654: Jessica, Jill, & Jennifer Emich on Creating Community
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Release Date: 09/30/2019
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Tony Stafford joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on June 15th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Join the Vibe Coding 8-part workshop (only 15 seats available!): restaurantunstoppable.com/vibecoding Tony Stafford is the chef-founder and owner of Ford’s Fish Shack, one of Northern Virginia’s best-known seafood restaurants. Since opening the first location...
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Mike Gallagher joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on June 8th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Join the Vibe Coding 8-part workshop (only 15 seats available!): restaurantunstoppable.com/vibecoding Mike Gallagher is a longtime Atlanta restaurateur and co-owner of some of the region’s most respected hospitality spots, including Brick Store Pub, Leon’s Full...
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Shai Lavi joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 25th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Shai Lavi is an Atlanta-based chef and restaurateur known for bringing bold, deeply personal Mediterranean flavors to the city’s dining scene. Born and raised in Israel and shaped by his Turkish and Libyan family roots, he has built a career around fresh ingredients,...
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Ryan Turner joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on June 1st, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Ryan Turner is a co-founder and partner at Unsukay, the Atlanta-based restaurant group behind Muss & Turner’s, Eleanor’s, Local Three, MTH Pizza, and Roshambo. A Maine native who made his way to Atlanta, Ryan built his career from the ground up, working every...
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Ryan Pernice joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 18th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Ryan Pernice is the founder of R.O. Hospitality, the Atlanta-based restaurant group behind beloved neighborhood concepts including Table & Main and Osteria Mattone. A lifelong restaurateur with more than 25 years of experience, Ryan began working in kitchens as a...
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Robby Kukler joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 18th, 2026 at 11AM EST. Robby Kukler is the founding partner of Fifth Group Restaurants, one of Atlanta’s most respected restaurant companies. A lifelong hospitality professional, Robby helped grow Fifth Group from its first restaurant, South City Kitchen, into a nationally recognized collection of chef-driven concepts known for warm service, thoughtful design, and a people-first culture. Over the course of his career, he has played a key role in building standout brands including Ecco, La Tavola Trattoria, Alma...
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Ron Cardwell is the Director of Commodity Strategy at , where he oversees cooking oil sourcing, pricing, and risk management for foodservice operators across the country. With more than two decades in agriculture, energy, and vegetable oil markets, he has managed global corn oil and biodiesel trading, logistics, and policy engagement at ADM and other major firms. Ron now helps restaurants navigate everything from flavor profiles and performance to sustainability and cost savings, including how to get the most out of every pound of cooking oil. Join RULibrary: Join RULive: Set Up...
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Randy Hines joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 4th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Randy Hines is the CEO and owner of , a beloved Houston bakery that has been serving made-from-scratch kolaches since 1970. A former CPA and consultant, Randy fell in love with authentic Texas kolaches while growing up in the state’s “Czech belt,” and later...
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Christian Wiens joins the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on May 4th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! Christian Wiens is the Founder and CEO of Loman AI, a leading voice AI platform built specifically for restaurants that answers every call, takes orders, and helps operators capture missed revenue while easing front-of-house labor pressure. Since launching the...
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Today's guests join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on April 27th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to restaurantunstoppable.com/live -OR- to just catch today's guest, head over to restaurantunstoppable.com/cwe and we will get you a link to join that specific event for FREE! David T. Denney is the founder of Denney Law Group, a Dallas-based firm that counsels startups and growing companies on corporate transactions, business litigation, real estate, franchising, and beverage alcohol licensing, with a particular focus on the food,...
info_outlineTriplets Jessica, Jill, and Jennifer Emich came into this world, in that order, by way of New Jersey. All three would go on to attend the University of Nevada- Los Vegas. Two of the sisters got degrees in Hotel and Restaurant Management while Jennifer focused on Elementry ed. Eventually, the sisters found their way to Boulder, CO. In 2000 they opened their first restaurant Trilogy Wine Bar, which had a successful 9-year run before they sold in 2009. After 3 years away from the industry, the sisters decided it was time to open their second restaurant, Shine Restaurant & Potion Bar, also in Boulder, CO. On top of this, the sisters have opened their own beer brewery, herbal beverage company (Shine Potions) written cookbooks, and they curate special events under the shine sisters brand.
Show notes…
Favorite success quote or mantra:
"Tap into your magic."
In today's episode with Jessica, Jill, and Jennifer Emich we will discuss:
- What we learn from our parents
- Importance of will power
- Traveling abroad to gain perspective
- Lessons learned from opening quickly
- Choosing the right city for your concept
- Open-mindedness
- Let go of expectations
- Going into business with friends/family/spouses
- Partnerships
- Hiring staff that propel your message and culture with you
Today's sponsor:
BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

CAKE provides an easy-to-use integrated software and hardware solution to build better dining experiences for restaurant operators and their guests. With mobile marketing and waitlist management to point of sale payment processing, the CAKErestaurant management system helps you grow your business. Learn more at trycake.com/unstoppable
Restaurant365 is a cloud-based, all-in-one, restaurant-specific accounting and back-office platform that seamlessly integrates with POS systems, payroll providers, food and beverage vendors. It generates accurate real-time reporting and analysis in user-friendly dashboards, facilitating immediate, data-driven decision making. Restaurant365 eliminates manual, error-prone processes and is designed to help restaurant businesses grow with functionality that helps optimize labor costs, reduce food costs and increase revenue.
Knowledge bombs
- Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
- Authenticity and letting things evolve on their own
- What is your biggest weakness?
- Taking things personally sometimes
- What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
- Passion and where do you want to be in 5 years?
- What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
- You never know how many seats will be filled each day
- Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
- Respect each other and be kind
- What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
- Be able to read your customer get them to open up
- What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
- What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
- Take care of yourself and balance
- What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
- If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
- Connection and community
- Tap into your magic
- Feed people to their heart
Contact info:
Website: ShineBoulder.com
email: sisters@shineboulder.com
Thanks for listening!
Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!
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Huge thanks to Jessica, Jill, and Jennifer Emich for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

