00:00.00
vigorbranding
Everyone today I am joined by Sam Sanovich you might know him as Chicago sam he is the senior vice president of franchise leadership of a newer concept called big chicken and we’re going to talk all about chicken today. We’re gonna have a lot of talks about the industry because Sam is. Um, I would say beyond veteran he’s an icon so ah Sam say hello and why don’t you give a little bit of backstory for those who don’t know.

00:24.20
Sam
Well thanks Joseph for having me today on your show I am super excited to be with you talk big chicken talk about the background. Let’s talk about the industry. There’s so much great stuff going on. Um I wish I could say we were in the post covid era but we’re still dealing with it across the country.

00:38.70
vigorbranding
Case.

00:42.46
Sam
But we’re we’re learning how to adapt to the new norms and continue to push forward. So I’m super excited to be here with you today and thanks for having me a little bit about my background I’ve been in the industry north of twenty plus years. Um, a johnson of wales graduate out of the providence rhode island campus and upon graduation left and worked for Marriott which at that point in time was my dream job and had the opportunity to be within Marriott open hotels do some exciting projects with Marriott. And because of networking and and a lot of the foundation that I learned over the years I was on some boards early in my career and had great mentors and people who really looked out for me and. Ah, created a situation where I got to be an early Ceo of a convention visitor bureau in the state of Illinois where I represented 4 counties and 33 communities to do their destination tours of marketing from there I got recruited into the national restaurant association educational foundation. And the national restaurant association itself. Um, prior to leaving the association I was head of product partnerships and strategic alliances for the association where I had a unique position to help the form the and Nra’s fast casual and pizzeria councils create the tech tour. Do some really unique things that combined my experience in industry my passion for hospitality and then because I was blessed so much in my career at the association to really be able to leverage and give back and create programming to help others. With that I met some again. Great people some great mentors and had and had the opportunity with Don Fox to join the firehouse subs brand um as an area developer in a franchisee here in Chicago and got to grow with the brand for 6 years and one day got a call from a longtime friend who was interviewing for the Ceo O role of beer big chicken and beer park and we were talking and saw the opportunity at hand and said you know we’ve always wanted to work together and. Said if you know there’s a role in an opportunity I’d I’d love to do it. You know, continue that passion because this is a relationship industry. Ah the hospitality industry is and he said let’s do it and he got the role and I was his first hire and for the last seven months we

03:19.98
Sam
We we all know that this industry is a marathon and not a sprint but we came out of the blocks and we’ve been sprinting for the last seven months and working with our partner shaquiel and and the great team at big chicken to help develop and grow the brand. So it’s ah.

03:23.58
vigorbranding
A.

03:36.34
Sam
The 20 years seems like a flash and it’s been a great ride and I’ve met thousands of great people and and the whole Chicago Sam Thing came about with a kind of a funny story because as the internet was emerging. You know everybody was looking for that cool Twitter handle and when I was at the association I always talk about Chicago. So people just coined me Chicago sand because I was the unofficial brand ambassador for the great city of Chicago and it just stuck and I rolled with it and I love my city. Although at the time of recording. Um. Here in January it is a negative ° outside with the windshell. So ah, you know Chicago sam is blustering cold right now but come visit us. Ah, the other six months of a year and you’ll know why I’m Chicago sam. So I appreciate I appreciate you let me share a little bit of my background with you.

04:11.54
vigorbranding
And.

04:22.39
vigorbranding
Absolutely no, it’s good. So you you quickly just ran right past the big chicken in the room which for those don’t know big chicken is spearheaded is I guess is the right term by Shaquie O’neal so um Shaq has played a big role in it and promoting it obviously um and this is kind of his baby right? or do I have that wrong.

04:46.33
Sam
No you you got it correct I mean this is not just an endorsement deal or a partnership shaquiel has been a franchisee of many brands and he is is very very business savvy and every time I’m with him I am learning. New things from Shikquil and his experiences. But yes, a few years ago ah him and his partners looked at it and looked at opportunities and he wanted to be a franchisor and and create something and.

05:15.70
vigorbranding
Yeah.

05:20.16
Sam
Chicken is near and dear to Shakquil and his family and it is the protein of choice for him. Um, growing up his mother lucille used to cook chicken all the time and has an affinity for it. So got together with his partners and and 2 amazing chefs and went down the path of creating his own chicken lead and inspired brand but wanted to do it the shak way and making it unique and different and better for you. He. When on the journey he taste tests every product every lto. Um he is involved in the in the operations and the strategic planning as busy as he is. He gives us time every month to recap and and discuss and participate and ask what he can do. To help build the brand so this is a legacy build for Shakquil and it’s great to be on the journey with him.

