Media Test Kitchen

With Mike Bisceglia filling in for Shawn Walchef, this Rising Tides Live conversation explored the stories people often hesitate to share and why vulnerability, failure, and difficult moments can become the experiences that shape us most. Guests opened up about career setbacks, personal struggles, leadership lessons, and the pressure that comes with growth, while reflecting on how those moments ultimately created resilience, perspective, and connection. From sports radio failures and life-changing surgeries to business collapses and hard-earned lessons in hospitality, the discussion highlighted how sharing honest stories can help others feel less alone and remind us that setbacks are...

Shawn Walchef  hosted another Rising Tides Live conversation ahead of the National Restaurant Association Show Show, this time focused on what attendees hope to take away after the event. Operators, consultants, creators, and technology leaders shared lessons from the show floor, from discovering new AI tools and restaurant tech to building real relationships through meetups, dinners, and spontaneous conversations. The biggest theme throughout the discussion was that NRA is more than a trade show. It is a place where the hospitality industry comes together to learn, connect, and create opportunities that continue long after Chicago.

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In this Pitch the Tide session, Teresa Gilman, founder and CEO of Brainstack.app, shares how her recruiting background led to building an AI-powered hiring platform for restaurants and hospitality operators. Brainstack.app helps restaurants speed up hiring through AI interviews, soft skills assessments, and candidate screening tools that help managers quickly identify strong candidates while reducing the time spent on early-stage interviews. By allowing applicants to interview anytime through a simple QR code process, the platform creates a faster and more flexible hiring experience for both operators and job seekers.

With Laura Wilber and Elizabeth Doss filling in for Shawn Walchef, this Rising Tides Live conversation explored the power of acting on generous impulses and why meaningful relationships in hospitality often begin with small moments of initiative. The discussion focused on showing up for people before expecting anything in return, creating opportunities through consistency, and building community through genuine connection. From personal stories about mentorship and career growth to lessons on networking, leadership, and service, the episode highlighted how generosity can become a long-term strategy for both business and life.

In this Pitch the Tide session, Christian Hilty, VP of Partnerships at DeliverThat, shares how the company evolved from a college delivery startup into a nationwide catering delivery management platform built specifically for restaurants. DeliverThat helps operators streamline catering fulfillment through a combination of delivery orchestration technology, nationwide driver coverage, and integrations with major restaurant platforms. By supporting setup-focused catering delivery, real-time delivery visibility, driver management tools, and flexible fulfillment options, the platform helps restaurants protect high-value catering orders, improve operational efficiency, and create a more reliable guest experience at scale.

Shawn Walchef led this Rising Tides Live conversation focused on the National Restaurant Association Show, where operators and creators shared how to get the most out of one of the biggest events in hospitality. With so much happening, the group emphasized a simple truth: success at NRA comes down to showing up with intention. From planning key meetings to staying open to unexpected connections, the real value is not just in what you see, but in who you meet and how you follow up. You do not need to do everything. You just need to show up ready to...

In this Pitch the Tide session, Darren Spicer and Justin Andrews introduce Cowboy Mud, a coffee-infused barbecue rub built from a third-generation family recipe and designed to stand out both on the shelf and in the wild. Packaged in a distinctive dip can for portability and brand identity, Cowboy Mud blends premium ingredients like Hawaiian sea salt and specialty coffee to create a versatile seasoning that works across proteins, vegetables, and even unexpected applications like popcorn and cocktails. Positioned as more than just a spice, the brand aims to live at the intersection of food, lifestyle, and storytelling.

Mike Bisceglia again filled in for Shawn Walchef on Rising Tides Live, guiding a meaningful conversation around the power of showing up every day. Joined by operators, creators, consultants, and entrepreneurs, the group shared how consistent effort often matters more than perfect execution. From attending events, building businesses, and learning new technology to being present for family, health, and personal growth, each story pointed to the same truth. Progress is usually built in ordinary moments, not dramatic ones. Whether it is five minutes or five hours, showing up with intention creates momentum, trust, and opportunity over time. The takeaway...

In this Pitch the Tide session, Mary Pillow Thompson shares how Zignyl helps restaurants turn hard work into real results. By giving teams live sales goals, real-time progress tracking, and shift-based incentives, the platform helps employees know what winning looks like while the shift is happening. Built for operators who want stronger performance and lower turnover, Zignyl combines forecasting, labor planning, and motivation tools to increase profits, improve retention, and create better shift execution across every location.

Mike Bisceglia filled in for Shawn Walchef on Rising Tides Live, leading a thoughtful conversation on how small decisions can create lasting impact in business and life. Joined by operators, founders, and entrepreneurs, the discussion explored the often overlooked moments that shape long-term outcomes, from saying yes to new opportunities and building better habits to making timely decisions and trusting your instincts. Stories of career pivots, personal relationships, leadership lessons, and daily discipline revealed a common theme. Major change is rarely one giant moment. It is built through consistent small choices. The takeaway was clear: the decisions that seem...

In this Pitch the Tide session, Jegil Dugger, CEO of Pye, introduces a flexible self-ordering kiosk platform designed to help restaurants improve labor efficiency, reduce wait times, and modernize the guest experience. Built for businesses ranging from food trucks to enterprise brands, Pye combines integrated hardware, payment flexibility, and POS connectivity into one adaptable system. By supporting cash and card payments, loyalty features, menu automation, and real-time upselling, the platform helps operators increase revenue while creating a smoother ordering experience for every guest.

