Tech and Mortar

Talk highlights: People are what makes or breaks a brand  Learning from others’ stories and best practices in the restaurant industry Focusing on creating happy employees will, in turn, create happy customers Speaker bio: Austin’s career an operator at Four Foods Group’s first location opened with Kneaders Bakery and Cafe. He was able to experience first-hand the operational side of restaurants, something that many other investors do not have. Austin was one of Four Foods Group’s first employees and was able to help grow the brand from the ground up. While there, he led the acquisition and integration of many food and beverage brands and developed over $100 million in commercial retail real estate. Austin now serves as an investor with Savory Restaurant Fund, which is partnering with high potential emerging restaurants to facilitate their growth into multi-unit brands.

Talk highlights: Changes to the grocery industry caused by COVID-19 Why some grocery stores don’t make it past the planning stages How Planned Grocery came to be Speaker bio: David Beitz and George Daigh are Co-Founders of Beitz and Daigh Geographics, Inc. the company that created Planned Grocery in 2016. Planned Grocery is a data mapping platform company that tracks grocery store real estate development cycles. The platform currently includes over 2,500 locations across the United States that are either proposed, planned, under construction, or built within the last 6 months.

Talk highlights: The advantage of having offered delivery pre-pandemic  Optimizing new and existing sites to be off-premise friendly The biggest issues on the minds of many restaurant professionals

3 main takeaways: Examples of the initiatives restaurants have taken to reach customers in new ways. What restaurant professionals should be doing to ensure they make it to the other side. How the future of the restaurant business will look. Speaker bio: Jim Mizes started his career in the retail industry as a young man working at his father’s pharmacy. He then went to school and received a degree in accounting and began working in typical finance jobs. After realizing that accounting wasn’t what brought him joy, Jim joined Taco Bell as a general manager and quickly worked his way up to their VP of operations. In 1989, Jim repositioned the brand’s 59, 79, 99 campaign and saw a 60% growth in same-store sales. After building up several restaurant brands, Jim finally joined Blaze Pizza where he grew the brand from 2 stores to over 340 in only 6 and a half years. Jim is now retired and recently joined SiteZeus’ board of directors to continue to help retail and restaurant brands grow into new markets.

3 main points: Things that Fred learned from his mentors, like Rich Melman from Lettuce Entertain You, and how it molded him into the business consultant he is today How technology advancements disrupted the industry - both in front-of-house and in the kitchen How restaurants can improve the experience for their customers Speaker Bio: Fred LeFranc originally began his career in the restaurant industry in Chicago at Lettuce Entertainment Expertise. He then worked with El Torito when the brand had only 18 restaurants, which lead to opening a restaurant in Laguna Beach and growing it to 250 locations. Fred has worked as CEO for over half-a-dozen restaurants. When he recognized that the industry was entering an era of creative destruction, Fred decided to open his business, Results Thru Strategy. Working as a Chaos Strategist with Results Thru Strategy, Fred finds order in disorder working with entrepreneurs, investors, and c-suite executives. Helping companies find their purpose that resonates with each team member that makes the company who they are. He believes that trust and discretion is what makes his business relationships last long. Working with both big and small brands, he provides guidance and strategy to be a successful business no matter the hardship.

3 main points  Selecting talent versus hiring people  Creating a company language that matches the existing behavior  The key to retaining good talent Speaker Bio Dee Ann Turner started her Chick-fil-A career as a secretary to the Vice President of Human Resources and eventually, moved up to the VP of Talent and HR becoming the very first female officer of the company. During her 33 years at Chick-fil-A, Dee Ann focused on growing the renowned culture of the company by recruiting for the corporate staff as well as selecting franchisees.  Dee Ann now owns her own organization which focuses on providing keynote speaking, consulting, and coaching around transforming and growing companies’ culture and talent. She has visited many corporations to speak about topics like The Recipe for a Remarkable Culture, How to Win with Who, The Secret Sauce of Legendary Customer Service, and more.  Dee Ann is also a 2x best selling author of Bet on Talent and It’s my Pleasure. Her books focus on creating remarkable talent and culture within an organization as well as its impact on customer loyalty as well as the entire company. Purchase Dee Ann’s latest book, Bet on Talent here: https://amzn.to/36habWW 

3 main takeaways: What is a ghost kitchen? Find out how brands are becoming successful with third-party delivery Answers to the most frequently asked questions from retailers regarding ghost kitchens Speaker bio: Brett Wilson has been in sales for 10 years and specializes in technology, food service, and data analytics. Brett is currently at DoorDash where he helps brands of all sizes enter into third party delivery and the ghost kitchen space.

