Podcasts about bluestone lane

I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Nick Stone, whose journey from AFL journeyman to founder of Bluestone Lane, America's fastest-growing premium café brand, exemplifies resilience and authentic leadership.Nick played just 20 games across Collingwood, Hawthorn and St. Kilda over six years, fighting for his career with each one-year contract. What struck me most was how Nick never allowed football to consume his identity, even while giving it everything he had. When his playing career ended—the same day he completed his Monash University degree—Nick embraced this transition as an opportunity rather than dwelling on what might have been.In our conversation, Nick shared how this experience shaped his approach to business and leadership. His philosophy of "unlocking versus extracting" potential and building trust through transparent feedback proved crucial when Bluestone Lane lost 87% of its revenue during COVID-19.Nick's story reminds us that leadership isn't about having all the answers, but about remaining genuinely curious and comfortable with the questions. His ability to balance seemingly opposing qualities—being data-driven while prioritising human connection, maintaining high standards while creating space for vulnerability—offers valuable lessons for anyone navigating leadership challenges.Join us for this thought-provoking discussion about finding your authentic self beyond your professional role, the power of embracing feedback, and the continuous journey of personal growth.Notebook ready. Play on!

While at the Hunter Hotel Investment Conference I chatted with Rick Colling, Global Brand Leader Homewood Suites by Hilton and Kevin Morgan, Global Brand Head - Tempo by Hilton with Hilton, to discuss the explosive growth and benefits of dual-branded hotels. Learn how pairing brands like Homewood Suites and Tempo by Hilton creates incredible value for owners and unforgettable experiences for guests.

It seemed like all was lost after Nicholas “Nick” Stone was cut from three different teams during his sports career. However, he used this setback to transition into finance, eventually founding Bluestone Lane, a successful coffee shop chain. Despite having never made coffee before, his love for the premium coffee culture of his home country, Australia, inspired him to transform the U.S. coffee experience into a more personalized one. In this episode, Nick joins Ilana to share how he transformed an 87% revenue loss into an opportunity for innovation and reinvention, emphasizing his commitment to community, human connection, and exceptional quality. Nicholas Stone is an Australian businessman, former professional athlete, and banker. He is also the founder and CEO of Bluestone Lane, a premium coffee and café brand inspired by Australia's rich coffee culture. In this episode, Ilana and Nick will discuss: (00:00) Introduction  (01:50) The Resilience That Took Him from Sports to Finance (07:13) Moving from Australia to Chase a New York Dream (09:15) Building Connections and Networks in New York (12:23) Founding Bluestone to Fix U.S. Coffee Culture (14:59) Keeping His Day Job to Launch Bluestone Lane (20:35) Creating a People-First Café Experience (23:09) Tough Lessons on Expanding Too Soon (25:52) Filtering Advice in the Early Stages of Business (27:33) The Hidden Challenges of Running a Café Chain (32:33) How Nick Manages Founder Stress with Support (37:35) Surviving the Pandemic After Losing 87% of Revenue (45:02) Why Bluestone Sticks to Quality Over Shortcuts (48:40) Nick's Focus on Values and Promoting Internally (50:21) The Power of Celebrating Small Wins in Business Nicholas Stone is an Australian businessman, former professional athlete, and banker. He is also the founder and CEO of Bluestone Lane, a premium coffee and café brand inspired by Australia's rich coffee culture. Under his leadership, Bluestone Lane has become the fastest-growing premium café brand in the U.S., raising $70 million in venture capital and expanding to over 65 locations. Nick has been featured in The New York Times, CNBC, Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, and more. Connect with Nick: Nick's Website: https://bluestonelane.com/  Nick's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nicholas-stone-49465767   Leap Academy: Ready to make the LEAP in your career? There is a NEW way for professionals to Advance Their Careers & Make 5-6 figures of EXTRA INCOME in Record Time. Check out our free training today at leapacademy.com/training

On this week's podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation's Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, share highlights from their recent eating and drinking excursions. Both editors attended a media preview of Taco Bell's chef-created Crunchwrap Supremes. The chain tapped three emerging chefs to come up with variations of this wildly popular menu item, and the results included Indian and Thai versions as well as a Southwest-style hot chicken.  Bret also attended a Cava event at a country western bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to celebrate the launch of the fast casual's garlic ranch pita chips. The tie-in between ranch as a flavor and “ranch” as an icon of the American West was a little shaky, but Bret enjoyed the new chips and some ranch water cocktails.  Australian coffee café Bluestone Lane was also a recent stop on Bret's itinerary. It's known for its personalized service, and he reported that he did get extra-special attention along with his flat white. And Pat took a trip to Cape Cod and treated herself to a lobster roll done in the Connecticut style—hot and toasty with lots of melted butter. She also enjoyed a New England specialty: fried clam bellies. Speaking of clams, we share a conversation with Sammy Monsour, chef at Joyce Soul & Sea in L.A. and an ambassador for Food for Climate League, where he is promoting sustainable bivalves like clams as well as sea vegetables. October is National Seafood Month, and Monsour describes how he sources and prepares fresh seaweed, sea lettuces and mussels at his restaurant. He also talks about his advocacy work with the Monterey Bay Aquarium and other nonprofits to help chefs and consumers make smarter choices when it comes to farm-raised and wild-caught seafood.

Don't you wish you could have the Shark Tank judges tell you what you should be investing in? Well, as usual, we are making your wishes come true, because today Nicole is talking to Shark Tank's Matt Higgins. Off-screen has done even more deals through his firm RSE Ventures, where he's invested in companies like Magnolia Bakery, Momofuku, Milk Bar, &pizza, Bluestone Lane and many more. Today, Matt tells Nicole which stocks he's bullish and bearish on, how he picks good investments, what his take on celebrity entrepreneurs is, and many more gems you can use to refine your investments.  Find Matt's book Burn the Boats here: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/burn-the-boats-matt-higgins?variant=40962869493794

On this episode of the Live Greatly Podcast Kristel Bauer talks with Wall Street Journal Bestselling author, CEO and Co-founder of RSE Ventures and Guest Shark from TV show Shark Tank, Matt Higgins. This is a special re-release episode to celebrate Matt being the foreword writer for Kristel Bauer's book, Work-Life Tango: Finding Happiness, Harmony and Peak Performance Wherever You Work.  Kristel and Matt discuss navigating limiting beliefs, how to boost confidence, the keys to being successful in business as well as a look into Matt's WSJ bestselling book, 'Burn the Boats. Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential'.  Tune in now! Key Takeaways from This Episode: Why Matt wrote the book Burn the Books What is the main thing that holds people back from going after their dreams/goals Qualities Matt has seen in successful people How to navigate limiting beliefs Keys to be successful in business A look into Matt's journey and how he has navigated obstacles in his path About Matt Higgins: Matt Higgins is a noted serial entrepreneur, growth equity investor as Co-founder and CEO of private investment firm, RSE Ventures, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Burn The Boats. He is also an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School where he co-teaches the course “Moving Beyond Direct-to-Consumer.”  Mr. Higgins' deep operating experience spans multiple industries over his 25-year career, which he draws upon to help founders navigate complex situations in order to reach their full potential. Mr. Higgins began his career in public service as a journalist before becoming the youngest mayoral press secretary in New York City at 26, where he managed the global media response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He became one of the first employees – and ultimately Chief Operating Officer – of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the federally funded government agency created to plan the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site. Mr. Higgins helped organize the largest international design competition in history culminating in Reflecting Absence, the September 11th National Memorial, and the development of the 1,776-feet-tall One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the northern hemisphere. After transitioning to the private sector, Mr. Higgins spent 15 years in senior leadership positions with National Football League teams. He made his mark with two NFL franchises, overseeing the revenue functions of the New York Jets as Executive Vice President of Business Operations, and after leaving the Jets, serving as Vice Chairman of the Miami Dolphins from 2012 – 2021. Higgins co-founded New York City-based RSE Ventures in 2012, amassing a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio of leading brands across sports and entertainment, media and marketing, consumer and technology industries – including several of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies. RSE's backings include Resy, an Open Table competitor that American Express acquired in 2019; the world's premier drone racing circuit, the Drone Racing League; the International Champions Cup, the largest privately owned soccer tournament featuring Europe's top clubs; and Derris, a brand strategy and communications firm that has helped grow many leading brands such as Warby Parker and Glossier. Higgins is also co-owner of VaynerMedia, the largest social-media first agency in the world founded by Gary Vaynerchuk. In 2016, he broadened RSE's investment focus to rapidly expanding fine dining and fast casual concepts, including NYC's iconic Magnolia Bakery, David Chang's Momofuku and Fuku, Milk Bar, &pizza and Bluestone Lane. Mr. Higgins has also been a guest shark on Emmy award-winning TV show “Shark Tank” during seasons 10-11, and Harper Collins' William Morrow imprint will release his book “Burn the Boats!” in 2023. In 2019, he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, joining the ranks of seven former U.S. presidents, Nobel Prize winners and other leaders for work to improve society. He is also a longstanding board member of Autism Speaks. Mr. Higgins received his Bachelor of Arts in political science and honorary doctorate from Queens College and his J.D. from Fordham Law, where he was a member of the Fordham Law Review. Order Matt Higgin's new book 'Burn the Boats. Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential' HERE Website: https://www.burntheboatsbook.com/  https://rseventures.com/team-members/matt-higgins/  Instagram: @mhiggins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-higgins-rse/  Twitter: @mhiggins Explore Having Kristel Bauer speak at your next event or team meeting. https://www.livegreatly.co/contact  Pre-Order Kristel's Book Work-Life Tango: Finding Happiness, Harmony and Peak Performance Wherever You Work (John Murray Business, November 19th 2024) About the Host of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer: Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness expert, popular keynote and TEDx speaker, and the host of top-rated podcast, “Live Greatly,” a show frequently ranked in the top 1% for self-improvement. She is the author of Work-Life Tango: Finding Happiness, Harmony and Peak Performance Wherever You Work (John Murray Business, November 19th 2024).  Kristel is an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant with clinical experience in Integrative Psychiatry, giving her a unique perspective into optimizing mental well-being and attaining a mindset for more happiness and success in the workplace and beyond. Kristel decided to leave clinical practice in 2019 when she founded her wellness platform “Live Greatly” to share her message around well-being and success on a larger scale.  With a mission to support companies and individuals on their journeys for more happiness, success, and well-being, Kristel taps into her unique background in healthcare, business, and media, to provide invaluable insights into high power habits, leadership development, mental well-being, peak performance, resilience, sales, success, wellness at work, and a modern approach to work/life balance. Kristel is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur and she is an influencer in the business and wellness space having been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer of 2021 in Forbes. A popular speaker on a variety of topics, Kristel has presented to groups at APMP, Bank of America, Commercial Metals Company, General Mills, Northwestern University, Mazda, Santander Bank and many more. She has been featured in Forbes, Forest & Bluff Magazine, Authority Magazine & Podcast Magazine, has contributed to CEOWORLD Magazine & Real Leaders Magazine, and has appeared on ABC 7 Chicago, WGN Daytime Chicago, Fox 4's WDAF-TV's Great Day KC and Ticker News. Kristel lives in the Chicago area with her husband and their 2 children.  She can be booked for speaking engagements worldwide. To Book Kristel as a speaker for your next event, click here. Website: www.livegreatly.co  Buy Kristel Bauer's book, Work-Life Tango: Finding Happiness, Harmony and Peak Performance Wherever You Work (John Murray Business, November 19th 2024) Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co  LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Click HERE to check out Kristel's corporate wellness and leadership blog Click HERE to check out Kristel's Travel and Wellness Blog Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions.  Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations.  They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration.  Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests.  Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content.  Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.

