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PODCAST

The Pineapple Perspective

What would you say if we told you that every business is in the hospitality business? Join Troy Hooper, CEO of Hot Palette America, as he explores what hospitality means in every business with industry leaders. Troy and his guests will tackle how they came to deploy hospitality in their businesses, how it impacts their results, and how they came to understand, adopt, and deploy this mindset and framework. Leveraging Troy"s experience, insight, and straight talk - listeners will walk away with a

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All Episodes

24:43

072: Hospitality, Innovation, and Staying...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/11/06

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper sits down with Mijo Alanis, founder and franchisor of Beyond Juicery + Eatery. Mijo shares his journey from dishwasher to successful brand builder, offering candid insight into the realities of starting, scaling, and franchising a health-focused restaurant concept. He reflects on lessons learned from decades in the restaurant business, the mindset shift required to become a franchisor, and how hospitality has evolved into something

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38:12

071: Inside Stonefire Grill's Hospitality Strategy...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/10/30

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper speaks with David Youngberg, CEO of Stonefire Grill, about what it truly means to lead with hospitality. With decades of experience in restaurant operations—from his early days at McDonald's to senior leadership at BJ's and now Stonefire—David offers grounded insights on building a people-first culture. He shares how Stonefire is refining its guest experience through technology, team empowerment, and a clear vision for growth. From

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41:53

070: Building a Scalable Brand That Stays True to Its...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/10/23

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy sits down with Rob Ertmann, CEO of Mo’Betta’s Hawaiian-style restaurant chain. With over 25 years in the hospitality industry, Rob shares the brand’s growth journey from 22 to 68 stores in four years, its partnership with Savory Fund, and its recent acquisition by Blue Marlin and Tribe. The conversation focuses on operational excellence, cultural authenticity, and the importance of simplicity in menu design. Rob outlines how Mo’Betta’s has

en

27:13

069: How ZenZap is Simplifying Team Communication in...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/10/09

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy Hooper sits down with Guy Weiss, tech entrepreneur and founder of ZenZap, to discuss how workplace communication is evolving—especially in the hospitality industry. Guy shares his journey from cybersecurity to launching a purpose-built messaging platform designed for frontline teams in fast-paced environments like restaurants and franchises. The conversation explores the high cost of chaotic communication, including burnout, security risks, and

en

42:34

REPLAY From Service Innovation to Loyalty Programs:...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/10/02

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy Hooper interviews Jim Balis, partner of Strategic Operations Group at Capitol Spring. They delve into how hospitality can be delivered effectively in the fast-casual and QSR space. Jim shares thoughts and insights on the future of loyalty programs, automation, and customization in the industry. Here are a few key topics discussed: - Importance of hospitality in different segments of the restaurant industry - Implementing technology to improve

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30:03

067: Growing Midweek Revenue Through Corporate Dining...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/09/25

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy Hooper speaks with Laura Wilber, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Dinova, about the business dining landscape and how restaurants can tap into the lucrative market of corporate dining. Laura shares her journey from custom boot fitting and radio ad sales to becoming a trusted partner for over 600 global companies through Dinova’s extensive restaurant network. She highlights the impact of corporate travelers on midweek traffic, growing trends in

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46:36

066: Turning Guest Feedback into Revenue with Davi...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/09/18

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy Hooper sits down with tech industry veteran Davi Dubinski, co-founder at Momos. They unpack the critical role of customer data and engagement tools in today’s hospitality landscape. Davi shares his journey from international relations and ad tech to co-building a platform designed to streamline guest feedback and lifecycle marketing for restaurants. The conversation dives into the challenges of fragmented systems, the operational and financial

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39:23

065: Adapting with Heart and the Building of Crazy...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/09/11

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy Hooper welcomes Mehdi Zarhloul, founder of Crazy Pita, to discuss the evolution of hospitality, business resilience, and brand-building in the restaurant industry. From humble beginnings as a teenage immigrant to becoming a multi-concept restaurant operator and franchisee, Mehdi shares his journey, philosophy, and the values that guide his team. He emphasizes kindness, sincerity, and consistency in customer service while integrating technology to

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40:35

064: The Future of Restaurants is Phygital with Guest...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/08/28

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper welcomes Kathleen Wood—industry veteran, consultant, and founder of Kathleen Wood Partners—for a dynamic conversation about hospitality, founder-led businesses, and the future of leadership in the restaurant space. Kathleen shares her journey from dishwasher to CEO, discusses the philosophy behind transforming transactions into human connections, and offers practical insights on building scalable, founder-led companies. The two dive

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51:31

063: Building Legacy Brands with Andrew K. Smith of...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/08/21