3 main takeaways: How to create a foundation and team within a restaurant that supports growth and success. The importance of discovering your “zone of genius” and how it can lead to internal joy. Building a team that is service-oriented rather than task-oriented. Speaker bio: Jim Mizes started his career in the retail industry as a young man working at his father’s pharmacy. He then went to school and received a degree in accounting and began working in typical finance jobs. After realizing that accounting wasn’t what brought him joy, Jim joined Taco Bell as a general manager and quickly worked his way up to their VP of operations. In 1989, Jim repositioned the brand’s 59, 79, 99 campaign and saw a 60% growth in same-store sales. After building up several restaurant brands, Jim finally joined Blaze Pizza where he grew the brand from 2 stores to over 340 in only 6 and a half years. Jim is now retired and recently joined SiteZeus’ board of directors to continue to help retail and restaurant brands grow into new markets.

3 main takeaways Types of innovation commercial real estate is experiencing What emerging trends Mariel is excited to see What to expect at a DisruptCRE conference Speaker Bio Mariel Ebrahimi co-founded DisruptCRE in 2014 with the goal of connecting industry professionals with emerging technologies and trends. Recently, Mariel has spoken for groups within CoreNet New England, Commercial Real Estate Finance Council, NGKF, and at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. In 2015, she was selected as a finalist for the SmartCEO "Skyline Awards" for innovation in commercial real estate and in 2018, a Bisnow NYC Woman of Influence award. With a background in international logistics, tech and supply chain management, Mariel has found a passion at the nexus of commercial real estate and technology.

3 Main Takeaways: How untraditional education and experience can be the most valuable When and how brick and mortar retail met their pitfall How to have the most beneficial relationship between a franchisor and franchisees Speaker Bio: Garrick Brown started his career by working in various retail stores while going to school for a creative writing degree. He then pursued freelance writing where he created a connection with a broker and began writing real estate reports. Today, Garrick is one of the leading Retail Real Estate Analysts in the US and serves as the Vice President of Retail Intelligence for the Americas at Cushman and Wakefield. In this position, Garrick manages the retail research team and runs analyses and forecast for the US, Canada, and Latin America. Garrick is also a talented public speaker. He frequently speaks on behalf of Cushman and Wakefield and serves as a keynote speaker during various conferences. He is also regularly quoted regarding retail by dozens of business journals, including Wall Street Journal and CNBC.

3 Takeaways: What can listeners gain from the Tech and Mortar podcast? Why retail isn’t dead – just evolving The importance of having young perspectives in business Speaker Bio: Tyler Carlson is a serial entrepreneur who was involved in an acquisition of a company during college. As Freshman in college, Tyler began selling study guides for his classes. He went on to sell more guides than any individual in the country, averaging around $10,000 each semester. Eventually he went on to join a website that facilitated the sale of guides and was involved in the acquisition. In 2015, Tyler joined the sales team at SiteZeus, a technology company assisting in the growth and optimization of brands like Subway, Checkers, Vitamin Shoppe, Burger King, and more. After leading the sales efforts as the VP of Sales, he transitioned to the VP of Customer. Tyler enjoys playing golf, spontaneous traveling, and learning from people. He loves reviewing customer experience/service and considers himself the ultimate secret shopper. His goal is to touch a million lives.  

3 Takeaways: What went wrong when introducing Chipotle in Jacksonville that led to Bobby’s biggest insight? How $8 and 10 minutes can facilitate creating culture at a Whataburger Know the difference between good and great performers - if you can’t define it you can’t find it   Bio: Recognized in 2016 by Fast Casual in their annual Top 100 report as a Top 25 Executive, Bobby Shaw has held senior leadership roles with several restaurant companies including Freebirds World Burrito, Chipotle, and McDonald’s. Bobby got his start in the restaurant business at McDonald’s where he spent 17 years, starting his career in the kitchen and working his way up to a successful multi-unit leader. He joined Chipotle as an Area Manager in 2002, where he was one of the chief architects to the strong culture supporting the high growth Chipotle experienced during that time. Bobby grew the South Region to over 200 restaurants during his tenure. His focus on developing people gave him the opportunity to guide numerous individuals into senior leadership roles throughout the organization. An avid writer, Bobby writes and about leadership development extensively on LinkedIn, various industry publications, and on his ​blog at bobbyshawconsulting.com. His first book, "Cutting Onions: Leadership Lessons Learned from the Restaurant Industry" releases in March 2020 from Morgan James Publishing. Pre-order it now: https://amzn.to/2XDiRDy

