Tech + Mortar Episode 028, April 23, 2020
Jim Mizes, Blaze & SiteZeus
Talk Highlights
- Examples of the initiatives restaurants have taken to reach customers in new ways.
- What restaurant professionals should be doing to ensure they make it to the other side.
- How the future of the restaurant business will look.
Speaker Bio
Jim Mizes started his career in the retail industry as a young man working at his father’s pharmacy. He then went to school and received a degree in accounting and began working in typical finance jobs. After realizing that accounting wasn’t what brought him joy, Jim joined Taco Bell as a general manager and quickly worked his way up to their VP of operations. In 1989, Jim repositioned the brand’s 59, 79, 99 campaign and saw a 60% growth in same-store sales. After building up several restaurant brands, Jim finally joined Blaze Pizza where he grew the brand from 2 stores to over 340 in only 6 and a half years.
Jim is now retired and recently joined SiteZeus’ board of directors to continue to help retail and restaurant brands grow into new markets.
Show Notes
- 1:40 - Jim’s take on where retail is allocating funds during this time
- 2:55 - Initiatives restaurants are taking to pivot their strategies with no dine-in
- 5:00 - How restaurants can prepare for business after COVID-19
- 6:50 - What restauranteurs can do to maintain funds and get to the other side
- 9:40 - How non-leadership positions can add value to their company
- 12:30 - Is there an advantage for those restaurant brands who own their real estate?
- 13:30 - Jim’s prediction on what the future of the restaurant business looks like
- 15:15 - Quickfire - COVID-19 edition!
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