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The words Selling and Private Club Membership typically do not go hand-in-hand. In fact, most Membership Directors,  wouldn't be caught dead saying they “sell private club memberships”. People sell timeshare properties and vacation packages, but not private club memberships. Or do they? Sales trainer and consultant and founder of Master Connection Associates, Cindy Novotny, is with me in this episode to talk about SALES processes that every club should implement to create long term success. Episode Highlights 4:08 - How sales and marketing applies to the private clube and hospitality industries. 5:42 - The impact of the pandemic on private clubs 7:20 - Now is the time to train your team 9:51 - You're selling experiences 15:08 - Where clubs are struggling today with their sales and marketing 17:44 - Where to start with training your team 19:46 - Sales is no longer a bad word in the hospitality industry 22:21 - Selling is not cold calling 25:45 - The pandemic made some club leaders "cocky" 28:43 - The best follow up methods for prospects 33:07 - Phone calls or email follow ups? Ed Heil [00:00:00] You are listening to Crushing Club Marketing, a podcast for progressive club leaders ready to increase their club's revenue. Time for change begins right now. Ed Heil [00:00:13] The word selling, and private club membership typically don't go hand in hand. In fact, most membership directors wouldn't be caught dead saying they sell private club memberships. People sell timeshare properties and vacation packages, but not private club memberships. Or do they? Sales trainer and consultant and founder of Master Connection Associates, Cindy Novotny is with me in this episode to talk about sales processes that every club should implement to create long term success. Ed Heil [00:00:47] Thanks for joining me today. As I mentioned in the intro, you usually will not hear membership professionals in the private club industry talk about quote unquote selling memberships. It sounds tacky. It lowers perceived value, and the stature of the club is overall cheapened when you use words like that. Typically when you're talking about new member acquisition. But there's a difference between saying you sell club memberships and having proven sales processes in place to drive new member inquiries. So with 50% of the clubs in the country enjoying a new member waitlist. Why does this matter? You might ask yourself, well, we know it won't last forever, right? And with most clubs financially stable today, now is the time to invest. And we know that most would agree with this, especially the healthy clubs, because they're making considerable capital improvements to increase the value of the club and make it, and to invest more in their club. So clubs have all been through the ups and downs of the economy with rising and falling membership initiation fees. And you know that that's not good for your brand. But by building strong processes, investing in technology to improve efficiency and reporting, and even redefining the role of the membership team and membership director, your club can be better equipped to weather the storm that you know is coming. Ed Heil [00:02:17] So Cindy Novotny joins me in this episode as we dive into some of the issues clubs have and some recommendations she has for club leaders. Now, she is bold, she's direct, and she looks at the industry extremely realistically from a business and sales perspective, which in this day and age, it's changed so much through the years with technology and how people shop and how people buy. So we caught up earlier this year, and I was able to pin her down for a half hour while she is traveling the globe, and we had this conversation. Cindy, thanks so much for joining us today. Cindy Novotny [00:02:51] Absolutely. I am thrilled to be with you. This is fantastic. Ed Heil [00:02:55] Well my gosh. All right. So if you're listening to this you don't know how long. I mean it's been years. I think it was actually pre-pandemic when we were you know, I was, you know, talking to you and then to lefty and then we ran into each other at PCMA in Savannah. Yes, I think a year and a half ago or something like that. So, man, I'm just glad to catch up with you finally. Cindy Novotny [00:03:16] Absolutely. I mean, I just I think everything you're doing is so great. And, the fact that I am such a road warrior living on the road, jumping from place to place, I'm so glad we have this opportunity. Ed Heil [00:03:28] The road warriors and understatement. I think you would probably agree for the way. The way it's been going for you. So. Well, let's jump into it. You know, for for the listener who maybe hasn't had the opportunity to be part of your training or heard you speak, let's help help people understand the connection between, you know, the hospitality industry. And if you think about that from the perspective of like hotels, resorts and things like that, private clubs are also very much part of the hospitality industry. But how do you see those, the two worlds, maybe if you think about hotels, resorts and that sort of part of hospitality connecting from a sales and marketing perspective or otherwise with private clubs? Cindy Novotny [00:04:08] Well, it's huge. And I, I grew up in an industry that was I worked for private dining clubs, in Chicago, in New York and at a very young age learning, oh, wow, this is kind of cool. And people pay a membership to just come and have dinner. And then I recognize that it's really all about the experience, and it's all about what somebody wants to feel like. Then, as I continued in the hospitality industry, crossing over into hotels and resorts and now private engagement and jets, we do a lot of work, as you know, in private clubs on sales, training and sometimes sales is like, oh, well, we don't have to sell because we're a private club and you know everybody. We've got a list of people waiting to get in. And I always back up and say, yeah, you have a list of people waiting to get in right now. But there was a time when you were fighting to get members because we compete with so many other experiences. It's not just like we're competing private club to private club, we're competing private club membership to a second home or a yacht or something like that. Ed Heil [00:05:13] Let's talk about that. And, because I'm, I'm interested first in your take on that change, that shift in, in what you're seeing out there from the recognition of your clients as it relates to, hey, we you know, we can't just wait for people to walk in the door. We actually have to have more of a process. Are you seeing just how much greater awareness are you seeing around that? Or is it is it been slow, is have been fast, especially with the pandemic being so good for so many clubs? Cindy Novotny [00:05:42] Yeah. I mean, as I say, I can't even say the word C-O-V-I-D. Right? I cannot. But the one thing there was two things that happened. One is zooms and calls and teams. That's now status normal. When you talk to clients, getting them on a call face to face. Okay. That's because of the pandemic. The second is golf. Even golf clubs because we work with lots of golf clubs. Prior to the pandemic, the younger generation, it was dipping down. They weren't. It's like it's I don't want to go to my dad's club and I don't want to get married at my grandpa's club. And there was a lot of that kind of slowdown. And what I saw happen is that even I belong to a private club in Codo de Caza in California, and then also in Cedar Rapids, a private club. But I saw all of a sudden, like, outdoors. Oh my gosh, I don't want to be like, I don't want to be held back. I can't do things where private clubs were giving people the ability to get out on the golf courses, the fresh air, play tennis, pickleball, all these things. And because the private dining there was sometimes less. It was it like jams of people. So now that has taken the trajectory right up. I mean, that that's why so many people are seeing waiting list to get into those clubs, right? Ed Heil [00:07:02] You know, in many ways, because of this lack of maybe pressure, it seems like this is the time for private clubs. If they're thinking they they need to get their membership directors trained and sales that this is the time to do that. Cindy Novotny [00:07:20] Oh right. And and by the way, if you can sell, you'll always have a job. Let me just say that. All right. Transactional order taking will be replaced is being replaced by AI. So if you're just sitting back and managing your membership, what are you doing? I mean, there's a there's a new member behind every member. There's a new event, a new party, a corporate event. There's so much for that incremental revenue into a club where they can have their company sponsor dinners. And so you have to work your existing membership to be able to get that. But more importantly is there's a lot of competition now. There are private hotels, membership only. There are so many more private city clubs, so many more private bars and fun, cool places that unless you're a member, you can't even get in. You've got to know somebody who knows somebody. And because of that, that is starting to dilute some of the traditional clubs where people go, you know what? I'm not going to join. I'm not going to be a member of this club anymore because I actually don't live in the city anymore. I moved out to the suburbs. So I'm, I'm, I'm going to get rid of being a part of this athletic club or this dining club, and I'm going to move out to the suburbs. Secondly, I'm going to rid of my golf membership because do we really need that is a lot of money. I mean, you know, we have to force ourselves to make sure we every quarter get our dining, you know, minimum. Right. And so what happens is a lot of people have that same thought. So if you're not working it to keep that pipeline full, the people just like me now, we haven't canceled our club. But I could say, you know what, I don't even. Why do I even bother? So that's why you have to keep your grit, your nose to the grindstone, a new one, a new one, a new one all the time. Even those that have waiting lists. Ed Heil [00:09:12] Yeah. Interesting. You know. Yeah. There's so many things in there. Let's let's talk about the, part one. Part of it is just the competition. And you talked about this before, and I've heard other people in other podcasts, interviews that people I've talked to that have said, if you're thinking of your competition as the club down the street, you're missing it. And then, you know, three different people have said, look at what the hospitality industry is doing. If you want to see how to really enhance your presence online, if you really want to see how to, sell experiences, look at what resorts are doing and how they positioned themselves. How do you feel about that? Cindy Novotny [00:09:51] Oh, it's all about that. And most of the clubs that I even work in their social media presence is sad. Sad, I mean, and I think to myself, well, they and they say things like, well we can't really show a members event. I go, you're not showing the member and you're not giving the member's name, but you can show the setup because it's like what we've done. But a backing up to that. You know, I look at hospitality as an experience, hence why 40% of our business is outside of the hotel, club, private dining industry, automotive, you know, medical. And you think, well, how does hospitality relate? Because everyone in business today wants an experience. Okay. Even if you're going to a hospital, you know, it's not the clinical side that we're not messing with. But you don't want to go and feel you're already nervous. You want your your. Registration to get into the hospital. Be nice. You want the billing. So if you think about clubs, private clubs. All right. It's like if you really want to go to a tennis match or a football game because you're so in to the game, to the techniques and to what, you'll watch it from your massive screen at home. Okay, that's it. But if you love the experience of going to a football or a hockey game or a tennis match, you don't want to watch it from your sofa. You want to be in those stands and eating that Dodger Dog and having fun and doing what you do. And that's like a club. If I want to go to a fine dining restaurant, there is 1,000,000 and 1 Michelin star over the top. Cool chefs. I can go anywhere and edit everybody open to the public. We all can go. Ed Heil [00:11:39] Yeah. Cindy Novotny [00:11:39] But if you want an experience where they actually know you and they call you by name, and they you bring guests and they, they make your guests feel very special. And there's always that certain thing that's not in the menu, but they make for you. And there's that certain cocktail that they know you like and they make it for you. That is an experience. Okay. Same thing with golf. So, you know, my husband's a big golfer, but he golfs