DiscoverPizza King Podcast: Empowering Pizzeria Leadership
Pizza King Podcast: Empowering Pizzeria Leadership
Claim Ownership

Pizza King Podcast: Empowering Pizzeria Leadership

Author: Tyrell Reed

Subscribed: 2Played: 10
Share

Description

The Pizza King Podcast is where pizzeria owners and operators go to sharpen their skills, build better teams, and grow more profitable businesses. Hosted by Tyrell Reed—franchise leader, coach, and author of Next Level Leadership—each episode delivers practical insights, real-life stories, and expert advice to help you win in the pizza business. Whether you're opening your first shop or scaling your tenth, this show is your guide to pizza business excellence. 

79 Episodes
Reverse
Delivery grows reach fast, or drains cash. You decide by timing, costs, and tight systems. In this episode you get a readiness checklist, true cost factors, fee and minimums that protect margin, zone setup, and a simple hybrid model that uses first party orders with third party drivers. You also get examples you can copy today, including a delivery fee split and distance-based pricing. Free New Store Opening ChecklistNew Pizzeria? Free Store Opening Checklist! Ace Your LaunchFree Work...
Know Your Business

Know Your Business

2025-10-1006:37

It’s okay to outsource what you’re not good at. It’s not okay to be blind to what’s happening in your business. In this Takeout Tip, I break down why every pizzeria owner and manager needs to understand the systems, numbers, and details that keep their shop running. From social media to POS reports, knowing the basics keeps you from being taken advantage of and helps you lead with confidence. Key Takeaways You don’t have to do everything, but you must understand everything.Blind trust c...
Five years in. A tiny shop with a big standard. Johnny Carrillo shares how Pizza Collective in Reno stayed alive, grew sales year over year, and kept bread the star. We talk early crises, community, simple systems, and promoting leaders from within. If you run a small shop, this one is for you. Learn more thepizzacollectivereno.com Follow on IG @thepizzacollectivereno DM us a screenshot of your review and get a special gift! Free New Store Opening ChecklistNew Pizzeria? Free Store Openi...
Today I break down six signals that help you spot a future leader in your shop. You will hear what ownership looks like on the floor, why caring about people matters, and how consistency, smart questions, and coachability separate the next captain from everyone else. I end with a simple play, give them small leadership reps and watch how they handle the work. Rate and review the show, then share it with one operator who needs this. New episodes all month for National Pizza Month. ...
National Pizza Month continues. I walk you through exactly how I would start a pizza business today. We cover concept, business plan, startup costs, permits, site selection, layout, menu costing, hiring, training, pre-opening marketing, and the grand opening. You will leave with a checklist you can use this week. I also share practical targets, how to run quick break-even math, and how to stock your reviews before day one. Listen. Take notes. Then move. DM us a screenshot of your review...
Owning a pizza shop looks fun from the outside. But behind every great pie are real struggles that most operators never talk about. In this episode, I break down the five biggest challenges every pizzeria owner faces and how to beat them. From hiring and rising food costs to burnout and bad marketing, I share the lessons I’ve learned over two decades in the business and what it really takes to run a thriving shop. You’ll learn: • How to hire and keep the right people • What to do when food ...
Day five of the podcast-a-thon. I answer real questions from owners and new operators. We talk true startup costs, profitable formats, and how to pick a location. I share the core gear you should never cheap out on, how to train for consistency, and how to keep people engaged. We hit turnover, leadership pipelines, and the path to your first 100 repeat customers. I close with when to think about store two, and what must be true before you expand. Simple, direct, what works in the real w...
Mastery Never Ends