  3 takeaways: What is the state of cannabis today and how is the west coast leading the way? What can retailers do to embrace the changing tide? What are some of the expanding applications of cannabis?   Speaker Bio: Ryder Jeanes has unparalleled expertise in the intersection of cannabis and retail having spent decades on the retail side. He is also a member of the very first cannabis hedge fund. Through his experience in the industry, Ryder founded Canntilever. Canntilever operates at the intersection of real estate, capital markets and the global cannabis industry. The main objective of Canntilever is providing strategies and solutions to the complex and growing cannabis industry.  

Talk Highlights What is a leader’s true job? To help them see what they don’t see 5 year outlook on off premise What is going to happen to those 30% fees third parties are charging?   Speaker Bio Mo is an expert at aligning technology development and corporate strategy to anticipate, shape and lead major market trends. As a professional manager with over 25 years of Software Development and Technology experience, most of his career has been spent in an executive technology management role developing and managing products ranging from an extensive enterprise solution, to corporate wide client-server solutions, to an off-the-shelf consumer based solution. He has owned and driven entire releases of major software solutions, taking ownership of tasks and believes in management through empowerment.  Mo is results oriented, energetic, with entrepreneurial spirit, thriving on new challenges and opportunities, with the ability to wear different hats and properly communicating information to individuals with different backgrounds and focus areas. He has proven success attracting and retaining technical and non-technical resources, allowing him to build dynamic teams in a variety of company structures/environments, and defining technical and operational processes to help those teams be highly effective. As a volunteer high school coach, Mo’s leadership and coaching skills transcend into his professional world motivating his teams to maneuver difficult, changing, fast paced environments. Mo scored in the top 5% of all senior managers tested in an internal in-depth leadership assessment evaluation. Scoring above average in all aspects of the test including: vision, execution, inspiration, drive, ownership and empathy.  

Talk Highlights Jayson takes us from the days of Census data on CDs into 2019 Without a leader who understands analytics and technology, there is no hope How a jazz band can relate to a well-run organization   Speaker Bio Jayson Tipp is the CEO of PINCHO, which is the family owned Latin American fast-casual concept known for pioneering the combination of premium hamburgers and grilled kebabs (“Pinchos”) with a Latin-twist.  A nationally recognized restaurant leader considered an expert in consumer analytics, market strategy and development, Mr. Tipp has a track record of translating insights into results. He was named CEO of PINCHO in June 2018. Prior to that, Tipp was at Papa Murphy’s International (PMI), where he served as Chief Development Officer overseeing the brand’s growth across franchise sales, real estate and technology.    Prior to being named Chief Development Officer at PMI, Mr. Tipp served as PMI’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, helping the organization post 14 consecutive quarters of sales growth. Mr. Tipp has also held leadership roles in marketing, development, finance, and strategy roles at Redbox, Potbelly Sandwich Works and Starbucks.    PINCHO recently announced plans to open 10 locations in the Washington D.C. market with plans to expand to 100 locations nationwide over the next 5 years. The Company opened its first location in Miami in 2010.   

Talk Highlights The pros and cons of the requirement to work as a manager at Dominos to become a franchisee. His experience opening different format stores emphasizing the carryout and dine in sales with 126% increasein sales. How teaching kids to make pizza creates customers for a lifetime.   Speaker Bio Jack Henry has over 25 years in the Restaurant Industry in the international market. He was a franchisee for 2 major fast food chains SUBWAY | Domino’s. Experienced at raising capital or financing, the accounting system and understanding financials, holding people and self-accountable, deep understanding of sales data and creating spread sheet data bases to figure out trends and plans to take action, confident creator of presentations and speaker. Jack shares his story of moving to Puerto Rico, becoming a franchisee, and the lessons learned along the way. To review Jack Henry’s written articles click here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercerjackhenry

