Podcast appearances and mentions of ken burgin

Dani Valent describes herself as a food journalist, podcaster, writer, eater, traveller and cook - and it's all done with enthusiasm and a passion for sharing. I will also add that she's a great humanitarian and advocate for restaurant workers, asylum seekers and refugees - the people who give vital support to our industry, but are often overlooked and struggle to have a good life. Find more about her work at DaniValent.com. Questions we discussed... What has made her so interested in all aspects of hospitality? Food media - what's changed in the last couple of years? Better and worse? New media channels - what does she use and find most interesting? How do new restaurants and cafes get the attention of a journalist - what's the best hook? The Covid experience - what have we learned that's made us stronger? Business owners and entrepreneurs - what has she learned about their resilience and innovation? How Dani works as a journalist and podcaster - keeping to deadlines and producing a steady flow of interesting content. You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

Management is a lot more than carrying a big bunch of keys and covering the roster. A massive increase in operational complexity makes the manager role more demanding, and also more effective if the data available is harnessed accurately to show performance and results. Ken Burgin interviewed Liz Perkins from The Hospitality Company on this very interesting topic - she has a background as a chef and business owner. Liz now coaches hospitality operators in how to make the best use of the digital management tools available, and master the critical numbers that show business performance and success. Topics they discussed: The 5 key business areas that modern managers need to handle. How manager roles and expectations have changed in the last few years. Digital literacy and skills - what should the modern manager be comfortable handling? Recommended digital systems to help operators take control eg dashboards, rostering, recipes etc. How to upgrade the skills of older and less-experienced managers. You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

Dianne McGrath has been doing remarkable work on sustainability in the hospitality industry. While everyone believes in reducing food waste and improving sustainability, she has done detailed research on how the problem shows up in restaurants and foodservice, and how to make practical improvements. Ken Burgin interviewed Dianne to find out what he's learned from her research, and how that can be used by operators and the wider food production industry - the production chain moves from agriculture and harvesting to processing, distribution and then use by foodservice or households. You can find more about her projects at the Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre or LinkedIn. Topics they discussed: What Dianne found from her PhD research into food waste in restaurants and foodservice. Understanding the Value Chain in food production and distribution, and implications for foodservice. Shelf life issues - 'use by' or 'best by' dates, and what they mean. Handling food waste in the QSR and aged care sectors. Over-production issues that regularly hit the headlines eg avocados. Future developments in sustainability that will impact foodservice operations and profits. You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

Every cafe owner likes the idea of building 'community support' and having loyal local customers, but how do you make this happen? Ken Burgin interviewed Mike Matich from Crooked Spire Cafe in Perth, about how he's built strong local support in his area. What makes it a place that appeals to everyone in the community, from street people to tradies, families and office workers - including the local Member of Parliament? His enthusiasm for business and for his customers is inspiring! Topics they discussed: How is Crooked Spire different to other cafes? Mike's background in hospitality and business. How does community involvement work as a profit builder? Working with a local Chamber of Commerce and wider networking - something many hospitality operators don't make time for. Growing stronger from the Covid experience. Advice for operators who want to use their 'community heart' but don't have much time, or know where to start. Technology and systems used eg bookings, POS, financial management, social media etc You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

Wherever there are people working together, there will be team dynamics and the need for negotiation and sharing tasks and responsibilities. A good leader guides this process to get the best from their people - and chef Glenn Flood has many years of experience making this work. It was great to talk with him about Building Teamwork in Restaurants and Cafes - in the kitchen ad front of house, and relations between the two sections. In the podcast, we discussed: What are the elements of good teamwork? Back of House vs Front of House - new and better ways to communicate. Glenn's background and how he moved into the business development side of hospitality. The role of the Head Chef and Manager has broadened and changed, and now less authoritarian - what's their role in modern teamwork? How do they fit this into already busy schedules, and what can they delegate? Challenges for young leaders in developing a team - beyond 'being buddies'. Challenges for including overseas workers - the backbone of our industry. What is it about teamwork that's a cultural issue that might be challenging for non-Australians? Communication channels and styles to promote teamwork - what works well and what do you suggest? You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

