Digital Hospitality

Shawn P. Walchef
  • 4.7 (102)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Digital Hospitality is an interview podcast series that explores the ways successful people have harnessed the power of the Internet and social media. The show is hosted by Cali BBQ Media Founder Shawn P. Walchef.

  1. 16H AGO

    The Decisions Leaders Delay That Cost The Most

    Pricing took center stage on Rising Tides Live as Christian Fischer filled in for Shawn Walchef, guiding the community through one of the toughest questions in business: how much to charge and what customers truly value. Restaurateurs, creators, and operators shared candid stories about confidence, value, and fear. A clear theme emerged: pricing is emotional, but better decisions come from listening, data, and strong relationships. When leaders test boldly and communicate value clearly, pricing becomes a tool for trust and growth.Interview Takeaways: Pricing Reflects Value — Pricing decisions are emotional, but the strongest strategies come from understanding what customers truly value. Listening, data, and feedback help operators charge with confidence. Test, Don’t Guess — Leaders who experiment with pricing, promotions, and offers gain clearer insights than those who rely on assumptions. Small tests lead to smarter decisions. Clarity Builds Trust — When businesses communicate value clearly and price with intention, customers respond with loyalty, trust, and long-term growth. Episode Links: Christian Fischer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianjfischer/ Cali BBQ Media: https://content.calibbq.media/ Join Our Next Show: https://betheshow.media/rising-tides/ Shawn Walchef on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/ About Our Sponsors DAVO: DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying... Click here to learn more Marqii: Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences... Click here to learn more

    1h 3m

  2. 1D AGO

    Pitch The Tide – Michael Diego: Founder of Relsih

    In this Pitch The Tide session, Michael Diego, president and CEO of relish, introduces a fully managed creator marketing platform built to help multi-location brands turn local voices into measurable growth. Relish connects restaurants and retailers with verified local creators who visit stores, document their experience, and share authentic content with their communities. Instead of chasing one expensive influencer or juggling spreadsheets, brands deploy dozens of hyperlocal storytellers at once. The focus of the pitch is clear: make your brand the talk of the town, drive real foot traffic, and power creator-led commerce at scale.Interview Takeaways: Creators Drive Real Discovery – Relish activates verified local creators who live near each store, turning authentic neighborhood voices into powerful drivers of foot traffic. Hyperlocal Campaigns, Managed End to End – From sourcing and approvals to scheduling and reporting, relish handles the operational lift so brands can scale creator marketing without spreadsheets or guesswork. Engineered Word of Mouth – Instead of relying on one big influencer, relish deploys groups of creators at once, generating concentrated buzz that helps brands become the talk of the town. Episode Links: Michael Diego LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeladiego/ Relish Online: https://tryrelish.com/ Relish LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tryrelish/ Cali BBQ Media: https://content.calibbq.media/ Join Our Next Show: https://betheshow.media/rising-tides/ Shawn Walchef on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/ About Our Sponsors DAVO: DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying... Click here to learn more Marqii: Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences... Click here to learn more

    47 min

  3. 2D AGO

    How Big Brands Should Work With B2B Creators

    Shawn Walchef breaks down how brands should approach partnerships with business creators in the B2B economy. He explains why working directly with operators beats agency-managed scripts, why follower count matters less than decision-maker density, and why measuring likes misses the real impact. The conversation reframes influencer marketing for serious brands, showing how long-term relationships, consistent storytelling, and trust inside the right rooms drive meaningful business results.Interview Takeaways: Direct Beats Delegated – The strongest brand partnerships happen when companies work directly with business creators, not through restrictive agency scripts. Trusting operators to tell their own stories creates depth, authenticity, and long-term impact that controlled campaigns rarely achieve. Influence Is About Density, Not Size – In B2B, follower count matters less than who is listening. Small but concentrated audiences of decision-makers can move budgets, partnerships, and strategy faster than large passive followings ever could. Measure Relationships, Not Likes – Vanity metrics miss the real return. Consistent storytelling across platforms builds familiarity, credibility, and trust. In B2B, one meaningful connection can outweigh thousands of impressions. Episode Links: Shawn Walchef LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/ Shawn Walchef Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnpwalchef/?hl=en Cali BBQ: https://calibbq.media/ About Our Sponsors DAVO: DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying... Click here to learn more Marqii: Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences... Click here to learn more

    6 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Rising Tides Live: Pricing! What To Charge? When To Charge?