Mike Bisceglia filled in for Shawn Walchef on Rising Tides Live, leading a thoughtful conversation around one simple question: what is actually working right now? Joined by operators, creators, founders, and community members, the discussion focused on practical wins happening in real time. From early morning routines and protecting focused work time to asking for help, prioritizing health, celebrating progress, and showing up consistently, the throughline was clear. Growth is rarely one big breakthrough. It is built through habits, perspective, and steady action. The takeaway was simple: when you recognize what is working, repeat it, refine it, and keep...

Mike Bisceglia filled in for Shawn Walchef on Rising Tides Live, leading a candid conversation on the constant pull between creativity and administrative work. Joined by a room full of operators, creators, and entrepreneurs, the discussion explored a familiar tension: the ideas that drive growth versus the tasks that keep the business running. From building systems and scheduling creative time to recognizing personal energy patterns, the throughline was clear. Creativity does not just happen. It must be protected, prioritized, and practiced. The takeaway was simple: operators who intentionally create space for creative thinking, while building structure around execution, will...

In this Pitch the Tide session, Trace Smith, CEO of Next Glass, introduces Untappd for Business, a menu management and marketing platform built to help restaurants streamline beverage programs and drive guest traffic. By leveraging a global database of drinks and a large community of engaged users, the platform simplifies menu updates while connecting operators directly to consumers, turning real-time changes into increased visibility, foot traffic, and revenue.

Stepping outside of your comfort zone took center stage on Rising Tides Live as Ryan Skrzypczynski filled in for Shawn Walchef and leaned into the challenge of hosting. What started as a moment of uncertainty quickly turned into a conversation about growth, confidence, and the value of putting yourself in uncomfortable situations. Operators, entrepreneurs, and creators shared real experiences of pushing past hesitation, learning in real time, and building resilience through action. A clear theme emerged: growth does not happen in comfort. When leaders are willing to step up before they feel ready, they unlock new opportunities, strengthen their v...

In this Pitch the Tide session, Stephanie Olson, Founder and CEO of restauWant, introduces a data-driven marketing intelligence platform designed to help restaurants understand what actually drives guest traffic. Built out of firsthand experience running a restaurant marketing agency, restauWant connects fragmented data across POS systems, online ordering, reservations, and ad platforms to solve the industry’s biggest challenge: knowing which marketing efforts lead to real revenue. By translating complex analytics into clear, actionable insights, the platform empowers operators to make smarter marketing decisions, optimize spend, and focus more time on delivering exceptional guest experiences.

Communication and digital wellness took center stage on Rising Tides Live as Marisa Cali filled in for Shawn Walchef and led a conversation on our relationship with technology. Operators, entrepreneurs, and creators shared real experiences navigating constant connectivity and the challenge of staying present. A clear theme emerged: technology is a powerful tool, but without intention, it can take control of our time and attention. When leaders set boundaries and prioritize presence, communication improves and leadership becomes more focused, human, and effective.

In this Pitch the Tide session, Stephanie Florio, Co-Founder of Swob, introduces a mobile-first hiring platform built for high-turnover, hourly workforces. Swob uses its AI assistant, Emma, to streamline job posting, screen candidates, and accelerate communication through real-time notifications and text-based outreach. The platform helps operators quickly identify and connect with qualified candidates, reducing time-to-hire while freeing managers to focus on training, culture, and in-store operations.

Leadership stories took center stage on Rising Tides Live as Ward Olgreen filled in for Shawn Walchef and the community explored a powerful question: what moment in life actually changes how you lead. Operators, entrepreneurs, creators, and advisors shared deeply personal experiences that shaped their approach to leadership. From health crises and personal loss to early career lessons and moments of mentorship, each story revealed how difficult seasons often create the most meaningful leadership growth. A clear theme emerged: leadership is rarely learned in theory, it is forged in vulnerability, responsibility, and real life challenges. When leaders choose empathy...

In this Pitch the Tide session, Rich Simmerman, Founder and CEO of Cantaloupe AI, introduces an AI-driven hiring platform designed for frontline roles. Cantaloupe uses a conversational AI agent, Cleo, to conduct interviews, assess candidates, and predict turnover risk. The platform delivers ranked candidates directly to managers, saving time and improving hiring quality in high-turnover industries.

Customer Success took center stage on Rising Tides Live as Shawn Walchef, joined by co-host Ryan Skrzypczynski, and the community explored what the term really means across restaurants, technology, and entrepreneurship. While often associated with SaaS metrics like retention and churn, the discussion revealed a simpler truth: customer success is about helping people achieve the outcome they hoped for. From restaurant operators rearranging seats to avoid turning guests away, to sales professionals focusing on helping rather than selling, the conversation highlighted a shared principle. Whether B2B or B2C, the businesses that win are the ones that listen...

In this Pitch The Tide session, Ron Goldman, product consultant at Zenzap, introduces a secure communication platform designed to separate work messaging from personal texts. Zenzap helps restaurant teams organize conversations, assign tasks, and keep operational information in one place. The platform brings structure, accountability, and AI-powered search to everyday team communication.

Shawn Walchef led storytelling is one of the most powerful growth strategies in modern business. Shawn Walchef explains why leaders who build in public move faster, create trust, and unlock unexpected opportunities. By consistently sharing lessons, deals, and real experiences through digital media, founders create a public track record that partners and customers can discover instantly. The conversation explores how storytelling, consistency, and visibility compound over time to turn content into credibility and business growth.

Old school fundamentals took center stage on Rising Tides Live as Shawn Walchef and the community explored a simple question: what timeless tactics still work in a new school world? From eye contact, handwritten notes, and personal phone calls to showing up in person and learning people’s names, operators and entrepreneurs shared reminders that technology may change the tools but not the principles. A clear theme emerged: real connection still drives trust and opportunity. When leaders listen, stay present, and follow through on their word, the fundamentals of hospitality and business continue to build lasting relationships.