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802: WORKSHOP Ramp Up to Financial Sustainability w/ Ken Schwartz

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Release Date: 05/27/2021

1282: Cutting Your Software Cost in Half (or more!) with Albert Sanchez, CEO of HotShift show art 1282: Cutting Your Software Cost in Half (or more!) with Albert Sanchez, CEO of HotShift

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Today's guest will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on July 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! is the co‑founder and owner of Beto’s Mexican Restaurant, a family‑owned Mexican restaurant based in Grand Prairie, Texas, that has been serving the community since 1993. A lifelong Grand Prairie resident and graduate of South Grand Prairie High School,...

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1281: Peter and Martha Pollay, co-founders of Mandara Hospitality Group show art 1281: Peter and Martha Pollay, co-founders of Mandara Hospitality Group

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Today's guests will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on August 10th, 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! Peter and Martha Pollay are the cofounders of Mandara Hospitality Group, the Asheville restaurant group behind Posana and other hospitality-driven concepts. Built around a philosophy of local ingredients, sustainability, and intentional service, their work...

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1280: Molly Irani, co-founder and Chief Culture Officer at Chai Pani Restaurant Group show art 1280: Molly Irani, co-founder and Chief Culture Officer at Chai Pani Restaurant Group

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Today's guest will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on August 3rd, 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! Molly Irani is the cofounder and chief culture officer of the James Beard Award-winning Chai Pani Restaurant Group in Asheville, North Carolina. She has helped shape the company’s celebrated hospitality, community-minded culture, and people-first management...

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1279: Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown, co-owners of Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group show art 1279: Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown, co-owners of Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Today's guests will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on July 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! Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown are the husband-and-wife team behind Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group, one of Charlotte’s most distinctive hospitality groups. After leaving corporate life to travel through Europe, they returned home inspired to open a...

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1278: Dan Simons, co-founder of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group show art 1278: Dan Simons, co-founder of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

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! Dan Simons is the co-founder and co-owner of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group, a mission-driven hospitality company built around sustainable food, responsible business practices, and support for American family farmers. Along with his partner Michael Vucurevich, he helped grow Founding Farmers into one of the most recognized restaurant groups in the Washington,...

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1277: Mike Cordero, chef/owner of Cordero Hospitality Group show art 1277: Mike Cordero, chef/owner of Cordero Hospitality Group

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Today's guests will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on July 13th, 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! Chef Mike Cordero is the chef and owner of Cordero Hospitality, bringing more than four decades of experience in the hospitality industry to some of Northern Virginia’s most recognizable restaurants. Known for his creativity, entrepreneurial drive, and...

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1276: Greg Casten, co-owner of Fish & Fire Food Group show art 1276: Greg Casten, co-owner of Fish & Fire Food Group

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Today's guests will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on July 6th, 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! Greg Casten is a veteran restaurateur and co-owner of Fish & Fire Food Group, with more than four decades of experience in the fish and seafood industry. He has helped create, develop, and build standout concepts including Ivy City Smokehouse and Tavern,...

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1275: Eric Eden, Restaurateur and Co-Owner of Garden Hospitality show art 1275: Eric Eden, Restaurateur and Co-Owner of Garden Hospitality

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Today's guests will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on June 29th, 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! Eric Eden is a co-owner and restaurateur behind some of Washington, D.C.’s most talked-about dining concepts, including L’Ardente, Love, Makoto, and Unconventional Diner. With a focus on creating memorable guest experiences and distinctive restaurant...

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1274: Shihan Chowdhury and Amgd Gende, Co-Founders of Flavor Hive show art 1274: Shihan Chowdhury and Amgd Gende, Co-Founders of Flavor Hive

Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore

Today's guests will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on June 22ndth, 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! Shihan Chowdhury is the co-owner and co-founder of Flavor Hive, the fast-growing halal fusion brand that started as a viral food truck and expanded into brick-and-mortar locations across the DMV. Better known online as @chilipeppercooks, he built a large...

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1273: Tony Stafford, Chef/Founder of Ford’s Fish Shack show art 1273: Tony Stafford, Chef/Founder of Ford’s Fish Shack

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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Ken Schwartz Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast

With Excitement allow me to introduce to you today's guest, President & CEO SSA Foodservice Design + Consulting, Ken Schwartz. SSA Foodservice Design + Consulting is a global hospitality design and consulting firm established in Tampa by Ken Schwartz in 1987. SSA specializes in food and beverage service design and is known for their Bespoke design solutions. Schwartz has been selected as one of the top 12 design consultants in the world and the SSA team has grown from a single office to multiple locations in the US and Europe. SSA project engagements range from small boutique coffee establishments to $2.6 billion resorts. Brands, architects, and interior designers within all sectors of foodservice design (ie restaurants, casino, hotels, resorts, healthcare, workplace dining, sports venues, airports and college/universities) engage SSA for its extensive knowledge, creativity, and collaborative approach.

 

Show notes…

Calls to ACTION!!!

Favorite success quote or mantra:

  • "There is no substitute for great planning."

In today's workshop with Ken Schwartz we will discuss:

  • Startup capital needed
  • Design team
  • Consulting fees
  • Water, sewer, transportation fees
  • Closing costs
  • Insurance deposits
  • Tech: POS/software
  • Interest on money borrowed
  • Opening labor
  • Change-of-use costs
  • Insurance

Today's sponsor:

7shifts is a modern labor management platform, designed by restaurateurs, for restaurateurs. Effectively labor management is more important than ever to ensure profitability and restaurant success. Trusted by over 400,000 restaurant professionals, 7shifts gives you the tools you need to streamline labor operations, communicate with your team, and retain your talent. Best of all 7shifts integrates with the POS and Payroll systems you already use and trust (like Toast!) turning labor into a competitive advantage for your business. Restaurant Unstoppable members get 3 months, absolutely free.

Meez One platform to organize, cost, scale, and share your recipes. With a built in database of thousands of ingredient yields and unit conversions for laser accurate costs.  Train your teams with step by step video and image slideshows that live right alongside the recipe.  Build ops guides and SOPs, create and upload content in seconds.  Never let anyone make the wrong outdated recipe again, all the while keeping your IP safe and secure.

Meez

Contact info:

Email: ken@studiofs.com

Website

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 Ken Schwartz for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!