    Pricing took center stage on Rising Tides Live as Shawn Walchef and the community wrestled with one of the hardest questions in business: how much to charge, when to change it, and what customers are actually responding to. From secret-menu mozzarella sticks and buffet coupons to 20/20 value promotions and paid discovery calls, restaurateurs, creators, operators, and service providers traded candid stories about confidence, value, and fear. A clear theme emerged: price is emotional, but decisions should be informed by listening, data, and relationships. When leaders ask better questions, test boldly, and communicate value clearly, pricing stops feeling reactive and starts becoming a strategic tool for trust, loyalty, and growth.Interview Takeaways: Confidence matters more than discounting. When leaders are truly confident in their product and their offer, pricing conversations shift from fear to value. That confidence shows up in how you talk about your work, how you serve customers, and how you stand behind your price. Better decisions start with real customer feedback. Guessing about pricing is risky. Asking customers directly, studying their behavior, and listening carefully gives you clearer insight into what they actually care about and how they experience value. Value has to be clearly communicated. Great products can still be misunderstood. Sometimes the best move is not changing your price, but telling your story better so customers fully understand what they are paying for and why it is worth it. Episode Links: Cali BBQ Media: https://content.calibbq.media/ Join Our Next Show: https://betheshow.media/rising-tides/ Shawn Walchef on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/ About Our Sponsors DAVO: DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying... Click here to learn more Marqii: Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences... Click here to learn more

    1h 11m

  5. 4D AGO

    Why This Restaurant Owner Turned to YouTube to Tell His Story

    Shawn Walchef sits down with Chef Christophe Cevasco, owner of Beeside Balcony, to talk about building a restaurant with focus, presence, and ownership. Cevasco shares what he learned leaving corporate dining, buying his first restaurant just before COVID, and resisting the urge to scale too fast. The conversation explores storytelling through YouTube, using technology to support hospitality, and why showing up for guests still matters most.Interview Takeaways: Ownership Creates Clarity – Cevasco’s shift away from corporate dining was not about freedom for its own sake. It was about control. Control of the food, the room, the culture, and the decisions. By starting with a restaurant he could actually operate, he built clarity into the business before chasing growth.  Telling the Story Is Now Part of the Job – Beeside Balcony did not grow because of polished marketing. It grew because Cevasco stopped outsourcing his identity and started documenting the work himself. YouTube and social platforms became tools for showing the reality of running a restaurant, not selling a highlight reel. Authentic storytelling turned presence into visibility and trust. Systems Support Hospitality – Technology plays a role in keeping the operation tight, but Cevasco is clear about its place. Tools help manage complexity so operators can stay present. Hospitality still happens face to face, through table touches, conversations, and consistency. When systems work quietly in the background, people can focus on people. Episode Links: Christophe Cevasco LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophe-cevasco-8925793a4/ Christophe Cevasco YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chefchristophec Beeside Balcony: https://beesidebalcony.com/ Beeside Balcony Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beesidebalconylajolla/?hl=en Beeside Balcony Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beesidebalconylj/ About Our Sponsors DAVO: DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying... Click here to learn more Marqii: Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences... Click here to learn more

