Pizza King Podcast: Empowering Pizzeria Leadership

Tyrell Reed | Pizzeria Leadership & Team Building Coach
  • 4.8 (17)
  • Food
  • Updated Weekly

The Pizza King Podcast is where pizzeria owners and operators go to sharpen their skills, build better teams, and grow more profitable businesses. Hosted by Tyrell Reed—franchise leader, coach, and author of Next Level Leadership—each episode delivers practical insights, real-life stories, and expert advice to help you win in the pizza business. Whether you're opening your first shop or scaling your tenth, this show is your guide to pizza business excellence. 

  1. 16h ago ·  Video

    Takeout Tips: We Set A Record, Then Lost A Whole Day

    Last week Tyrell came on and said the shop had its best month, up around 75 percent in sales. Three days later the phones died for the rest of the day. This Takeout Tips is about the number you are actually comparing yourself to. The week finished down about 15 percent from the week before. Against the same week last year it was up 36 percent. Same week, two different stories, and only one of them should change what you do on Monday. Inside: what a dead phone system costs a shop that takes most of its orders by phone, why he did not touch the marketing or run a fire sale, and the case for taking a wider view before you hit the panic button. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro and who I am really talking to 0:25 Our best month and being proud of it 0:41 The pizza gods bring you back to reality 1:09 The customer call that dropped out 1:49 Phones dead and what that costs us 2:45 The outage report and losing a whole day 3:31 A terrible day then a dead Saturday 4:19 Down fifteen percent from the week before 4:44 Up thirty six percent from last year 5:36 Hand off the panic button 6:04 When it feels like the ship is sinking 6:41 The crisis was not actually real 7:14 Take a wider view 7:22 The Playbook and the Accelerator 8:06 The book I did not write 8:56 The story of Marco 10:28 Eighty four tools over fourteen weeks 11:29 Sponsors and Pizza Expo in Columbus Free Pizzeria Operator's Playbook https://pizzakingpodcast.com/playbook-1 Leadership Accelerator: 84 tools over 14 weeks. It runs on Skool, so you can join any time. Ask about it at info@tyrellreed.com Pizza Expo, Columbus, October 11 and 12. Booth 647. Record a 20 minute episode with me at the show: https://calendly.com/tyrellreed/pizza-king-podcast-pizza-expo-columbus-interview Questions, or want to come on the show? info@tyrellreed.com THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: EDGE Pizza Ovens. Schedule a test bake: https://edgeovens.com/test-bake Mailwise Solutions. Direct mail for pizzerias, no long term contracts. Ask about the Pizza King Podcast offer and save $150: https://mailwisesolutions.com/ Virnika. Agent Penny answers calls, takes orders and sends them to your POS. Ask about the Pizza King Podcast offer and save $500 on your first year: https://virnika.ai/penny/ Please support the businesses that support the Pizza King Podcast. If this one was useful, follow the show and leave a review. It helps other operators find it. George rolls up in the EDGE test truck and invites you to step inside, where you’ll bake your own pizzas in our oven—using your dough, your toppings, your process. It’s the simplest way to experience firsthand why EDGE powers some of the best-performing pizza kitchens in the world, and why our bake is widely regarded as market-leading.  https://www.edgeovens.com/test-bake Support the show Join us here:  https://www.skool.com/tyrells-group-9324/about Free Tools and Courses for Pizzeria Owners &  Managers Email: info@tyrellreed.com Upcoming events and appearances:  Pizza Expo Columbus 10/11-10/12 Pizza Tomorrow Summit (Orlando, FL) 10/25-10/27

