Titans of Foodservice Nick Portillo

In this episode of the Titans of Foodservice podcast, host Nick Portillo speaks to Eric Goodman, President and CEO of Mountain View Services. Eric shares his journey in the food service industry and his commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. He discusses the unique niche of his business, which provides full-line grocery service, medical supplies, and janitorial supplies to group homes for developmentally disabled individuals. Eric also talks about the importance of community building and the value of networking.
Quotes
“You can't control things. So you have to just do the best that you can to take those circumstances and act at the time. ” -Eric Goodman [14:27]

“You don't have to write a million-dollar check. You just have to find a need in your community and help fill it with the resources you already have. You already have the company, you already have the connections, you already know people.” -Eric Goodman [31:57]



TIMESTAMPS
01:14 Eric's role as President and CEO of Mountain View Services 
03:32 Mountain View Services and its unique business 
12:32 Partners providing products for high-risk clients 
14:37 Learning to adapt and make the best of circumstances 
24:33 Using resources to help non-profits and share their cause 
28:35 Importance of connections and collaboration in making an impact 
40:30 Core values of family first, integrity, passion, and reliability 




RESOURCES
Portillo Sales


CONTACT 
Nick: nick.portillo@portillosales.com
Eric: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-l-goodman-14279580/

In this episode of the Titans of Foodservice podcast, host Nick Portillo speaks to Rosalyn Darling, a culinary innovator and entrepreneur, who shares her journey from marketing to the food service industry. She discusses her passion for food and how she developed her unique mindset of culinary compassion. Rosalyn emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding in creating meaningful culinary experiences. She also talks about her work in recipe development, new product formulation, and teaching at the Culinary Institute of America. 
Quotes
“When you tap into other creatives that are outside of your industry, you can take pieces of that and bring it with you.” -Rosalyn Darling [11:44]“People eat their foods and eat their feelings. Drink their feelings, and that changes from country to know what one dish that's made in India to celebrate those ingredients and those cooking techniques that symbolize celebration in India might be different for Italy, might be different for Japan.” -Rosalyn Darling [20:49]


TIMESTAMPS
02:22 Rosalind's journey into the food service industry
08:21 Skills needed for culinary innovation 
14:09 The three must-haves for successful product development 
17:41 Culinary compassion: Designing foods that tap into human emotion 
27:34 Bridging the gap from CPG to food service by showing culinary versatility
29:32 Packaging challenges in the food service industry 
35:17 Supportive network and the importance of client fit 
39:25 Legacy of compassion and helping others in the industry 



RESOURCES
Portillo Sales


CONTACT 
Nick: nick.portillo@portillosales.com

In this episode of the Titans of Foodservice podcast, host Nick Portillo speaks with Scott Tomes, CRO of Bongards Creameries. Scott shares his remarkable journey in the food service industry, starting as a division manager at Schwann's. Today, he is a trailblazer in the industry, leading Bongard's to new heights of success. Scott discusses the challenges he faced, the strategies he implemented, and the valuable lessons he learned along the way. He also talks about the value of perseverance, leadership, and building strong relationships in the food service industry.
Quotes
“In today's competitive environment, you have to compete. But what is going to set you apart? That service level. The attention to detail. It's that relationship.” -Scott Tomes [09:22]

“I don't want to put myself on a pedestal, but I tell my kids if you can pick up the phone, talk to someone as a human being and a person, you're going to already outflank 75% of your competition. I really believe that.” -Scott Tomes [29:02]



TIMESTAMPS
03:26 Scott's journey and role as a strike force division manager
13:19 Varied sales training programs in food companies
15:19 Lack of young talent in the food industry
22:17 Techniques for hiring brokers and finding manufacturers
28:04 Advice for aspiring chief revenue officers: Never stop learning
34:11 COVID's impact on the food service industry
38:41 Encouraging respect and open-mindedness in the industry




RESOURCES
Portillo Sales


CONTACT 
Nick: nick.portillo@portillosales.com
Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scotttomes/