06:17.80
vigorbranding
Yeah, it’s awesome I have a a lot of respect for shakquie in so many different ways. Um, more recently I did laugh at loud I forget what a podcast I was listening to and he was mentioning how his kids had said something doing along the lines of dad were rich and he said whoa. No I’m rich. You have to make your own and so I love that about him. He seems a very down-to-earth guy but but let’s let’s dig into the chicken side of things. So I think it’s fair to say the Popeyes put the chicken sandwich back into the forefront of everyone’s mind um, with good reason. Man sandwich is so good I can’t talk about enough and I’m not even a big like. You know fast food sandwich eater but who Popeyes good job. Anyway, they brought it to mainstream focus kfc b k mcdonald’s right on their heels. You know, hurry up and got their their product out to the market. A lot of them different in many ways. But um, you know then. Basically it started the the fried chicken sandwich wars as some people coined it and then we had players that I think were way late to the game um like churches and Zaxbys came out with their sandwiches a good year and a half two years afterwards. Um, but. Now we have big chicken and we have these other players coming up. So why why get into this game now. What makes it the right time.

07:33.50
Sam
So for us it was in in 2018 when we launched and and what’s neat about it is you can actually see the entire big chicken story and development in a multi-part series on Facebook. So what’s neat about it is I can reference the show and you can see shaquiel and our 2 tremendous chefs chef Matthew Silverman and chef Matthew Picarski work with shaquiel and get the backstory. So I encourage you to see it because it is very very entertaining.

08:03.47
vigorbranding
Far. Well.

08:08.72
Sam
On how you build a restaurant concept with a celebrity and how they join forces and do it together. But what the market was different for us versus Popeyes or the other brands that are out there is we went at a chicken product in a protein that is antibiotic hormone-free cagefree chicken. And we’re doing it. Bigger. So our chicken breast is five ounces when you come to our restaurant. We’re using a better for you product and upping the game right? So we we want to be that better for you chicken sandwich and you can get our chicken sandwich fried right? or you can get it grilled.

08:36.11
vigorbranding
E.

08:47.23
Sam
So you have the options when you come in of how how you would like it so we are looking to fulfill that consumer need of the the high quality chicken sandwich and chicken tender so we have both on our menu. We do them very well. We’re a very laser like focus brand and organization. So we’re focused on the food. So it’s it’s great to have ah shaquiel and an iconic brand in himself but that will help draw you in. But once you have the food Joseph once you bite in to that moist, big. Chicken breast. It is amazing. It’s game changing and then you pair it with our unique french fry you you add in our shake which is completely different full of flavor. Um, we just do it a little bit differently and that’s the uniqueness to our so. To our brand and the other thing is we have a whole proprietary sauce line to go with it. So now you’ve got great chicken. Great sauces. Great tenders. Nice accompaniments of ah fries. You can get a salad we do have salad offerings we have a tremendous Mac and cheese. With a cheese that’s topping to it so we’ve got great products and and you can just see by the results and you can see by the customer faces and the people who are coming back and and you may come back and say you know Joseph. It’s it’s all you’re in you’re in Vegas well you’re right we are in Las Vegas and we are in Glendale California and we’re on 3 Cruise ships and and we’re in 2 stadiums across the country 1 in Seattle right now and 1 in long island and we get the same reviews. No matter where we go because the product is unique. It’s different. It’s full of flavor and we’re able to replicate it and provide a different.

10:29.30
vigorbranding
And I.

10:39.36
Sam
Flavor offering in multiple flavor offerings across the system. So our consumers that are coming in are just enjoying it. You know they’re intrigued by shaquil but then once they bite into it. They’re like this is this is the sandwich you know and and we’re not just taking. 1 or two sandwiches. We’re actually customizing it based on geography for example in Long Island we’re doing a very we’re working with a local baker and doing a very cool bagel sandwich where the the bagel is blended in colors with the with the islanders because it’s at ubs arena.

10:59.80
vigorbranding
Oh.

11:15.94
Sam
And you can just see the comments and and and people are just dying to get in there so we can’t wait to get a brick and mortar location open up in long island to support it. But that’s the proof. Um, we were named best french fry at sea last year we’re on 3 Carnival Cruise line ships now and working on the fleet.

11:26.77
vigorbranding
The earth.

11:35.81
Sam
It’s just been an exciting time and again we we have shaquiel and that support. But what it boils down to is just having great food and focusing on food. So yes, the chicken Wars were started but we’re we’re just up in the game in the battlefield and doing it doing it our way just staying focused.

11:52.73
vigorbranding
Yeah that’s the interesting thing. Um, you know? So for instance, zaxby’s although very late to the game. One of the things that I think that made Zacksby’s brand so strong is they have that full line of sauces whether it’s dressing um dipping sauces. Ah all of that I think they have over 40 which allows you to really select that so it seems like you have that going for you plus this amazing product in general. Um, but I think one of the things that struck me out struck out to me or stuck out to me I should say wasn’t necessarily this chicken sandwich that it looks amazing, but as opposed to. A Kfc or a church’s or poppeyes there is this suite of offering that kind of takes it out of that fried chicken brand in general and and it’s almost like a meat and 3 so what? What’s the inspiration behind bringing that as opposed to just being hey we’re a chicken sandwich company.