at a public course that is small, but they make you feel like a member because there's very few people and it's gorgeous overlooking Lake Michigan. And he actually at time says, you know, I actually like it here better than even some of the private clubs I'm at. Right. Because so if it's just the game, I can get it anywhere. But the club makes it an experience and you have to be trained to know how to do that. And your social media presence, your online presence has to portray that. Ed Heil [00:12:37] Awesome. So I mean, what I'm hearing you say, well, let me ask. Yes, that's a shift, right? Because there's still a lot of private clubs that believe they're selling the exclusivity. Like you get you get to be a member of this exclusive group. But I mean, what I'm hearing you say is really in many ways, that's not enough anymore. It's not enough to just say we're exclusive. You can't get in now. Cindy Novotny [00:13:03] And by the way. That's okay. But not everyone enjoys that tag line. I love exclusivity all the time too. I like, you know, I'm in. You know, I travel all the time. So you know, obviously United Club is for anybody that wants to pay their money. But because I'm global service and I'm global service for life, I've flown 10 million miles. Even when those clubs, as you know, when you travel, if they're too busy, they start stopping people, people that have paid for a membership but not me. I show my ticket, it says Global Service. I'm let right in. Yeah, I board the plane first. I love the exclusivity of that feel, but. I can also fly another airline and get to the same destination, right? The word exclusivity has got to be in combination with experience, and some of the big, big country club groups have lost their edge. They've got they've taken a private, kind of more intimate experience with all the big social memberships, which I'm all about builds your business. But what they do is they fail to forget, oh, you're actually a golf member. You actually pay five times more than what this social member pays, right? Used to be that there's private like at our club. And I have no problem saying this out loud because it's my club. You know, we're golf members, all right? We pay way more money, and we paid way more investment to get into that separate golf bathrooms for us. When we're dining, we go only club members only now. They could care less. Everybody's in there. Doesn't matter. That takes exclusivity and destroys the experience. Ed Heil [00:14:50] Yeah. Interesting. That's a really interesting take on that that that differentiation there. What are the most common things that you see, maybe the most common issues that you're seeing in your work and your consulting membership teams struggle with today? You know, especially as it relates to some of this stuff, you know? Cindy Novotny [00:15:08] Right. First of all, lack of training. They they promote somebody who is young working there. And I love youth, believe me. But, you know, we have to be trained and be developed. So they they just say, oh, well, you were really good. You worked your summers while you were at school and now, you know, you were like a restaurant manager. Would you like to be a membership director? Would you like to. And then bingo. Put them in it. Then they have no idea. They don't know how to reach out, how to talk to an existing member. They're Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 hours. So I'm not even kidding. Some of them. I mean, it's hilarious. Okay. And I'll say to him, you know, if there's a big event going on, a membership event for members, you need to be there and talk to the members and who else they know and and ask about what kind of events they like, because it's not just about the new, getting new members. It's about enhancing what the current members really like. Sometimes we're putting on things for our members that no one cares about. They're like, I don't even like, why? Why are you doing that? And yet some of the things have to be continued to be changed because the age difference, the youth, the people that don't want that, they don't want that, you know, Thursday night card game, they might want a game night for all families of all ages and things. So I think the biggest thing I see is lack of knowledge of the industry, lack of training, lack of how to actually use online presence, social media to find business. Right. How to follow up. We do a lot of mystery shops, of private clubs where we call inquiring about membership and it's like hilarious. Okay, we'll send you out a packet. And by the way, there's 50 people. There's 50 people on the waiting list. All right. So we'll just email and no asking questions. What would we be interested in. That's what I see is one of the the biggest problems. Ed Heil [00:16:59] Yeah. So the training thing is seems like a big thing because, you know, I mean, I think of this from the terms of it's hard to find good people in a lot of industries in the club industry and hospitality I know has struggled with that as well. So let's just say you do have these people who are eager enough, but they really have no training at all, is there? And this is probably a softball for you, but I am kind of interested because it can be a deterrent for a decision maker general manager. But, to invest in, you know, cash. What's it going to cost me to train this person? Right. So where do you start? Where do you start? With someone who just doesn't, you know, an employee who's like, yeah, I'll try that. I think I could do that. Like, how do you start training? Cindy Novotny [00:17:44] So my answer to that is simple. I say to every GM, even the equity, clubs. And you know, when I deal with boards, I'll say, you know, if you say, why should I invest? What if they leave, I go, what happens when you don't invest in training and they stay? And that is the number one biggest issue. And sometimes the turnover could be like they come in, they want to make a name for themselves. Well, remember a majority of those clubs are not looking for profit. So some of them are trying to deliver excellence. Now I happen to work with some clubs like that are phenomenal like El Niguel in Southern California. Unbelievable. They're, you know, head of membership in their general manager and what they do monthly learnings with every single employee training reading books like Unreasonable Hospitality book clubs. I speak probably like once a quarter with them. They are so invested in training and the the actual members members talk about it all the time. I cannot believe how well versed the staff is, and some of them have been there for ten, 15, 20 years. And you and I both know I love to have people stick around if they get continue training. I don't want you sticking around because it's just an easy gig, right? And that's the difference. Ed Heil [00:19:09] Yeah. It's like the the old line is the only thing worse than an employee, who quits as an employee, who quits and stays home. Right? Yeah, it is a it's a hard thing though, you know, I mean, in you're you're seeing more of a shift probably every day than, you know, some of the people that I speak with. But, you know, in our work, we're trying to help people understand the value of marketing, the value of doing things in a different way from an online presence and things like that. Sales and marketing are just words that, you know, historically haven't been really embraced. By private club. So, I mean, are you seeing that change? Cindy Novotny [00:19:46] You know, I'm seeing that change. Oh, hugely. I mean, first of all, I am a sales trainer, sales service and leadership. So even law firms that I work with, even hospitals. But before it, like up until like ten, 15 years ago, I'd be like, well, the law firms we don't sell. Why would we don't sell? Well, yeah you do, because new business development. How do you build your book of business? How do you go from being a young associate to being a managing partner? You have to know how to sell. You don't think sales is a bad word? Private clubs that have that arrogance, that think, oh, well, we're just so good. Everyone wants to join until they start losing members and when they lose members or they lose the spending. Okay. Because it's not just their quarterly spending that they have to do. Depending on the kind of membership you have when you start losing every event, every banquet, every wedding. All of this to all the other unbelievable venues. You are hurting the club. We have to invest the money back to keep the club going. How do you do that if you don't have any new business coming in? We have to make sure we're upgrading the golf courses. We're bringing in better staff. We're hiring a better golf pro. How do you do that? If you don't have that new money coming in to reinvest in the club? So whether you're looking for profit or no profit doesn't really matter. You need new business coming in. So marketing and sales to me have always been two separate things. I believe that marketing has to create the story, has to put that out and make sure the story resonates. Sales has to tell the story. So salespeople have to take what marketing puts out. Marketing, you know, does all of their online presence, all of their work, all of their messaging. Then the salespeople, the membership director has to sell that story. So instead of storytelling, I call it story selling. Ed Heil [00:21:45] There you go. I like that. Although, the name of our company would contradict that a little bit, but I guess I would say the. Well, let's talk about that because, you know, selling, if you are a general manager of a certain age or a certain vintage, or anyone in the club industry of a certain vintage, you think of selling in a certain way. How has selling changed? You talk about story selling. What does that mean, though? I mean, people aren't cold calling, you know, people are, you know, direct mail is, you know, is more difficult. What do you like? What do you see? Cindy Novotny [00:22:21] Well, first of all, I believe and our statistics that we use, I'll find all this stuff as you do. I believe that about 60, over 65% of most decisions in any business are made based on a referral. I would never suggest a cold call as long as I live. I do believe that if you're working your existing members, there's a customer behind every guest, customer behind every member, a customer at every wedding. There's new members, but at every event it's there is so much business, but we aren't working our own members and there's a finesse to that. You're not like my club. I got just I got disgusted with how they did it. Like table in that lobby. When you walk in with all this wedding paraphernalia, I said, guys, and I don't even train for them. I said, as a member, I'm a golf paying member. I said, this looks so tacky. It looks like I'm walking into, you know, four star, three star hotel. You shouldn't even. Where's your membership? Where's your person that handles special events? Why aren't you working? Why are they walking around? You know, turnover in turnover and restaurant managers. At the end of the day, the vintage GM can't wear that. It worked for that. I think the vintage GM has had a wakeup call. And the wake up call has come from the board of directors, from the corporate groups that own those, the Club Corps of the world, right? Even some of the Sterlings, the smaller ones that have less of we need more profit. We need more of this because we're building, we're investing. So when you look at the profitability of some of these clubs, they are being looked at. So a vintage just walk around and have a cocktail with the members, which I'm all about a general manager being all about that, hanging out, chatting, but not investing with that membership director to make sure they know how to go out and work the local community. Volunteer, be involved. That is exactly where they're starting to wake up, because they recognize there's no other way to do it. It's all based on referrals. Ed Heil [00:24:26] In the in the clubs that you have worked with and that you continue to work with. How many of the successful like really vibrant, healthy clubs have a general manager who has more of a business background or is business minded as opposed to just straight F&B? And I ask you that because so many general managers come up from that food and beverage side and they their, their business savvy might not really be there. What do you? Cindy Novotny [00:24:58] All of the successful clubs we're working with, they're all business savvy and they've come up through golf. They've come up to hotels. Lots of them come from hotels. They've come up through food and beverage, but not as much as they used to. Now it is all about, you know, the tournament business. It's all about, you know, that that the hospitality, hotel business, regional kind of executive directors, things like that. And every club we're working with that's successful has a GM that gets it. Hence why they're working with