MPF Discussion with Matt HigginsShark Tank Investor Matt Higgins Reveals: The Secret He Used to Escape Poverty   About MattMatt Higgins is a serial entrepreneur and growth equity investor, Cofounder & CEO of RSE Ventures. He's the Host/Executive Producer of the CNBC series “Business Hunters” and an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, co-teaching “Moving Beyond Direct-to-Consumer.” His book, “Burn The Boats,” was published in 2023. With 25 years of experience, Higgins helps founders reach their potential.Higgins started as a journalist and became the youngest mayoral press secretary in New York City at 26, managing the media response to 9/11. He then joined the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation as COO, helping to organize the design competition for the 9/11 Memorial and One World Trade Center.In sports, Higgins held senior leadership roles with NFL teams for 15 years, including the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. He cofounded RSE Ventures in 2012, building a multi-billion-dollar portfolio across various industries, including Magnolia Bakery, Momofuku, and Bluestone Lane.Higgins was a recurring guest Shark on “Shark Tank” during seasons 10 and 11. He has a B.A. in political science and an honorary doctorate from Queens College, and a J.D. from Fordham Law.My Perfect Failure: From Broke to Shark Tank - Matt Higgins Burns the Boats to Success Ever feel stuck on the "shoulda, woulda, coulda" island? Our guest, Matt Higgins, went from dirt-poor childhood to Shark Tank investor by taking some serious leaps of faith. This episode is your crash course in burning the boats and building your dream life.  Matt discusses.   The CRAZY decision he made in high school that became his first "burn the boats" moment (Spoiler alert: it involves failing all his classes!)Why needing other people's approval KILLS your big ideas (and how desperation can actually be your secret weapon)The difference between taking calculated risks and YOLO-ing your life savings (plus, the surprising traits all billionaires share)How to ditch the victim mentality and become the captain of your own ship (Matt even shares a Navy SEAL's badass perspective!)Why trusting your gut is just as important as data (we're calling it the "gut sandwich" approach)Turning your lemons into lemonade: how to use your situation to launch yourself to success (Matt's a pro at this!)Matt's SECRET daily commitment strategy to keep you laser-focused on your goals  Plus, Matt reveals his DREAM dinner party guests! This episode is a rollercoaster ride of inspiration and actionable advice. Get ready to burn the boats on your own self-doubt and set sail for your perfect success story!Listen now!  Order Burn The Boats:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burn-Boats-Overboard-Unleash-Potential/dp/B0B1N84RG5/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._UrDmh9pOOKgIlW_   Please Leave A Review Like this show? Please leave us a review here, even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!  Paul: Contact DetailsMPF Website: https://www.myperfectfailure.com/Subscribe to MPF YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@paulpadmore8275

Pro AFL player turned banker turned coffee founder, Nicholas Stone is a native of Melbourne Australia who moved to New York City in 2010.  He envisioned Bluestone Lane whilst attending Business School in New York, with the idea of providing a premium coffee experience that can be readily found in Melbourne Australia (but not readily in New York). His story of resilience, consistency and fearlessness is what has made Bluestone Lane expand rapidly since 2010 (and become my favorite latte in NY & LA!)  Bluestone Lane is sponsoring the upcoming Be Fearless event in NYC 4/27.  THE PERSONAL BRAND E-COURSE IS LIVE! Get it here! Sponsor this show at https://www.passionfroot.me/alexa-curtis Subscribe to Stay Fearless or Die Trying here.  BUY A MEDIA LIST OR MEDIA KIT HERE! 

RSE Ventures founder and “Shark Tank” guest Matt Higgins has created a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio of leading fine-dining and fast-casual concepts, including iconic eateries like NYC's Magnolia Bakery, David Chang's Momofuku, Milk Bar, &pizza, and Bluestone Lane. He joins QSR editorial director Danny Klein to discuss all of that, plus sharing his philosophy on leadership and achieving your potential, as well as stories from his NFL days, and a whole lot more. This might just be the most off-kilter, enlightening, and revealing conversation we've ever had on QSR Uncut.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Amy Hom, a restaurant industry executive whose resume includes stops at brands like Red Robin, Sweetgreen, and Bluestone Lane. These days, a lot of Amy's attention is on LEAD, the organization she cofounded with other restaurant executives that invests in future restaurant leaders. Amy joined the podcast to talk about LEAD and how the industry can lower turnover, particularly among GMs, if it did a better job investing in young leaders. In this conversation, you'll find out why:By investing in emerging leaders, you can lower turnover Young restaurant leaders need networking and educationThe restaurant industry has a work-life-balance problem Your ability to receive feedback will determine how far you can go in any industryYour mentorship could help unlock the potential of a future restaurant starHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

On the podcast today we're exploring the hospitality marketing landscape and unpacking the various channels and strategies operators can use to promote their brand.In conversations with Andrew Stone, Vice President Marketing at Bluestone Lane and marketing consultant Emily Karim, we find out how hospitality operators can successfully adapt to the fast-changing marketing landscape and consistently attract new customers to their businesses.Credits music: "Sun and Rain" by The Grove in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB CollectiveSign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.comSubscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

Nicholas Stone is the Founder and CEO of Bluestone Lane, a fast growing, premium café brand in the United States. Almost a decade ago, Bluestone Lane reset the coffee scene, introducing New York City to the Australian-inspired café experience. Now with over 65 locations across 8 markets, Bluestone is committed to providing great café experiences that are focused on the human connection. We hear all about this as well as what it was like going from being a professional athlete to a startup Founder and CEO. Nick shares some incredible lessons that I know you'll want to hear. Now on the #TheKaraGoldinShow. Enjoying this episode of #TheKaraGoldinShow? Let me know by clicking on the links below and sending me a quick shout-out on social. Or reach out to me at karagoldin@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/karagoldin/ https://www.instagram.com/karagoldin/ https://twitter.com/karagoldin https://www.facebook.com/KaraGoldin/ https://www.tiktok.com/@KaraGoldin https://www.youtube.com/c/KaraGoldin https://www.threads.net/@karagoldin Check out our website to view this episode's show notes: https://karagoldin.com/podcast/443 To learn more about Nick Stone and Bluestone Lane: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bluestone-lane-coffee/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-stone-49465767 https://www.tiktok.com/@bluestonelane https://www.instagram.com/bluestonelane/ https://www.instagram.com/nicholas_j_stone/ https://www.threads.net/@Bluestonelane https://www.twitter.com/BlueStoneLane https://www.bluestonelane.com/

Thank you for tuning into “Starting Small'', a podcast about brand development, entrepreneurship, and innovation in the modern world. In this episode, I am joined with Nick Stone, founder of Bluestone Lane. Listen as Nick shares his discovery of Bluestone Lane, a renowned Australian inspired coffee and cafe experience. With the goal of crafting the perfect cup of coffee and culinary delights, Nick manages to create a welcoming environment with the commitment of sustainability. Make sure to check out Bluestone Lane at: https://bluestonelane.com/   Visit Starting Small Media: https://startingsmallmedia.org/ Subscribe to exclusive Starting Small emails: https://startingsmallmedia.org/newsletter-signup   Follow Starting Small: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startingsmallpod/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Startingsmallpod/?modal=admin_todo_tour LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/cameronnagle  

This is a throwback episode from my first season of the podcast with Aussie cafe sensation, Nick Stone. Nick is a former AFL player, turned business boss and now runs over 50 Aussie style cafes in the USA.