3 Takeaways #1 advice for retailers? Reduce friction. “Rookies do not listen to the vets, and the vets hush up” The blaring truth that our industry is ignoring? Social media.   Bio Affectionately known as ‘The Canvassing Queen’, Beth Azor is the founder and owner of Azor Advisory Services (AAS), a leading commercial real estate advisory and investment firm based in Southeast Florida. Beth has been in the Commercial Real Estate Industry since 1986, from 1998 to 2004 as President of Terranova, Florida's largest 3rd party asset manager. She founded Azor Advisory Services in 2004 to invest in her own properties and provide consulting and training to industry leaders such as Kimco Corporation, Cushman & Wakefield, Brixmor Properties, Equity One, The Shopping Center Group, Phillips Edison, and DLC Management Group. Azor now owns and manages a $79,000,000 portfolio of commercial retail properties in southeast Florida.  She most recently wrote and published Don’t Say No For The Prospect: How I Went from a Sales Rookie to a Retail Leasing Rockstar to a Shopping Center Owner with $79 Million in Assets. Beth was the Chairman of the ICSC Florida Conference and awarded Top Retail Broker by South Florida Business Journal, Superstar Broker by Real Estate Forum and Broker's Favorite Broker by Commercial Property News. She was also awarded the Davie/Cooper City Chamber of Commerce 2015 Small Business Person of the Year. Beth attended Florida State University where she obtained her AA 1980 and subsequently her B.A. in English. She was Chairman of the Board for the FSU Real Estate Foundation and a Member of the FSU Executive Board of the Real Estate Program.  She is past President and now sits on the Board of Directors of the HOPE Outreach center. She also co-founded 100+ Women Who Care of South Florida and currently serves as the Chair of the Broward County Chapter. Ms. Azor has two sons and resides in Davie, Florida.

3 Takeways Observational research difference between asking questions and observing. One location CRUSHING it and one FAILING. Similar Demos. How can you explain the differences? Cambridge analytica. What is Lydens opinion on data privacy? Bio Lyden is the Cofounder of Spatial, the world’s first human-driven layer for cities. A Techstars company. Before Spatial Lyden was an Ethnographic Research consultant for brands like P&G, JnJ, Intel and an adjunct professor of Ethnography at Miami University. He also founded Campus Solutions which he sold in 2014. In eighth grade, he pitched a no-hitter.

3 Takeaways 1. Stories from back in the day, mailing in financial statements to the corporate offices to report sales 2. The evolution of the restaurant space from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and into today. What lessons were learned? 3. Advice for restaurants to raise capital the right way to prepare for the inevitable. Bio John Hamburger is the founder and president of Franchise Times Corp. A national publisher of business trade journals in franchising and finance. The company publishes: - Franchise Times Magazine, - Restaurant Finance Monitor, - Foodservice News He also produces industry executive conferences including RFDC. John is a frequent speaker at the restaurant and franchise industry. He is also quoted about financial matters concerning restaurant, franchise and hospitality businesses. He has over 32 years of experience in franchising and finance. He served as a chief financial officer of a public restaurant chain and a CPA in a national accounting firm. John attended St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. He also attended the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He graduated with a B.A. in accounting in 1977. John is director of the Western Golf Association.

3 Takeaways: The importance of understanding how policy and procedures that are put in place from the office are executable in the field. How Chris spent time working in the store long after being an executive. Is the customer always right? Don't react to what is happening from a technology standpoint TODAY, but where you see it tomorrow. Lessons he learned and what he might have done differently.   Speaker Bio:  Chris Dull understands what it takes to build successful brands. After graduating from Baylor, Chris took a position with Marble Slab Creamery, Inc. and rose through the management ranks. In 2007, as Executive Vice President, he led the brand through a go-public sale to NexCen Brands for $21 million. Chris went on to become President of NexCen Franchise Management.  In 2010, NexCen was acquired by Global Franchise Group, and Chris set his sights on maximizing the potential of the company’s most promising concepts in the QSR space.  Today, Global Franchise Group has a portfolio of six brands – Great American Cookies®, Marble Slab Creamery/MaggieMoo’s®, Pretzelmaker®, Hot Dog on a Stick®, and Round Table Pizza®.  Chris is credited with vertically integrating the company’s manufacturing business. Plus adding a corporate store vertical to the GFG business with the 2014 acquisition of Hot Dog on a Stick® (which he led out of bankruptcy). As well as the acquisition of Round Table Pizza® in 2017.  Most recently, Chris championed the successful sale of Global Franchise Group from Levine Leichtman Capital Partners to Lion Capital LLP and Serruya Private Equity.  Chris’ has led the organization to $1 billion in system-wide sales and more than 1,500 stores worldwide. He understands all aspects of franchising and is an expert in maximizing value.  Chris is an avid family man, triathlon, and true leader!