us. Ed Heil [00:25:30] Right. Yeah. Do you feel like the pandemic in the success I mean was it was very good for clubs. Oh yeah. Good clubs is very good. Did it give people a false sense of security or. Right or, you know, club leaders, a false sense of security, do you think? Cindy Novotny [00:25:45] Oh, for sure. And and not just a false sense of security. They got a little bit cocky like, oh, everybody now wants to golf. The year before that, we're running around teaching people how to get to the young people to get them excited about golfing. And I am not exaggerating. It was like the Tiger Woods movement back then, right? Got got the younger generation golfing. Okay. All right. That's done and done. So now you swing up and all of a sudden the younger generations like, I don't want to do that. It's not fast enough. I'm an adrenaline. I'm an adrenaline rush, you know, junkie. I like to go parasailing. And this. And I don't want to waste money on golfing. It takes too long. Boring. The pandemic only allowed people to really like it. Because you could be outside and with your friends, right. And that was, you know, after like, March, April, even our club, because it wasn't our club, but it was the neighbors that live. Some of the neighbors that lived around the golf courses were like calling. They should be out here. I mean, obviously, oh my God, I'm not going to catch Covid on the golf course. But the idea was the club didn't want to stop that. But that was only like two months and then you couldn't get a tee time and the membership and everybody saw that because the younger people and when I say younger, I'm talking 20's, 30's. Right. Sure. They couldn't get on a plane and fly to, you know, Australia and go to where they wanted to go to do the stuff they wanted to do. So they said, all right, we're going to let's enjoy the club. And then that's why, I mean, the rise of pickleball courts, okay. It used to be just for the vintage seniors. Then all of a sudden, you see, you use that. Yeah. Tennis tennis courts are coming down and like, oh, now we only have three tennis courts and four pickleball courts. And that was some of the younger. And so it did. But it to me it's really important that what goes up goes down. It is a mentality that all of a sudden now the revenge spending is back. Luxury travel is back, luxury goods are back. People are, you know, it's really all about spending money. We call it the revenge spending. And so you have to look and say you're membership. You don't you're not tied into a lifetime membership. So I can quit anytime I want. And that money goes away that day. So that's the sort of thing you can never rest on. Well, we're just very popular. Ed Heil [00:28:09] Right? Yeah. It won't last. Just a couple of tactical questions. What I see so often are membership directors that will have people inquiring, especially, you know, up north where we are. This is the time of year people start inquiring about memberships of clubs and there is no follow up. There is someone who fills out a form and it sits there and a lot of membership directors. It almost seems like they have this mentality like, well, if they're interested, they'll call again. Cindy Novotny [00:28:40] Oh, yes. Ed Heil [00:28:42] What's the deal with that? Cindy Novotny [00:28:43] Because they've not been trained. Okay. So we know that they go online, they fill things out. And again I mystery shop all these. I shop them online on their websites. It takes three, 4 or 5 days. No response. I call, they're out of the office. I'm too busy. Busy with what? Busy with what? You're not the golf pro. You're not the food and beverage director. What do you busy with? Okay, so the idea is they've got to be able to have a process in place to be able to catch those leads and follow up with them. And this is part of a daily job of a sales person that understands that. And then second, that they if I hear what they hear it a hundred times, what our GM doesn't want us to look like, we're hungry. Our GM doesn't want to follow up. Get over that too. Because when your GM leaves and you get some hotdog GM in there, there's going to ask you how many new members you brought in. You're going to be dead out of the water. Done. Over. So the follow up is that they just, I think, are lazy. They don't. It's like they sit around doing who knows what. And that is one of the biggest issues today with which lots of hospitality industry companies. But in private clubs, it's it takes days for people to get back to you. And then if you check on a weekend, oh my god. And private clubs weekends are the hot ticket. And you ask someone like you the front desk. No one's ever sitting at any front desk any more to club, no matter how big it is. You go down to the restaurant and say to those I really like, I'm with my friends who belong to this club. I would really like to talk about joining and, okay, we'll give the name. Never Hear back. Now I'm going to give Elm credit again in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. All right. Unbelievable. Their membership director. All over it. I called and said, you know, I wanted a club where my husband could golf when we're there and that sort of thing. Janice. Okay, I'm going to give her name. I mean, Janice, so unbelievable. All right. She responded within an hour of the message. I left her because we're out of state. She gave me all the options and our farm is just over. You know, the membership of. You're a little bit farther. She worked it all out, got us all set up, invited us to dinner for our first dinner. And on them, my daughter. We. We've gone so many times. My daughter now is living at our farm and running that and works for us in the business. So we're have her and she doesn't want to go there all the time, but she can go now and dine or take her friend. Janice follows up with me. And by the way, I don't live there, by the way I'm there. Maybe, I don't know, 4 or 5 times a year. I see you on social media. She'll send me a text. She it. She makes me want to go there when I every time I come into town. That is somebody who understands what we call a luxury retail clientele. Ed Heil [00:31:41] Yeah. Cindy Novotny [00:31:42] That's that's it. And she gets. Ed Heil [00:31:44] I get I give you vintage. But now you've given me to client telling and revenge spending. Yes, I appreciate that. Thank you. The, this is something you're pretty passionate about. So, you know, from your perspective, what is the right process like when you think about that follow up that, you know, someone has inquired about membership, they filled out a form membership director, goes, oh, I got an email from someone, or, you know, the form someone submitted a form. What should that follow up look like? And how many times should a membership director follow up? I mean, what have you learned as far as the most you just best practices? Okay. Cindy Novotny [00:32:24] So I used to say it takes 6 to 7 times to touch a prospect before they ever become a customer. Jessica from our team, she last year tracked it. Okay. So from we get a ton of inquiries too. And I'll I'll just walk through my inquiry process. Sure. Which which I teach to all the clubs in the members. All right. The idea is she now tracked it and it's literally now 12 to 14 times. That could be over a year. Ed Heil [00:32:49] Wow. Cindy Novotny [00:32:50] For her to close a deal. Okay. So we know it takes time. You keep going until someone says, don't ever call me again. I'm not interested. I only was checking it out. Never want to hear for you, but that never happens. Okay. Ed Heil [00:33:04] Is that phone call and email or emails and phone? Cindy Novotny [00:33:07] We're all about phone calls. First follow up with email, so I'll kind of walk through it. Got it. So as an example, when you get an inquiry, whoever catches that, which should be the membership director, because very few of them have coordinators and all of that. But you get the inquiry. So and our company info@masterconnection.com comes to me. I'm a little busy. Just so you know, I get them off and I literally look at my phone to I'm constantly looking at my phone because when I'm speaking or training, I might be talking for an hour that another trainer gets up or I walk off stage, I check, so it's no longer than two hours max that I don't respond. And the inquiries come in. And this is what we teach everyone to do, I respond. Thank you so much for reaching out to Master Connection Associates, or thank you for reaching out to the Coto de Caza Country Club at Golf and Racqet Club. I am thrilled you thought of us. I and for me, I have copied Shelly Marlow, Jessica Baker, Carla. I assign it right then. I have copy to follow up with you. Now, if I'm the membership director. I am thrilled you thought of us. The secret sauce right now is what is a good time today or tomorrow for you and I to connect. Ed Heil [00:34:21] Interesting. Yeah. Cindy Novotny [00:34:22] And that's what we do. 100% of the time. Ed. Not 99. Not 89. 100% of the time we get an email back. Thanks so much for your prompt response. I every day I can count them. So appreciate it. I'm not going to be in the office or I don't have time to talk this week. Could we set up a call for Monday? Now for me, my account manager takes over and runs with that. For that membership director, it's like, absolutely. I will send an outlook invite. No phone tag here. I will send an outlook invite for the two of us to connect on Zoom or teams. That's the other thing you just said yourself. When we get on this, even though this isn't a video podcast, you and I are looking at each other right now. It creates more emotion, more rapport. Today's world allows us to send that. We send a Zoom invite to every client. We never have anyone say, I don't want to be on Zoom call. They all get on and then you can share your screen. You can show them the dining room. You can show them this. You can show them that every single time. Ed Heil [00:35:30] Wow. I love that. You know, one of the things I read early on in the pandemic was just how, you know, when more and more of this was happening. They said it builds trust. And notice when people don't turn on their camera. It makes you wonder. I know what's going on. Cindy Novotny [00:35:47] Exactly, exactly. Ed Heil [00:35:49] Yeah. Hey, I am so appreciative of your time today and for you taking, for you to take a few minutes and share some of your findings and your perspective, with the people who listen to this podcast. Anything you'd want to leave people with? As far as just some thoughts, people who are especially the general managers who are struggling with the shift, and sometimes it's dealing with boards who are of the vintage, you know, you know, board members who are more traditional. Is there anything that you would you would say to those people who are really trying to make a change, they just don't know the best way to go about becoming more of a sales operation. Cindy Novotny [00:36:29] So I do work with a lot of the boards of some of the private clubs we work with. So I speak at them, I come in, I talk, and I start out, and this is what every general manager should do is what are our objectives, what are our objectives of the board? Just private club. What do we want to do. You hear the same thing. We want to have unbelievable service. We want great food and beverage. We want restaurant quality food and beverage like we get at unbelievable restaurants all over the city, right? We want to have a the staff feel very well taken care of and feel very good because tips many times are brought are all they're all added on anyway, right. We also want to have profits so we can reinvest into the club. Like this. I hear it every time. And then I go, okay, and this is what every GM say. So how are we going to do that. All right. You got to spend money to make money. So the idea is if we want to have better food and beverage, we need a better chef. We might not have a decent chat. If we want better service, we need training. If we want to make money, we need membership directors that know how to sell for events, because some have a membership director and some have a special events manager, depending on the size. But a lot of times the membership director is doing all the special events too. So just depends. You have to be proactive to book the weddings, to book the graduations, to book the corporate events. You have to be proactive. You know who your members are if you're not reaching out to them. And that is called training. And if you don't invest, you're going to get exactly what you've been getting. Ed Heil [00:37:59] I love it. What a perfect way to end. Cindy Novotny [00:38:01] Excellent. Ed Heil [00:38:02] Cindy, thanks so much for your time today. Cindy Novotny [00:38:04] Thank you. Ed Heil [00:38:09] Thank you for listening. If you find this podcast helpful. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Until next time, keep crushing your club marketing.