In this episode of the Titans of Foodservice podcast, host Nick Portillo speaks with Jack Crawford, a sales expert in the K-12 food service industry. He currently serves over 900,000 students daily and is the industry chair for the School Nutrition Association. Jack shares his insights on the tactical steps that make the K-12 industry successful. He discusses the importance of bids, the role of distribution, and the process of commodity processing. Jack also highlights the collaborative nature of the K-12 community and the challenges faced by school districts in providing meals to students.
Quotes
“What has been encouraging is a lot of schools are now going to more multi-year bids. Not doing it every year. It'll be a bid for a one year, and then it might have four one-year renewals on top, which allows you, if both parties are happy, to keep on going." -Jack Crawford [12:48]“Food service directors talk to each other. The benefit is they are not competing against any other food service directors and are so willing to share what works, what doesn't work, who's kind, who isn't, who's treating them right, and who isn't. And it is a community that it's beyond what anybody can quite grasp.” -Jack Crawford [16:25]

TIMESTAMPS
02:37 Jack's sports fandom
08:09 Importance of open communication and support in the industry
18:44 Role of distribution in the K-12 industry
22:25 Funding for school meals and the role of the government
33:11 Commodity processing in the industry



RESOURCES
Portillo Sales


CONTACT 
Nick: nick.portillo@portillosales.com
Jack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-crawford-9954077/

In this episode of the Titans of Foodservice podcast, host Nick Portillo speaks with Brian Will, a renowned entrepreneur, author, and titan in the world of business and sales management. He has an impressive track record of success, having co-founded and led seven highly successful companies across diverse sectors that reached a valuation of over half a billion dollars at their peak. Brian shares insights from his exceptional acumen for innovation and growth and advice for aspiring entrepreneurs. He shares how agile processes and principles from multiple perspectives can set companies apart. Brian also discusses the importance of community and his commitment to its growth.
TIMESTAMPS
04:30 Brian Will’s entrepreneurial journey
12:24 Tracking metrics for growth and success
18:46 Understanding the numbers
30:04 Brian’s role within City Council 
39:18 Overcoming objections before the client has them
43:02 The Triple Failure
51:56 Advice for young entrepreneurs


RESOURCES
Portillo Sales


CONTACT 
Nick: nick.portillo@portillosales.com
Brian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theforcemm/

In this episode of the Titans of Foodservice podcast, host Nick Portillo speaks with Craig Haley, President of Smokey Mo's Texas Barbecue. Craig shares his journey and insights into the food service industry. Starting as a delivery driver in high school, Craig fell in love with the restaurant industry and worked his way up to become a restaurant manager. Craig's passion for operations and guest experience led him to his current role at Smokey Mo's, where he focuses on strategies to grow the brand and build better teams. He emphasizes the importance of quality, service, and creating a fun and enjoyable environment for both employees and guests.
QUOTES
“Learning about the personalities on your team and how to put people in the right places is something that certainly is important in every  industry, but incredibly important in the restaurant industry.” - Craig Haley [07:38]“Figure out the best practice and then write it down and make it easy to train. Flowchart it out. And the important thing about that is that each time somebody comes to any of your restaurants, it's the same. But also if you find that there's an issue, if you start seeing that guests are complaining about something you can go back to the process and go: ‘Okay, how can we tweak this?.’ And it just makes the whole problem-solving process much easier when you already have it written down." - Craig Haley [27:02]
TIMESTAMPS
02:31 Craig's background in the restaurant industry
12:56 Common failures in the restaurant industry
16:59 Strategies for getting five-star reviews on Yelp 
25:01 Smokey Mo's Texas Barbecue
30:36 Craig's day-to-day responsibilities as President of Smokey Mo's
34:04 Goals and strategies for Smokey Mo's future growth 
RESOURCES
Portillo Sales

CONTACT 
Nick: nick.portillo@portillosales.com
Craig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-haley-b4066835/