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Jessica Serrano, CMO of Bagel Brands, joins Zack Oates to share how marketers can better understand what makes a brand truly stand out. With experience across Burger King, Taco Bell, and Dig In, Jessica brings a sharp perspective on how guest insights shape strategy.

• Zack and Jessica discuss:
• Finding what makes your brand uniquely valuable
• Why scrappy guest research often beats big budgets
• How to balance data with real world observation
• The importance of timing and context in guest communication
• Why simple brand guidelines outperform complex ones
• How to improve guest experience by doing the next right thing

Thanks, Jessica!

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacausse/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bagel-brands/

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Zack Oates sits down with Steven Droulis, owner of Resto Vivaldi in Montreal, to explore how a family restaurant built an enormous online following while staying authentic to its roots. With hundreds of videos and hundreds of millions of views across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, Steven shares how consistency, authenticity, and educational content helped his restaurant break through on social media.

They discuss how content creation impacts restaurant traffic, why teaching viewers through recipes creates stronger engagement, and how operators can build trust both online and in the dining room. Steven also explains how value, consistency, and friendly service remain the foundation of a great guest experience.

Zack and Steven discuss:

• How authentic content drives massive social media growth
• Why teaching through food videos builds loyal audiences
• The impact of social media on restaurant traffic
• Why classic dishes outperform overly complicated food
• How value, consistency, and friendly service shape the guest experience

Thanks, Steven!

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/restovivaldi/

https://restovivaldi.com/en/

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Zack Oates sits down with Chris Gannon, founder and CEO of Bolay, to discuss what it takes to build a restaurant brand that lasts. After more than a decade in business and over 20 locations, Chris shares lessons from navigating growth, challenges, and maintaining a strong culture.

They explore how guest experience is shaped through small moments, why hiring the right people is critical, and how recognition and celebration drive team performance. Chris also explains how consistency, gratitude, and attention to detail help create lasting connections with guests.

Zack and Chris discuss:

• How Bolay built a strong culture over 10 years
• Why recognition is key to team performance
• The role of hiring in guest experience
• How small details shape the customer journey
• Why consistency drives long term success

Thanks, Chris!

Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-gannon-82b106190/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bolayrestaurant/about/

https://www.bolay.com/