Michael Tinsager has a unique position in hospitality - as an industry adviser and podcaster with the Hospitality Mavericks Podcast, he has access to the experience and wisdom of hundreds of great operators and experts. He is based in the UK and keeps a close eye on the industry there, in Europe, North America and worldwide. Ken Burgin interviewed Michael to find out what he's learned during the pandemic about Innovation & Leadership in Hospitality Management. We discussed 'new best practice' with purchasing, cost control, financial reporting and control systems, particularly with the increasing maturity of data analytics. We also discussed changes in managing people - recruitment, retention, mental health, skill development, culture and productivity. Moving to the customer side of business, we looked at recent changes in the customer experience and service, and how businesses are meeting and matching new expectations. This then led to marketing, customer communication, loyalty and social media. It was a very stimulating conversation! You can download Michael's recent presentation on What Great Hospitality Leaders Know & Do.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

In this podcast, Ken Burgin looks at Toyota's classification of 8 different types of waste, and how we can use this in hospitality to cut costs, increase efficiency and improve the bottom line. Toyota built its world-class success by watching and controlling every step of the manufacturing process, especially waste. It's very useful to apply the discipline of manufacturing to hospitality – we produce things too! This classification of 8 Types of Waste is based on the work of a Japanese engineer Taiichi Ohno, published as Toyota Production System: Beyond Large Scale Production. It is still so relevant today. You can also read a summary of the podcast here Using Toyota's 8 Waste Control Methods in Your Restaurant or Cafe. The types of waste identified are: Transportation Waste Inventory Waste Motion Waist Excessive Wait Times Overproduction Overprocessing Defects Wasted Talent and Creativity You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Mark Khoder from YourSocialChef. He develops and manages social media and marketing campaigns for a wide variety of restaurants, cafes and food brands. As you will hear in the discussion, his focus is on getting the best return on investment, helping your brand and income grow. There's no shortage of social media options, and it's easy to be excited by the latest 'shiny object' - the result is often chaos, and disappointing results. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Google, TikTok or YouTube - where should you invest your time and money? Mark Khoder brings order to the process with his OKR framework - Objectives, and Key Results, and in this interview we apply it to Mother's Day and Father's Day. These are often 'easy wins' for a bookings and sales, but how can we leverage more from their popularity, and apply it to celebrations throughout the year? Topics they discussed: Talk us through a better thinking process so we get the most from our promotional dollar. Strategy - how and why should we use these popular events beyond a one-day mega sale? Valentines Day also comes to mind. How should we organise our promotion - based on what data and research? Mother's Day - how else can we develop this, given that it's usually a full house anyway? Father's Day - often neglected, how can we ramp it up? How should we think of it differently to Mothers Day? How to build up followers, fans and customer lists on Instagram and Facebook TikTok & Snapchat - your thoughts re these events? What about email and SMS - still relevant? How should we use them in conjunction with social media? You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

We expect a lot from chefs - not only to manage production and service, but keep to a budget, manage a team of people and be aware of safety issues, changing food trends, menu design & engineering, plus social media and a bit of marketing. It's a big ask, especially when they may not have had training beyond hands-on experience with another chef. In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Liz Perkins, a chef, former hospitality business owner, and trainer with The Hospitality Company, where she teaches chefs all about leadership and team management, food costing, menu engineering and stock control. Details of her excellent course are outlined here. Topics they discussed: Building teamwork and managing discipline issues on a daily basis Giving feedback – understanding the 4 leadership hats Understanding and using personality styles Are there different issues for women and men, locals and people from overseas? Chef issues vs Front of House – how are the challenges different? Managing Covid issues and Vaccination leadership Handling delegation when you're young and new – how to get better doing this Being more productive and showing others how to be more productive Understanding and improving time management Giving feedback to the boss or the owner, and ‘managing upwards' Building on the technical ability of Gen Z and Gen Y What's in your recommended tech toolbox to help young leaders do a better job? How can your programs and products support business owners and managers. You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Paul Leach from GSE Business Consultants about Buying and Selling Cafes and Restaurants. Paul is an experienced business consultant and broker: he originally trained as a chef and has many years of experience as a cafe and bakery owner. There are some great hospitality businesses for sale, and many that will be disappointing - it's essential to understand the factors that make the difference between a good purchase and a bad one. Proper due diligence plus a good broker, lawyer and accountant can make all the difference. Paul also assists business owners to prepare their business for sale through an orderly exit strategy, and is the founder of Australia's best Facebook Group for hospitality operators Growth, Strategy and Exit Planning For Cafe Owners. Topics Discussed... State of the cafe and restaurant market - what type of businesses do people want to buy after two years of Covid? City or country businesses - how does the market differ? With the buying and selling process, what parts do people find most challenging? Legal issues - leases, contracts, licenses and other obligations. Landlords and occupation costs - there has been more scrutiny on how landlords behaved during Covid lockdowns Understanding the figures - due diligence for buyers, and preparing a case for sellers. Are better figures now available with decent bookkeeping becoming the norm? Financial benchmarks - what makes a business an attractive purchase? How to make your business more 'saleable' beyond good profit figures? How to value your business and justify the price. Any value in 'potential'? Why use a broker to sell vs. doing it yourself? You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