Matt and Karo welcome Phil Rosenthal, legendary creator of Everybody Loves Raymond and star of Somebody Feed Phil, to share his thoughts on food, friendship, and the culinary abomination known as the Dodger Dog. The guys also discuss eating tacos out of the garbage, paying with hundos, and the correct pronunciation of Esther Perel. Watch this episode on YouTube! Get Man of the Year merch! Man of the Year on Instagram and TikTok Matt Ritter on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter Aaron Karo on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter Man of the Year is produced by Thelonious Friedman in Hancock Park, Los Angeles

Last week's letter asked about the role of transaction costs in rationing discounted products, or "sales," like "Dollar Hotdog Night!" at the ballpark.  As the listener correctly pointed out, this relates to price discrimination, which is a great topic.And....coupons!Some additional links and info:The $21 "Dodger Dog" at Chavez RavineThe "Monkey App" kerfuffle in the Bay Area$1 hotdog night at Philadelphia got out of hand, because of course it didRobert Murphy and the Argument FOR CouponsEcontalk discussion of "found wallets" There is no such thing as a free coupon!If you have questions or comments, or want to suggest a future topic, email the show at taitc.email@gmail.com ! You can follow Mike Munger on Twitter at @mungowitz

IN THE NEWS Jeff and Ashley get into the 'spirit' of Halloween with a run-down of some American Legion post hauntings. THIS WEEK'S GUEST Former MLB Pitcher Steve Woodard, an American Legion Baseball Alumni who played for Post 52 in Hartselle, Ala., talks about his own baseball career, how American Legion Baseball influenced his path to the majors, and his experience as a color commentator during the broadcasts of The American Legion World Series on ESPN3 and ESPNU. RAPID FIRE Coast Guard seizes $29M of narcotics in Gulf of Oman Burn pit registry is failing to help track vet illnesses, experts say Share your ‘Be the One' story SHOUT-OUT To Veterans in Media & Entertainment for the upcoming Amazon Prime documentary "Wildcat." Special Guest: Steve Woodard.

On this episode of Sports Illustrated Weekly John Gonzalez sits down with SI Staff Writer Emma Baccellieri for an old-fashioned baseball double-header. First, when the benches clear it's not long before the brawl starts, unless you're a reliever and  have to run all the way in from the bullpen. Then, no L.A. Dodgers game is complete without a signature Dodger Dog, but what makes these franks so fantastic...or not? Follow @podcasts_si | @JohnGonzalezSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Church Pew Sports Ep 72 - A Tribute To Vin Scully & Just Being Nice We pay tribute to the legendary broadcaster, Vin Scully by playing some of his greatest calls, celebrating his character and ability to just be nice for decades. We're also digging into MLB news, trades, suspensions, and the quality of the Dodger Dog. This week's CPS Starting Host Lineup: Bill Hobson Pastor Paul Miller Scott Holmgren You can also listen to EVERY episode of CPS by visiting Churchpewsports.com/ We would love to hear your thoughts, comments, and questions. Reach out to us at: churchpewsports316@gmail.com Stay connected to Church Pew Sports on Facebook and Twitter @CPewsSports316

You know it's going to be a good show when Sli is high on disinfectant five minutes in. Trav is going to the Dodger game this afternoon, and Sli needs an itinerary of his plans. In the span of ten minutes, Trav is convinced to eat the new Dodger Dog, and quickly changes his mind. Is this Luka's coming out party? Emily needs tips for her first trip to Vegas. In “Ask Sli”, Sli gets to pick how he goes out.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We get it if you're a little sour on Major League Baseball right now, but turn that lemon into lemonade by checking out this whole episode of Off-Ramp recorded at the 2015 Dodger home opener. We got Justin Turner, Vic the Brick, Roz Wyman & Richard Montoya debunking the Chavez Ravine myth, the iconic organist Nancy Bea Hefley, pitcher John Rabe being lustily booed, an in-depth interview with then-GM Farhan Zaidi, and a lot more. All you need is a Dodger Dog, a michelada, and a bag of peanuts. Originally broadcast April 11, 2015. Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live.This program is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people. (Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.)