On today's edition of the podcast, Eric is joined by Nick Stone of Bluestone Lane. Nick speaks with Eric about his journey from investment banker to café owner, how he knew the Bluestone Lane approach to coffee shop dining would appeal in New York when first getting it started, growing the brand, his assessment of Houston, Bluestone being a technology friendly experience for customers, Bluestone Lane being a sit down full-service concept, some of his favorites from the menu, the amount of Bluestone Lanes Houston can hold, why coffee is all about customer retention, his experience being on reality TV briefly, working with Gordon Ramsey, and more!  Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at eric@culturemap.com. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com: Shaquille O'Neal Announces Big New Chicken Restaurant Location Near The Heights Zesty Moroccan Restaurant Bowls Over Diners with Newest Location Now Open in Upper Kirby Inventive Salad-in-Baguette Sandwich Restaurant Rises with New Greenway Plaza Location Exciting New Classic American Eatery from Veteran Restaurateur Elevates Museum District Dining Houston's Newest Food Festival Celebrates West African Culture with Day of Food, Dance, Music, and More Houston Texans Draft Bun B's Smash Hit Trill Burgers for 2023 NRG Stadium Home Games

Coffee shops may have seen a dip during the pandemic, but they're back and booming. That's especially true for the coffee chain Bluestone Lane. The company is ten years old, but has really kicked business into gear over the last few years. The coffee shop has over 60 locations and has seen its business grow 350% since the pandemic. Its founder and CEO Nick Stone joined the Modern Retail Podcast this week and spoke about Bluestone's strategy and future ambitions. Part of the thesis behind Bluestone is customer service from Down Under. "If you have a coffee shop or a cafe in Australia that has the best coffee, but if they deliver it in a way that is cold and impersonal and obnoxious, Australians will boycott it," Stone said. (It shouldn't come as a shock that he is Australian.) According to Stone, the best way for a business like his to thrive is to provide a good experience. "In hospitality, you really have no intellectual property." Instead, he has tried to build Bluestone as a place people want to spend time in. That means doing one thing and doing it well. While Bluestone has attempted side-hustles like its own line of CPG products, Stone now believes that it's hard to run multiple types of businesses at once. "I think it's incredibly hard to do both at the same time unless you have enormous resources," he said. For him, the focus is on opening more locations -- Bluestone is slated to have 70 locations by the end of this year -- while making sure customers feel comfortable and welcome in them. "I think ultimately coffee shops should be about driving community," he said.

EPISODE 1561: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Matt Higgins, the author of BURN THE BOATS, about how the publishing industry and writers will be impacted by the coming AI storm Matt Higgins is a noted serial entrepreneur and growth equity investor as Co-founder and CEO of private investment firm, RSE Ventures. He is also an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School where he co-teaches the course “Moving Beyond Direct-to-Consumer.”  Mr. Higgins' deep operating experience spans multiple industries over his 25-year career, which he draws upon to help founders navigate complex situations in order to reach their full potential. Mr. Higgins began his career in public service as a journalist before becoming the youngest mayoral press secretary in New York City at 26, where he managed the global media response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He became one of the first employees – and ultimately Chief Operating Officer – of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the federally funded government agency created to plan the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site. Mr. Higgins helped organize the largest international design competition in history culminating in Reflecting Absence, the September 11th National Memorial, and the development of the 1,776-feet-tall One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the northern hemisphere. After transitioning to the private sector, Mr. Higgins spent 15 years in senior leadership positions with National Football League teams. He made his mark with two NFL franchises, overseeing the revenue functions of the New York Jets as Executive Vice President of Business Operations, and after leaving the Jets, serving as Vice Chairman of the Miami Dolphins from 2012 – 2021. Higgins co-founded New York City-based RSE Ventures in 2012, amassing a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio of leading brands across sports and entertainment, media and marketing, consumer and technology industries – including several of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies. RSE's backings include Resy, an Open Table competitor that American Express acquired in 2019; the world's premier drone racing circuit, the Drone Racing League; the International Champions Cup, the largest privately owned soccer tournament featuring Europe's top clubs; and Derris, a brand strategy and communications firm that has helped grow many leading brands such as Warby Parker and Glossier. Higgins is also co-owner of VaynerMedia, the largest social-media first agency in the world founded by Gary Vaynerchuk. In 2016, he broadened RSE's investment focus to rapidly expanding fine dining and fast casual concepts, including NYC's iconic Magnolia Bakery, David Chang's Momofuku and Fuku, Milk Bar, &pizza and Bluestone Lane. Mr. Higgins has also been a guest shark on Emmy award-winning TV show “Shark Tank” during seasons 10-11, and Harper Collins' William Morrow imprint will release his book “Burn the Boats!” in 2023. In 2019, he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, joining the ranks of seven former U.S. presidents, Nobel Prize winners and other leaders for work to improve society. He is also a longstanding board member of Autism Speaks. Mr. Higgins received his Bachelor of Arts in political science and honorary doctorate from Queens College and his J.D. from Fordham Law, where he was a member of the Fordham Law Review. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Stone is a former AFL footballer, who moved to New York City in 2010. He envisioned Bluestone Lane whilst attending Business School in New York, with the idea of providing a premium coffee experience that can be readily found in Melbourne Australia Has a great connection with his local customers, the teammates that are his staff members, and putting his life force into moving from Australia to America to create Bluestone Lane Cafe. A great Australian hospitality success story. Hear some of the celebrities that regularly frequent Nick's cafe.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's episode, Dennis speaks with author, businessman, co-founder of RSEVentures and guest on the hit show Shark tank, Matt Higgins. Matt Higgins is a noted serial entrepreneur and growth equity investor as Co-founder and CEO of private investment firm, RSE Ventures. He is also an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School where he co-teaches the course “Moving Beyond Direct-to-Consumer.”  Mr. Higgins' deep operating experience spans multiple industries over his 25-year career, which he draws upon to help founders navigate complex situations in order to reach their full potential. Mr. Higgins began his career in public service as a journalist before becoming the youngest mayoral press secretary in New York City at 26, where he managed the global media response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He became one of the first employees – and ultimately Chief Operating Officer – of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the federally funded government agency created to plan the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site. Mr. Higgins helped organize the largest international design competition in history culminating in Reflecting Absence, the September 11th National Memorial, and the development of the 1,776-feet-tall One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the northern hemisphere. After transitioning to the private sector, Mr. Higgins spent 15 years in senior leadership positions with National Football League teams. He made his mark with two NFL franchises, overseeing the revenue functions of the New York Jets as Executive Vice President of Business Operations, and after leaving the Jets, serving as Vice Chairman of the Miami Dolphins from 2012 – 2021. Higgins co-founded New York City-based RSE Ventures in 2012, amassing a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio of leading brands across sports and entertainment, media and marketing, consumer and technology industries – including several of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies. RSE's backings include Resy, an Open Table competitor that American Express acquired in 2019; the world's premier drone racing circuit, the Drone Racing League; the International Champions Cup, the largest privately owned soccer tournament featuring Europe's top clubs; and Derris, a brand strategy and communications firm that has helped grow many leading brands such as Warby Parker and Glossier. Higgins is also co-owner of VaynerMedia, the largest social-media first agency in the world founded by Gary Vaynerchuk. In 2016, he broadened RSE's investment focus to rapidly expanding fine dining and fast casual concepts, including NYC's iconic Magnolia Bakery, David Chang's Momofuku and Fuku, Milk Bar, &pizza and Bluestone Lane.Mr. Higgins received his Bachelor of Arts in political science and honorary doctorate from Queens College and his J.D. from Fordham Law, where he was a member of the Fordham Law Review. Today, Dennis and Matt discuss Matt's amazing life story and overcoming adversity, his experience as the press secretary for Mayor Giuliani during 9/11, finding purpose in life, believing in yourself and executing action, his best selling book "Burn The Boats", how to change your perspective on the world and how to achieve your goals. Pick up a copy of "Burn The Boats" by Matt Higgins here: https://www.amazon.com/Burn-Boats-Overboard-Unleash-Potential/dp/006308886X If you like what you are hearing and want to stay in the loop with the latest in Street Cop Training, please follow our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/StreetCopTraining Don't forget to subscribe and rate the podcast, it truly helps! Sign up for classes here: https://streetcoptraining.com/course-list/Follow our podcast here: https://streetcoptraining.com/street-cop-podcast/    or    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/street-cop-podcast/id1538474515

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Uday Ahuja, chief investment officer for RSE Ventures, an investment fund started by Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross that counts restaurant companies like &pizza, Bluestone Lane, Momofuku and Milkbar among its investments. Ahuja is responsible for evaluating and executing RSE's investments, as well as for the ongoing management of those partnerships, and he joined the podcast to talk about the state of financing for restaurants and how emerging brand leaders can find capital to fuel their growth plans. In this conversation, you'll find out why:Founders are the heartbeat of an emerging restaurant brand There are multiple ways to achieve scaleToday more than ever, strong unit economics and profitability are key to securing capital for growthThe capital will start flowing when there's more certainty in the economyA team that starts a business is very different from one that's scaling it in the futureIf you're planning to scale your business, you should be networking with as many investors as you canHave feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com.

