Earlier this year, Audley Wilson and his partners took their dream – a revolutionary vending machine that makes fresh, made-to-order burgers – and pitched it to the investors (and to America) on Shark Tank. They walked away with a $1.5 million loan, but getting there wasn’t easy.
In this episode of Forktales, Audley shares the long journey to Shark Tank, the challenges with building a fully-functioning kitchen in a 12-square-foot vending machine and why he chose to devote himself to making hamburgers. Audley also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Shark Tank process and why each entrepreneur who appears on the show really is required to meet with a psychologist after the taping.
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Forktales is a podcast and video series that feeds the food, beverage, restaurant, and hospitality industries with insights, innovations, and incredibly entertaining stories. Each episode we interview the industry's leaders from veterans to the up and comers, to get a glimpse of trends, trials, tribulations, and more.
Ep 84: Audley Wilson / Shark Tank survivor & Founder of RoboBurger
Earlier this year, Audley Wilson and his partners took their dream – a revolutionary vending machine that makes fresh, made-to-order burgers – and pitched it to the investors (and to America) on Shark Tank. They walked away with a $1.5 million loan, but getting there wasn’t easy.
In this episode of Forktales, Audley shares the long journey to Shark Tank, the challenges with building a fully-functioning kitchen in a 12-square-foot vending machine and why he chose to devote himself to making hamburgers. Audley also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Shark Tank process and why each entrepreneur who appears on the show really is required to meet with a psychologist after the taping.
Ep 83: Craig Bernstein / Founder of Doc B’s Restaurant & Bar
If you’re a fan of great stories, you’re going to love this episode of Forktales featuring Doc B’s Restaurant & Bar founder Craig Bernstein. Craig shares tales about how a childhood meeting with Morton’s Steakhouse legend Allen Bernstein inspired his hospitality career and emotional stories about going above and beyond to make guests happy.
Also on the menu in his episode, Michael and Craig talk about slow and steady growth, the unique design of each Doc B’s location and the indispensable qualities in any good restaurant manager.
Ep 82: Martino Brambilla / President of Embassy Ingredients
If you’ve had a donut, brownie, cupcake or cookie in the past year, you’ve probably had a baked good made with ingredients from Embassy Ingredients. Martino Brambilla was just 17 years old when his father handed him the reins to the company. Since then he’s grown it into one of the world’s largest providers of flavors and ingredients in the world.
In this episode of Forktales, Michael and Martino talk about the personality traits of a successful entrepreneur, clean labels, flavor trends and why indulgence doesn’t have to mean unhealthy.
Ep 81: Benjamin Calleja / CXO of Livit Design
Every eight hours, a new Livit designed restaurant opens somewhere in the world and Benjamin Calleja is leading that charge. As the founder and chief experience officer of Livit Design, he’s overseen the design of some of the biggest names in the hospitality industry, including Burger King, Applebees, Subway, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and many more.
In this episode of Forktales, Michael and Benjamin talk about how great design can enhance brand performance, his involvement in an architectural marvel known as “The Line,” some of the biggest design mistakes restaurants make and how Livit created the most Instagrammed restaurant restroom in the world.
Ep 80: Dan Rowe / CEO of Fransmart
Dan Rowe is known in the restaurant industry as The Chainmaker. He takes emerging restaurant brands and, along with the team at Fransmart, turns those brands into successful national restaurant chains. It’s a formula he used for Five Guys, Qdoba Mexican Grill and, more recently, Halal Guys – a thriving chain that started from a food cart in New York City.
On the menu in this episode of Forktales, Dan talks about what makes a good franchisee (and a bad one), the role of real estate in marketing a new brand, his recent project with rapper Pitbull and the question one franchisee asked that immediately ended a meeting.
Ep 79: Jason E. Brooks / Founder of HospiVation
Jason E. Brooks is a coach, a motivational speaker and an author with a lifetime of restaurant experience. That’s one of the reasons he created HospiVation, a leadership coaching clinic that helps restaurants build better teams. It’s also why he wrote the book, “Every Leader Needs Followers: 10 Keys to Transform Restaurant Managers into Hospitality Leaders.”
In this episode, Michael and Jason talk about the difference between managing, leading and coaching (and why all three are important), how to motivate teams, effective training plans and why we suck at meetings.
