So Long, Farewell
Michael “Schatzy” Schatzberg
?? Hospitality & Foodservice | ?? Investor | Technology & Emerging Brands | Restaurant Owner | TechStars Mentor | Advisor | Co-Founder & Managing Partner | ??? Podcast & Talk Show Host | Industry Influencer ?Entrepreneur
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Friends of Branded!
Happy Saturday and I hope you had a great week!
I was up in Southport, CT on Wednesday this week meeting with an old friend from college, who is also one of the leading experts when it comes to investing in the restaurant industry.
We covered a lot of ground and topics while we shared a few pints at The Shoe (thank you Dino for your hospitality). One thing my friend and I share, we both love the hospitality industry.
I’ve heard several variations of the expression, “I didn’t choose the hospitality industry, it chose me.” Attribution of this quote or expression can be attributed to a number of folks, but I’ll attribute this saying to the CEO of Branded’s most recent addition to our portfolio, Mr. John Meadow of LDV Hospitality.
I expect my partner and Branded’s Head of MARCOM & Media, Julie Zucker, is going to throw a flag on me for front-running the soon to be released podcast we recorded with Mr. Meadow, but that’s a risk I’m prepared to take. ??
In our PepsiCo Podcast Studio (our Hospitality Hangout is #BetterWithPepsi), John and I were sharing some of our favorite “isms” (or sayings), when he shared his thoughts on his journey in the hospitality industry, which was that “this business chooses you.” John’s professional journey is something you can Google (or wait until this edition of the podcast is released), but it’s clear that he’s a hospitality-guy, it’s in his DNA and the business that most certainly chose him.
To be clear, the hospitality industry doesn’t have exclusivity over this expression. What this saying really means is that sometimes a person is lucky enough to find themselves in a position that they may not have realized or considered to be a career choice, but that provides them with an unexpected level of self-gratification. If you’re lucky enough to be such a person that feels that way about your career, congratulations, you’re pretty darn lucky!
Now back to The Shoe.
My friend and I talked about the good, the bad and the otherwise of our industry and specifically all that has changed as well as all that hasn’t. A business has every right to stay true to itself and to remain its authentic self. Respect. And a customer, guest, client, and fan have every right to embrace or not embrace with said business. That’s only fair, right?
Branded’s portfolio company, Big Chicken, was down at the PepsiCo Design and Innovation Centre for some recording work and Schatz and I had the privilege of being invited down to spend some time with various members of the team.
Schatz and I want to thank our friend and partner, Mr. Josh Halpern for extending the invitation to us to be part of this afternoon and watch the Big Chicken team in action. Since I understand you didn’t make The “B” List again this week, I figured I’d use a recent recognition that was bestowed upon you by our friends at Fast Casual. ??
While this afternoon visit may sound like a boondoggle of sort, I must say, it was an amazing experience and one that helped me understand this company more than any presentation, spreadsheet, or previous meeting I’ve been part of.
Yes, it was a fun, enjoyable and at times, hilarious afternoon, but it was also a most meaningful experience. The studio was full of of people, but focus and work was done by the O’Neal family. The stars of the day were Mr. Shaquille O’Neal, Lucielle O’Neal, and Taahirah O’Neal (and I also want to give a shoutout to Uncle Mike who was also part of the shoot).
Branded has been working with Josh, Sam Stanovich and other members of the team for a while now, but this was our first time engaging and watching the O’Neal family’s work with this company.
The passion, energy, care, thoughtfulness, and engagement with and from the O’Neal family is something I wish others could see (or at least wish our investors could see).
I believe when people see videos and clips of Mr. O’Neal and his company, Big Chicken, you sense a closeness and connection, but then you check yourself and assume he’s just a good actor.
Spoiler alert, he is a good actor, but on this set and in connection with this company, Mr. O’Neal is not acting. This is his company, his family’s business, and will be part of his legacy. The O’Neal’s family work on the set was authentic, real and fun to watch (and the music and food were all pretty awesome as well). ??
I was a guest at this shoot and the amazing work done isn’t mine to share or front-run, but I can tell you it was meaningful to watch that magic come together.
The second Shoutout this week goes to our friends at Qu Pos and the article they published on Loyalty 3.0: Elevating Guest Engagement Through Deeper Insights
Loyalty continues to be a big area of focus for Branded and we’ll continue to pound the table on the importance of loyalty.
Branded invites readers of the H^2 that are interested in learning more about our portfolio companies, and investment strategies to become part of our Access Hospitality Network.
Who made the B List?
TECHNOLOGY
Universal Key Features for Selling Technology to Multi-Unit Restaurant Brands
By: Seth Temko, Solutions Services Partner at Branded Hospitality Ventures
Discover the five essential tech features—user hierarchies, detailed reporting, location-specific data handling, seamless integrations, and data change staging—that can revolutionize multi-unit restaurant management.
MARKETING
Proven Methods to Grow Your Restaurant's Follower Count on Instagram
By: Rev Ciancio, Head of Revenue Marketing at Branded Hospitality Ventures
I get asked all the time, "how do we grow our follower count on Instagram?" The honest answer is to have incredible service, incredible food, and use best organic growth practices.
That’s it for today!
See you next week, (about the) same bat-time, same bat-channel.
It takes a village!
Branded Hospitality Ventures ("Branded") is an investment and advisory platform at the intersection of food service, technology, innovation and capital. As experienced hospitality owners and operators, Branded brings value to its portfolio companies through investment, strategic counsel, and its deep industry expertise and connections.
Learn more about Branded here: Branded At-A-Glance
Thank you for sharing these insights. The intersection of technology and hospitality is fascinating, especially how Loyalty 3.0 is reshaping guest engagement. What do you think is the next big trend in this space?
Revolutionizing kitchens with healthier, safer, and cost-effective MUFA cooking oils.
8 个月It is interesting to see the One Act plays are a Buzz. But today, they all seem to be about branding and not what's in it for the consumer. Likewise, I have not seen a video that actually proves a product can make dollars before or after it is sold.