Nicholas Stone is the founder and CEO of Bluestone Lane, the fastest-growing premium café brand in the United States. Almost a decade ago, Bluestone Lane reset the coffee scene, introducing New York to the flat white and its Australian-inspired café experience. Now with over 65 locations across 8 markets, Bluestone is committed to providing great café experiences that are focused on human connection.   In his conversation with Katie Hankinson, Nick shares how getting coffee in his home in Australia felt more like a communal experience whereas in America it was all about convenience. He started Bluestone Lane to try to recreate the Australian experience in the US. He discusses the challenges of COVID, human connection in a digital world, scaling, and adjusting to a hybrid workforce.   In-flight topics: His origins and the cultural coffee differences in the US and Australia Getting through COVID The power of hospitality and making people feel special Choosing the right brand partnerships Adjusting to the hybrid workforce …and more!   Connect with Nicholas Stone: Bluestone Lane Website: https://bluestonelane.com/ Bluestone Lane on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluestonelane/ Bluestone Lane on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BluestoneLane Nicholas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-stone-49465767/ Nicholas on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicholas_j_stone/

On this episode of the Live Greatly Podcast Kristel Bauer take a deep dive into mindset and success with serial entrepreneur and Guest Shark, Matt Higgins. Matt was a recurring guest on the Emmy award-winning TV show Shark Tank during seasons 10 and 11 and he will soon star in a new spinoff also executive produced by Mark Burnett.  Kristel and Matt discuss navigating limiting beliefs, how to boost confidence, the keys to being successful in business as well as a look into Matt's new book, 'Burn the Boats. Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential'.  Tune in now! Key Takeaways from This Episode: Why Matt wrote the book Burn the Books What is the main thing that holds people back from going after their dreams/goals Qualities Matt has seen in successful people How to navigate limiting beliefs Keys to be successful in business A look into Matt's journey and how he has navigated obstacles in his path About Matt Higgins: Founder. Operator. Investor. Educator. No matter the role, Matt Higgins has always believed in trusting his instincts and never outsourcing his judgment. Higgins grew up in Queens, New York hawking flowers on street corners and scraping gum under tables at McDonald's to help feed his family. On a mission to escape poverty as fast as possible and provide for his home-bound mother, he dropped out of high school, took his GED and enrolled in college at 16 – eventually earning his juris doctorate from Fordham Law at night while working full-time. A decade after dropping out of high school, Higgins was appointed the youngest Mayor's press secretary in NYC history at 26, managing the global media response during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks under Rudy Guiliani. He then became one of the first employees – and ultimately Chief Operating Officer – of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, created to rebuild the World Trade Center site. Higgins helped organize the largest international design competition in history culminating in Reflecting Absence, the September 11th National Memorial, and the development of the 1,776-feet-tall One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the northern hemisphere. Higgins has deep experience in sports, having spent 15 years in senior leadership positions with National Football League teams. He made his mark with two NFL franchises, overseeing the revenue functions of the New York Jets as Executive Vice President of Business Operations, and after leaving the Jets, serving as Vice Chairman of the Miami Dolphins from 2012 - 2021. Higgins cofounded New York City-based RSE Ventures in 2012 alongside developer Stephen M. Ross, amassing a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio of leading brands across sports and entertainment, media and marketing, food and lifestyle, and technology industries. NYC's Magnolia Bakery is one of the latest additions to a portfolio that includes David Chang's renowned culinary brand, Momofuku, and Australian-inspired hospitality/lifestyle brand, Bluestone Lane. RSE has successfully backed many challenger brands from inception, including RESY, an Open Table competitor that American Express acquired in 2019; the Drone Racing League, which was named among Fast Company's 10 Most Innovative Sports Companies; and Relevent Sports, the leading international soccer agency in the US. Higgins was the first client and ultimately only partner in VaynerMedia, the largest socialmedia first agency in the world founded by Gary Vaynerchuk. Higgins is a prolific investor in the direct-to-consumer space, having invested in over 100 DTC brands throughout his career. He is a lecturer and Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, where he teaches the popular course Moving Beyond DTC alongside HBS Professor Len Schlesinger. Each year, the course features real-world case studies on some of the top consumer brands in the US. Higgins' reputation as a self-made serial entrepreneur earned him a spot as a recurring guest Shark on the Emmy award-winning TV show Shark Tank during seasons 10 and 11. He will soon star in a new spinoff also executive produced by Mark Burnett. In 2019, he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, joining the ranks of seven former US presidents, Nobel Prize winners and other leaders for work to improve society. He is also a longstanding board member of Autism Speaks, advocating for scientific research and greater acceptance of neurodiversity. In 2021, Higgins had a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican to discuss human rights and solidarity with the world's poor. During the Global Citizen Live festival before an audience of 60,000 people on the Great Lawn of Central Park, Higgins kicked off the Global Solidarity Fund's initiative to raise $100 million for migrants and refugees in crisis. In honor of his late mother, Linda Higgins, Matt funds scholarships for single mothers through the Linda Higgins Empowerment Scholarship at Queens College. Matt is the author of 'Burn the Boats. Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential' Order Matt Higgin's new book 'Burn the Boats. Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential'  HERE Website: https://www.burntheboatsbook.com/  https://rseventures.com/team-members/matt-higgins/  Instagram: @mhiggins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-higgins-rse/  Twitter: @mhiggins About the Host of the Live Greatly podcast, Kristel Bauer: Kristel Bauer is a corporate wellness expert, in-demand Keynote Speaker and TEDx speaker with a mission of supporting companies and individuals on their journeys for more happiness, success & well-being. With Kristel's unique background in Integrative Psychiatry, business and media, she provides invaluable insights and strategies to empower, inspire and motivate companies, leadership and sales teams as well as other groups and organizations. Kristel shares key insights into high-power habits, leadership development, mental well-being, peak performance, resilience, success & a modern approach to work/life balance. Using a blend of authenticity, Psychology & Science, Kristel provides insights to excel in sales and thrive as a team leader. Kristel's messaging supports company profitability while promoting vibrant company cultures with healthier and happier employees.  Kristel is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur and she is an influencer in the business and wellness space having been recognized as a Top 10 Social Media Influencer of 2021 in Forbes.  As an Integrative Medicine Fellow & Physician Assistant, Kristel has a unique perspective into optimizing well-being and achieving success. Kristel has been featured in Forbes, Forest & Bluff Magazine & Podcast Magazine and she has contributed to Real Leaders Magazine. She has been live on ABC 7 Chicago, WGN Daytime Chicago & Ticker News. To Book Kristel as a speaker for your next event, click here. Website: www.livegreatly.co  Follow Kristel Bauer on: Instagram: @livegreatly_co  LinkedIn: Kristel Bauer Twitter: @livegreatly_co Facebook: @livegreatly.co Youtube: Live Greatly, Kristel Bauer To Watch Kristel Bauer's TEDx talk of Redefining Work/Life Balance in a COVID-19 World click here. Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast are intended for informational and educational purposes only. Always seek the guidance of your physician for any recommendations specific to you or for any questions regarding your specific health, your sleep patterns changes to diet and exercise, or any medical conditions.  Always consult your physician before starting any supplements or new lifestyle programs. All information, views and statements shared on the Live Greatly podcast are purely the opinions of the authors, and are not medical advice or treatment recommendations.  They have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration.  Opinions of guests are their own and Kristel Bauer & this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests.  Neither Kristel Bauer nor this podcast takes responsibility for possible health consequences of a person or persons following the information in this educational content.  Always consult your physician for recommendations specific to you.

In this KEEN ON episode, Andrew talks to BURN THE BOATS author Matt Higgins about why we need to toss Plan B overboard if we are to unleash our full potential in business and in life. Matt Higgins is a proven operator, investor and business builder with a knack for helping founders at pivotal growth moments achieve breakout success. He serves as CEO of RSE Ventures, a private firm that incubates and invests in companies across sports and entertainment, food and lifestyle, media and marketing, and technology.Higgins co-founded RSE with Miami Dolphins owner, Stephen M. Ross, the most prominent private developer in the U.S. and a serial entrepreneur. Together Higgins and Ross have helped build enterprises from scratch, including the largest privately owned soccer tournament in the world (International Champions Cup) and leading brand strategy and communications agency Derris. As an incubator, RSE has helped build leading restaurant software company RESY and the world's premier drone racing circuit, the Drone Racing League. Higgins was the first client of marketing guru Gary Vaynerchuk, before becoming a co-owner of VaynerMedia and a partner with early-stage venture fund Vayner/RSE. RSE most recently built a portfolio of dynamic restaurant brands by partnering with Momofuku, Milk Bar, &pizza and Bluestone Lane, and invested in cybersecurity with the acquisition of SkOUT.Higgins began his career as the youngest press secretary in New York City history, where he helped manage the global press response during 9/11. He has been an executive for two NFL teams – currently serving as vice chairman of the Miami Dolphins. His latest book is "BURN THE BOATS: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash your Full potential" (2023) Name as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” chat with Nick Stone, Founder and chief executive officer and Amy Hom, chief operating officer and chief people officer from Bluestone Lane. Stone talks about Bluestone, an Australian-inspired coffee shop, cafés & lifestyle brand committed to providing a genuine daily escape for all our locals. They offer premium coffee and healthy and delicious food through an ‘Aussie' approach to life. Stone comes from a financial background and said he created Bluestone out of necessity. Stone adds that he didn't leave finance until he had twelve Bluestone Lane locations. Stone offered advice when starting a new business saying, “I highly recommend to a lot of entrepreneurs you don't have to go all in." He also adds that going all in is another degree of externalities and challenges. Hom has worked for many brands including California Pizza Kitchen, Wolfgang Puck, Red Robin and Sweetgreen. Hom says she has been blessed to work with great brands. She met Nick last year and Hom says Bluestone is a sexy brand and it is all about hospitality. Frischling says that what separates Bluestone Lane they lead with hospitality and connect with their locals. He adds that you can count on your local barista to know your name and recognize you when you walk in the door at Bluestone. They talk about the importance of hospitality and how it starts with great people. Hom shares that they take care of their employees and utilize heart checks. The locals are very important but they make sure their employees are taken care of too. She says it keeps them close and helps with retention. To hear about Bluestone cafés concept, the guys talk about real estate, the answers to the Tuesday trivia questions and the technology they are using check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout.