Marcus Stroman digs deep into the mental side of the game of baseball, and I personally find this absolutely fascinating. He teaches us insights we can parlay into our own lives. As Yogi Berra said, "90% of the game is half mental."Plus, I give you my "Ultimate Cubs Lineup!" What exactly is that?!And, our MLB ballpark food tour rolls on. Who wants a soggy Dodger Dog?! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marcus Stroman digs deep into the mental side of the game of baseball, and I personally find this absolutely fascinating. He teaches us insights we can parlay into our own lives. As Yogi Berra said, "90% of the game is half mental." Plus, I give you my "Ultimate Cubs Lineup!" What exactly is that?! And, our MLB ballpark food tour rolls on. Who wants a soggy Dodger Dog?! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some good sports talk takes place with Ed and Jimmy on the phone lines.  Topics include: sports, baseball, LA Dodgers, Angels, Shohei Ohtani, call from Ed, hated team Houston Astros, Philadelphia sports fans, gluten free diet, diet for healthy living, tequila, cranberry juice, orange groves, NFL season starting, live hockey games, ice skating rinks

Kathleen opens the show drinking a Day Drinking Watermelon Rose created by one of her favorite bands, Little Big Town.TERMITE SHOUTOUTS: Kathleen gives thanks to the Termites who leave notes at shows and send mail to her PO Box. She begins by thanking Termite Adam in Greenville, SC for the super-cool South Carolina rocks glass. Termite Debbie sent what Kathleen refers to as a “Henry the 8th” Crown Royal bag, which she thinks is very cool. Kathleen then thanks Termite Wendy “from the middle of nowhere, CA” who sent a Discovery Bay Country Club golf ball and hat, and Justin at the Tulsa Drillers who sent Kathleen and Ron White matching Tulsa Noodlers bucket hats which they can't wait to wear often on the golf course. “GOOD BAD FOOD”: In her quest for new and delicious not-so-nutritious junk food AND in continuing her search for the best Ranch, Kathleen samples Lay's Funyun Flavored chips, which she doesn't think actually taste like Funyuns. She then moves on to taste Kettle Krinkle Cut Habanero Lime chips, which Kathleen loves but she thinks they pack a lot of heat and finishes off with Hannaford Ranch dip from Scarborough, ME (brought to a show from a Termite) which she thinks is a great Ranch flavor and awards it the compliment of “it's Just Ranch.” Speaking of some of her favorite meals, Kathleen tells the Termites how much she loves watching Trisha Yearwood's cooking show “Trisha's Southern Kitchen” on The Food Network, because Trisha is incredibly creative in making simple dishes really fun and interesting, specifically citing Trisha's recipe for Chicken Pot Pie burgers. Speaking of great Southern cooks, Kathleen quotes her dear friend and comedian Vic Henley's bit “Paula Deen,” which is one of Kathleen's favorite jokes of all time.UPDATE ON KATHLEEN'S QUEEN'S COURT: Kathleen provides an update on the Queens, reporting that Queen Stevie Nicks recently disclosed on Tim McGraw's podcast “Beyond The Influence Radio” that she would potentially be into writing a potential biopic and/or book, but that it would have to be a multi-part series like “Twilight.” No other breaking news to report on the remaining members of the Court this week.LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SUED (AGAIN): In continuing with Kathleen's quest to see the fall of Jerry Falwell Jr, Kathleen reads an article advising that Virginia's Liberty University has been sued by 12 women who claim the school created an environment that increased the likelihood of sexual assault and rape.BRITNEY GETS HER DOGS BACK: Kathleen has become an avid follower of the #FreeBritney movement and shakes her head as she reports that Britney's former housekeeper recently removed Britney's dogs from her home after stating that she felt the dogs were being neglected. TMZ reported that a violent confrontation followed since Britney allegedly believed that her father was involved in having her dogs taken away to continue conservatorship control and inflict pain on his daughter. Kathleen moves on to tell listeners about the funniest TMZ report that she's seen, involving her BFF Ron White running down a South Carolina street in his underwear flailing a 9-iron at a fan who sideswiped his bus and wouldn't leave Ron alone. NO MILKSHAKES IN THE UK: Being a lover of McDonald's chocolate shakes, Kathleen is horrified to read a news release stating that McDonald's has run out of milkshakes in the UK as a result of supply chain issues in the country. The supply chain struggles are being widely attributed to a lack of truck drivers, caused by a confluence of new post-Brexit EU immigration rules and Covid-19 measures imposed by the British government. NIRVANA BABY SUES THE BAND: Kathleen balks at the absurdity as she reads her next news piece regarding a lawsuit recently filed by Spencer Elden, who was photographed as a 4-month-old for the Nirvana album cover “Never Mind.” Kathleen laughs as she reads Elden's claim that his "true identity and legal name are forever tied to the commercial sexual exploitation he experienced as a minor which has been distributed and sold worldwide from the time he was a baby to the present day". Elden cites permanent emotional distress and is asking for damages of at least $150,000 per defendant. Reps for the band have yet to comment.HOT DOG TAKES 35 MINS OF LIFE: As Termites know, Kathleen LOVES hot dogs and she makes a good argument FOR eating hot dogs as she reads an article advising that researchers have released a nutritional index that ranks foods by minutes gained or lost off healthy life per serving, with processed meats and sugary drinks among the biggest offenders. The findings included over 5,000 foods in the US diet classified by health burden, including an 85-gram serving of chicken wings that translated to 3.3 minutes of life lost, while a beef hot dog on a bun resulted in some 36 minutes lost. Kathleen thinks the loss is totally worth the deliciousness and then describes some of her favorite hot dogs that she's eaten including Canada's JAPADog and the iconic Dodger Dog. She's thrilled to read that 99-year-old icon Betty White contributes her long life to hot dogs and vodka, and Kathleen happily proclaims herself a proud member of Team Betty!AL CAPONE'S LETTERS AUCTIONED OFF: Kathleen reads an article advising that many of Al Capone's personal possessions are scheduled to be sold by his granddaughters at a Sacramento auction in October 2021. The gangster's favorite gun, diamond jewelry, bear-shaped humidor, and family photos are being listed, and Kathleen shares her love of visiting Alcatraz whenever she's in the San Francisco area. She then tells a personal story involving the kindest warden of Alcatraz to the Termites. LIVESTOCK DEWORMER AND COVID: Kathleen reminds listeners that she is NOT a doctor (nor a financial adviser or mathematician while we're at it) but she's bewildered while reading an article mentioning a warning from the Food and Drug Administration to advise people to stop taking livestock deworming drug they believe will treat COVID-19. Poison control centers in Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma are reporting an uptick in calls about the drug Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic medicine often used to treat cattle and horses. Hold my beer, hillbillies…TACO BELL BREAKFAST REVIVAL: Kathleen is thrilled to read that Taco Bell is upgrading its breakfast menu, and absolutely applauds their appointment of her mom's favorite rapper L'il Nas X as their new Chief Impact Officer. She's excited to try their new Breakfast Salsa on a hash brown toasted breakfast burrito, so stay tuned for those reviews, Termites. DIAMOND PYTHON SHOPS IN SYDNEY: Kathleen reads an article out of Australia where a 9-foot Diamond Python slithered out of a Woolworth's shelf in Sydney after hiding in the spice aisle. The woman who noticed the snake happened to be a trained snake handler and worked with the staff on-site to catch the creature and remove it safely. Kathleen applauds the efforts of the catcher, voting that she should be rewarded with free groceries for a year. CHET HANX RANTS: Kathleen reads an article involving musician Chet Hanks, who recently went on an anti-vaccine rant despite his parents (Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson) being among the first to announce they had contracted COVID-19 at the outset of the pandemic more than a year ago. In his video posted to Instagram, the rapper tells his followers to get vaccinated and to take the pandemic seriously before shouting, “Psych,” which only fuels Kathleen's teasing of him as she hasn't heard of anyone using that phrase since the '90s. BEYONCE'S BASQUAIT: In keeping with Kathleen's immense love of art, she was excited to read an article about the display of a rare Basquiat painting by Tiffany & Co. The jeweler recently unveiled a splashy new campaign dubbed “About Love,” which features Jay-Z and Beyoncé wearing the 128.54 carat Tiffany Diamond. The shoot is centered around the large Jean-Michel Basquiat canvas Equals Pi, created by the late painter in 1982. The work was reportedly recently purchased by Tiffany, and press materials say that it's been in the same collection since its creation, thus making it, per the brand, “the work of art's first public appearance.”WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK: Kathleen recommends listening to the podcast “The Dropout” in order to prepare for the upcoming Elizabeth Holmes trial. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On today's episode, we talk about our favorite sporting memories from years past. We talk about the fall of the Dodger Dog, Winter Guard (it IS a sport, thank you very much), and trying to get an autograph from a famous player. This one's a real HOME RUN (get it?), so settle in and time travel with us. Let's go!

