your podcast is what I'm trying to communicate." (A, 60:25)
- Calls to action:
- "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.” (A, 82:11)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [00:00-06:00]: Episode’s theme – investing in yourself (mentors, community, education).
- [10:16-13:22]: Business roles, integrator need, challenges in growth.
- [17:51-24:28]: Living and working on the road; challenges and surprises.
- [33:47-34:03]: Explained mission: Inspire, Empower, Transform.
- [49:36-59:47]: Core value evolution; new set and their meanings.
- [68:00-77:11]: Overview of membership offerings (RU Library, Live, Path), live event types, benefits.
- [75:34-76:16]: Member-driven problem solving and value of direct access.
- [82:11-83:53]: Calls to action, current state, and vision for future growth.
The Episode’s Energy & Tone
- Authentic, open, optimistic but grounded: Eric and Jared are transparent about struggles, progress, and hopes.
- Collaborative & self-critical: Willingness to examine flaws, adapt strategies, and solicit direct listener feedback.
- Empowering, humble, and service-oriented: The heart of the message is the power of learning together.
Resources and Calls to Action
- RU Library / RU Live / RU Evolve:
- Early access, ad-free content, AI summaries, workshops, direct mentoring.
- Support via annual membership or 1:1 consults.
- Encouraged to reach out: Feedback, questions, or interest in starting a podcast — Eric (eric@restaurantunstoppable.com), Jared (jaredp@restaurantunstoppable.com).