In the latest episode of Hospitality Hangout, Michael Schatzberg “The Restaurant Guy” and Jimmy Frischling “The Finance Guy” chat with Nick Stone, Founder and chief executive officer and Amy Hom, chief operating officer and chief people officer from Bluestone Lane. Stone talks about Bluestone, an Australian-inspired coffee shop, cafés & lifestyle brand committed to providing a genuine daily escape for all our locals. They offer premium coffee and healthy and delicious food through an ‘Aussie' approach to life. Stone comes from a financial background and said he created Bluestone out of necessity. Stone adds that he didn't leave finance until he had twelve Bluestone Lane locations. Stone offered advice when starting a new business saying, “I highly recommend to a lot of entrepreneurs you don't have to go all in." He also adds that going all in is another degree of externalities and challenges. Hom has worked for many brands including California Pizza Kitchen, Wolfgang Puck, Red Robin and Sweetgreen. Hom says she has been blessed to work with great brands. She met Nick last year and Hom says Bluestone is a sexy brand and it is all about hospitality. Frischling says that what separates Bluestone Lane they lead with hospitality and connect with their locals. He adds that you can count on your local barista to know your name and recognize you when you walk in the door at Bluestone. They talk about the importance of hospitality and how it starts with great people. Hom shares that they take care of their employees and utilize heart checks. The locals are very important but they make sure their employees are taken care of too. She says it keeps them close and helps with retention. To hear about Bluestone cafés concept, the guys talk about real estate, the answers to the Tuesday trivia questions and the technology they are using check out this episode of Hospitality Hangout.

In today's episode, we're bringing you a feature length interview with Nick Stone, CEO and Founder of Bluestone Lane - an Australian inspired, boutique hospitality chain with 62 locations in major cities across the US.In this fascinating conversation, Nick shares his extraordinary insight, key business learnings and wisdom gained from his multifaceted career. He also discusses the importance of developing a distinct and well-communicated value proposition and how human connection and community are central to the essence of Bluestone Lane.Credits music: "Beat the Blue" by KIA in collaboration with The Coffee Music ProjectSign up for our newsletter to receive the latest coffee news at worldcoffeeportal.comSubscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

It is becoming increasingly clear to the brands in this industry – just as it has to those in many others – that comms can raise awareness and even drive bottom-line results as nothing else can. And sometimes, divine inspiration can help. Any doubts? They will be erased by this podcast. Featuring:-Jennifer Kamienski, EVP, Coyne PR-Denny Marie Post, Co-President of Nextbite, Lead Director at Vital Farms and Bluestone Lane, Board Member of Travel + Leisure, Libbey Glass and P.F. Chang's “PR allows you to punch above your weight class as a brand,” says Nextbite's Denny Marie-Post, who is also a former CEO of Red Robin. Its unique ability to tell an experiential story better than any other discipline is a key reason.It also helps that comms pros in the space have proved incredibly adaptable. As Coyne's Jennifer Kamienski explains to PRWeek's Gideon Fidelzeid, the incredible impact the pandemic had on the sector necessitated such flexibility.“It's not just about the food in the restaurant space,” she asserts. “It's about appealing to all five senses. It's about the overall experience.” And she proudly discusses numerous examples of how PR pros in the sector have gotten creative with the reality that people are increasingly accessing restaurant food off-premises.That creativity can also be so simple sometimes. Case in point, a 2015 Red Robin campaign on which Post and Kamienski collaborated. It involved a new fish sandwich, Lent, and an invitation hand delivered to the Vatican for Pope Francis. Check out this podcast to learn more about this inspired initiative.Follow us on Twitter: @PRWeekUSwww.prweek.com

Episode 88 of the podcast was record at Bluestone Lane on Rose Ave in Venice Beach with the CEO and Founder of Blunestone Lane Nicholas Stone. A former professional AFL Football Player (6 years), Corporate Finance banker (11 years Australia, USA, UK) and currently Founder & CEO of Bluestone Lane. Bluestone Lane is the fastest growing premium cafe brand in the United States, with +65 locations across 9 markets (NY, LA, SF, DC, NJ, PA, MA & Toronto CDN). Headquartered in New York City, Bluestone Lane is influenced by Australian independent coffee-culture, and is committed to providing elevated cafe experiences focused on human connection. Nick was a 2019 Finalist in EY's New York Entrepreneur of the Year. Nick has been recognized as one of World's Young Leaders of the Future and has been featured in the New York Times, CNBC, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Australian Financial Review, The Age, Forbes, GQ and Vogue USA. Nick has been a featured guest on +15 podcasts since 2019, available on Spotify and iTunes stores. Prior to founding Bluestone Lane a complete hospitality "outsider", Nick spent 11 years in corporate finance and advisory in Australia, New York and London, after beginning his career as a professional AFL footballer for 6 seasons following selection in the 1999 AFL National Draft. Enjoy our conversation!

Bluestone Lane, an Australian-inspired neighborhood coffeehouse, is among one of the fastest growing fast casual concepts. Founder & CEO Nicholas Stone joins Matt to share how and why he started Bluestone Lane, how the pandemic affected their business, and what their secret to success is. Learn how Bluestone Lane approaches restaurant location growth as they continue their rapid footprint expansion.

Welcome to Reimagining Company Culture, a series discussing emerging trends and priorities shaping the future of workplace culture and employee wellbeing. We highlight thought leaders who are constantly evolving their strategy and can provide insight to folks about how to address new business challenges.  AllVoices is on a mission to create safe, happy, and healthy workplaces for all, and we're excited to learn from experts who share our mission.In this episode of Reimagining Company Culture, we're chatting with Danielle Caserta, Chief People Officer at Bluestone Lane. Danielle Caserta is a seasoned Human Resources professional with over 20 years of experience scaling teams and building a great company culture. Danielle has experience across different industries; non-profit, luxury retail and hospitality; focused on finding, developing and supporting great talent who are aligned with the company's values. About AllVoicesIn today's workforce, people often don't feel empowered to speak up and voice their opinions about workplace issues, including harassment, bias, and other culture issues. This prevents company leadership from making necessary changes, and prevents people from feeling fulfilled, recognized, and included at work. At AllVoices, we want to change that by providing a completely safe, anonymous way for people to report issues directly to company leaders. This allows company leadership real transparency into what's happening in their companies—and the motivation to address issues quickly. Our goal is to help create safer, more inclusive companies.To learn more about AllVoices visit us at www.allvoices.co!

On the podcast this week, we're continuing our exploration of hiring strategies in the wake of the current hospitality staffing crisis. In part one, we covered how small independent operators are navigating this issue and today we're turning our attention to larger scaled hospitality chains.In conversations with Danielle Caserta, Chief People Officer at Bluestone Lane, and Thomas Nørøxe, CEO, Joe & The Juice, we discuss the importance of building team culture and hear how these established operators are rethinking how they attract talent to their business.Credits music: 'Bout A Thing' by Julia Cole for the Coffee Music ProjectSubscribe to 5THWAVE on Instagram @5thWaveCoffee and tell us what topics you'd like to hear

Meet Nicholas "Nick" Stone. Nick is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Bluestone Lane, the Australian-inspired specialty coffee and lifestyle brand with 55+ units across the U.S. and growing. A native of Melbourne, Australia, Nick envisioned Bluestone Lane to provide the premium coffee and cafe experience readily found in his hometown but lacking in the U.S. Nick started Bluestone Lane in 2013 in New York City, and, three years later in mid-2016, he left his career in corporate finance to serve as the full-time CEO. Prior to commencing his career in corporate finance, Nick was a professional Australian Rules Football (AFL) player for 6 seasons. Nick has drawn upon his experience in elite sports and investment banking to build a lifestyle brand that is known for its premium in-store experiences, product and technological innovation, high-growth and strategic partnerships (including most recently announced with Hilton). In 2019, Nick was selected as a Finalist in EY's Entrepreneur of Year New York. #entrepreneurship #founder #startups Missed any previous #ThisWeekWithSabir episodes, access all here https://growthbysabir.com/liveshow Your business stuck in a rut? Contact Sabir at Growth by Sabir here https://growthbysabir.com Topics covered: entrepreneur,entrepreneurship,entrepreneurs,startup,startups,founder,founders,founder story,coffee business,coffee shop,coffee store,coffee products,Australian business,australian,entrepreneur motivation,entrepreneur advice,bigcommerce,dtc,ecommerce,influencer marketing,influencers,shopify,thisweekwithsabir,shopify dropshipping,ecommerce business,ecommerce website,instagram influencer marketing,influencer marketing strategy,bluestone lane,bluestone lane coffee --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sabir-semerkant/support

Episode #45 is now live! Meet Tony Pantano, partner and chief operating officer of @onlyhospitality. Tony's journey in hospitlaity started at the age of 13 working in an Italian restaurant in Lygon St, Melbourne. After finishing high school he managed several venues while also competing his university degree. He joined a hospitality software company called My Guest List which took him to New York, where he would later join Bluestone Lane, an Australian inspired coffee shop as general manager of their flagship store, that has now grown to 17 stores across America. He was than offered a unique position as the chief steward aboard a 50m super yacht which took him to 30 countries including some of the most remote locations in the world. After getting home sick he decided to move back to Melbourne with the goal of working with Julian and the only hospitality group as general manager which has now grown to over 15 locations, which includes, cafes, a roastery, a pub and restaurants. Tony is now chief operating officer of Only Hospitality which is Melbourne's largest non-franchised cafe group.

