The Power of Listening

Listening has been and continues to be one of Venga’s core philosophies. 

Nine years ago, when Venga was founded, we couldn’t rely on my or my cofounder Sam’s hospitality experience. Mine lasted a whopping 3 days - my best friend in college hired me as a bar-back, then fired me (probably because I was drinking the beer instead of restocking it). At least I’ve got Sam beat - with his zero days experience.  

Sam and I built our knowledge by learning at the feet of countless hospitality veterans - whether they financially invested in Venga, sit on our Advisory Board, or use Venga to better understand and engage their diners. Sam and I also surround ourselves with an amazing team who possess not only the empathetic ear but also the hospitality chops. We soak up their knowledge every day. Among our ranks: 

• Katie, with over 18 years of experience as a server, line cook and chocolatier, brings the perfectionist nature she learned in the kitchen to her current role at Venga;
• Caitlin has been in hospitality for over 17 years. Her first job as hostess had to be walking distance from home because she was too young to drive;
• Steve brings two decades of hospitality experience to the table. He still proudly wears his TGIF flare-filled suspenders and recites The Ritz-Carlton credo;
• Jack, on the weekends, does his best imitation of Tom Cruise in Cocktail at a few DC watering holes;
• Travis learned all about service while working at Chick-fil-A;
• Sarah takes pride in remembering her customer’s favorite pizza pies; and
• Emily has done it all - dishwasher, banquet manager, server.

Today, active listening and learning from thought leaders in the industry continues to be just as important because it’s how the best ideas originate. When you can understand an operator’s pain points, you meet their needs, as opposed to creating something you think they want. 

Our just completed Hospitality Roundtable is the most recent example. The sold-out, yet still intentionally intimate event saw forty hospitality leaders from as far away as London, Seattle and San Diego descend upon Washington, DC. This year’s theme: Connecting with your Guests, Colleagues, and Peers. 

So, what makes our Roundtable different than the hundreds of events out there? It originated from a 2015 brainstorm I had with Bryn Jones (VP Marketing & Retail, Huse Culinary) and Matthew Joseph (IT Infrastructure Director, Bluestone Lane) at a restaurant conference. During a break between panels stacked with vendors hawking their ‘game changing’ and ‘unique’ software solutions, Bryn and Matthew lamented they typically leave with barely written-in notebooks, and only hear pre-packaged answers to softball questions lobbed from “Company X”-friendly audience members. When I asked them why they continue to go, they pointed to the fading hope that they might find, among the sea of vendors (aka “sharks looking for blood”), like-minded operators for networking. But they inevitably always left disappointed. 

[Side Note: Don’t get me wrong, as the cofounder and Chief Evangelist of a software solution, I could also be labeled a shark and you’ll probably see me at these conferences. They do offer an opportunity to learn what’s new, unearth trends, and meet some really interesting and smart people.] 

I heard Bryn and Matthew loud and clear. They craved a forum where vendors got out of the way so smart, forward-thinking operators could talk amongst themselves - share frustrations, illuminate lessons learned and offer best practices. I wasn’t completely sold on the concept fearing that it would be an event filled with awkward silence. Sure, operators would love to hear what others had to say but wouldn’t volunteer their learnings, especially the successful ones.  

Boy was I wrong.  

We based each session on what was top of mind for the operators - Takeout and Delivery Trends, Rise of the Chief Marketing Technology Officer, Technology Trends and Roadmap. They kicked off with brief, thought provoking introductions by Venga and our masterful moderator Fred LeFranc, Founder of Results Thru Strategy. We reserved the bulk of the time for robust, frank conversations between groups like Lettuce Entertain You, Ralph Brennan, Dave Magrogan, Bloomin’ Brands, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, and Patina Restaurant Group.  

Our only panel consisted of two-power couples in Hospitality. Venga Board Member and former Food & Wine Publisher Christina Grdovic and leading PR guru Phil Baltz. They were joined by former Food & Wine Editor-in-Chief and current Top Chef Judge Nilou Motamed and her husband Conde Nast Editor-at-Large Peter Jon Lindberg. Not surprisingly, it was extremely entertaining and enlightening. It’s rare for operators to get the inside scoop on how to pitch stories. Hint: never use these words in a press release - foodie, nestled, perch, fare, gourmet, eatery, washing down, hot spots, local gem, goodies, treats, showcase, boast. 

Each session lasted 90 minutes but could have gone on twice as long. You can get a full recap here. 

Attendees lauded the event giving us an 83 NPS score which is considered ‘world-class.’ Ralph Brennan’s VP raved, “The spirit of collaboration between and among such an accomplished group of hospitality leaders was admirable, refreshing, and most of all - inspiring!" The former CMO of The Palm dubbed the Roundtable “an operator’s group therapy session.” I’m not sure if she saw me more like Dr. Phil or Jerry Springer but I’ll take it. I look forward to many more.