If you haven't experienced a Disney theme park or travel adventure, you have heard about their amazing service and carefully designed experiences. How can hospitality operators of any size learn from the Disney approach to customer service, and create some of that magic in their own venue? In this podcast, I'm talking with Michelle Pascoe, a Customer & Team Retention Specialist in the hospitality industry. Her dynamic business covers areas from leadership & customer service development to market research & mystery customer surveys. She also has her own inspiring podcast and has been to training courses and conferences run by the Disney Institute in the USA. Topics we discussed: What sums up the Disney experience for someone who hasn't visited before, especially if they come as an experienced hospitality person, not just a wide-eyed tourist? What will surprise them? What attracted you to learn more about the Disney experience? How does Disney take their customer service to the next level. How Disney develops a high level of staff engagement and team behaviour How Disney use staff feedback and experience for continual improvement How is Disney using technology, loyalty schemes, membership etc to automate a great customer experience - and how can we do this in our local operations? Translating the Disney experience from the 'larger than life' USA to smaller local situations. - specially as most of staff have not been to a Disney theme park.. How and why should people learn more from Disney, short of visiting? You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

More and more young people are being given management responsibilities early in their career, and running a hospitality business is becoming more complex. This can mean added stress, mistakes and lots more to learn about. Training and development for new leaders can be done through professional courses, and many times it's through guidance on the job. How can business owners and senior managers make this process more effective and efficient? In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Vanessa Pollock of VP Training & Development. an experienced hospitality trainer and development coach. She knows the industry inside out, and has been shaping her training programs to fit with the extra demands of Covid restrictions. Topics they discussed: Building teamwork and managing discipline issues on a daily basis Giving feedback - understanding the 4 leadership hats Understanding and using personality styles Are there different issues for women and men, locals and people from overseas? Chef issues vs Front of House - how are the challenges different? Managing Covid issues and Vaccination leadership Handling delegation when you're young and new to a job - how to get better doing this Being more productive and showing others how to be more productive Understanding and improving time management Giving feedback to the boss or the owner, and 'managing upwards' Building on the technical ability of Gen Z and Gen Y What's in your recommended tech toolbox to help young leaders do a better job? Tell us about how your programs and products can support business owners and managers. You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

Foodservice operators have to be more creative and flexible in their search for staff, and more thoughtful about how they look after the people they have. It's more than just offering higher pay - that might be part of the equation, but there are many other factors involved. In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Paul Rifkin. a chef consultant who works with a wide variety of clubs, pubs and foodservice operators. He's a practical optimist, and has some great suggestions on how to look for staff with new eyes and an open mind. Topics they discussed: You're by nature an optimist - what keeps you positive about the hospitality industry? What are the most common mistakes operators make when recruiting kitchen staff? What are some elements commonly left out of job ads, that will affect the response rate? How should operators think ‘outside the box' when recruiting for cooking positions - eg the mumforce and the 'popforce'? Are there any advantages to regional work that country operators should be highlighting? Any other advice for regional operators who are looking for chefs and cooks? What's your magic touch for recruiting and retaining young workers and school students? How does an older chef or kitchen manager create an atmosphere that's attractive to a young and diverse team? What sort of tech and modern systems should we be adding to our kitchen as part of creating a more attractive workplace? You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