In this episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches, Sam talks with Nick Stone, founder and CEO of Bluestone Lane, a New York based coffee and café chain that’s inspired by the coffee culture of Nick’s native Australia, and which is investing in the intersection between artisanal products and service with digital-driven convenience. In this conversation, you’ll find out why: Convenience is not always king Creating premium experiences doesn’t require ditching digital tools You can create multiple concepts for multiple use cases There is opportunity at the intersection between the home and the office Young families are a goldmine for long-term loyalty — and breakfast is the daypart to bring them in Have feedback or ideas for Take-Away? Email Sam at sam.oches@informa.com. Visit www.nrn.com for more information, and register for CREATE: The Future of Foodservice at www.informaconnect.com/create.

This week we have Nick Stone on the show! Nick Stone is a former AFL player with Hawthorn, Collingwood and St Kilda Football Club. He played 20 games across 5 years in the AFL and has some incredible stories.When footy finished, Nick moved over to New York in 2010 to work in investment banking and through working in the US Nick discovered a gap in the coffee and cafe industry - there was nothing that compared to an Australian coffee in the US. With no real experience in hospitality, he opened his first cafe Bluestone Lane in 2013 to remedy the need for an Aussie-style café in America, growing the concept to over 50 stores by the end of 2019.The story is bloody unbelievable! He is a seriously switched on unit, I took so much out of this chat especially if you're looking at starting your own business!Hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Cant thank Nick enough for his time and when you're next over in the states make sure you check out one his cafes.Nick StoneInstagram - instagram.com/bluestonelane/Website - https://bluestonelane.com/Patreon - Dyl & Best FriendsPS. If you love the show, and want more... join Dyl & Best Friends on Patreon!! ILY xxx www.patreon.com/dylandfriendsContactEmail - enquiries@dylandfriends.comInstagram - @dylbuckley @dylandfriendsYoutube - www.youtube.com/dylandfriendsFacebook - www.facebook.com/dylanandfriendsTwitter - www.twitter.com/dylan_buckleyDyl & Friends is produced by Dylan Buckley & Sam Bonser.Damon Jackman of Creative Edge Films is responsible for video and audio production.

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K128: Cash Might Be King, but They Don't Care甩   The other day at Dig Inn, a just-opened lunch spot on Broadway and 38th Street in Midtown Manhattan, Shania Bryant committed a consumer faux pas. She placed her order for chicken and brown rice and yams, and when she got to the register, she held out a $50 bill.“Sorry,” the cashier told her. “We don't take cash.” Not, “We don't take $50s.” No cash. Period.“What?” Bryant asked. 幾天前，在紐約曼哈坦中城百老匯大道與第38街交口剛開幕的午餐餐廳Dig Inn內，仙妮亞．布萊恩犯了個消費者不太得體的錯。她點了雞肉、糙米飯和山藥，到櫃檯結帳時，掏出張50元美鈔。收銀員對她說：「抱歉，我們不收現金。」不是「我們不收50美元的鈔票，」是不收現金，就是這樣。布萊恩女士問道：「蛤？」The cashier patiently explained. Credit and debit cards were fine, as was the easy-to-download Dig Inn phone app. But the almighty dollar was powerless.“I've never experienced that before,” said Bryant, 20, an assistant to a designer. “I guess we're in new times.”收銀員耐心地解釋，信用卡和簽帳金融卡都可以使用，容易下載的Dig Inn手機應用程式也行，但萬能的美元則無能為力。20歲的設計師助理布萊恩說：「我從未碰過這種事。我想我們正身處在新的時代。」Indeed. Cashless businesses were once an isolated phenomenon, but now, similarly jarring experiences can be had across the street at Sweetgreen, or two blocks up at Two Forks, or next door to Two Forks at Dos Toros, or over on 41st Street at Bluestone Lane coffee. In Midtown and some other neighborhoods across New York City, cashless is fast on its way to becoming normal.But it is not quite normal yet. So the cashier at Dig Inn cut Bryant a break.“Just this one time, we'll give it to you on the house,” she said, handing over the bag. “But just so you know, in the future.”的確如此。店家的無現金交易曾經是孤立的特別現象，但如今在對街的沙拉店Sweetgreen，往前方兩個街區的Two Forks餐廳，Two Forks隔壁的墨西哥餐廳Dos Toros，甚或是第41街的Bluestone Lane咖啡店內，都可能會有類似的不愉快經驗。在紐約市中城和市內一些其他區域，無現金交易正快速普及，往成為常態之路邁進。然而由於還沒有完全成為常態，Dig Inn的收銀員給布萊恩行了個方便。她把袋子遞給她，說：「就這一次，我們免費奉送，為的是讓你知道，以後該怎麼樣。」 Ah, the future. In the future, when dollar bills are found only in museum display cases, we will look back on this moment of transition and confusion with the same head-shaking smile with which we regard customs on the Isle of Yap in Micronesia, where giant stone discs are still accepted as payment for particularly big-ticket items.Some people already live in this cashless future. They find nothing strange about paying for a pack of gum with a swipe of a card. If you are one of these people and you are still somehow reading this article, you may be thinking, “What on earth is the big deal?” 哦，未來。當我們將來只能在博物館陳列櫃中看到美鈔時，我們會帶著微笑回顧這個過渡與混亂的時刻，就好像我們看待密克羅尼西亞雅浦島的習俗一樣，因為在當地巨型石盤（石幣）仍被用作特別昂貴物品的支付工具。有些人已經生活在這種無現金的未來之中。他們覺得刷卡買包口香糖並無奇怪之處。如果你是這些人中的一員而且還在閱讀這篇報導，你可能會在想，「這有什麼大不了的？」 At Two Forks on 40th Street, where the lunch offerings have cheery names like Squash Goals, Kristin Junco, a 34-year-old auditor for the state Education Department, said she had not used cash for about a week and much prefers a cashless establishment to its opposite. “We travel a lot for work,” she said, gesturing to a colleague, “and if they don't take credit cards that makes things difficult.”On the other side are those who were raised to equate credit-card spending with taking on debt — something to be avoided whenever possible, and reserved in any case for major expenditures. Those people do things like grab a $5 bill from their purse and run down from their office to the place on the corner thinking that they can buy a snack with it. They will catch on eventually. 在第40街的Two Forks餐廳，午餐提供的食物有著Squash Goals之類令人愉快的名字，34歲的州教育廳審計員克里斯汀．榮科表示，她大概有一周沒用現金了，而且更喜歡與現金制度相對的無現金環境。她指著一位同事說：「我們經常出差。如果他們不收信用卡會比較麻煩。」而與這些人相反的那群人，則把使用信用卡消費視同負債，認為應盡可能避免，就算要用也該保留給重大支出。這些人喜歡從他們錢包內拿出一張5美元鈔票，從他們的辦公室跑到街角某處，認為他們能用它買零食。他們遲早會趕上潮流。Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/322580/web/   更多Podcast單元: 每日英語跟讀Podcast，就在http://www.15mins.today/daily-shadowing 精選詞彙 VOCAB Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/vocab 語音直播 15mins Live Podcast, 就在https://www.15mins.today/15mins-live-podcast 文法練習 In-TENSE Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/in-tense 用email訂閱就可以收到通勤學英語節目更新通知。

On our season 1 finale of Dad Pod, we have our first two-guest episode with brother and dad duo Nick + Andy Stone! While we didn't talk about vegemite, the brothers share their experience being away from family in Australia due to the pandemic and what they're doing to pass their Aussie roots and values on to their kids. Nick + Andy also talk about what it's like to work and run Bluestone Lane together while also raising families together as brothers, close friends and co-workers. Follow Bluestone Lane at @bluestonelane on Instagram and learn more: https://bluestonelane.com/

Nicholas Stone is the Founder & CEO of Bluestone Lane. Bluestone Lane is the fastest growing premium cafe brand in the United States, with 50+ locations across 9 markets (NY, LA, SF, DC, NJ, PA, MA & Toronto CDN). Headquartered in New York City, Bluestone Lane is influenced by Australian independent coffee-culture, and is committed to providing elevated cafe experiences focused on human connection.

Bluestone Lane, the 50-unit coffee shop-cafe concept with Australian roots, was hit hard by the pandemic. But founder and CEO Nicholas Stone said the brand is moving from survival mode to a renewed focus on growth. New York City-based Bluestone Lane opened its first store in 2013. Until the coronavirus crisis, it had been on a fast growth clip, opening 44 stores over 42 months. Today, the chain is working on reopening stores temporarily closed during the pandemic, with plans to open 15 new locations this year and debut in new markets in 2022. Bluestone operates two different concept types – a small footprint coffeeshop and a larger cafe, geared more toward on-premise dining.