3 Main Points:  Lessons Jayson learned after landing the Starbucks account and bringing Chipotle to NYC If you do not differentiate yourself, then you are out of business Why Jayson considers the word “broker” a curse word Speaker Bio: Jayson Siano is the co-founder of Sabre Real Estate Group, a retail real estate brokerage firm based in Long Island, New York. Jayson was born into a family of car dealers, where he learned how to detail cars and make sales. His humble beginnings have shaped the way he conducts business. He first joined Breslin Realty in 2001 at the age of 25, making him the youngest broker at the company. After five years, his dedication proved itself when he became the top producer, responsible for leading the company with a focus on business development, strategy, corporate finance, recruiting and corporate culture. By 2007, Jayson was pursued by CBRE to co-create the retail services group out of its Woodbury office. After four years, he decided to break out and start his own brokerage company. Sabre Real Estate Group currently represents some of the world’s most recognized brands and strives to help each client through achieving their short and long-term goals.

3 Main Points: Create an experience so memorable they will tell people about it Why franchise sales are completely different from other sales The first question every franchisor needs to ask a potential franchisee Speaker Bio: Ryan Rao is a franchise development expert who has grown multiple franchise-based businesses into national and international brands. Ryan’s passion for franchising grew and developed from his entrepreneurial spirit. Ryan has vast experience in real estate, start-up financing, start-up franchising, franchise development, and the intricacies of growing and developing a brand. He is an avid franchise blogger with thousands of followers. He also serves as a franchise consultant and is a personal growth advocate.

3 Main Points: Self Driving cars are coming whether you are ready or not. Pick the industry that is winning. Have more fun along the way. Why does Amazon call it shipping instead of trucking? Speaker Bio: Kevin Foreman lives with his family in Seattle, WA and serves as a VP at INRIX. INRIX is the global leader in connected cars and transportation intelligence. They provide information such as, which side of the road has more morning traffic. Not only was Kevin one of the first 1,000 Facebook users and has an MBA from Harvard, but he also hosts legendary “fist bump Fridays” for his thousands of social media followers. Kevin is an excellent storyteller and knows how to speak in a language that any audience can understand.

  3 Main Points: The mistake of rolling up your corporate identity to the brand you’re a franchise of rather than focusing on your company’s culture and what is under your control. Having a mindset that you are a new neighbor when opening a restaurant in a new community. The transition from focusing on site characteristics to focusing on the trade area when choosing new locations. Speaker Bio: Adam Saxton has had restaurant and operations running through his veins ever since he can remember. As a fourth generation to continue the tradition of food service Adam and the rest of The Saxton Group carry on the tradition.   The Saxton Group. Founded in 1982 with just two Mazzio’s Pizza restaurants. In 2004, the Mazzio’s Pizza stores were sold, allowing The Saxton Group to fully focus on one objective: bringing the beloved McAlister’s Deli brand to Texas. Once The Saxton Group opened its first store in Longview, Texas the path of introducing the McAlister’s brand to Texans didn’t just grow, it took off. Today, The Saxton Group operates 75+ McAlister’s Deli locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska. Over 25 of those locations are in the DFW metroplex.   Adam is an incredible leader who puts his employees and guests ahead of everything else. You can find him seeking out his customers on Twitter to get their feedback. Or promoting his team members from within to produce what is an unparallel company culture.