    31 min

  6. FEB 5

    Pitch The Tide – Will Stewart: Founder of rightwork

    In this Pitch The Tide session, Will Stewart, founder of rightwork, pitches a labor scheduling platform built to help restaurant managers make better decisions before the week begins. Rightwork forecasts demand, turns it into clear labor targets, and guides managers toward schedules that balance service, staffing, and profitability. Instead of static spreadsheets or guesswork, the platform gives teams real-time feedback on overstaffing, understaffing, and budget alignment. The focus of the pitch is simple: less time fixing schedules and more time running the business.Interview Takeaways: Scheduling Is a Decision Problem, Not a Communication Tool – Most platforms stop at posting shifts. rightwork focuses on helping managers make better labor decisions upfront by tying schedules to demand, budgets, and real constraints. Confidence Before the Week Starts Changes Everything – By grading schedules against forecasted demand and labor targets, managers know whether they are overstaffed or understaffed before service begins, not after the P&L review. Better Systems Give Managers Time Back on the Floor – When forecasting, budgeting, and schedule adjustments happen in one place, managers spend less time fixing spreadsheets and more time leading teams and serving guests. Episode Links: Will Stewart LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-stewart-23339b66/ rightwork Online: https://right.work/ rightwork LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rightwork-inc/ Cali BBQ Media: https://content.calibbq.media/ Join Our Next Show: https://betheshow.media/rising-tides/ Shawn Walchef on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/ About Our Sponsors DAVO: DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying... Click here to learn more Marqii: Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences... Click here to learn more

    57 min

  7. FEB 4

    How You Can Boost Your Business Revenue with Public Speaking!

    Public speaking does not generate revenue by selling from the stage. It generates revenue by building belief. Shawn Walchef breaks down why pitching kills trust, why stories outperform sales decks, and how serving an audience creates leverage long after the room clears. From stage theory to the courage required to start small and stay consistent, this piece reframes public speaking as a long game built on connection, repetition, and earning trust over time.Interview Takeaways: Service Creates Revenue – Public speaking works when the goal is connection, not conversion. Stories and lessons build trust. Trust turns into opportunity long after the stage is gone. The Stage Is a Multiplier – A room is only the starting point. Recording and distributing talks turns moments into assets and expands impact far beyond the audience in front of you. Courage Compounds Over Time – Confidence is not a prerequisite. Reps are. Small stages, imperfect starts, and consistency reward the people willing to stay visible long enough to earn trust. Episode Links: Shawn Walchef LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/ Shawn Walchef Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnpwalchef/?hl=en Cali BBQ: https://calibbq.media/ About Our Sponsors DAVO: DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying... Click here to learn more Marqii: Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences... Click here to learn more

    5 min

  8. FEB 2

    Rightwork + Toast: Smarter Labor Scheduling for Restaurants

    Patrick Cattoor , Vice President of Operations at My Burger, joins Shawn Walchef on Digital Hospitality to discuss how the Twin Cities burger brand has scaled to 11 locations without losing its focus on people and service. Cattoor shares how his background in public accounting shaped his approach to operations, labor, and leadership, and why hospitality in a quick service environment requires intentional systems. He explains how partnering with rightwork brought clarity to scheduling, reduced manager stress, and helped My Burger grow with confidence instead of chaos.Interview Takeaways: Systems That Protect Hospitality – Patrick Cattoor believes growth only works when systems reduce pressure on people. As My Burger scaled to 11 locations, he focused on tools that give managers time and clarity, allowing hospitality to show up naturally on the floor instead of getting buried under admin work. Labor Clarity Builds Confident Managers – Scheduling is one of the most sensitive jobs in a restaurant. rightwork simplifies forecasting and labor decisions by putting real time data and guidance directly into the scheduler. Managers save time, trust their decisions, and spend less energy reacting to labor stress. Technology That Stays Out of the Way – Patrick evaluates every tool through one lens: does it remove friction. By consolidating platforms and integrating cleanly with existing systems, rightwork fades into daily operations, helping teams stay focused on service, culture, and guests. Episode Links: Patrick Cattoor LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-cattoor-95a77415/ My Burger: https://www.myburgerusa.com/ My Burger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myburgerusa/ My Burger Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myburgerusa rightwork: https://right.work/ rightwork LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rightwork-inc/ About Our Sponsors DAVO: DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying... Click here to learn more Marqii: Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences... Click here to learn more

    27 min
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4.7
out of 5
102 Ratings

About

Digital Hospitality is an interview podcast series that explores the ways successful people have harnessed the power of the Internet and social media. The show is hosted by Cali BBQ Media Founder Shawn P. Walchef.

Information

  • Creator
    Shawn P. Walchef
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    199
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Cali BBQ Media
  • Show Website
    Digital Hospitality