Shortages of skilled staff are nothing new in hospitality, but Covid lockdowns and job losses have only made the situation worse. It's time to stop waiting for things to improve, and take a fresh, hard look at your menu and how many people you need in the kitchen. Customers still want quality and service at an affordable price, but how else can this be provided? In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Graeme McCormack from Food Equity group about Outsourcing and Labour Saving in Modern Foodservice. How to serve high-quality food with a semi-skilled workforce and the right equipment - there are some great solutions. Topics they discussed… Graeme visited dozens of pubs and clubs recently - what did you hear, and what are the business opportunities? What changed in QSR through 2020 - 2021 with flavour and food consumption trends? What's changed (or not) with people's eating preferences in the last 2 years? Is the desire for healthy eating and sustainability really as important as the media says? Particular food and flavour trends we should be watching out for? Designing the new knifeless / low skill kitchen. What staff do I need to put it together? What are the core pieces of equipment? Speed oven, fryer, good fridge, what else? You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

A good cafe, good food and a good bar can often be the heart of a country town - for locals and the people who visit. What makes them successful, especially if they don't have a big-city population and workforce? In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks with Deb Brown from SaveYour.Town about the many ways that regional cafes and restaurants can grow and prosper through community connections and innovation - it's an inspiring conversation.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

Many chefs, managers and business owners have built up years of experience running kitchens and restaurants. They often think about consulting as a way to take their career to the next level, and an opportunity to have more regular time with friends and family. In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks to Shaun de Vries from Open Pantry Consulting, about how he's developed his very successful consulting business and the other opportunities it has given him. See the questions we discussed on the Show Notes for this episode.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

It's more important than ever to keep in touch with your customers – promoting delivery, reminding them about new opening hours, publicising events or just a friendly message to the community. Social media has its place, but email and SMS are much more direct and under your control - they're not subject to the whims of Facebook formulas or Instagram algorithms. In this podcast, Ken Burgin talks to Sarah Franklyn from Impact Data, one of Australia's leading customer, loyalty and transactional data specialists - she's had extensive experience with hospitality businesses of all sizes.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

Want to be taken seriously as a professional? A good LinkedIn profile is essential, and that means more than just dropping your CV into a new location. It can also be a powerful marketing channel for your business. People who want to know more about you for a job, as a referee or for a professional opportunity will always Google your name - your LinkedIn profile will appear high up on the first search page, and usually influences their opinion. Use these 3 steps to boost your Linkedin profile and impact: build a complete and professional profile; grow your circle of connections; and increase your influence by sharing quality content. Check these articles on the Hospo Reset website: Make LinkedIn More Effective: for Chefs, Restaurant Managers & Owners and How to Add 100's of Great Hospitality Linkedin Connections. Also check my list of LinkedIn 'Headline' and 'Summary' examples for inspiration - updated regularly.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

It was great to talk with Matt Lucas from The Coffee Pedaler cafes, in the towns of Gundagai and Tumut, about halfway between Sydney and Melbourne in Australia. With a focus on quality coffee and efficient systems, Matt has built a business that generates a high return and is easy to manage across multiple sites. It's the place that discerning travellers head to when they're on the freeway and need a break. - and they often find Coffee Pedaler through Matt's clever use of Google mobile location advertising.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

In this episode, I talk with team culture and facilitation expert Leanne Hughes about how to use facilitation skills to overcome some of the hesitation attached to restaurant, cafe and foodservice training. Training, the T-word, causes anxiety for many small business owners: don't have the time, costs too much money, wasted on staff who don't stay etc - small business thinking is so different to corporate culture. Many simple training sessions could be facilitated by the chef, the coffee or seafood supplier, or the bar manager who's a fanatic on whiskey or craft beers. Maybe the inhouse facilitator's job is to set up the structures, organise the times, and let people get on with it. We went deep on the skills of a facilitator, and how this could be a great career extension for many people working in hospitality today. Connect with Leanne Hughes on LinkedIn, through her website LeanneHughes.com and listen to her own excellent podcast First Time Facilitator.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

Welcome to the first Hospo Reset podcast. My guest is James O'Connell of the Hospitality Company. He's based in Christchurch New Zealand and is constantly watching out for and coaching in best-practice hospitality management. He's leading the way with the very important principle we are going to talk about today - Open Book Management.You'll find the Show Notes and links for today's episode on the HospoReset.com website. Don't forget to subscribe to the weekly Hospo Reset newsletter, and connect with Ken Burgin on Linkedin and on Twitter.