    Takeout Tips: We Set A Record, Then Lost A Whole Day

  2. 3d ago ·  Video

    How a Small-Town Pizzeria Beats the Big Chains | Aaron Keaser

    Aaron Keaser runs Teaford's Pizza & Subs in Greenville, Ohio, a town of about 13,000 people packed with national chains and local competition. He refuses to compete on price. Aaron joins Tyrell to explain how quality, consistency, customer service, kitchen flow, and community relationships help an independent pizzeria compete. They also talk about dough, menu decisions, DoorDash, fundraising boundaries, stress, sacrifice, and the reality that nobody is coming to save the owner. In this episode, Aaron shares: • Why he refuses to compete on price • How a larger pepperoni improved production speed • Why hand-stretched dough works better for his shop • How he improved the flow of a 700-square-foot kitchen • Why DoorDash became one of his best marketing channels • How he protects the business when supporting local groups • What sacrifice looks like for a small-town owner • Why nobody is coming to save you when you own the business Aaron brings a direct operator's view. You hear the decisions, mistakes, tradeoffs, and standards behind a respected local pizzeria. Learn more about Teaford's Pizza & Subs: https://www.teafordspizza.com/ https://www.facebook.com/teafordspizza/ Get the Pizzeria Operator's Playbook: https://pizzakingpodcast.com/playbook-1 Listen and follow: https://pizzakingpodcast.com/ George rolls up in the EDGE test truck and invites you to step inside, where you’ll bake your own pizzas in our oven—using your dough, your toppings, your process. It’s the simplest way to experience firsthand why EDGE powers some of the best-performing pizza kitchens in the world, and why our bake is widely regarded as market-leading.  https://www.edgeovens.com/test-bake Listeners get $150 Off your first mailing. Visit https://mailwisesolutions.com/ Support the show Join us here:  https://www.skool.com/tyrells-group-9324/about Free Tools and Courses for Pizzeria Owners &  Managers Email: info@tyrellreed.com Upcoming events and appearances:  Pizza Expo Columbus 10/11-10/12 Pizza Tomorrow Summit (Orlando, FL) 10/25-10/27

    How a Small-Town Pizzeria Beats the Big Chains | Aaron Keaser

  3. Sep 3 ·  Video

    The Systems Behind a 76% Sales Increase | Takeout Tips

    August should have been one of our slowest months. Instead, our Westshore Pizza location finished at $42,143 in sales, up 76.22% from last year and ahead of every month we have on record for the store. That result did not come from one promotion. The turnaround started with eight months of operating work. We cleaned the store, trained the team, simplified the menu, removed weak hours, fixed the order process, built the rewards list, mailed every week, and stayed patient while catering gained traction. In Episode 158 of the Pizza King Podcast, I walk through the monthly numbers, where the growth came from, which decisions made execution easier, and why first-party online and rewards sales matter so much. You will hear: How monthly sales moved from $27,000 in April to $42,143 in AugustWhy early third-party growth gave an incomplete pictureHow menu cuts and a six-day schedule improved executionWhy EasyCater required more than four months of patienceHow weekly mail, email, text, and rewards worked togetherWhy the team came before every sales resultGet the free Pizzeria Operator's Playbook: https://pizzakingpodcast.com/playbook-1 Visit the Pizza King Podcast: https://pizzakingpodcast.com Questions about the Leadership Accelerator: info@tyrellreed.com George rolls up in the EDGE test truck and invites you to step inside, where you’ll bake your own pizzas in our oven—using your dough, your toppings, your process. It’s the simplest way to experience firsthand why EDGE powers some of the best-performing pizza kitchens in the world, and why our bake is widely regarded as market-leading.  https://www.edgeovens.com/test-bake Support the show Join us here:  https://www.skool.com/tyrells-group-9324/about Free Tools and Courses for Pizzeria Owners &  Managers Email: info@tyrellreed.com Upcoming events and appearances:  Pizza Expo Columbus 10/11-10/12 Pizza Tomorrow Summit (Orlando, FL) 10/25-10/27

  4. Sep 1 ·  Video

    Florida Pizza Is Better Than You Think

    Jeff Berman has visited more than 500 pizzerias across the country. During one New York trip, he reached 53 shops and tried 70 slices in four and a half days. Jeff is the founder of Pizza Lovers of Florida, a Facebook community that grew from a small Citrus County group to more than 5,000 members. He does not call himself a reviewer or influencer. He calls himself a pizza enthusiast. In Episode 157 of the Pizza King Podcast, Jeff explains how he chooses which shops to visit, why he orders the pizza a shop is known for, and why one visit should not define a pizzeria. He also shares why he refuses to turn his passion into a business, how Florida pizza has grown, and what it takes to build a community where people can disagree without becoming disrespectful. You will hear: - Why Jeff protects pizza as a passion instead of a business - How he planned a 53-pizzeria New York trip - What first-time customers should order - Why different pizza styles need different standards - What makes a pizzeria worth recommending - Why Florida deserves more respect as a pizza state - How consistent work grew Pizza Lovers of Florida Join Pizza Lovers of Florida: https://pizzaloversofflorida.com/ Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1355287455703996/ Visit the Pizza King Podcast: https://pizzakingpodcast.com Episode sponsors: Edge Pizza Ovens: https://edgeovens.com/test-bake Mailwise Solutions: https://mailwisesolutions.com. Pizza King Podcast listeners save $150. Virnika AI: Save $500 on the first year of Agent Penny with no setup fee. Mention the Pizza King Podcast at https://virnika.ai/ George rolls up in the EDGE test truck and invites you to step inside, where you’ll bake your own pizzas in our oven—using your dough, your toppings, your process. It’s the simplest way to experience firsthand why EDGE powers some of the best-performing pizza kitchens in the world, and why our bake is widely regarded as market-leading.  https://www.edgeovens.com/test-bake Listeners get $150 Off your first mailing. Visit https://mailwisesolutions.com/ Support the show Join us here:  https://www.skool.com/tyrells-group-9324/about Free Tools and Courses for Pizzeria Owners &  Managers Email: info@tyrellreed.com Upcoming events and appearances:  Pizza Expo Columbus 10/11-10/12 Pizza Tomorrow Summit (Orlando, FL) 10/25-10/27

