The Bar Business Podcast: Bar & Pub Owner Profits, Marketing & Operations

Chris Schneider, The Bar Business Coach
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  • Marketing
  • Updated weekly

Are you spending more time stuck behind the bar than building a business that runs smoothly without you?If you're a bar owner who feels overwhelmed by the day-to-day grind of hospitality and is struggling to balance operations, marketing, and profits this show is for you. Chris Schneider, with over 20 years in the industry, created this podcast to help you overcome burnout, increase profits, and create a business you can enjoy—not just endure.Join us every Monday and Wednesday to: Get expert strategies to boost profits while attracting loyal customers.Learn bar marketing tactics, menu design hacks, and leadership tools that simplify operations.Build the bar or pub that you have always dreamt of owning. Ready to take control of your bar’s success? Start by tuning into the fan-favorite episode: 5 Strategies to Boost Bar Profits This Week: Quick Wins for Bar Owners. 

  1. 3 days ago

    Happy Hour Profitability and How to Know If Your Bar’s Specials Actually Work

    Good drinks aren’t the only thing that can make or break a happy hour. A packed bar can still be losing money. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to tell if your happy hour is actually creating new business or just discounting drinks for people who would have come in anyway. We’ll talk about cover count, check average, discounted sales, guest behavior, and the numbers you need to look at before deciding whether your happy hour is really working. Because a busy bar looks good. But if the profit isn’t there, the promotion may not be doing its job. 📌Start Here Own, run, or manage a bar? Join Bar Business Nation. An EXCLUSIVE private Facebook group for bar owners and operators who want better ways to run the business. Ask questions, hear what other owners are dealing with, and get ideas you can actually use. 🔴Join here:  → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

  2. 12 Aug

    Bar Loans, Business Credit, and Getting Approved with Matt Meehan and Luigi Rosabianca

    Most bar owners don't think about financing until they need money—and by then, the decisions they've already made can determine whether a lender says yes or no.  In this episode, I'm joined by Matt Meehan and Luigi Rosabianca to break down what actually makes a bar or restaurant lendable, why your financial foundation matters long before you apply, and where owners get themselves into trouble with the wrong types of financing.  We get into clean books, business structure, bank accounts, personal and business credit, CPAs, merchant cash advances, equipment financing, lines of credit, SBA loans, and why the money you borrow should match exactly what you're using it for.  Because getting access to capital isn't just about finding the right lender. It's about building a business a lender can actually understand and confidently lend to.  CreditBanc.io — Check their website and learn more Creditbanc.io/business-credit-builder — Learn how to build business credit  www.youtube.com/@Credit_Banc — Watch their business finance videos  https://www.youtube.com/@theliquidlunchproject—  Get small business and finance insights  @MatthewRMeehan — Follow Matt on social media  @LuigiRosabianca — Follow Luigi on social media 📌Start Here Own, run, or manage a bar? Join Bar Business Nation. An EXCLUSIVE private Facebook group for bar owners and operators who want better ways to run the business. Ask questions, hear what other owners are dealing with, and get ideas you can actually use. 🔴Join here:  → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

  3. 10 Aug

    Signature Cocktails: Turn One Drink Into a Word-of-Mouth Marketing Asset

    Having a bestselling cocktail does not mean you have a signature drink. A bestseller moves units. A signature moves people. In this episode, I’m breaking down what turns an ordinary cocktail into something guests photograph, talk about, recommend to friends, and associate specifically with your bar. We’ll cover the five things a signature drink needs, how to identify a potential signature using your PMIX, how to create one if you don't already have it, and how to use your staff, menu, pricing, and social media to turn that drink into marketing. Because one drink people remember and talk about can be worth more than another promotion you're constantly paying to run. 📌Start Here Own, run, or manage a bar? Join Bar Business Nation. An EXCLUSIVE private Facebook group for bar owners and operators who want better ways to run the business. Ask questions, hear what other owners are dealing with, and get ideas you can actually use. 🔴Join here:  → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

  4. 5 Aug

    The Pour Cost System: Calculate It, Track It, and Protect Your Margins

    Most bar owners don't have a pour cost problem. They have a tracking problem. In this episode, I'm breaking down how to calculate pour cost correctly, why monthly reports are too late, and how to build a weekly system that catches profit leaks before they become expensive. We'll cover inventory, actual versus theoretical costs, category benchmarks, variance tracking, staff accountability, and operational controls that help you protect your margins every single week. Because you can't fix the numbers if you're measuring the wrong ones. 📌Start Here Own, run, or manage a bar? Join Bar Business Nation. An EXCLUSIVE private Facebook group for bar owners and operators who want better ways to run the business. Ask questions, hear what other owners are dealing with, and get ideas you can actually use. 🔴Join here:  → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

