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About This Podcast
Back to Basics podcast cuts through the noise to focus on what matters in hospitality. Join Rachael Nemeth, CEO of Opus Training, as she talks with service industry leaders who are shaping today's workforce.
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Recent Episodes
EP19: Scaling the Experience Economy, From Escape Rooms to 100 Units of Play
“When the product is the experience, service isn’t support — it’s the show.”Jason Thompson, COO and Co-Founder of Sounds Fun Entertainment, joins Rachael Nemeth to unpack what it really takes to…
EP18: Great Service Isn’t Expected in Recreational Sports and That’s Why It Works
EP18: Great Service Isn’t Expected in Recreational Sports and That’s Why It Works“In service businesses, the win isn’t the task—it’s the relationship.”Gary Archer is CEO and President of a leading…
EP17: How to Build the Modern Franchisor Without “One Size Fits All”
“Modern franchising isn’t about more support—it’s about smarter, scalable support.”Jenna Henderson has spent nearly two decades inside franchise systems, operating across field ops, brand services,…
S1E16 EP16: How to Scale 19 Brands Without Breaking the P&L
"Brand building starts with your P&L, not your logo."Josh Halpern has one of the most unconventional careers in the industry: P&G, Clorox, Anheuser-Busch, CEO of Big Chicken, and now Chief…
EP15: How to Scale Hospitality Without Losing the Human Touch
"If you want to scale hospitality, don’t add more tech—make people feel seen."Anthony Valletta, CEO of bartaco, started flipping pizzas at 13 and spent two decades across QSR, premium casual, and…
EP14: The Real Work of Turning Smashburger’s CEO Vision Into Rapid Execution
"If you want people to move fast, you have to make it easy for them to do the right thing."Kelly Saunders, SVP of Restaurant Experience at Smashburger, has spent 14 years transforming how one of…
EP13: The Real Math of Restaurant Expansion
"Most people build for average, but new stores almost never open at average." Jason Morgan, former CFO turned CEO of Original ChopShop, has spent decades in the restaurant industry learning the hard…
S1E12 EP12: Building the Field Leadership Team from a Field Leaders' POV
"District managers are the brand—they're the stamp for everything we stand for." Elle Piper learned this truth the hard way, starting as an undertrained district manager who had to ask her own direct…
S1E11 EP11: Playbook For Scaling From 10 to 50+ Units
When you open your second location, everything changes. You can't be in two places at once, and suddenly you realize: you need to shift from operator to CEO. Carl Bachmann learned this lesson as a…
S1E10 EP10: Breaking the Turnover Cycle That Kills Restaurant Expansion
Etkin Tekin left his corporate strategy position at AB InBev's innovation arm to co-found one of the Northeast's fastest-growing restaurant concepts. While most operators struggle with an expensive…
S1E9 EP9: Training as Brand Strategy
In this episode of Back to Basics, Rachael Nemeth sits down with Suzie Tsai, CEO of Bonchon, who brings a rare and refreshing perspective to restaurant leadership, with over 25 years of experience in…
S1E8 EP8: Scaling the Brand, Not Just the Business
In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Fassio, Chief Retail and Operations Officer at Verve Coffee Roasters—a 14-unit third-wave coffee brand based in Santa Cruz, known for its relationships with…
S1E7 EP7: Innovating the Fast Food Experience Through People Development
In this episode of Back to Basics, we sit down with Aaron Noveshen, Founder and CEO of Starbird Chicken, and one of the leading innovators in fast casual dining.Aaron shares how Starbird is…
S1E6 EP6: Scaling a Franchise Through People Development and Purpose
In this episode, we sit down with Blake Buchanan, Founder and CEO of Bahama Buck’s—a 100+ unit Midwest-based franchise known for its tropical shaved ice and culture-first approach. Blake started the…
S1E5 EP5: Building a Sustainable System of Hospitality
In this episode, we sit down with Andy Hooper, restaurant industry leader and former CEO of Hart House, to talk about how people development drives long-term success in hospitality. With experience…
S1E4 EP4: Scaling Business through Customer Experience, Speed, and Connection
In this episode, we sit down with Darren Spicer, Co-Founder and CEO of Clutch Coffee Bar, to explore how his brand is revolutionizing the drive-thru coffee experience. With a focus on speed, service,…
S1E3 EP3: The State of Operations: 2025 Hospitality Training 360 Report Recap
In this episode of Back to Basics, we explore the findings of the 2025 Hospitality Training 360 Report, focusing on the current state of learning and development (L&D) in the hospitality…
S1E2 EP2: Building a People First Culture: Training, Hiring, and Leadership in the Service Industry
Celton talks about his leadership journey from store manager to CEO at CC’s coffee, the importance of maintaining a people-first culture (a la southern hospitality + mentions to qualities he looks…
S1E1 EP1: AI in L&D for Frontline Workers with Gregg Majewski, CEO of Craveworthy Brands
Get ready for a dynamic conversation as Rachael Nemeth and Gregg Majewski dive into the game-changing impact of AI on the restaurant industry. They break down the biggest challenges—shifting consumer…
Frequently Asked Questions
“Back to Basics” with Rachael Nemeth has published 19 episodes since February 2025, covering topics in Business, Management.
“Back to Basics” with Rachael Nemeth is currently highly active with new episodes monthly. Average episode length is 35m.
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