3 Main Points: Best advice for those trying to find their way in commercial real estate or brick and mortar, as well as, the best strategies for effective networking. The difference between good and great retailers. What is happening with big box? Major headlines and what do they mean. Speaker Bio: Chris Ressa joined DLC Management Corp. in 2007. As Senior Vice President of Leasing, Mr. Ressa oversees leasing operations. During his tenure at DLC, his leadership has led to the successful repositioning of assets. His most notable leasing transactions have included TJX, Ross Dress for Less, Burlington Coat Factory, Dick’s Sporting Goods, The Kroger Company, Best Buy, Toys “R” Us, and Planet Fitness. Mr. Ressa received a BA in Economics from Rutgers University in 2005. He received his CLS (Certified Leasing Specialist) in 2010 and, in December 2012, became a member of the ICSC CLS Committee. His career started at The Sherwin-Williams Company as a Real Estate Manager handling the real estate for district/regional offices. Where he handled existing store renewals and new stores. He also worked for Ashkenazy Acquisitions as a Regional Leasing Manager where he was responsible for all leases in a portfolio of approximately 3.5 million square feet.

Talk Highlights: How Gregg’s retail background lead him to where he is today, The Shopping Center Group. Why businesses should look at technology, mapping, and general infrastructure when building the bridge between technologies and brokers. Headed into The Shopping Center Group with an open mind Gregg starts tackling the job bringing in a new mapping platform. Why is mobile and movement data so important in today’s day and age? Speaker Bio: For twelve years Gregg Katz had worked hand-in-hand with an award-winning GIS & Analytics company, The Shopping Center Group. As the Director of Innovation and Technology there, he has developed a forward way of thinking. This allows him to create an infrastructure for data, analytics, GIS, mobile technology, marketing/branding, and research by leveraging information and tools. This ultimately aligns the company’s tactical plans for future growth with the needs of the company’s employees and consumers. Not only does Gregg manage his own team of 35 employees but he also does Tenant Representation and Consulting. He consults with national, regional and local companies – AT&T Mobility, The Children’s Place and Whole Foods. Utilizing his market expertise and relationships he helps locate, negotiate, and purchase the perfect location for his clients.

Talk Highlights: What sets apart a good franchisor from a great one? Jim’s reaction to those who respond to the question “Why are you doing it that way?” with “Because that is the way we have always done it”. The results of a company being resistant to technology. Speaker Bio: Jim Balis leads CapitalSpring’s Strategic Operations Group, supporting due diligence, portfolio management, and industry knowledge building initiatives. He has several decades of management and turnaround experience in restaurant industry. Prior to joining Capital Spring, Jim was Founder and President of RMG a boutique advisory and turnaround firm serving the restaurant sector. He has directed numerous turnarounds and has acted as interim CEO or Chief Restructuring Officer for 15 restaurant companies. He began his food service career in high school, during which he held multiple management positions for local restaurants in New York. Jim holds a BA from Duke University.

Talk Highlights: The evolution of predictive modeling, from drawing maps to machine learning, from the perspective of an industry expert. Data democratization. Why mobile data is the new “true trade area.” Speaker Bio: Larry Salinas has seen the market research industry evolve. From hiring internal Cartographers to leveraging the earliest of computers. Larry splits his time between New Jersey & Portland Maine. Larry built the market research team from scratch for a $7 Bn company. He is a rare combination of experience with a grasp of latest technology. Larry has worked with iconic brands such as Whole Foods, Toys R Us, and more.

Talk Highlights: Lessons Lee learned from starting the first commercial real estate department in Pinellas County FL to the early days of site selection. Commonalities of successful products particularly in the commercial real estate space, the drastic speed of technological evolution, and the reception of the industry. The story of one of the most successful people in the land of development, Herb Brown. As well as, his habits and behaviors that contributed to his success. Speaker Bio: Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Arnold Companies consortium of private companies including Colliers International – Florida Markets, L.A. Financial and Clearwater Bay Associates. Collectively these companies provide commercial and investment brokerage, property management, valuation, development, and capital market services.

Talk Highlights: The early years of subway and Don’s introduction to the company Don’s personal experience on how anyone can become successful no matter their current situation Don’s firsthand experience of the evolution of site selection Spaker Bio: Working in the Franchise industry for over 35 years, Don has participated in Global Development, Strategic Planning, Brand Transformation and Field Performance Management for the Subway brand. As a person in long-term recovery, Don has been public about his early struggles with addiction and his 34 years of sobriety. Both experiences came to light when Subway was twice featured featured on the CBS Reality Show Undercover Boss.