  5. 3 Aug

    How to Spot the Signs Before Your Regulars Leave

    Most unhappy customers never tell you something is wrong.  They simply stop showing up.  In this episode, I'm breaking down why silence is one of the most dangerous signals in the bar business and how to recognize the subtle behavior changes your regulars make before they disappear.  We'll talk about visit frequency, ordering habits, dwell time, body language, referrals, and how to build a simple system that helps you notice these patterns before they become lost revenue.  Because your best regulars don't usually leave all at once.  They fade.  And if you know how to read the signs, you can strengthen relationships before they're gone.  📌Start Here Own, run, or manage a bar? Join Bar Business Nation. An EXCLUSIVE private Facebook group for bar owners and operators who want better ways to run the business. Ask questions, hear what other owners are dealing with, and get ideas you can actually use. 🔴Join here:  → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

  6. 29 Jul

    Bar Marketing Strategy: How to Avoid Slow Nights Before They Happen

    Bar owners who avoid slow nights are not just lucky. They planned better. In this episode, I’m breaking down my Anchor Rhythm Tactical Marketing System and how it helps you plan your year, your week, and tonight. We’ll talk about anchor events, weekly rhythm programming, and tactical promotions you can use when you need a short-term revenue bump. Because if you are only posting when the bar is already slow, your marketing is late. The goal is to stop reinventing your marketing every week. Build the plan once, execute it consistently, and give your guests a reason to show up before you need them. 📌Start Here Own, run, or manage a bar? Join Bar Business Nation. An EXCLUSIVE private Facebook group for bar owners and operators who want better ways to run the business. Ask questions, hear what other owners are dealing with, and get ideas you can actually use. 🔴Join here:  → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

  7. 27 Jul

    Bar Breakeven Formula: How Turn Dollar Goals Into Guest Count

    Looking at breakeven in dollars does not help you run your bar. A dollar target sounds important, but it does not tell you what to do. In this episode, I’m breaking down a better way to look at breakeven: turning the number into guest count. We’ll talk about fixed costs, contribution margin, average check, and how to figure out how many more people you actually need in the seats. Because saying you need another $1,500 a week is abstract. Saying you need 75 more guests is something you and your team can actually work with. If your financial goals feel unclear, this episode will make the number usable. 📌Start Here Own, run, or manage a bar? Join Bar Business Nation. An EXCLUSIVE private Facebook group for bar owners and operators who want better ways to run the business. Ask questions, hear what other owners are dealing with, and get ideas you can actually use. 🔴Join here:  → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

  8. 22 Jul

    Bar Vendor Relationships: How to Get Better Pricing, Support, and Training

    Most bar owners treat vendors like a delivery service. That means they are probably leaving pricing, support, training, product knowledge, and market data on the table. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to turn your vendor relationships into real business partnerships instead of simple order-taking conversations. We’ll talk about what reps can actually provide, how to ask for better support, how to use supplier training with your team, and how to negotiate better terms when your state allows it. Your vendors want you to sell more. The question is whether you are giving them a reason to help. If you are only talking to reps when you need product, this episode is for you. 📌Start Here Own, run, or manage a bar? Join Bar Business Nation. An EXCLUSIVE private Facebook group for bar owners and operators who want better ways to run the business. Ask questions, hear what other owners are dealing with, and get ideas you can actually use. 🔴Join here:  → https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation 📌Additional resources 🔴Grab the books “How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!” and “Menus that Sell” here: → https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

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Are you spending more time stuck behind the bar than building a business that runs smoothly without you?If you're a bar owner who feels overwhelmed by the day-to-day grind of hospitality and is struggling to balance operations, marketing, and profits this show is for you. Chris Schneider, with over 20 years in the industry, created this podcast to help you overcome burnout, increase profits, and create a business you can enjoy—not just endure.Join us every Monday and Wednesday to: Get expert strategies to boost profits while attracting loyal customers.Learn bar marketing tactics, menu design hacks, and leadership tools that simplify operations.Build the bar or pub that you have always dreamt of owning. Ready to take control of your bar’s success? Start by tuning into the fan-favorite episode: 5 Strategies to Boost Bar Profits This Week: Quick Wins for Bar Owners. 

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