Dave Nitzel has a background in the corporate world, and in joining Barmetrix he was able to bring his knowledge of logistics, stock control and management to the busy and often crazy world of bar and restaurant operations. It’s always good to have an experienced outsider bring some perspective to this industry!

We had a wide-ranging discussion about time management, improving personal and employee productivity, the real work of business owners, and overcoming the ‘badge of honour’ thinking about long hours of work equalling dedication and achievement.

Dave’s 3 P’s framework for improving time management and reducing stress make sense for people at all levels of your business. It’s well worth acquiring his excellent book Bar Shift for your own education and for training staff. I learned a lot from this conversation.

Most people are interested in trends and predictions, especially for the restaurant and foodservice industry. In this interview, Ken Burgin talked with Johann Moonesinghe, CEO and co-founder of InKind, a funding and customer loyalty system that’s now available in the US and Australia. We discussed foodservice trends, changing customer expectations, raising capital, modern loyalty systems and lots more.

Johann loves food, wine and technology, and he watches industry developments closely to make sure that his restaurant clients are ahead of the game with their marketing and customer service. As a former restaurant owner, he understands the struggles a local business goes through, and also the value of good technology and the power of a group of regular customers.

Ken Burgin has another conversation with Paul Leach, a business broker and the director of GSE Business Consultants. He’s sold nine of his own food businesses over the last 24 years, and has learnt a thing or two about how the sale process works, and the value of having your business ‘ready to sell’ at any time.

We discussed the importance of having well-documented systems and processes, and the value of cloud-based systems that make it easy for a purchaser to verify figures (eg Point of Sale, accounting, rostering and bookings). We also talked about the importance of a good long lease, and the many small things that make a business attractive to a potential buyer. Paul had buyers making unsolicited offers for some of his businesses – maybe that could happen for you too!

Ken Burgin had a lively conversation with Brisbane accountant Jason Andrew, who is keen to challenge the financial habits of hospitality entrepreneurs. Their decisions are too often based on ‘gut feeling’ and emotions, rather than the truth that accurate figures can reveal. Jason has just published a book Stark Naked Numbers, and gives a great blueprint for ‘High Touch’ businesses like cafes and restaurants, and how they can focus on the daily and weekly numbers that show what’s really happening.

We also discussed his 5 Principles for running a successful business, starting with a commitment to make yourself redundant, and then working to maximise margins, optimise cashflow, leverage your assets and continually ‘sharpen the saw’ with learning, innovation and better business habits. Whether you’re a ‘numbers person’ or not, you will learn a lot from Jason’s approach to making a business successful.

Ken Burgin talks with Paul Leach, a business broker and the director of GSE Business Consultants. He’s sold nine of his own food businesses over the last 24 years, and has learnt a thing or two about how the sale process works! We discussed the different professionals involved in the sales process, and went step-by-step through the decision to sell, preparing it for sale, listing the business, establishing a selling price, looking for buyers, negotiation and closing the transaction.

We also talked about negotiation with landlords, satisfying suspicious buyers, the value of ‘growth potential’ and keeping momentum through the sales process. Paul has handled many cafe and restaurant sales, and it was great to draw on his extensive experience.

Ken Burgin talks with Andre Ursini about the opening of his new Italian restaurant Orso, in Adelaide. We previously interviewed Andre in Podcast #283 From Master Chef to Italian Restaurant Success, and it was great to catch up with him again to talk about his second restaurant.

We discussed the challenges of renovating and opening in a historic building, building and strengthening a team of employees, expanding the management systems and creating a competitive edge against other restaurants in the city. We also raised a question often asked in interviews with restaurateurs: ‘how do you have a business and also have a life with your family?’.

Ken Burgin talks with Ilija and Nicole Sumracki, the owners of Nutrition Republic in Adelaide. Their business has grown from one retail shop, to four very popular food outlets, catering to people who want to ‘consume real, whole, unprocessed food, and have an awakening to the unnecessary and not so healthy ingredients used in many commonly bought foods’.

We discussed how they share responsibilities, managing cashflow and administration, developing business systems, creating a positive culture and working with a growing team of staff. Neither of them have a hospitality background, and they’ve learned and grown at a fast pace – there’s a lot they share that you will relate to!

Ken Burgin talks with foodservice equipment expert Cathy Goodwin about the selection, maintenance and repair of all that expensive equipment you have in your kitchen. In the constant rush of foodservice production, it’s easy for this to be neglected.

We toured around a typical kitchen, discussing dishwashers, stoves, refrigeration and freezers, deep fryers, exhaust systems, drainage and plumbing – when it’s working well, it can produce some great profits. And when it breaks down, the repair bills can be a shock! You’ll enjoy tapping into Cathy’s wide-ranging knowledge and experience.

For a change of pace, Ken Burgin talks with Blair Hughes, a sporting fan engagement specialist and long-time sports enthusiast. He’s visited sporting grounds and stadiums all around the world, and advises teams and venues about the best way to give fans a memorable experience, beyond the time they spend watching the game. Food & beverage are obviously a very important part of this, and he had some great observations about how this is changing and improving.

Topics we discussed included prices and ‘fan-first pricing’, speed of service, and broadening the offer beyond traditional hot dogs, chips, pies and beer. We also talked about catering to dietary needs (eg gluten free), food for kids, reducing packaging waste, and technology changes to maximise through-put and fan enjoyment. It was a lively and very interesting discussion. As well as his excellent web page and blog, check the many fan experience he has gathered on Pinterest and Facebook.

Your menu can be a powerful sales tool, or a hit-and-miss catalogue of the food and drinks you sell. By taking a careful, even scientific approach to layout, contents and design, it’s possible to increase sales of your most profitable items, and influence people to order more than they originally planned.

In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with behavioural specialist and consumer expert Bri Williams about the many elements that can be brought together for effective menu design. It starts with an understanding of the basic ‘irrationality’ of customers, and builds with the form, menu choices and descriptions used, plus pricing, highlights, typeface, paper and colours. It’s a fascinating subject, and one that can give foodservice operators some quick wins if you take care with menu design and production.