12:47.37
Sam
You know you know Joseph something happened here and I missed that question can you repeat that.

12:54.20
vigorbranding
Yeah, Absolutely yeah, so um, we have a little bit of a bad connection. But I’ll we’ll try to edit that out. Um, so I was basically asking why why did big chicken Pull pull influence from a meat in 3 Kind of vibe as opposed to just being solely fried chicken.

13:16.22
vigorbranding
I think I Yeah we had a whole blip There can you hear me now. Okay I don’t um I don’t think you’re lying that is extremely freezing gold. Um, so back to the beginning.

13:18.40
Sam
Um, yeah, it’s It’s so cold here that the data connection is frozen.

13:34.31
vigorbranding
I think what really struck me about big chicken is that there’s an opportunity to be solely focused on fried chicken but it’s actually more of kind of a meet and 3 inspiration does that come from Shaq’s upbringing and in his.

13:39.72
Sam
E.

13:49.33
vigorbranding
His ah his family life or is it just we needed something more than just a fried chicken product. Yeah.

13:53.33
Sam
You know it was more about his upbringing because his his mom you know his his mom had remarried. Um, ah, early in his life and she married a Us army sergeant and you know as as we learned you know military pay back then wasn’t. Ah, very good so they would lived on a budget like most soldiers do and his mother you know bought lots of chicken I mean she had children to feed and that was an affordable protein at the time and and she would do chicken different ways. So and he loved it. So. Again, going to chicken because he could have selected any protein right? Shac was in 5 guys he was in is in Papa John’s right, he’s in a lot of different brands and because of being shaquil he could have picked any protein but he picked something that he loved right and cared about. And and that comes through in the food right? because again the flavors now again it it helps when you’ve got 2 incredible chefs to support you. But again it boils down to you know the shack and the flavor profiles and his passion and if he’s going to build a legacy brand to go after.

15:09.28
vigorbranding
Right.

15:09.43
Sam
Go after what you love right? isn’t that what every so every motivational author says speaker everybody that you hear to get you excited Do what you love? So why not pick the protein that you love and just go after it and just do it right? and get the and he’s not a chef but get to coaching and counseling.

15:21.48
vigorbranding
Chair.

15:28.52
Sam
That all comes along with it right and bring in the folks to support you right? because that’s where Shaquil strives you know in all the businesses he brings in a team right? He’s not the expert he brings in and he says this he brings in people who are smart in those disciplines to support him and support it.

15:35.26
vigorbranding
Okay.

15:47.94
Sam
And then lets the team go run with it right? So it’s It’s fun when we have the Ltos and and the chefs get on the call and and you know she keels thinking about what the next potential sandwiches and and they go back and Forth. So It’s It’s fun to hear the banter because it’s not often that you hear in. In these kind of environments where where you’ve got a brand identity that is contributing that is thinking about the advertising that is thinking about the the quality right? And what are our standards and and that’s what we’re going to live by so you know big chicken isn’t going to be a brand where you’re going to see it on every street Corner. It’s going to be a brand that is.

16:11.30
vigorbranding
Sure.

16:26.72
Sam
Thoughtful, um that it’s compassionate that it’s going to help its franchisees build and it’s going to grow together. So we’re teammates right? we’re we’re looking at you know and we’re going to take the the basketball theme and but we’re all teammates together our frans our franchisees, our suppliers.

16:33.70
vigorbranding
Yeah, yeah.

16:44.33
Sam
We’re we’re all in this together to deliver the best possible product and service to the consumer and have the consumer engage with us right? and and have some fun and that’s what restaurants are about bringing the community together to break bread share a great product.

16:49.17
vigorbranding
Yeah.

17:02.68
Sam
Tell the story and enjoy the experience right? That’s why we go to restaurants. That’s why I’m passionate behind it. That’s where you see the great brands in our industry and Joseph you know all about branding right? You you get that right? So it’s it’s not being that one trick pony that hey we’ve we’ve got a name and. And ah and and some simple product and and we want to encompass the whole thing together and create that culture right? and and we’re gonna be methodical and we’re gonna be pragmatic and we’re gonna do it the right way and and we’re on our timeline because with our ownership group. Um.

17:33.97
vigorbranding
True.

17:38.77
Sam
We’re not going to rush to just go build Boxes. We’re going to rush to create great products and great experiences and engage our consumers and bring them in to the family So when they come in, they’re they’re they’re they’re paying for a premium product but they’re going to have a premium experience. And and they’re going to eat the same thing you know a shack gets off the plane in Vegas First stop is big chicken because he’s proud of it. You know and and he’s got to get his meal. Ah and it goes to town on it and again here you’ve got a giant icon who sits.

18:01.20
vigorbranding
Right.