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy Hooper sits down with Andrew K. Smith, co-founder and managing partner of the Savory Fund. They explore the principles of servant leadership, authentic partnership in franchising, and how discipline, transparency, and an abundance mindset can shape the future of the hospitality industry. Andrew shares lessons from both tech and restaurant sectors, emphasizes the importance of operational excellence before scaling, and outlines how the Savory Fund

en

38:47

062: Cameron McNie on Hospitality Culture and the...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/08/14

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy Hooper talks with Cameron McNie, co-founder and executive chairman of Hawaiian Bros Island Grill, about leading with values in the fast casual restaurant space. Cameron shares how he and his brother have scaled the brand from its roots in Kansas City to more than 60 locations while prioritizing employee well-being and embedding the Aloha spirit into every aspect of the business. His approach includes fully covered healthcare for key employees,

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34:18

061: The Strategy Behind Scaling Costa Vida and...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/08/07

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper speaks with Wade Allen, President of Costa Vida, about his unique journey from a digital and tech background to leading a fast-casual restaurant brand. Wade shares his philosophy on hospitality, the importance of leadership over management, and how Costa Vida is scaling while maintaining a strong food culture. He also discusses the use of AI and technology in improving restaurant operations, from scheduling to order accuracy. The

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34:31

060: How Restaurant365 Helps Operators Tackle Labor...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/07/31

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper sits down with Tony Smith, co-founder and CEO of Restaurant365, a SaaS platform transforming restaurant back office operations. Tony shares the story behind R365’s founding and its evolution from a niche accounting software to a comprehensive operational platform used across the industry. He provides a data-driven view of the current state of the restaurant sector, highlights the top concerns of operators—especially labor challenges—and

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34:15

059: Helping Hospitality Leaders Drive Long-Term...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/07/24

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper welcomes longtime hospitality leader Andrew Parr to discuss his journey from operator to consultant and coach. Drawing on his experiences with Applebee's franchisees, major hotel groups, and independent restaurants, Andrew shares how a guest-first mentality shaped his view of hospitality. He breaks down the distinctions between consulting, advisory, and coaching, and explains why he pivoted toward executive coaching to help hospitality

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22:45

058: How Toast Empowers Staff and Improves Guest...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/07/17

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper interviews Kelly Esten, CMO of Toast, live from the National Restaurant Association Show 2025. They discuss the role of technology in enhancing hospitality, including how Toast integrates tools to empower staff and improve guest experiences without losing the human touch. Kelly shares insights on the use of AI for personalization, Toast’s expansion into the enterprise market, and upcoming innovations in point-of-sale systems. The

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21:05

057: How Team Culture Impacts Guest Experience and...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/07/10

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper sits down with Amy Hom, Chief Operating Officer at Barcelona Wine Bar, live from the National Restaurant Association Show 2025. Amy shares her journey from starting at McDonald's to leading major brands through culture transformation. They discuss the power of authentic hospitality to change lives, the importance of building trust within teams, and strategies for increasing employee retention through development, recognition, and

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34:59

056: Hidden Revenue in Your Restaurant or Venue with...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/06/26

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy Hooper sits down with sales coach and Founder of Facetime Coaching Company, Mandi Graziano for a deep dive into the principles of hospitality, sales strategy, and venue optimization. Mandi shares insights from her 27-year career in the hospitality industry, including lessons from her book Sales Tales and her hands-on work with venues and sales teams. They discuss the importance of listening to both customers and staff, actionable strategies for

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34:51

055: The Evolution of Predictive Analytics in the...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/06/19

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy chats with Matt Wampler, co-founder of ClearCOGS, to discuss the evolving role of predictive analytics and AI in the restaurant industry. Matt shares his journey from owning Jimmy John’s franchises to launching ClearCOGS, which helps restaurants optimize prep, inventory, and labor decisions using advanced data forecasting. The conversation covers the importance of hospitality, practical use cases of predictive analytics, and the growing integration

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34:56

054: Promotional Products Expert, Hildee Isaacs on...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/06/12

This week, Troy welcomes Hildee Isaacs, a seasoned expert in promotional products, swag, and branded merchandise. Hildee shares her inspiring journey from her early days in New York’s film industry and her entrepreneurial ventures in Atlanta to becoming a leading consultant in the promotional products space. Hildee shares her thoughts on the true meaning of hospitality; of how it goes beyond service to include thoughtful branding and product choices that leave lasting impressions. Hildee explains

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34:15

053: Strategies for Growth, Culture, and Empowerment...

The Pineapple Perspective ·

2025/06/05

This week, Troy welcomes industry leader Eric Knott to discuss his journey from childhood in upstate New York to becoming a prominent restaurant executive. Eric shares insights on the true essence of hospitality, making people feel welcome, and expands on the implementation of it throughout your business, from the staff to operations. Eric talks about how important culture, leadership, and empowering your staff is to create a resilient and connected team, especially as your company or restaurant

en

73 results

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