It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Of course, it’s nice to know a little about a lot. It’s also nice to know people who know people who know other people. What am I getting at with this? I mean, having conversations with people who know more than you and who are outside and inside of your network is important. The importance of having influencers in the restaurant industry is the difference between having a vision and actually bringing that vision to life. Stop worrying about what others may think and start having conversations today.
Together, we win (Miller, 2021).
Kerry Miller From Massachusetts Restaurant Association
I spoke with Kerry Miller, Vice President of Operations at the Massachusetts Restaurant Association earlier this week. It’s amazing how supportive the restaurant community is. I originally called Kerry to inquire about the benefits of obtaining a membership. However, we quickly started to dive into the details of Fliptable and the restaurant industry. Having a plethora of knowledge, Kerry provided insider insight into the current restaurant scene in Massachusetts. Upon the conversation’s close, he gave me additional contacts to reach out to begin yet another conversation. You see, one conversation led to another.
Together We Win Podcast
Furthermore, if you’re a hungry restaurateur and podcast nerd like myself, I highly recommend following Kerry’s podcast. Reviewed as informative and funny, the “Together We Win” podcast shares all that is going on right now in the restaurant industry in Massachusetts. I welcome you to join Kerry and his crew of industry experts. Scroll. Search. Subscribe today. From one restaurateur to another, it’s nice to support our fellow industry experts. Having influencers in the restaurant industry is an advantage for networking purposes. Additionally, it’s great for wanting to gather as much market research as possible without having to type into any Google search engine.
Branch Venture Group
After speaking with Kerry, I had an exhaustive list of restaurateurs to keep me busy for the rest of the week. My first dial was to Lauren Abda. For those who don’t know, Lauren is an amazing woman in the PCG world. Having attended the University of Vermont and graduating with her Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition and Food Science, her career trajectory quickly sky-rocketed into all things food. Currently, she holds the responsibility of Co-Founder of Branch Venture Group, an investment company that focuses on early-stage food-related startup companies like Fliptable! Lauren is excited for Fliptable and welcomed our business model as she said, “I want to see this out in the wild.” Into the wild we went!
All-in-all, if you are a new startup, you want to be having 10-20 conversations a day (or more) with business-minded individuals. And, if you’re in a specific industry, you want to be plugging their brain about their experience. These conversations will hopefully lead you to take action and set you in front of other talented and knowledgeable individuals. Releasing a new product “into the wild” can be nerve-wracking. However, it doesn’t need to be frustrating. Instead, it can be fun. The more market insight you gather and the greater your network, the farther you will be able to carry your vision. Who knows, maybe lightning will strike.
National Have Fun at Work Day
Before I forget. Today is National Have Fun at Work Day. Be sure to get your work done and have a little fun while you’re at it. Here’s a little something I had fun creating.
Fliptable Advice
Here’s a little Fliptable advice for all the wonderful entrepreneurs out there: Start. I also spoke with CEO, Matt Harris from Bloom Credit who mirrored the belief that if you want to see if something will work and if there’s viable traction, you need to get it out there. What happens next? Well, you don’t know until you try it. Everything in between can be improved upon as you go, but the important part is that you begin. Things will inevitably change, which may result in a completely different business model, but that is the action of business. What the market is perceptive to one day may change the next. Your mindset and your team will help you maneuver ad hoc.
Community Roundtable
One more thing, if you’re wanting to connect with like-minded individuals and grow your network, Branchfood offers weekly meetups where people gather to do, learn, and share the things we love most.
Don’t just think about it. Don’t just talk about it. It’s time to start doing more of what you love.
Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk
No conversation is a waste of time. Influencers help promote your brand and provide a wonderful support hub. Everyone you meet and speak with will provide you with new information. Take what you will from those discussions and keep on keepin’ on. Moreover, I am happy to have a conversation with anyone in regards to restaurant technology, the restaurant industry, and my fondness for moving the needle in all things business. Call me maybe.
Cheers.
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