  5. Aug 19 ·  Video

    The 14-Week Pizzeria Operators Playbook

    Most struggling pizzerias do not need more ideas. They need a clear order of operations.    In Episode 156 of the Pizza King Podcast, Tyrell Reed breaks down the 14-week Pizzeria Operators Playbook he used to bring structure to a struggling store and support 34% sales growth in seven months.    The playbook moves through four phases: stabilizing the operation, building a leadership pipeline, improving speed and accountability, and reinforcing the right habits through recognition. Tyrell also explains the 1-2-1 leadership structure designed for small and midsize pizza shops.    You will learn:  • Why food safety should come first  • How cash controls, training, and manager rhythms create stability  • How to build one lead manager, two junior managers, and one future leader  • Which numbers help measure daily execution  • Why recognition belongs inside your accountability system  • How one clear focus each week can create lasting progress    Download the complete Pizzeria Operators Playbook free:  https://pizzakingpodcast.com/playbook-1    Episode sponsors:  Edge Pizza Ovens: https://edgeovens.com/test-bake  Mailwise Solutions: https://mailwisesolutions.com. Pizza King Podcast listeners save $150.  Virnika AI: Save $500 on the first year of Agent Penny with no setup fee. Mention the Pizza King Podcast at https://virnika.ai/  George rolls up in the EDGE test truck and invites you to step inside, where you’ll bake your own pizzas in our oven—using your dough, your toppings, your process. It’s the simplest way to experience firsthand why EDGE powers some of the best-performing pizza kitchens in the world, and why our bake is widely regarded as market-leading.  https://www.edgeovens.com/test-bake Support the show Join us here:  https://www.skool.com/tyrells-group-9324/about Free Tools and Courses for Pizzeria Owners &  Managers Email: info@tyrellreed.com Upcoming events and appearances:  Pizza Expo Columbus 10/11-10/12 Pizza Tomorrow Summit (Orlando, FL) 10/25-10/27

  6. Aug 18 ·  Video

    Small Team, High Standards with Chef Peter Garces

    A great pizzeria needs more than a strong recipe. Chef Peter Garces built By The Chef Pizza around premium ingredients, skilled people, simple systems, and hands-on leadership. In this conversation, Peter shares his path from culinary school and New York kitchens to pop-ups, Catapult Lakeland, and his own storefront. You will hear: 1.    Why Peter prefers a small, well-paid team 2.    How clear roles create independence 3.    Why owners need firsthand operating experience 4.    How simple prep systems support speed and quality 5.    How authenticity shapes social media and review responses 6.    Why premium pricing requires a premium experience 7.    How incubators can help launch restaurant concepts Visit pizzakingpodcast.com for more episodes and resources. By The Chef Pizza: bythechef.pizza Instagram: instagram.com/bythechefpizza Sponsors: Edge Pizza Ovens: edgeovens.com/test-bake Mailwise Solutions: $150 off for Pizza King Podcast listeners at mailwisesolutions.com Virnika AI: $500 off the first year of Agent Penny with no setup fee. Mention the Pizza King Podcast at virnika.ai  George rolls up in the EDGE test truck and invites you to step inside, where you’ll bake your own pizzas in our oven—using your dough, your toppings, your process. It’s the simplest way to experience firsthand why EDGE powers some of the best-performing pizza kitchens in the world, and why our bake is widely regarded as market-leading.  https://www.edgeovens.com/test-bake Listeners get $150 Off your first mailing. Visit https://mailwisesolutions.com/ Support the show Join us here:  https://www.skool.com/tyrells-group-9324/about Free Tools and Courses for Pizzeria Owners &  Managers Email: info@tyrellreed.com Upcoming events and appearances:  Pizza Expo Columbus 10/11-10/12 Pizza Tomorrow Summit (Orlando, FL) 10/25-10/27