18:13.33
Sam
In the restaurant. We have a chair just for him or he sits near the the cash register and and he engages right? He’s eating his food and invites other people who are just coming in the restaurant to come and sit down with him. He’s like in he is ah you know the term old soul right.

18:28.43
vigorbranding
Right.

18:31.11
Sam
Where he’s embraced being that restaurantau tour and wants his guests in his restaurant right with the team and wants to share that experience and he’s eating the same thing you’re eating. He’s not getting anything special right? He’s getting it. He’s getting his ah sandwich and fries and his drinks and he’s sitting at the table breaking bread and. It’s the coolest thing to be in the restaurant because a lot of times when you have celebrities you know you have that halo and you’ve got that excitement and if there’s 1 person that breaks it down. It’s shaquiel and he breaks it down makes you feel comfortable. He invites you into that restaurant puts his arms around you.

18:55.52
vigorbranding
Chair.

19:08.73
Sam
Takes pictures wants to eat wants to get your feedback right? I’ve been with with him and seen him in the restaurant where he’s asking customers. So what did you think of that sandwich today. Hey what you think of the uncle Jerome tell me what? what’s what’s your what’s it about.

19:10.91
vigorbranding
Yeah, yeah.

19:20.36
vigorbranding
Well doesn’t like like there’s a kind of ah I mean obviously there’s a competitive advantage here. Um, and so while while I’m a big proponent of doing what you love that is only 1 component like I think in my book. The bull hard brand I been called out like look the world doesn’t need another brito restaurant. It doesn’t need another pizza chain like.

19:24.99
Sam
Um, sure.

19:39.25
vigorbranding
We have the food that we want so it’s not really the food that’s going to be a differentiator so I mean this brand has a lot of advantages and I’m not knocking it. You know in that shack is a household name and has been for a while um he seems to have a bit of a midas touch which is amazing. But he also does have the funding. You know there’s money and those are usually things that are missing from your average startup. Um, you know, meaning like if I wanted to go out and start at a chicken restaurant I would be significantly behind the eight ball compared to where he is There’s also another layer here that I would love to just um, banter on a little bit which is the.

19:56.78
Sam
Um.

20:15.68
vigorbranding
Locations that you have thus far do have baked in traffic which is really smart. Um, and and there’s those locations also have the advantage of being able to charge more money because of the situations that are namely the stadium Las Vegas and Cruise ships look look I mean if you’re on a cruise ship. It’s not like you can go next door and go get a different chicken sandwich so you’re kind of locked in. Um, so how much you know, ah, how much of that is discussed within the organization and as you start to approach more locations like I presume Glendale is which is your your standard issue brick and mortar. Um.

20:35.92
Sam
Sure.

20:48.18
Sam
Um, yes.

20:51.82
vigorbranding
What kind of learnings are are you able to garner from what I would consider a little bit of a a sheltered growth so far.

20:57.52
Sam
Well I think what’s exciting is the the team that we’re assembling at big chicken brings together people from a variety of walks of life and and yes you know we we have a different funding but we have we don’t have. An unlimited pocketbook. We have a p and l we have our shareholders who invested in the brand that we’re we’re accountable to um you know and it it all starts with that consumer experience and having to deliver the right foundation of a restaurant operation. So we’re very old school in that. Um, our our second biggest shareholder is J Rs hospitality um which ah owns and operates several Las Vegas ah restaurants um who are very experienced in that. Um, who brought who brought the team together. So. A couple of things Joseph that we’re doing very traditional is is again. We don’t have just ah, an open bank role to build a brand we’re we’re held accountable to our shareholders. Um, we’re building a world-class team and we’re building it from best practices. We’re building it from an ideology of not this is what the restaurant has always done but what are the best practices that we can apply where did brands make mistakes early on and not run into the same potholes that people have run into over the years um so we’re we’re bringing a talented group of folks together. Ah, to engineer and build this in a way that as we continue to build brick and mortars and this has been part of the excitement Joseph is the folks that have come to us in working ah on the franchise side are seasoned operators from very large multi-unit brands. And what they have found and the reason that they have joined our team is because we have spent the last several years or years building a foundation. You know a lot of times brands they they hit the recipe. They make it. They open one then they open 2 and they stay very geographic. You know with shaquil we have a hundred opportunities that nobody else is going to have but we also have a hundred problems that nobody else has because we’re under the microscope right? Everything that we do is watched and it’s monitored and and being in vegas you know this epicenter of the country. You know. Brands are coming in and they’re profiling us and they’re looking at it and by the time we talk to you know, especially with my background and my network you know by the time I talk to to brand executives like yeah, we’ve been there and and then they’ll give me their constructive criticism of our brand which is it’s fantastic, right? You’re helping me out.

23:46.78
Sam
Um, because I think we’re we’re moving to a mentality and and in in the industry of let’s get rid of the bad rap of 9 and every 10 restaurants fail and let’s get to the point where more restaurants succeed together and I think that’s one of the things that the covid era is. Done for our industry is created more collaboration and and in collaboration you look to help support the success of each other and again because we’re the way we’re doing it and the way we’re selecting our partners in the way that we’re going to market with strategy.