In this episode los Hermanos, sit down and talk about the sticky situation in which the MLB finds itself. Prior to getting into that Los Hermanos go into the history of Wrigley Field in Los Angeles and go on a couple of tangents about Latino players and how they are talked about in sports. They even touch up on the Wild Horse himself. Sources for this weeks call to the bullpen:https://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/ballparks/los-angeles-wrigley-field/Nusbaum, Eric, and Adam Villacin. Stealing Home: Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between. PublicAffairs, 2021.Credits: Intro/Outro music remix: Duncan Reid and the Big Heads - Montevideo/Scott Holmes Music - Hotshot

Producer of the Los Angeles Dodger Franchise "Dodger Dog" and Food Industry Pioneer Tony Cantella. As president of Los Angeles very own Papa Cantella's, a family owned and operated food company specializing in premium sausages Tony has mastered the "power of the pivot" to stay relevant on an ever-changing playing field.  Tony and the team have managed to position themselves as not only a longtime staple in the likes of VONS, Albertsons, and Ralphs but as a white-label manufacturer for specialty/regional grocers as well. This comes as result of constantly innovating and introducing new products while pushing the business's boundaries on a regular basis. Leave Some Feedback: Who should we have on the show next? Please let us know in the comments below Did you enjoy the episode? If so, please leave a short review. Connect with Us: TheHowtoEntrepreneur.com Instagram Twitter LinkedIn Today's Sponsors: JavaPresse Coffee Company - #1 Rated Coffee Grinder on Amazon (Free Grinder in Link) SANESolution - Harvard Medical endorsed body & mind health framework American Dream U -  Transitioning veteran professionals 

Papa Cantella's is a family-owned and operated manufacturer of premium sausages and prepared foods based in southern California. Company President Tony Cantella joins us to discuss becoming the official supplier of the signature Dodger Stadium hotdog and other premium sausages. He also explains how this product and partnership fits into the broader Papa Cantella's portfolio.  

Anthony Pompliano, an investor and podcaster, launched Bitcoin Pizza, a new "decentralized" pizza brand. It's yet another example of a creator or media brand launching a direct-to-consumer food & beverage brand. In this episode we explain why food media overindexes on commerce success, how these capital-lite business initiatives are being powered by ghost kitchens and delivery apps, and what we've learned talking about food initiatives with traditional and digital publishers.Subscribe to our newsletter. We explore the intersection of media, technology, and commerce: sign-up linkLearn more about our market research and executive advisory: RockWater websiteEmail us: rounduppod@wearerockwater.com---EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:Chris Erwin:So Andrew, one of the things that we have not yet covered on this microcast, but that we do a lot of writing and work on at RockWater, is the explosion of the food, media and commerce space.Andrew Cohen:Yes. Very excited to dive into this one.Chris Erwin:And there was a recent deal that was announced that I think is a great jumping off point. So over the past couple of weeks, Anthony Pompliano, an investor and podcaster, and who has a large online following, he launched Bitcoin Pizza, which has been described as a new decentralized direct to consumer pizza brand. So he launched it in 10 cities and the launch was enabled by Popchew, which is a company that helps launch food brands for different partners. And of note, we know the Popchew team, we think very highly of them. And we think this is a really cool market data point for some of their upcoming growth. But I think Andrew, what this sparks, is that this is one of many similar food meeting commerce deals that we've seen over the past, call it year and a half, right?Andrew Cohen:Yeah. We are always advocating for our media clients that they diversify revenues by expanding into D2C commerce. And as we're tracking the market, we kept noticing that some of the biggest commerce successes we were seeing were happening in the F&B space when it came to media brand launches. And if you just look this week, the TikTok influencers of the Sway House just launched their own limited edition cereal with Magic Spoon. Dwayne, The Rock Johnson's personal tequila brand is on track to sell 300,000 cases in its first year. MeatEater launched a branded whiskey that sold out in its first week. And we're also seeing this, not just with CPG products, but also with what we're calling F&B branded experiences. So everyone knows about the MrBeast ghost kitchen activation, which launched 300 locations across the country and had a projected revenue potential of 300 million.Chris Erwin:Hold on, wait, did you say 300 million?Andrew Cohen:I said 300 million. Yeah, it's crazy.Chris Erwin:Okay. Wow.Andrew Cohen:Also, other virtual restaurant chain activations food, Barstool Sports, launching a one bite pizza delivery app, which processed over a hundred thousand transactions in its first month, the LA Dodgers partnered with Postmates and a specialized ghost kitchen startup called the Home Team kitchen to deliver their stadium food to fans across LA during their games and demand for this service doubled their initial projections. And even in brick and mortar, we've seen the success of branded F&B experiences, albeit pre-COVID, but Time Out was incredibly successful with Time Out Food Markets, which in 2019 generated 17 million in net revenue and processed a total transaction volume of 56 million. So Bitcoin Pizza comes as no surprise on the tail of all these other success stories that we've seen. We've been tracking a part of them, definitely plan on putting together a more robust watch list. So, stay tuned for that in the coming weeks.Chris Erwin:All right, Andrew. So that's a lot to bite off there and I know there's a lot more on the list, but yeah, let's talk about like why food and beverage over index's on commerce for these digital media brands and creators? So look, I think back to when I first joined the digital video revolution and I was early at some of these YouTube, MCNs like Big Frame and Awesomeness, we were all aligning around different verticals, whether it was creating content around beauty or teens or gaming. And then we saw companies like Tastemade, which had built content verticals around food and just seeing how quickly that they grew their audience and viewership was incredible. And then noticing that a lot of the different verticalized content brands that started creating lifestyle and food and beverage adjacent content, that the viewership around those sub-brands was growing like crazy.Chris Erwin:And so I think we've seen the same, if you look at new platforms like Instagram and TikTok and others, content around food and beverage, just increasingly dominates the charts. And so some of the driving factors that I think that we've observed is that, one, food is universal. Everyone eats, it's a cultural unifier. It brings people together. And there's much that happens around the food and beverage experience, right? Brings people together. There's lots of different products. There's the cookware, there's the eating ware, there's different ingredients. There's the preparation, there's the going out to restaurants, there's the experience at home. So, there's a lot. We started seeing this and then I think there was a couple of questions that we started raising both to ourselves and that we were bringing to clients. And I know you have a point of view here Andrew?Andrew Cohen:It's definitely become more of a lifestyle accessory. It used to be the only people with Food and Bev commerce empires were professional chefs like Emeril Lagasse. Now you have someone like Dave Portnoy can be the biggest influencer in the pizza space, even though I doubt he's ever cooked a pizza before, but it's really more about influence now. But what we're seeing is, a lot of the media companies and creators who are holding this influence and who are driving discovery and sales of these products are leaving a ton of money on the table. All of these activations that we're seeing for the most part are licensing deals where the IP owner, the brand owner, the creative talent themselves are getting only about 3 to 7% of the total revenues from these products that are so successful, because of their promotion, their likeness, their personality.Andrew Cohen:And so we started wondering why? We started to think licensing and partnerships is a great way to kind of dip your toe in the water before diving in head first, just to kind of test the potency of your brand and move product at a specific space. But once we've seen success stories, we were expecting to see a lot more O&O owned and operated launches in this space, where the brands and creators will be able to retain a lot more of that upside, but we just weren't seeing it.Chris Erwin:I think that's right Andrew, the two things that we saw just to properly recap is, we were asking ourselves, why are not more media brands, our clients, and other prospects out there, why are they not launching more food and beverage businesses? And then two, like you said, why are they not going from the licensing model, taking a minority share of revenues to thinking about doing JVs with operating partners, or going owned and operated, right? More capital up front for more higher upside. So we had a partner that we started working with, which is one of the world's foremost food and beverage innovators and formulators.Chris Erwin:And so we started going out to our media clients and saying, "Okay, like, Hey, we have a partner, let's bring some ideas to market. This is what we're thinking." But we started hearing some really serious hesitations. They're like, "Okay, Chris and team, we're excited about this idea. We want to diversify revenues. We see where the market's headed, but here's the challenge. It's like, we're not in the manufacturing business. We don't know how to create a different formula and then how to find an operating partner at scale. But then we're concerned about inventory management. We're concerned about scale distribution. We also believe that to really drive the proper brand awareness for this launch and to make it work that we need brick and mortar placement, we need shelf placement. And we need to think about how do you do in-store marketing?"Chris Erwin:And so, as we started to hear these concerns and increasingly that, this is a very different muscle that their team would have to flex versus what they've typically done, which is create content and then build audiences around that content. So there was concern about how much capital that have to be put up front and then how to hire and scale an organization, recruit the right executives, right? A lot of new learnings to beat that were here.Chris Erwin:This was very good feedback. And as we started thinking about solutions, we then started reading about the emergence of ghost kitchens in the market, which felt almost like the perfect hybrid, where you have ghost kitchens and delivery, where you're piggybacking off the delivery apps, where it's like, "Okay, you're starting to solve all these problems. They're capital light and efficient, but you still have more upside from a revenue and profit point of view. It's like, all right, it's just like the perfect middle porridge."Chris Erwin:To break that down with ghost kitchens, you already have remnant kitchen inventory, or these kitchens that can do all of the food manufacturing. If you're starting with a small alpha launch, maybe you're using only five locations. And then as you go to nationwide or international, you're working with hundreds or thousands of different partners, right? So easy to scale, low capital. You're not on the hook for managing inventory. And then for the distribution point, you're piggybacking off of Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, or Postmates, that's already doing the last mile delivery. You don't have to figure that out yourself or build out that infrastructure, which is really expensive. This got us excited, right?Andrew Cohen:Oh, for sure. I mean, it makes perfect sense. And there's so many ways you can do it. You can look at it as a revenue play. I mean, just look at Mr Beast, $300 million revenue potential. I would certainly say that's a revenue play, you could also look at it as marketing, I'm sure for the Dodgers example, that it's not exactly moving the bottom line for the Dodger's organization, but it's a great way to kind of eventize the at-home experience during the broadcast to get people get around the couch, order a Dodger dog, lean in to that broadcast experience. So it can really function as marketing as well. I'm excited to see how other brands and creators can activate ghost kitchens, kind of both ways.Chris Erwin:I really like the point about you can eventize around the experience and you can thoughtfully extend your brand, all the different places where your consumers or your fans are. Right, that's really key. So look, we think that there's a duality approach here where you can drive meaningful top line revenue and bottom line profit, but just the improved marketing, which then bolsters your overall media business is really powerful. Now, look, there are challenges. This is not perfect. And a lot of people have to figure out things like, how do you kind of grow your menu over time? How do you maintain quality control? Where if you have a lot of different ghost kitchens and different partners that are creating the same product, how can you have product consistency throughout? But in terms of just getting something off the ground launch and running and learning from it, great way to go.Chris Erwin:A big question that we think about, and we'll close this out. We've seen the emergence of companies like Teespring and others, where if you want to launch a T-shirt line or a mug or any different types of branded product, where you can take your brand logo and likeness and slap it onto a physical, tangible good, there's a lot of solutions that are out there. But who's going to launch the new turnkey solution to do this for food. It seems that Popchew who we talked about enabling the Pompliano business is definitely one of them. And I think that we're going to see more going forward. We see it as a huge opportunity, but any other big questions that you think of Andrew?Andrew Cohen:No, I think that's a good one. I'm going to respect the 30 minutes or less promise and say until next time.Chris Erwin:All right. Later Andrew.Andrew Cohen:Later.

