Take-Away with Sam Oches Nation's Restaurant News

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Scott Isaacs, president of Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, a 20-unit, full-service pizza concept out of Charlotte, N.C. Scott is a restaurant industry veteran, including 25 years spent at Darden, and he’s been tasked with bringing new energy and momentum to this 26-year-old concept. Scott joined the podcast to talk about the state of full-service pizza and how Brixx leans into food, service, and atmosphere as part of its value equation.  
In this conversation, you’ll find out why:
Smart operations plus healthy finances equal a strong brand All we’re going to talk about this year is value, value, valueYou should raise prices because you have to, not because you canThe next generation might have a different definition of value and you need to adaptFood, service, and atmosphere are three critical ingredients to loyalty
 Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com. 

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam first talks with Elisia Flores, CEO of L&L Hawaiian BBQ, and then Beto Guajardo, CEO of Blaze Pizza, in person at the Restaurant Leadership Conference in Phoenix. These two CEOs get to the heart of what it takes to be the leader of a restaurant brand at a time when the challenges are many and the change is frequent, and they share their strategies for capitalizing on opportunities in the marketplace. 
In this conversation, you’ll find out why:
Global flavor profiles are on the rise Leaders of franchise businesses live to fulfil others’ American dreamsYou need to find a balance between the bells and whistles and the things customers loved you for in the first place Expect fast-casual pizza to be a big player in the value warsThere is opportunity in leaning into your headwinds
Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com. 

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Dan Bejmuk, CEO and cofounder of the marketing firm Dreambox, and Lena Katz, principal creative with Variable Content. Dan and Lena each work closely with social media influencers, and Dan shares some thoughts on why restaurants should consider influencer marketing, plus some do’s and don’ts in building a campaign, then Lena gets really in the weeds on how business owners can construct an influencer campaign. 
Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com. 

In this special episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, NRN’s editor-in-chief talks with Tom Cindric, president of the National Restaurant Association Show. This year’s Show is held at Chicago’s McCormick Place this May 18-21, and Tom shares more about why restaurant leaders should attend this annual event, what’s new at the Show this year, how attendees can optimize their time in Chicago, and much more.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Ryan Ostrom, CMO for Jack in the Box. Recently named to NRN’s Power List of marketers and influencers, Ryan has been the driving force behind Jack in the Box’s CRAVED strategy, in which the brand focuses on being cultural, relevant, authentic, visible, easy, and distinctive to the guest. He joined the podcast to talk about that strategy and explains how the brand has leaned into its quirky personality, particularly with social media influencers. 
In this conversation, you’ll find out why:
You can’t afford to waste your marketingMarketing shouldn’t interrupt the conversation with the guest but be a part of itInfluencer marketing must be authentic, not scriptedNiche influencers provide a more natural opportunity to connect with communitiesSocial media is a great place to be edgy, but it must be authentic to your brand
Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com. 

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Kate Finley, founder and CEO of Belle Communication, a PR and social media firm that is particularly focused on influencer campaigns. Kate joined the podcast to talk about influencer marketing and how restaurants can properly tap into this creative community in an authentic and profitable way.
In this conversation, you’ll find out why:
You should consider investing more in influencer relations than influencer marketingInfluencers aren’t just here to talk about your new productYou need some clear KPIs with your influencer strategySize doesn’t always matter with influencer audiencesInfluencers are creatives, so don’t box yourself in too much 
Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.