  7. Aug 13 ·  Video

    The Pizzeria Advice Nobody Wants to Hear: Just Do It

    Four years ago Tyrell picked up "Podcasting for Dummies" in a bookstore and never bought it — because you learn more from doing than from reading about it. In this Takeout Tips Thursday, he makes the operator's case for action over study: your pizzeria changes when you put the work in and tailor it to your shop, not when you buy one more program. You can't scale chaos. In this episode: (0:00) The bookstore photo that came full circle (4:52) You learn by doing, not reading (5:55) The soccer lesson I teach my son (9:44) The Valrico turnaround, 8 months in (12:34) Why a program alone can't fix your store (14:37) The small-group coaching cohort (19:17) Just go do it Our sponsors:  Edge Pizza Ovens (edgeovens.com/test-bake), Mailwise Solutions (mailwisesolutions.com — $150 off for listeners), and Virnika AI ($500 off the first year on Agent Penny, no setup fee — mention the podcast at virnika.ai). 📩 Questions, guest ideas, or want in on the coaching cohort? Email info@tyrellreed.com. Enjoying the show? Follow Pizza King Podcast and leave a quick review — it helps more operators find us. George rolls up in the EDGE test truck and invites you to step inside, where you’ll bake your own pizzas in our oven—using your dough, your toppings, your process. It’s the simplest way to experience firsthand why EDGE powers some of the best-performing pizza kitchens in the world, and why our bake is widely regarded as market-leading.  https://www.edgeovens.com/test-bake Support the show Join us here:  https://www.skool.com/tyrells-group-9324/about Free Tools and Courses for Pizzeria Owners &  Managers Email: info@tyrellreed.com Upcoming events and appearances:  Pizza Expo Columbus 10/11-10/12 Pizza Tomorrow Summit (Orlando, FL) 10/25-10/27

  8. Aug 11 ·  Video

    From Merrill Lynch to Best Pizza in Chicago | Sal Guagliardo, Pizza Protector

    Sal Guagliardo ran from the family pizza business, became a Merrill Lynch investment banker, then couldn't stay away — and a month after buying a little Chicago shop, the Chicago Tribune named it a top-3 pizza in the city. In this Pizza King Podcast episode, Sal breaks down how he keeps delivered pizza crispy with Pizza Protector, why "food cost" is the wrong reason to cut corners, how to lead from the front, and what it really takes to keep clean books and sell your shop for a strong multiple. If you run a pizzeria, this one's a masterclass in operations, product, and the business behind the pizza. 🍕 Try Pizza Protector: pizzaprotector.com (Contact Us → ask for a sample)  ▶️ Subscribe for new operator interviews every week. 🎧 Listen everywhere: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube — search "Pizza King Podcast." — OUR SPONSORS — Edge Ovens: This episode is powered by Edge Ovens. George brings the test truck to your shop and bakes your own dough, sauce, cheese, and toppings through the oven so you can see the quality before you commit. Book a test bake at https://www.edgeovens.com/test-bake, and follow #wheresgeorgetoday to see where he's headed next.  Mailwise Solutions: Thanks to Mailwise Solutions — direct mail that actually works for pizzerias, with no contracts. Menus, postcards, table toppers, and full mailing services. Visit mailwisesolutions.com or call (859) 341-3400. George rolls up in the EDGE test truck and invites you to step inside, where you’ll bake your own pizzas in our oven—using your dough, your toppings, your process. It’s the simplest way to experience firsthand why EDGE powers some of the best-performing pizza kitchens in the world, and why our bake is widely regarded as market-leading.  https://www.edgeovens.com/test-bake Listeners get $150 Off your first mailing. Visit https://mailwisesolutions.com/ Support the show Join us here:  https://www.skool.com/tyrells-group-9324/about Free Tools and Courses for Pizzeria Owners &  Managers Email: info@tyrellreed.com Upcoming events and appearances:  Pizza Expo Columbus 10/11-10/12 Pizza Tomorrow Summit (Orlando, FL) 10/25-10/27

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4.8
out of 5
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About

The Pizza King Podcast is where pizzeria owners and operators go to sharpen their skills, build better teams, and grow more profitable businesses. Hosted by Tyrell Reed—franchise leader, coach, and author of Next Level Leadership—each episode delivers practical insights, real-life stories, and expert advice to help you win in the pizza business. Whether you're opening your first shop or scaling your tenth, this show is your guide to pizza business excellence. 

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