In this episode of Pitch The Tide, Brenda Saunders shares how Trakr is making inventory simpler for every restaurant that’s still stuck with clipboards and spreadsheets. As the founder and CEO, Brenda built Trakr to solve a universal operational headache: inconsistent, time-consuming, error-prone counts that throw off ordering and create waste. Trakr gives teams a […]
Shawn Walchef wants every operator to understand one truth: you are not posting enough. The founder of Cali BBQ and Cali BBQ Media has built a business around one simple habit most operators still overlook. He pulls out his phone. He records. He shares. And over time, those micro moments have turned into millions of […]
In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef, , the conversation focused on stepping out of your comfort zone and why growth only happens when you do. From live reports at RFDC in Las Vegas to community members sharing their own real-world stories, the group explored how discomfort fuels learning, leadership, and momentum. Operators […]
Ty Wilson and James Tice took different professional routes, but both grew up in restaurants and understand hospitality at its core. Wilson spent his childhood working in his parents’ restaurants before moving into investment banking. Tice started in restaurants too before building a career in payments and technology. Their shared background gives them a deep […]
In this episode of Pitch The Tide, Beth Hussey, founder of Shifty, steps up to share how her platform is transforming restaurant training and retention. A lifelong operator turned tech founder, Beth built Shifty to solve one of hospitality’s biggest pain points: high turnover and inconsistent onboarding. Her solution replaces clunky binders and outdated manuals […]
In this latest Coaching Call with entrepreneur, podcast host, and mentor David Meltzer, host Shawn Walchef share a wide-ranging conversation that moves from the NFL to personal discipline, from content creation to faith. It is part mentorship, part friendship, and always a reminder of how purpose and consistency shape success. “Motivation will get you up,” […]
In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef and Elizabeth Doss, the conversation focused on treating content like experiments rather than finished products. The group explored how play, creativity, and imperfection lead to growth both personally and professionally. By removing the pressure to be perfect, creators and operators can rediscover the fun […]
When Luis Martinez-Moure and Adarsh Nagesh started talking, it wasn’t a pitch meeting. It was a collision of two people who saw the same problem from different worlds. Luis had spent years inside DoorDash and Instacart, learning how chaotic operations could get when data was scattered and decisions were made on gut feeling. Adarsh came […]
This weekly Friday series gives founders the mic to share their vision and get unfiltered feedback from a community of operators, leaders, and peers. In this session, Luis Martinez-Moure presented Pathway, the company behind Patty, an AI-powered assistant built to help restaurant owners run smarter, faster, and more profitably. Patty connects to the systems operators […]
Media as a Service: The New Blueprint for B2B Creators Shawn Walchef believes the future of business storytelling belongs to creators who act like media companies. The founder of Cali BBQ and Cali BBQ Media has turned a San Diego barbecue joint into a digital media brand that now partners with major companies like Amazon, […]
In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef, the conversation centered on closing the year strong, not circling back. The group discussed how operators, creators, and partners can stay proactive during the final stretch of the year by showing up, sharing stories, and planning ahead for 2026. Themes of accountability, consistency, and generosity […]
Great restaurant groups are built behind the scenes long before guests take their seats. RA Ventures is one of those groups. It has grown to 55 locations across multiple concepts by investing in the invisible work that makes restaurants run: training, administration, and real leadership development. The group elevates the operators who build culture every […]
In this session, James Tice, Head of Growth at Tab Commerce, shares how the Tab Card helps restaurants take control of their finances. Designed specifically for operators, the Tab Card offers higher credit limits, extended terms, and smarter automation to match how restaurants actually operate. Built from real conversations with operators, it replaces messy back-office […]
In the restaurant business, growth is often shaped by the lessons no one plans for. After 17 years and multiple locations, Cali BBQ has seen its share of successes, surprises, and hard-earned wisdom. The business has evolved, the community has grown, and the brand has expanded into media through Cali BBQ Media and the Restaurant […]
In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef, the conversation centered on distribution, what it is, why it matters, and how operators and creators can use it to grow. The group defined distribution as the art and system of getting what you make seen, shared, and monetized across owned, earned, paid, and partner […]
Shawn Walchef believes every restaurant owner has a story worth telling, they just have to hit record. The founder of Cali BBQ and Cali BBQ Media has built his business, brand partnerships, and friendships through one platform most operators overlook: LinkedIn. What started as a few posts about barbecue turned into millions of impressions, national […]
This weekly Friday series gives founders the mic to share their vision and get unfiltered feedback from a community of operators, leaders, and peers. In this session, Hildee Isaacs presented Gotta Sing Events, a group sing-along experience designed for restaurants, venues, and communities that want joy, connection, and full dining rooms on off nights. A […]
Shawn Walchef believes your menu isn’t just a list of dishes, it’s a treasure map. The founder of Cali BBQ and Cali BBQ Media has spent 16 years studying what separates thriving restaurants from struggling ones. The answer, he says, often starts on the menu. “Just because you can serve it doesn’t mean you should,” […]
Chris Tripoli, Speaker, Author, Educator, and Hospitality Specialist, fills in this week for Shawn Walchef to explore the art of long-term brand management and how restaurants can avoid becoming the next Cracker Barrel. Drawing from decades of restaurant experience, Chris breaks down the difference between a rebrand and a refresh, why guest perception is the […]
Demetri Tsolakis grew up doing homework at a booth in his family’s restaurant, watching guests turn from strangers into friends. He learned English from customers, hospitality from his parents, and quickly discovered that his happiest moments happened in the dining room. Following His Dreams His parents wanted him to be a lawyer or a doctor. […]