24:06.80
vigorbranding
Yeah.

24:22.73
Sam
You know we’ve got 150 restaurants under contract already in seven months right where we’re going to open um close to double digit brand new brick and mortar locations in 2022 um we we’ve and again we’re sprinkled.

24:35.76
vigorbranding
Nice, nice.

24:41.15
Sam
And we’re designing and developing with strong partners with strong infrastructure and they look at the brand they look at the playbook because our founders and shareholders said let’s build the foundation first before we go out and replicate and do all these things because as you know. And and and a lot of the listening audience. It’s very hard to operate in 2 stadiums one on the pacific ocean and one on the atlantic ocean and then try to fill in and everything in between and oh by the way we did a pop-up in Saudi Arabia for the f one races so you know again, it’s it’s a very unique situation to be in.

25:10.58
vigorbranding
Right.

25:17.57
Sam
So we invested early on training. We invested early on supply chain and infrastructure and really took our time to build out that foundation. So that way when we’re ready to go to market. We can open. And and have success like I have a team that is ready to train operators in their home market today. So we’ve put a lot of that infrastructure in and that’s the shaquiel in our shareholders at Js hospitality.

25:41.63
vigorbranding
Right.

25:51.30
Sam
And Abg that bring to the table to support us.

25:52.56
vigorbranding
Yeah, and I think that’s that’s quite brilliant. So one 1 question I have is I mean you mentioned um these these contracts in place ready to go 2022 is going to be a huge year for you guys congratulations. That’s awesome. Um, why? why? build brick and mortar and not go virtual concepts so you know like Wiz Khalifa has his. Ah, virtual concept. Mr. Beast has one tiktok is launching virtual restaurant brand based on their hottest recipes from the platform yada yada it seems like because of the the 5 guys. Um the the Papa Johns may be a little more difficult just because of the equipment. Um, but this could have rapid traction on. Mr. O’neill’s footprint already. Um, why not do that as opposed to go brick and mortar. Okay.

26:35.16
Sam
Um, well we are. We’re actually already there. We’re with ghost kitchen brands. We’re in their first US operation up in Rochester New York um you know and as they grow we’re growing with them. Um, you know you know I did the ah the deal with George and.

26:48.22
vigorbranding
That’s great.

26:51.95
Sam
And we got it done and we got shaquil and our board to approve it and we’re in Rochester and and now we’re we’re more on their timeline. Um as they grow we’ll grow and expand with them so we have their roadmap and we’re excited to to be partnered and we’ve had great response up in Rochester and yes, ah virtual is. Ah, great opportunity to expand that footprint at ah, lower investment right? at the economics seem to to work. But there’s also something different in the in the culture. You know when when you’re when you’re building a brand and and you look at some of the big cult like brands. Let’s. Take an example of an in and out or a shake shack for a while there was chick-fil-a right before their mass expansion raising canes right? when you build the culture and you build the food you have that winning combination. So why not still do brick and mortar. There’s still demand.

27:36.30
vigorbranding
So.

27:48.70
Sam
Americans and and you look at the research coming out of the national restaurant association americans have pent up demand. Um, yeah I feel bad for for my brothers and sisters in full service and fine dining. Um, because that’s still going to be the longer comeback and they’ve got bigger boxes and can’t morph. Um, but you know they’re learning and and they’re picking up dark brands I mean it’s it’s in creating a whole new economy for them. Ah yeah, you know, using their kitchens as dark kitchens for other brands. Um, look at what Alex Kantor at Nextbye is doing to help the economy of full service restaurants. Um.

28:18.53
vigorbranding
It has.

28:26.77
Sam
So There’s opportunities and again the last couple years once we got out of the scary point that we’re all not going to collapse and the world is coming to an end really figured out some really creative strategies. Yeah um to build and the restaurant industry is never going away right. We are here to stay people. Want those experience. It’s going to flush out the the bad actors right? The the bad food is going to come to an end. Um those players who are out there Operating. Um. You know at 50% and not given that 100% are going to get flushed out and there’s going to be a new wave of real estate and there’s going to be new opportunity. But what we know pre covered during Covid I Hopefully one day this will be a post covered conversation.

29:02.23
vigorbranding
Maybe.

29:16.93
Sam
Is we as americans like to go out and eat and we like to have experiences and we would rather be sitting in a restaurant whether it’s a fast casual fast food casual dine polished casual or fine dining and have that experience with our friends neighbors and families and break bread and and. That’s the lifeblood of our industry and and and why were the the second largest industry second largest private employer in America.