Today, we are joined by Andy Stone, the Vice President of Marketing at Bluestone Lane, which is Melbourne-inspired coffee place offering Australian-style espresso drinks & cafe fare all day. He is the brother to CEO Nick Stone and runs the business's marketing.  We begin the episode by talking about his relationship with NYC, now that he's been here for 5 years. We then dive in to discussing how Bluestone Lane became successful at bringing Melbourne café culture to the states. Other topics we cover include how Andy got involved with Bluestone Lane, differences between Australian coffee culture and American (particularly NYC), the marketing strategies behind Bluestone Lane and their health focused menu, challenges in growing and expanding their business in a short amount of time and his definitions of happiness and success. Andy also shares a city Confessions as an Australian living in New York that you don't want to miss! If you haven't dined at Bluestone Lane then check out their locations here https://bluestonelane.com so you can try their delicious food items & coffee! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thecityconfessions/support

Season 2 Episode 2: Nick Stone – Bluestone Lane Nick Stone knows the power of the underdog, where sometimes the bottom team can beat the top team, simply because they have nothing to lose. Now on his third career, Nick Stone is using his AFL and banking skills to create a sensation: bringing Melbourne coffee to the U.S. through his incredibly popular Bluestone Lane.  Starting his career in the AFL, and working his way around the world in finance, Nick joins Consul General Mike Kleine on 37 Degrees Latitude to talk about commitment, customer-centricity, and coffee culture.   Bluestone Lane grew from a single basement café on Park Avenue in 2013, to a network of over 40 cafes spanning the United States. COVID-19 has hit Bluestone Lane, but Nick explains the importance of making the tough decisions early, how valuable the U.S. market can be, and how a strong value proposition that will take a business to the next level.   More information about Nick and Bluestone Lane Nick on LinkedIn Bluestone Lane   Stay in touch  Follow the U.S. Consulate General Melbourne Twitter @usconsulatemelb Instagram at @usconsulatemelb   Facebook melbourne.usconsulate/    About In this podcast, U.S. Consul General to Melbourne Michael Kleine meets the Australian founders and entrepreneurs who cut a path between 37˚ N & S and found capital, partners, markets, and success in the United States.  Mike Kleine is a career diplomat for the U.S. Department of State Officer who is currently the U.S. Consul General to Melbourne. As a former founder turned diplomat, he has a deep-seated interest in entrepreneurship, a fascination with innovation, and a passion for the U.S-Australia relationship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode, I have the pleasure of chatting with Nick Stone, the Australian founder of the United States' fastest-growing premium cafe brand Bluestone Lane. Nick has worked to create a brand that serves great coffee with ‘love, compassion, and hospitality' for every customer (including Taylor Swift). In this episode, Nick unpacks why relationship and connection are both so fundamental when building a brand, especially in the hospitality industry. Prior to founding Bluestone Lane, Nick spent 11 years in corporate finance and advisory in Australia, New York, and London, after beginning his career as a professional AFL footballer for 6 seasons following selection in the 1999 AFL National Draft. Nick was a 2019 Finalist in EY's New York Entrepreneur of the Year and has been recognized as one of the World's Young Leaders of the Future Checkout Bluestone Lane on Insta Join our Facebook Group Want a weekly business tip delivered to you for free?

In this week's episode, I have the pleasure of chatting with Nick Stone, the Australian founder of the United States' fastest-growing premium cafe brand Bluestone Lane. Nick has worked to create a brand that serves great coffee with ‘love, compassion, and hospitality' for every customer (including Taylor Swift). In this episode, Nick unpacks why relationship and connection are both so fundamental when building a brand, especially in the hospitality industry.Prior to founding Bluestone Lane, Nick spent 11 years in corporate finance and advisory in Australia, New York, and London, after beginning his career as a professional AFL footballer for 6 seasons following selection in the 1999 AFL National Draft. Nick was a 2019 Finalist in EY's New York Entrepreneur of the Year and has been recognized as one of the World's Young Leaders of the FutureCheckout Bluestone Lane on InstaJoin our Facebook GroupWant a weekly business tip delivered to you for free?

Nick Stone is the Founder & CEO of Bluestone Lane, the fastest growing premium cafe brand in the United States, with +50 locations across 9 markets (NY, LA, SF, DC, NJ, PA, MA & Toronto CDN). Headquartered in New York City, Bluestone Lane is influenced by Australian independent coffee-culture and is committed to providing elevated cafe experiences focused on human connection. Nick was a 2019 Finalist in EY's New York Entrepreneur of the Year. Nick has been recognized as one of World's Young Leaders of the Future and has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Australian Financial Review, Forbes, GQ and Vogue USA. Prior to founding Bluestone Lane, Nick spent 11 years in corporate finance and advisory in Australia, New York and London, after beginning his career as a professional AFL footballer for 6 seasons following selection in the 1999 AFL National Draft.Follow Nick Stone on Social Media: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-stone-49465767/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bluestonelane/Follow The Story Box on Social MediaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thestoryboxpodcast/Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/thestoryboxpodcastFacebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/125781678801513YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEXHMRPxW0qoxV8kKjaFdYw See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jeffrey Young speaks with Nick Stone, founder of US-based Bluestone Lane, and learns how he pivoted his 50 cafe stores employing 650 staff during the height of the COVID pandemic.We're releasing this full interview with Nick Stone as a bonus episode because we believe it's worth a listen. It's bursting with insights on how we can all be better people managers and decision makers. Get in touch and tell us what topics you'd like to hear by visiting www.worldcoffeeportal.com/5THWAVE/Podcast

Jeffrey Young speaks with business leaders to understand how Covid-19 has impacted the global hospitality sector and what long-term changes we can expect to see. This week's guests are Nicholas Stone, CEO and Founder of Bluestone Lane, Seven Miles Coffee Roasters CEO Jenny Willits, and Wilhelm Liebenberg, Co-founder of Coco Safar.Get in touch and tell us what topics you'd like to hear by visiting www.worldcoffeeportal.com/5THWAVE/Podcast

Meet Matt Higgins. Matt is a noted serial entrepreneur and growth equity investor as cofounder and CEO of private investment firm RSE Ventures. He is also vice-chairman of the Miami Dolphins, a recurring Shark on ABC's four-time Emmy-Award-winning TV show Shark Tank, and Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School. Visit Matt on the Web at https://matthiggins.com Visit Sabir on the Web at https://growthbysabir.com Chapters 00:00 Sabir Welcomes Matt Higgins 23:03 Rebuilding Your Business After a Crisis 25:44 The Silver Lining in These Difficult Times 27:37 How the Pandemic Has Made Things Easier for Businesses 29:45 You Can't Do It Alone 34:28 What Investors Look for 31:47 The Most Important Asset for an Entrepreneur 36:02 Spend Big On Your Own Business 38:25 No One is Stealing Your Ideas 40:31 Establish Yourself Before Building a Brand 43:44 Building a Personal Brand as a Founder 45:46 Own Your Story 48:05 Your Ideas Are Not as Unique as You Think 51:01 The Secret to Being Successful 53:25 What Makes Successful People Unique? Higgins began his career in public service as a journalist before becoming the youngest mayoral press secretary in New York City at 26, where he managed the global media response to the September 11th terrorist attacks. He became one of the first employees – and ultimately Chief Operating Officer – of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the federally funded government agency created to plan the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site. Higgins helped organize the largest international design competition in history culminating in Reflecting Absence, the September 11th National Memorial, and the development of the 1,776-feet-tall One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the northern hemisphere. Higgins co-founded New York City-based RSE Ventures in 2012, amassing a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio of leading brands across sports and entertainment, media and marketing, consumer and technology industries – including several of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies. RSE has successfully backed many challenger brands from inception, including RESY, an Open Table competitor that American Express acquired in 2019; the world's premier drone racing circuit, the Drone Racing League; and the International Champions Cup, the largest privately owned soccer tournament featuring Europe's top clubs. Higgins is also co-owner of VaynerMedia, founded by digital marketing expert Gary Vaynerchuk, and a partner in an early-stage venture fund Vayner/RSE. In 2013, Higgins co-founded Derris, a brand strategy and communications firm that has helped grow many leading brands such as Warby Parker and Glossier. In 2016, he broadened RSE's investment focus to rapidly expanding fine dining and fast-casual concepts, including David Chang's Momofuku and Fuku, Milk Bar, &pizza and Bluestone Lane. Higgins received his BA in political science from Queens College and his JD from Fordham Law, where he was a member of the Fordham Law Review. He was named a Top 40 Under 40 executive by Crain's New York and by Sports Business Journal. In 2019, Higgins received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor – joining the ranks of seven former U.S. presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and others who have made it their mission to share their knowledge, compassion, and generosity with those less fortunate. He is a longstanding board member of Autism Speaks. #ThisWeekWithSabir --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sabir-semerkant/support

Nick Stone - Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Bluestone LaneIn 2013, Nick founded Bluestone Lane, an Australian-inspired coffee shop and lifestyle brand, after finding a gap in the US coffee market. Bluestone Lane brings the Australian hospitality experience to the US, focusing on providing a premium cafe experience and an escape for locals.Bluestone Lane has over 45 shops across the biggest markets in the US, including New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Washington DC, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.On today's episode of The Daily Talk Show, we discuss: - Starting Bluestone Lane in NYC- Doing hospitality differently- Investment banking- Where a cafe makes its money- Scaling and cafe location- Building a national brand- Cultural fits in hospitality- TippingBluestone Lane: https://bluestonelane.com/Watch and listen to this episode of The Daily Talk Show at https://thedailytalkshow.com/517Email us: hi@thedailytalkshow.comSend us mail: PO BOX 400, Abbotsford VIC 3067The Daily Talk Show is an Australian talk show and daily podcast by Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen. Tommy and Josh chat about life, creativity, business, and relationships — big questions and banter. Regularly visited by guests and gronks! If you watch the show or listen to the podcast, you're part of the Gronk Squad.This podcast is produced by BIG MEDIA COMPANY. Find out more at https://bigmediacompany.com/