Mastery Never Ends

2025-10-0413:14

I sold the shop, but I refuse to lose my edge. Today I share how I stay in the game when I’m not in daily ops. Pizza Friday at home with my boys. Testing flatbreads. Why “just like riding a bike” is a lie when you stop pedaling. How I use events, workshops, and hands-on reps to keep learning. I also break down the six-day schedule that feels like five, a simple pattern that saved my managers from burnout. I close with where you can meet me live, plus the weekly workshop invite. Mastery never ...
Weekly inventory is not paperwork, it is protection. You cut waste. You stop over ordering. You find theft and portion issues fast. I show you how to set the cadence, set up your count sheet, and compare usage to sales so your food cost drops and your cashflow improves. Start this week. Track results for four weeks. Watch your margin rise. Free Workshop for Pizzeria OwnersFree workshop: Build a team that runs your shop + get the Manager’s ChecklistTodd's Curry SauceGet 10% Off using cod...
Short solo episode. Day 2 of my 31-day podcast-a-thon for National Pizza Month. I share why I am doing this daily, how it forces cleaner workflows, and why quick daily episodes help you win. We talk about the origin of National Pizza Month in the 1980s and how shops use October for smart promos, fundraisers, and team engagement. I ask you what you are doing in your shop this month. Shirts. Givebacks. Weekly specials. Events. Pick something and move. Join my live Tuesday workshop at 2 pm...
I kick off National Pizza Month with a tribute to Westshore Pizza, the brand that shaped my career. From Bobby V’s first shop in Tampa in 1994 to its rapid growth, I share stories, lessons, and even call Bob himself to set the record straight on an old rumor. Free Workshop for Pizzeria OwnersFree workshop: Build a team that runs your shop + get the Manager’s ChecklistDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to yo...
I sat down with Ilir Sela, founder and CEO of Slice, to talk about how independent pizzerias can compete with the big chains. Slice started as an online ordering platform and has grown into a network of 15,000 shops across all 50 states. Ilir shared how Slice helps with POS, marketing, supplies, and even answering phones so operators don’t leave money on the table. We also talked about the value of scale, why focusing on existing customers beats chasing new ones, and how Slice is building the...
In this week’s Takeout Tip, I’m sharing one of the simplest but most impactful lessons in leadership: you inspect what you expect. I talk about a real story from my early days in the business and how consistent inspection raised the bar for my team. I break down how small details, like the way cash was stacked or how clean the make line stayed, turned into daily standards that drove long-term success. I also give you three practical ways to put this philosophy to work in your shop right now: ...
Banks freeze your money. Credit cards take 3 percent. What if there was a better way? In this episode, I sit down with Bryan Barton from Food Token to talk about how restaurants can start accepting Bitcoin and cryptocurrency with zero hassle. We break down how Food Token converts crypto into gift cards, what it costs (just 10 cents a transaction), and why early adopters will stand out with customers. Bryan also shares the story of how he got “de-banked” 24 times and turned that frustration in...
Overwhelmed by everything you want to fix in your pizzeria? Tyrell Reed shares Michael LaMarca’s approach from the Pizza Power Forum: solve one problem a week and build steady momentum Free Workshop for Pizzeria OwnersFree workshop: Build a team that runs your shop + get the Manager’s ChecklistDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show We Appreciate Your Support Hey, if you’ve gotten any value ...
In this episode of the Pizza King Podcast, host Tyrell Reed speaks with Garrett Klein, owner of Vincenzo's Pizzeria in Levittown, New York. They discuss the journey of running a pizzeria, the importance of community support, and the challenges of maintaining quality and pricing in the pizza business. Garrett shares his love for pizza, the cultural significance of New York-style pizza, and the balance between giving back to the community while navigating customer expectations. The conversation...
In this Takeout Tip, I’m breaking down five simple ways you can build trust fast with your pizzeria team. Trust isn’t built on big, flashy moments—it’s stacked up from the small, consistent things you do every day. I’ll share why showing up steady, being transparent, following through on promises, owning mistakes, and listening more than you talk are the keys to creating a culture where your crew believes in you and each other. Short, simple, and ready to put into practice today in your shop....
Summary In this episode of the Pizza King podcast, Tyrell Reed shares insights from his recent experience at the Pizza Power Forum. He emphasizes the importance of community within the pizza industry, highlights key networking opportunities, and discusses valuable lessons learned from industry leaders, particularly from Chick-fil-A. The conversation also covers marketing strategies, the significance of creating genuine connections, and practical advice for scaling a pizza business. Tyrell enc...
In this Takeout Tip, I share a line I picked up at the Pizza Power Forum that hit me hard: “Create conversations, not campaigns.” Most operators treat social media like a flyer, posting specials and coupons with no real connection. I explain why that approach doesn’t work and how you can shift your strategy. I walk through: Why asking questions beats posting picturesHow putting your team on camera builds loyaltyWhy responding quickly matters more than likesEasy ways to use polls and stories t...
Learn how to cut costs in your pizzeria without cutting quality. In this episode, Tyrell Reed shares three proven strategies every operator can use: portion control to keep food costs in line, smart ordering to avoid waste, and efficient scheduling to save on labor. These steps can add up to thousands of dollars in savings each month while keeping your pizzas, service, and customer experience consistent. If you’re serious about profitability and growth, this episode will help you run a leaner...
loading
Comments