29:46.31
vigorbranding
That’s right I mean we we have to succeed I don’t I mean it’s ah for those that don’t know and maybe I am screaming to the choir and all that but it’s ah we we’re the backbone of every single economy like a microe economyom across the nation. It’s restaurants. And without them. We really will see a very bad bad world. But there have been bad Actors. There have been people that kind of skate by um, with bad practices. Bad operations treat Employees Poorly Yada Yada I Think you’re right, they’re they’re they’re shaking now and they’re they’re going to start to crumble down and. It can only be better because in their wake comes ah stronger operators better business people. Um and better concepts. Overall.

30:28.63
Sam
Well and let and let’s think about everything that the hospitality industry supports in America right? So 1 in 3 americans start their first job in the hospitality industry. Let’s let’s not just look at the end product right? Let’s look at the farmer. Let’s start with the inception right? somewhere that protein that vegetable has to be grown harvested cleaned brought to market now. You have all the technology wrapped around it. You have all the logistics that are wrapped around it.

30:58.93
vigorbranding
Oh.

31:07.73
Sam
You have all the construction to build the restaurants you have the designers that work on it. You have the comfort in the seats right? You have all the technology I mean geez Joseph let’s let’s look at all of the tech companies that have come out in the last twenty four months inactivity to support the industry right? So now we we started with inception. We get the product we have to transport the product we have to use technology to order by sell right? Oh but let’s also think about the process of creating the product.

31:26.30
vigorbranding
Right.

31:43.30
Sam
Right? So then you get to the the fun stuff where you get to make the product and somebody consumes it. But now what do we do with all that waste that comes out of it. So that’s created economies as well. So how do we recycle? How do we reuse repurpose and reinnovate.

31:45.89
vigorbranding
M.

32:01.25
Sam
Back to the inception standpoint. So it’s not just going to a landfill in in certain markets. You know, look at ah the amount of recycling on oil look at the waste that’s used for Pig farmers. Um, you know, especially in in the southwest right? There’s so many things look at the packaging.

32:15.65
vigorbranding
Yep.

32:20.84
Sam
In which the products are coming in today. Um, that are reducing landfills and are being reused and recycled I look at the the innovation that that the glass institute a friend of mine Scott Defife over there is is working on on How do you take the glass and make sure it just doesn’t get broken and. And put into a landfill but it gets recycled reused and repurposed right? I mean they’re actually taking the glass that can’t be reused and putting it into asphalt right? and is becoming a material so who would have thought all these things you know when when people ah I always get a chuckle when they talk about it and they’re like.

32:47.97
vigorbranding
In me.

32:57.80
Sam
Oh I just I don’t want to be a chef and I don’t want to just work in in a restaurant part pardon me because it’s one of the greatest economies that provides think of all of the actors all of the med students. All of the variety of people. Let’s just think of the people like Cameron Mitchell who graduated last in his high school class and became a multi multimillionaire how in the restaurant industry and there’s um, teen stories of that right? Let’s look at Marriott international right.

33:19.22
vigorbranding
Right.

33:25.74
vigorbranding
For.

33:29.11
Sam
Father and Alice ah and and Mr. Marriott start with an a and w hot shop right? and build 1 of the most iconic global hotel brains. There is opportunity every day Joseph look at the engagement of of yourself and what you’ve done supporting.

33:37.29
vigorbranding
Hey.

33:47.71
Sam
And working with ah building brands in the restaurant I mean that created a whole industry for you where restaurants. So.

33:54.31
vigorbranding
Yeah, it’s really important and if I can jump in because you’re starting to hit on something that ah is a very hot button now and that is the labor. The labor issues and challenges that we’re facing and you know you have folks out there who. I call him? Um, the restaurant industry’s little Vladimir Lenin but Michael Lustoria from and pizza who is stomping and thumping for minimum wage and that’s the answer to the problems minimum wage and paid holidays and healthcare and. While I don’t disagree with fair compensation and some of those other features that I do think this this industry needs to consider I think it’s pretty myopic and lazy dependent all on 1 thing because I think it’s a very complex issue and what you just started to lay out I think starts to get to the heart of it. We. We almost have a perception problem that. Working in a restaurant as a busboy or working you know on the counter at a restaurant just plugging in numbers into the to the register and placing orders is something to be ashamed of and or something that doesn’t have a future It’s a dead-end job and I think that comes from a very long time ago when. In reality that smattering of micro stories that you just unrolled is truly that just smating. It’s just a very tiny bit of so many other stories and I think we need to do a better job of painting that picture of this truly is a merit-based industry if you want it to be. You can get ahead. Um, and even your own story is 1 of starting here at the bottom and seeing a skyrocket to to to the top. Um, and yet we blame it on payment and we say we need to pay people this arbitrary number that we’ve homed in on of fifteen plus dollars an hour. My. My joke is why not 50 I mean if we’re going to ask for it like oh you know why is 15 the number that we’ve zeroed in on.

35:47.99
Sam
Yeah, you know I agree a hundred percent and and I think the national restaurant association is doing a good job to try and advocate. You know, certain roles are in our industry. Let’s face it. We’re never designed to be head of household jobs.

36:03.80
vigorbranding
Right.

