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Restaurant

From Dishwasher to Franchisor CEO: The 48-Year American Dream of John Gelastopoulos

John Gelastopoulos arrived from Greece at 17 and built Broken Yolk Cafe into a 40-location franchise doing $2.7M per unit by putting people first and…

Restaurant

From Civil Engineer to Pizza Empire: Matt Stanfield’s Seven-Location Journey at Mattenga’s

Matt Stanfield shares his journey from civil engineer to seven-location pizza owner—overcoming fraudulent financials, employee sabotage, and third-party delivery economics to win Pizza Today's 2024…

Staffing

Clark Harvey: From Two Layoffs in 11 Months to Recruiting Firm Owner

Clark Harvey shares how two layoffs in 11 months led him to found Arrowhead Talent Solutions, 4x revenue in one year, and build a values-driven…

Restaurant

How Haley Nutter-Sitek Built Seven Restaurants Through the 2-2-2-2 Rule

Haley Nutter-Sitek shares Crown Restaurant Group journey—Father's Day breakdown to Cincinnati Magazine validation, 2-2-2-2 rule creating family table culture across seven restaurants.

Hospitality

How Akash Goel Built an AI Platform That Increases Hotel-Conversions 30% at ⅓ Traditional Cost

Akash Goel shares building Atica Global after going broke twice—AI automation achieving 20-30% hotel conversion increases at one-third traditional cost.

Hospitality

How Mike Mills Turned One Week of Childhood River Trips Into a $4 Million Resort

Mike Mills shares journey from Marine Corps honor man to founding Buffalo Outdoor Center—surviving Christmas 1977 $10-gift crisis handmade coupon-book, discovering cabin goldmine as Tourism…

Hospitality

Ashley Chapman on Pink-Barbie Hard-Hat Construction Marketing and Tax-Exempt Booking Strategies

Ashley Chapman shares selling first car age five pigtails Crest Cadillac Nashville father greatest salesman, divorce stay-at-home single mom charity volunteer hospitality bug bite, overcoming…

Advisor

The Two-Year Assignment That Became a 19-Year Mission: John Hoey and The Y in Central Maryland

John Hoey shares how he tripled revenue at The Y in Central Maryland, rebranded the YMCA, survived COVID bankruptcy fears, and received an $18M MacKenzie…

Finance and Tax

Larissa Akrawi on Member-Owned Group Captives and Betting on Yourself

Larissa Akrawi shares journey from inner-city Chicago survival to running $430M workers comp captive—paying junior college on credit card, overcoming self-doubt "kid from Chicago no…

Advisor

How Rick Smilow Acquired Cooking School With a Cold Call and Grew The Institute of Culinary Education to a National Institution

Rick Smilow shares Northwestern Kellogg MBA margarine tastings, failed cat snack startup competing Ralston Purina, 1995 cold call acquiring Peter Kump's Cooking School knowing nothing…

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