Today we're sitting outside Bluestone Lane! We chat about Tommy's recent act of kindness, feeling underdressed, and what Mr. 97 thought about his first cup of coffee.On today's episode of The Daily Talk Show, we discuss: - Bluestone Lane- Tommy's colour game - Being underdressed- Lawsuits and billboards- What car we'd get in LA- Tommy's act of kindness- Mr 97's first cup of coffeeWatch and listen to this episode of The Daily Talk Show at https://thedailytalkshow.com/507Email us: hi@thedailytalkshow.comSend us mail: PO BOX 400, Abbotsford VIC 3067The Daily Talk Show is an Australian talk show and daily podcast by Tommy Jackett and Josh Janssen. Tommy and Josh chat about life, creativity, business, and relationships — big questions and banter. Regularly visited by guests and gronks! If you watch the show or listen to the podcast, you're part of the Gronk Squad.This podcast is produced by BIG MEDIA COMPANY. Find out more at https://bigmediacompany.com/

Nick Stone is the Founder and CEO of Bluestone Lane, an Australian-themed coffee brand that now has over 700 employees and locations across North America's largest cities. Nick's career path is far from typical, having played professional AFL and worked in the financial industry before diving into entrepreneurial endeavours. You can connect with Nick on LinkedIn, or by visiting www.bluestonelane.com Jay Mellette is the Director of Sports Performance for the Vegas Golden Knights. Jay's career path is far from typical, having spent time in the military before becoming an Athletic Trainer. After working in college and pro sports, Jay spent 13 years helping Cirque du Soleil grow into the preeminent circus brand in the world, before returning to pro sports when the NHL expanded to Las Vegas. You can connect with Jay on LinkedIn, or by visiting www.nhl.com/goldenknights Where Others Won't is recorded in Toronto, Canada, and was created by Cody Royle and Adam Esker. You can book Cody to speak, or learn more about his background by visiting: www.codyroyle.com

Today's episode features Jennifer Ross and Cristina Ros Blankfein, the founders of SWOON, the NEW first-of-its-kind liquid sugar substitute that gets its natural silky sweetness from monk fruit! Hear why they started the company and what motivated them to embark on a mission to take down sugar. They also explain how SWOON differs from other sweeteners in the market and they even made me try SWOON for the first time on air so get ready for a little ASMR segment! Both founders have a unique and different relationship with the city and share their personal confessions, so you don't want to miss out on what those are. Swoon is available for shipping nationwide on tasteswoon.com (3 bottles/$24 MSRP) and Amazon (1 bottle/$11.99), so you can use it at home or you can find it in notable spots in NYC (Eleven Madison Park, Café Clover, Matchaful, Thomas Keller's TAK Room, The Alchemist's Kitchen, Clean Market), LA (Erewhon, Alfred Tea Room), and BOTH coasts (Bluestone Lane and Catch) to name a few. Make sure you also follow @SWOON on Instagram and feel free to email any questions, concerns or feedback to thecityconfessions@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thecityconfessions/support

Nick grew up in Melbourne and was recruited to play Australian football at Collingwood at the end of 1999 when he was in year 12. He also had time at Hawthorn and the St Kilda which culminated in a 6 year AFL career. This is an incredible achievement in itself, and Nick says during those years he learned a lot. He mentions that as there's no segmentation in AFL like there is in a lot of American sports (where it's common to have separate offensive and defensive teams) you have to get used to working and communicating with different people. It also taught him about dealing with pressure and scrutiny and the importance of self belief and hard work. As he studied whilst he played AFL, it gave him the opportunity to move straight into his next career, investment banking. After a period of working in Australia Nick moved to New York with his partner Alexandra (now wife) to finish his MBA at Fordham Business School. It was during this time that he first identified the opportunity in New York to provide an improved coffee experience than what cafes currently provided. He studied Starbucks and was fascinated with the brand that they had built. Whether you like their coffee or not I think it's still an incredible business. However, he had noticed that their average customer was getting older and the Starbucks brand wasn't resonating with younger customers. Nick identified the gap in the market he wanted to serve... he wanted to have a coffee brand that resonated with younger customers. Nick was working full time in investment banking so this cafe venture would be managed on the side as a kind of side hustle. He and his partners put up $170,000 and he opened up his first cafe in 2013, a small location that was cheap as it was hidden underground so people could only really find it through word of mouth. The location of this first cafe was quite strategic though with Australian banks NAB, ANZ and Westpac New York offices all nearby. At the time most Americans didn't really know what a 'flat white' coffee was so on the first day sold $1 flat whites. They sold over 1000 that day. Not long after, he opened up another cafe that was equally popular. However, when they opened up their third cafe (which had a food menu) it was that Nick really knew he was onto something. Over the years Nick continued to work full time in banking and be CEO of the growing Bluestone Lane business. However, in mid 2016 when he had 14 cafes (12 in New York and 2 in Philadelphia) he made the call to go all in with Bluestone Lane and step away from banking. Bluestone Lane has now been going for 6 years and now up to 44 stores. In the next six months they're opening up a further 13 stores which will take them to 57. Nick always focused on the power of branding with Bluestone and took the coffee culture from Australia to the US, with uniformity and consistency. The name Bluestone is in fact an honour of the cobbled bluestone laneways of Melbourne which are littered with great cafes. Nick takes us through some of the stories that have happened over the six years, including the times when Taylor Swift and Victoria's Secret models put them on the map when they'd come in for their coffees. Nick has steered the business through different stages of a startup and transitioning it to the growth stage it's now in. He currently employs 700 staff which comes with stress, and as hard as the process has been but he says that football gave him an introduction to opening yourself up to pressure and mass scrutiny. This episode is brought to you by Six Park, Australia's leading robo-adviser. www.sixpark.com.au

Preview of the next podcast episode where I speak with Nick Stone, the founder and CEO of the Bluestone Lane coffee empire in North America.

Nicholas “Nick”  Stone is a native of Melbourne Australia who moved to New York City in 2010. He is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Bluestone Lane, an Australian-influenced lifestyle and hospitality brand based in New York, NY. Nick envisioned Bluestone Lane whilst attending Business School in New York, with the idea of providing a premium coffee/cafe experience that is readily found in his former hometown of Melbourne Australia (but not readily available in New York). Since opening its first location in July 2013, Bluestone Lane has become the fastest-growing premium coffee and café having opened 27 stores open now across 6 markets being New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New Jersey and a flagship coffee roastery and production facility within its first 4.5 years of operations. Nick joined Bluestone Lane as its full-time Chief Executive Officer in June 2016, having spent 10 years as a Corporate Finance Director with ANZ Banking Group Limited and UBS Investment Bank, advising and financing some of the world's largest multinational corporations in the United States, Europe and in Asia Pacific. Prior to banking, Nick was a professional Australian Rules Football (AFL) player for 6 seasons, having been selected in the 1999 AFL National Draft from Wesley College, Australia (High School). Nick played for the Collingwood, Hawthorn and the St Kilda Football Clubs. Bluestone Lane it set to have more than 40 locations by the end of 2018, across 6 United States core-markets, including New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Washington DC, San Francisco and Los Angeles. So lucky to catch Nick on one of his quick trips home to Melbourne..

We're a month into The Monday Mocha Series. I'm loving the responses we're getting to these so far. Some of you have expressed just how much you're learning from these coffee dates and it brings me much joy! For those of you who have popped by for the first time to have a cuppa with me - this podcast is a chance to have a break from my Aunties, Ammi and 170 cousins featured on my Wednesday podcast and hear the journey of an inspiring individual from some part of the world. As you all know, I love talking. A lot. The reason for starting the Monday Mocha podcast is that through the teachings and lessons I have the privilege of sharing with you every week that have come from my teachers; I am still a student in pursuit of more knowledge, self awareness and tools to cultivate more of the good things we need more of in this world. Each Monday, I'll be having a chat to a guest who has much wisdom to share that we can all benefit from - to light up our day that little bit brighter. It will literally feel like you're sitting right there, having coffee with us. So c'mon, let's have a Mocha! "I love stories. Something that I absolutely crave is listening to people's stories; what excites them, what's their passion and how they've dealt with challenges." The first few Monday Mocha's of this series were all with New Yorkers. So I guess it's about time I had a coffee with a fellow Aussie. Who happens to live in New York. Nicholas Stone is the CEO and Founder of Bluestone Lane; a Melbourne inspired coffee shop raising the standard of coffee palates amongst New Yorkers with the true coffee snobbery we seem to have down under. With already a handful of cafes in New York and soon to be three in Philly, the Bluestone love is set to spread across the country. Follow Nick: @BluestoneLane Available on: iTunes | Spreaker | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google Play Featured Voices: Ginni Saraswati, Nicholas Stone & Sam Phelps Produced by: Sam Phelps NEXT EPISODE: Break The Funk - Wednesday, February 15 Photos: Joey Middleton www.theginnishow.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.