36:05.23
Sam
They were designed for high school kids college kids to work earn learn the customer service I mean the greatest value you can teach a high schooler right now is to put them in a restaurant and have them be cashiers because they don’t talk to anybody they text and snap and whatever other platform they’re on.

36:20.63
vigorbranding
Frightened.

36:23.76
Sam
They don’t know how to have a conversation find me a high school kid that works in a restaurant they can sell you anything because they’ve got the leg up because their competition has no idea how to do it and to your point I’ve never heard find dining servers get out in front and say hey we don’t earn.

36:41.50
vigorbranding
Right.

36:43.30
Sam
Um, I know you know I know a lot of folks in the industry. Um, who make very very good money being career servers in full and fine dining right? that enjoy their life that make the money right? I mean make a lot of money. Um more. Ah. And we could just be honest here in fine dining in that niche. They are professionals find find me a fine dining server and you will find 1 of the best customer service salespeople you will ever look for and why are there limited.

37:07.10
vigorbranding
Um, absolutely.

37:21.13
Sam
Turnover in those establishments because they’re fairly compensated. They earn they live a good lifestyle and they they’re passionate about what they do. But when you break it down to where where we have a lot of people and into your point. What is the what is the the right and fair number. And how do we take the folks that are entering these jobs and promote them to go to college or go to trade school or look at all of the opportunities that the industry has right because the idea was never for them to be permanent.

37:57.70
vigorbranding
Ah.

37:58.91
Sam
Positions in their career because if we can open and motivate them to go to college to inspire them to become Entrepreneurs. You never know where the next great brand is right or the next great franchise is you know it’s it’s. Sad and and um, we’re trying to advocate more is to look at all of the franchisees that make up this country and what they do and how they’ve grown and how they’ve built business if you look at the National Restaurant association educational foundations faces a diversity award.

38:33.25
vigorbranding
I.

38:35.42
Sam
Every year they recognize people around the country right? who have have come from nothing and have built amazing careers. That’s what we need to be showing in grade school right? That’s what we need to be showing in high schools right? is here’s the opportunity get in there. Learn work hard look at the franchisee. Pick a brand they saved everything Joseph to open their restaurant. They put all their work in it. They work a hundred plus hours a week at developing their craft and their concept and whether it’s a franchise or an independent. They’re putting their blood sweat tears in family into that business right.

39:11.67
vigorbranding
Um, right? Yeah, well like you said earlier, There’s so many ancillary elements of this industry. You know I see a world especially as technology grows and becomes even more innovative within the ah within the industry.

39:14.13
Sam
For very little return for the first few years right? and it and it it.

39:28.86
vigorbranding
Um, why not have someone who starts by mopping the floors take the path of learning how to troubleshoot and support the technology on the ground and then easily come up with a new organization and next thing you know their Cto.

39:40.89
Sam
Hundred percent because if you if you look at all the executives. Okay I’ll I’ll take back. Not all the executives if you look at the majority of executives that are in our industry or in the supportive industries. We’ll call it for restaurants.

39:47.91
vigorbranding
Um.

39:59.15
Sam
Again, 1 in 3 americans started their first job in the hospitality industry right? and those skills that you learn ah by mopping by working at the at the front counter by washing dishes are disciplines and and and it’s scary because in in some of my other business ventures.

40:03.67
vigorbranding
That’s right.

40:18.99
Sam
You know we’ve hired this new group of teenagers who walk in and say okay well we’ve got to do dishes and believe it or not funny story I had 1 1 person tell me um I’ve never washed dishes. My mom puts them in the dishwasher for everybody I said well.

40:33.89
vigorbranding
Um, oh man, it’s almost like from coming into America where he has the yeah the mop bucket he’s just moving the bucket back and forth.

40:36.90
Sam
Guess what today you’re learning how to wash dishes or you watch them sweep the floor and they don’t even know how to put their hands on her broom. It’s like we we.

40:48.75
Sam
Ah, hundred percent and you know what the kids today haven’t even seen that movie and they’re doing it. So it’s yeah we have to get to to those basics and you have to do it and you have to have that experience I mean let’s look at Magic Johnson when he was opening the theaters.

40:52.55
vigorbranding
Those right.

41:08.48
Sam
He was working in the theaters mopping the floors to motivate and teach and train his crew members. He had some of the best running theaters in urban areas that were meticulous because you know what if magic Johnson is going to get on on the bucket and work the bathrooms.

41:18.20
vigorbranding
And.

41:28.12
Sam
You better believe everybody else is if you come to big chicken. You’re gonna see Shaquille squeeze in behind the counter and and do some work more more than likely he’s gonna be in the front. Yes, we we don’t we don’t have to pull any ladders out for that. Um, but he will be at the front door.

41:37.39
vigorbranding
He’s also ever looked good at changing the light bulbs. That’s right.

