802: WORKSHOP Ramp Up to Financial Sustainability w/ Ken Schwartz
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Release Date: 05/27/2021
Restaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to joinrunlive.com to get access to today's guest specifically OR join the newly relaunched Restaurant Unstoppable Network! Alexis Guttridge is an experienced hospitality consultant and advisor who provides on-the-ground operational support for restaurants, hotels, and venues. Originally an NYC transplant who built a highly regarded career as a restaurateur and general manager in Boston, she is now based in Melbourne, Australia, where she focuses on optimizing venue workflows and front-of-house culture Alexis...
info_outlineRestaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Today's guest will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on October 5th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to to get access to today's guest specifically OR join the newly relaunched Restaurant Unstoppable Network! Matt Wampler is the co-founder and CEO of ClearCOGS, a restaurant intelligence platform using AI and predictive analytics to help operators forecast demand and make smarter decisions around prep, purchasing, and labor. Before founding ClearCOGS, Matt took over a struggling Jimmy John’s franchise at age 21, turned it...
info_outlineRestaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Today's guest will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on September 28th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to to get access to today's guest specifically OR join the newly relaunched Restaurant Unstoppable Network! Adam Weisblatt is the co-founder of Los Angeles–based Last Word Hospitality, the restaurant group behind acclaimed concepts including Found Oyster, Barra Santos, Queen’s Raw Bar + Grill, Same Same Thai, and Red Dog Saloon. Since launching Last Word Hospitality in 2014, he has helped build people-driven,...
info_outlineRestaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Today's guests will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on September 28th, 2026 at 11AM EST. To join us and engage with all our guests and events, go to to get access to today's guest specifically OR join the newly relaunched Restaurant Unstoppable Network! Danny Azzarello and Alan Frati are the co-founders of CRACK'D Kitchen and Coffee. Both guests grew up in restaurants and learned the fundamentals from working in profitable and system-heavy chains. They met while working together and decided to open CRACK'D in 2019. Today there are 5 locations, along with retail and...
info_outlineRestaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Today's guest will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on September 14th, 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! Jeremy Fitzgerald is an accomplished hospitality entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of , a peer-to-peer marketplace designed to help restaurants, hotels, bars, and other hospitality businesses buy, sell, and trade surplus inventory. With a bachelor’s...
info_outlineRestaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Today's guest will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on September 7th, 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! Jesse Stein is the founder and CEO of Hermetic AI, which develops AI-powered tools to help restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues convert more private-event inquiries into bookings. A serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits, Jesse has...
info_outlineRestaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Today's guest will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on August 31st, 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! Meredith Tipping is the General Manager and Head of Marketing at The Boston Sail Loft, a longtime waterfront restaurant located on Atlantic Avenue in Boston’s North End. She has helped lead the restaurant’s operations, marketing, and business development...
info_outlineRestaurant 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! Chef Jason Santos is the chef/owner of the Buttermilk & Bourbon Group, a family of New Orleans–inspired Southern restaurants in Massachusetts including Buttermilk & Bourbon, Citrus & Salt, and related concepts. A Massachusetts native and Newbury College culinary grad, he rose through Boston kitchens before gaining national attention as the...
info_outlineRestaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Today's guest will join the Restaurant Unstoppable Network for a live Q+A on August 24th, 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! Kathy Terry co-founded with her husband, Patrick Terry, in 2005, opening the first location in Austin, Texas. Known as the company’s guiding conscience, she helped shape the brand’s mission around quality food, exceptional service, and community-minded...
info_outlineRestaurant Unstoppable with Eric Cacciatore
Robert Sloop is the CEO of , a consulting firm that helps restaurant operators improve financial performance, operations, and tech stack implementation. With over 30 years in foodservice, he has served as CFO for leading multi‑concept restaurant groups and now advises owners on data‑driven systems and continuous improvement. Join RULibrary: Join RULive: Set Up your RUEvolve 1:1: Subscribe on YouTube: Subscribe to our email newsletter: Today's sponsors: - - Private event leads die in inboxes every day. Mia fixes that. She's an AI agent that responds within seconds,...
info_outlineWith 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!!!
- Join Restaurant Unstoppable Network and connect with my past guest and a community of superfans.
- Subscribe to the Restaurant Unstoppable YouTube Channel
- Join the private Unstoppable Facebook Group
- Join the email list! (Scroll Down to get the Vendor List!)
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.
Contact info:
Email: [email protected]
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!