The guys have their topics ready, it's time for FAST TRACK! Also, we know what the Dodgers starting line up will be tonight and FRIENDS is making a reunion episode. Plus, Producers Lindsey and Greg have their Dodger Dog reviews as they ate one last night at the Game. And Producer Lindsey has her stories ready for Radio Tinder!

The Turners discuss the beautiful chaos of their first ever virtual Turner Trot 5K.  Kourtney shares her experience with a few road blocks, both literally and figuratively.  They also give their thoughts on the current Dodger Dog debate!

With a quarter of the grinding baseball season done there's still loads to look back on and plenty to look forward to. The boys discuss this week's news makers and record breakers, death of the Dodger Dog, these new fandangled official MLB springy balls and whether the A's will actually move from the Bay Area.

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the Mariners calling up pitching prospect Logan Gilbert, the late-inning dominance of Aroldis Chapman and (more unexpectedly) Kendall Graveman, Shohei Ohtani’s best start of the season, and the Astros providing housing for their minor leaguers, then answer listener emails about their favorite baseball seasons, how long it will […]

In this episode Los Hermanos delve into their experience at Dodger stadium post Covid protocols were placed on the smaller crowd. We also learn about a stumble that occurred and how it feels to be inside of the stadium. Kevin would like to apologize for procrastinating so long on getting this episode up, but not to worry Episode 10 is just around the corner!Please Like, Comment or Rate us on Apple Podcasts!If you want to reach out to us with suggestions about topics we can discuss or even topic you want to learn about in Kevin's Call to the Bullpen, feel free to leave us a message in iTunes or shoot us an email at TalkingLosDoyers@gmail.comCredits and Sources:Laymon, A. (2020, July 14). The feminist history of 'take me out to the Ball Game'. Retrieved , April 24th 2021, from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/feminist-history-take-me-out-ball-game-180973307/Intro/Outro music remix: Duncan Reid and the Big Heads - Montevideo/Scott Holmes Music - Hotshot

¡Hola a todos y feliz Cinco de Mayo! In honor of the big fiesta, we've got some Cinco de Mayo fun facts, a Cinco-themed beer review, baseball stadium food, sneaking beer past your spouse, and more! We're also telling stories of being too drunk and trying to "fix" a situation. Greg kicks off the hidratación with a review of ¡Viva La Beaver! It's Mexican Chocolate and Peanut Butt Milk Stout from Belching Beaver.Flex gives us some tips for sneaking beers past your spouse, Greg gets out for some Pink Boots research, and we find out the world-famous Dodger Dog is getting a makeover! We call the bullpen as Flex reviews CHONK Rainbow Sherbert. A fruited sour from Drekker Brewing Company with actual scoops of Rainbow Sherbert.New Jersey is giving out free beer in hopes of getting people to get the COVID vaccine. A man is arrested after driving into a house and acting like things are cool; this leads to a hilarious discussion of covering things up while drunk. Have you ever done that? And a drunk Tennessee man is accused of throwing poop at cops.Old-Timey Word of the Week is Foxed. Nothing better than getting all foxed up!Cheers to Elk Grove, CA, for being our top listening city for last week!We want you to drunk dial us at (805) 538-BEER (2337); we'd love to hear from you! Don't forget to check us out at www.theunfilteredgentlemen.com and follow us on our social medias for more fun: www.instagram.com/theunfilteredgentlemenwww.instagram.com/flex_me_a_beerwww.facebook.com/theunfilteredgentlemen www.twitter.com/unfilteredgents

Steve Bosell laments the ending of the famous Farmer John foot long Dodger Dog at Dodger Stadium. Sign up for a Backstage Pass and enjoy a 30,000 plus hour archive, Phil's new podcast, Classic podcasts, Bobbie Dooley's podcasts, special live streaming events and shows, Saturday Cinema, Friday night chat, and oh so very much more… Sign up now at PhilHendrieShow.com!

The fatties are back and pissed!!!!!1 The Dodger Dog is DEAD and it's time to tear down the statue in center field at Dodger Stadium Saddam Hussain style. They break down the Packers front office unfaithfulness and talk about what it means if you bring a glove to a baseball game.