41:46.77
Sam
Greeting the customers that are coming in he will pick trays up on tables so you can’t say that we don’t lead by example and the great brands today lead. By example, they roll up their sleeves they get in the trenches they do it and when you can show them that you started at that same place. And you can motivate. Well, you’re gonna increase. Hopefully you’re increase your retention and good things will come and if you’re a great leader you motivate those kids especially on on the jobs that we were just talking about to go to school go to trade school or inspire them because you know what there’s so many opportunities out there for them.

42:22.10
vigorbranding
Yeah, the the sky really is the limit. So um, one final question because we’re coming up here on time and this might be the most important question if you could have 1 final meal on earth before it’s all over.

42:23.79
Sam
Follow.

42:39.28
vigorbranding
What would it be and it cannot be big chicken for.

42:40.96
Sam
Ah, there there there is a a family recipe for a greek dish that my ia made called delmatas and my wife has ah karmia, who’s my backbone. Who is my rock my high school sweetheart 23 years married um she learned because she knew my eyea and learned how to make that recipe and is the only person I have ever met that could match her recipe and that would be the meal that I would have. And and she learned and she learned how to make it for me because of my passion for that and and our family love for for our yaya and and what it meant to to break bread and you know ah be at the table and um to to today we we and in my family have that value where where dinner is.

43:17.93
vigorbranding
That’s amazing.

43:35.92
Sam
Is the most important meal of the day and it’s the the time where there’s no Tv no cell phones. Um and you sit and you look at each other in the eye and you break bread and you talk about the day and and the world just seems right at that moment in time when you can spend time with your family and extended family and and have that meal. So ah. To consume that meal with my family and and my two kids and my in-laws and my parents ah that that would be it that would be the most special thing that I could have sure would would would love to would love to have my friend at the table because again to me there’s there’s nothing better than breaking bread with friends and.

44:02.20
vigorbranding
Um, and your friend Joseph who just invited himself.

44:14.19
Sam
And um, that’s probably the reason that I’m still overweight and I’ll use that as my excuses I Love to break bread with anybody um, ah new friend old friend. Any friend let’s just be nicer to each other. Let’s use more restaurants and go from there.

44:17.27
vigorbranding
Um, yeah.

44:28.22
vigorbranding
yeah yeah I love it and you know for I don’t know if have you seen don’t look up the movie. Don’t look up all right? So um I don’t think this will be a spoiler alert but 1 of the final scenes is I just think fantastic. It’s just that it’s exactly what you said.

44:35.12
Sam
No.

44:47.40
vigorbranding
Coming together at the dinner table. No cell phones just talking laughter stories just together and I really hope that Um, as we search for what’s next in this world of ours. What’s next for society that a large group starts to reclaim the magic that that moment is. Um, because I think we’ve lost it and I think it shows um a lot. Absolutely.

45:08.10
Sam
And and that’s what restaurants are for whether whether you make it at home and and I kind of copped out with the my wife making the the right one. It is very very sentimental but there are so many great restaurants and there’s nothing better to than walking through a restaurant on and.

45:15.94
vigorbranding
Not at all.

45:27.84
Sam
Any given night and I don’t care fine dining casual dining quicks serve and seeing a group of people at a table enjoying a meal and talking. Um, you know we can make the exception if they are taking photos and posting them on social media to help the restaurant tour that is very nice with them. But it is so nice to hear.

45:35.29
vigorbranding
Yeah.

45:46.44
Sam
The chatter and the energy and the buzz and and my final thought is let’s not forget that so many great ideas were created on the back of a cocktail napkin. So allah southwest airlines allah the fast pass at Disney.

45:59.37
vigorbranding
That’s right.

46:04.46
Sam
Restaurants are the inspiration and if it’s bigger than a cocktail napkin. You’ve overthought it to start with so get your cocktail napkins out America think about the next great idea. Challenge yourself. Go find a restaurant tour support america.

46:12.54
vigorbranding
Um.

46:20.60
Sam
Let’s get let’s get back to the norm and let’s enjoy each other because the more we enjoy each other and the more we break bread. We we have to be a better company together and a better country all around.

46:30.67
vigorbranding
And while you’re in action oriented mode. Ah follow Sam and follow big chicken where can they do that.

46:37.31
Sam
So I am on Linkedin Instagram Twitter under Chicago sam love to connect with people I’m happy to answer questions. Um, you can find this at http://wwwww.bigchicken.com. Um, we’re there. We’re very accessible. Love love to hear. If you got questions help I can connect you please reach out. Linkedin is open love to talk to people any feedback I appreciate you Joseph. It’s it’s been great to get to know you and congratulations on your book launch last year. It’s been fun to watch and and I wish you the best and. I hope in 2022 you and I can break bread. My friend.

47:15.70
vigorbranding
Absolutely that one of these upcoming shows come find Sam come find me Sam Thanks for your time. This has been brilliant and I do think that we’re gonna have to do another episode. There’s a lot to talk about.

47:24.77
Sam
Um, sounds like a plan. Ah I’m up for it any time.