IT'S DRAFT WEEKEND!!!! The NFL draft is here and the guys talk about the top picks and how the 49ers pick particularly could shift how the rest of the draft unfolds. Plus how does the Broncos trade to acquire Teddy Bridgewater change things? Will the Patriots trade up? Will the Eagles blow it? All that and more! Next it's MLB talk. The biggest story being the famed “Dodger Dog” will no longer be made by Farmer John. Will the taste ever be the same? The guys also talk how an Independent league is bringing the HR Derby to tiebreakers. Can it work? Oh, and Madison Bumgarners No-Hitter, was it or real or not? Then the show wraps up with Conor McGregor and his “Live Ya Life” lifestyle and a quick Kentucky Derby look. That wraps it up until next time. As always don't forget to like and subscribe to us and ALL the great shows at 12oz Sports!

What you need to know! We are excited about being able to go back to Dodger Stadium BUT they've made a BIG change and Clinton Yates had to call in. The phone lines are jammed with listeners who can't believe what's going on at Dodger Stadium. LeBron is close to coming back, how excited are you Lakers fans? And, Trevor Bauer made Sedano happy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's talk about the latest sports news, McGregors look alike sentenced to 3 years in jail, Farmer John and Dodger Dog part ways, Tiger Wood regresa bien perron, Logan Paul and Mayweather put date on fight and much more! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/letstalk-deportes/support

World Series Champion Dodger Fans: Is This the End of the Famous Farmer-John Dodger Dog? Adam talks with World Series Champion Dodger expert Cheeba to break down this big news and answer how long we can still get a Doyer Dog!

Larry and Andrew get into it on the Dodger dog, Babe Ruth records and Gronk says hulk smash.

Ep 5.5 the Dodgers and Farmer John, are no longer partners. After 59 years, the Dodger Dog will not be made by Farmer John. My first trip back to Dodger Stadium. What the Dodgers mean to us. Fuck San Diego. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/peter-sers/support

Scott and Eben discuss the potential sale of SNY, the TV partner of the Mets, which could result in a media partnership between New York's two MLB teams. They also discuss a sponsorship shake-up for gymnastics star Simone Biles, a $4.75 billion deal in sports betting, and a new supplier for the iconic Dodger Dog. 'Sporticast' is a new podcast hosted by business journalists Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams from Sportico that will deliver the inside scoop on the intersection of money and sports. From billion-dollar valuations to team sales, sponsorship contracts and media rights, go behind the scenes on the deals that power the global sports economy. For more coverage and information, be sure to check out sportico.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9 in a row w/ 9 to go for VGK + 72 hours out: NFL Draft smokescreens or unfiltered truth + Coaches synonymous with their squads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dodger and baseball uber-fans Steve Haskins and Jed Leano return to Claremont Speaks to review and critique the many moves the Dodgers have made in the off-season, evaluate the money spent and potential value received, remember Tommy Lasorda and reveal their expectations and predictions for the 2021 season in an interview that shows a depth of knowledge and insight to which most mortal fans can only aspire.  CAUTION:  Listening to this episode may have lingering side effects, such as:- a heightened appreciation for baseball in general and particularly the players.- an understanding of how players are valued and why they are so highly compensated.- repeated gasping in surprise at how much winning a ball game really costs- increased enjoyment of watching baseball, especially the Dodgers - being able to discuss the Dodgers at a level that will impress your friends and scare your significant other.- a smile that lasts all day.Enjoying this episode while quaffing a cool, flat beer from a plastic cup and devouring a Dodger Dog is strongly recommended.  

FrequenShe ladies touch on Super Bowl LV, beauty expectations, going under the knife and going into baseball mode. Who's ready for a Dodger Dog? Amy is, so come hang out and hear us hash it out. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nautica-de-la-cruz/support

This week Erin Ryan and Alyssa Mastromonaco breakdown Joe Biden’s VP candidates and the ensuing sexist media coverage of said contenders. Plus, they examine why there’s such an effort to protect extremely non-essential athletes and so little effort to protect extremely essential school and nursing home workers. Then Michaela Watkins joins to answer the question: are we bitches? Lastly, Erin dares question the deliciousness of a Dodger Dog in I Feel Petty.

Theaters are dangerous places. Call and leave us a message at (805) 366-3085, and we may include it in a future episode. This show currently does not have any income, and it takes money and a good amount of hours every week to produce. If you find this show helpful, and you have the means, we’d definitely appreciate your support. It will allow us to make this show more sustainable. Thank you. Donation link here. Written and produced by Joseph Fink Additional essays by Meg Bashwiner  The song "This Too Shall Pass" by Danny Schmidt  All other music by Disparition Logo artwork by Jessica Hayworth A production of Night Vale Presents

Welcome to some of Outkick's most entertaining moments on FOX Sports Radio in 2019! Clay Travis gets punked at the Super Bowl, told to F-off by a random woman at the Georgia Aquarium, wants to quit as a Tennessee fan and absolutely loses his sh*t over phone issues. April Fools served Clay some Dodger Dog revenge, enjoy Animal Thunderdome highlights, Clay's son interviewing your fearless leader for a school project, and Clay seemingly counts by 5's as he does push ups for charity live on the air. Plus, Clay loses his mind over the crew having days off (right after he just had one) and the whole show argues over Lamar Jackson (before the season and in December.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From bank manager to successful children's author, Karen Gee, brings her stories about Dodger Dog, written to help children develop values and behaviours, to the Show.

JJ and Keith relive the week in California against the Oakland As and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Keith tells us about being at Dodger Stadium in person, getting a Dodger Dog and free shots. Other topics include injury updates, the playoff roster and this Saturday’s BP Crew Event.

Old friends reunited and new friends met. The trail continues to provide us with serendipitous moments that are the real Trail Magic. Sharing the trail with Trigger, Dodger Dog, Cushy, and a new friend, Barb, has been a delight. I’m fulfilling my desire to watch the last round of each of the Major Golf Championships and zeroing for that purpose today. We’ll be back at it tomorrow. Here we come New York.

We’ve had a productive few days, including the longest day I’ve ever done on the AT. Trigger and I are currently a 2-person “tramily” as Cushy and Dodger Dog are a day ahead. We’ve supported one another and kept each other honest as hikers. The miles are melting away and I’m speculating that I’ll finish earlier than I’d previously imagined.  

With the tramily now down to two of us, Trigger and I have made steady progress in Pennsylvania. The Mason Dixon Line, the halfway point, and the 1100 mile marker were all passed in quick succession. We’re hoping that Cushy will catch us in the next day or so and that Dodger Dog may slow down so that we can hike with her again. This week, without any interviews, I’ve added some impressions of how some of my gear is working out.

We’ve finished with Shenandoah National Park. It turned out to be a great place that we all thoroughly enjoyed. With Ugh leaving for Trail Days, our little group has been augmented by the lovely Dodger Dog. Her youth and vitality have lifted our spirits. Listeners have continued to reach out and help us while old family friends prove that, as they always do, there is nothing like the love of family.  

Sometimes you lose with roundhouse punches, sometimes you win a tickle fight. the Mets blooped and bled their way to a 7-3 win in LA... Josh inhales a Dodger Dog live, talks about Zack Wheeler's amazing second half, throws down some knowledge about Mets-Dodgers history and Mickey Callaway updates potential injuries to both Wheeler and catcher Kevin Plawecki.

The Mets home woes continue; the LA Story included a gamebreaking granny from Cody Bellinger and a tough loss for Zack Wheeler. Josh recaps; previews the epic deGRom-Kershaw Saturday matchup, and you'll hear from Mickey Callaway and Sandy Alderson. Cespedes? Cespedes?

Frozen Lemonade v. Choclate Malt, Dodger Dog v. Nachos, Seeds v. Peanuts, Bubblegum v. Dip

This week, Kathleen and guest-host Erik Hanson try to get Ed to care about sports by discussing LaBron James uncharacteristically seeking publicity vis-a vis Derrick Rose. Also, Peyton Manning’s naked bootleg, Erik’s figure skating career, the Dodger Dog, Gilroy Garlic … Continue reading →

We have @mikerevolution back on to discuss love connections, www.agencyspy.com, butt chugging, someone saying I look like Jason Alexander, Mike's very own urgent "Dodger Dog", my gripes against Daft Punk, Mike's gripes against Arrested Development, a new way to eat pizza, getting drunk around your kids and more.