What can I say that hasn't already been said?There's a temptation because it's the last show to try to share something that's the most valuable thing, that summarises the last 200 weeks of my life. Then perspective hits and I realise, that's nothing I can really say in “one final episode” to summarise two-hundred weeks of conversations, content creation, Monday deadlines, audio editing, posting on social media, laughs, workshops, travel, Covid, etc.  Some key things:Yes! I will be starting something new, I'm still working my way and deciding what that is. In the meantime, you'll hear some “From the vault” episodes every Monday (with new intros) The best way to keep in touch with what's next is to;Sign onto my email listHit Subscribe to this podcast in your favourite podcast app of choiceClick here for show notesEmail Leanne if you're curious about the Gold Coast retreat in Feb 2022 (leanne@leannehughes.com)Ending a podcast is very different to ending a job. You know when you leave a job, you get all these lovely messages/people who you least expected signing your farewell card?  The magic of hosting this show, is that as the show continued, every week I'd hear from someone who found an episode helpful, or they discovered the show at EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME for them in their career.The show couldn't have got here without you. It's been a co-creation process this whole time. I'd like to thank the following people who submitted voice notes and emails for the final episode, in no particular order:Juan Daniel Sobrado, Beth Wonson, Tom Scantlebury, Prina Shah, Garbiel Furman, Jan Szmanda, Tim Ferguson, Tony Brazelton, Julia van Graas, Kevin Meenaghan, Sally Prosser, Paul McGregor, Sean Lavin, May Lee, Lauren Scholz, Ken Burgin, Joeri Schilders, Deanne Gagnon, Gordon Rhodes, Cathryn Lloyd and Thomas Fry.A reflection question that's fitting to ask you now is this: Is there anything you need to stop, in order to progress where you'd like to be?About your host: Leanne HughesLeanne Hughes is an international facilitator, speaker and coach who loves creating unpredictable workshop experiences, that predictably work. She combines her experience in Marketing, with her education in Human Resources and Psychology, to help leaders create engaging everyday experiences - that are so contagious they scale across teams, functions and regions.Leanne has facilitated leadership, onboarding and team-development workshops across Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore and believes in a strengths-centred approach to learning and development.  She has over 14 years' of experience across a range of industries including mining, government and tourism sectors.She's the host of the First Time Facilitator podcast and is the Winner (External) in the 2021 Australian Learning Impact awards for Learning Professional of the Year.Social MediaSubscribe to Leanne's weekly newsletterConnect with Leanne Hughes on LinkedInFollow behind the scenes on Leanne Hughes' Instagram account Chat to Leanne Hughes in 280 character or less on TwitterSupport the show - buy Leanne a coffee!Support the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/leannehughes)

Ken Burgin shares with us in this podcast his love of research and being curious in how to take the industry to the next level in service, automation, systems, recruitment, marketing, diversification and why “culture” is key to the success of a business, whether it's a small café of 2 or a large hotel chain. Ken works with foodservice operators to assist them to be more popular & successful. He is a former cafe and restaurant owner in Sydney, and started the online management platform Profitable Hospitality, merging this with hospitality finance company SilverChef in 2016.

Have you been running webinars but finding it difficult to get people through the door? This week's guest is great at tuning in to topics that people actually want, and he's figured out a pretty neat system to do this! Ken Burgin works with foodservice operators to assist them to be more popular & successful. He is a former cafe and restaurant owner in Sydney, and started the online management platform Profitable Hospitality. He now works for hospitality finance company SilverChef, focused on educational content and events for business owners. In this conversation, we flip between talking about the virtual facilitation side of things, and providing value to our people; then we hear how Ken really grew his business and sold out his workshops on weekends; how he connects with people, how he adds value. Ken has many years of experience providing training and content to help transform the hospitality industry. He likes finding out the 'why' of business success, and the 'why not' of business problems, keeping track of the latest technology & presentation techniques, and updating his photography skills. Click here for show notes Continue the conversation on our free Facebook group, The FlipchartShhh... I'm releasing 5 secret podcast episodes over 5 days to help you book out your facilitation business, BUT you need to register to get access.Head on over to bookedoutfacilitator.comSupport the show (https://buymeacoffee.com/leannehughes)

Helping food service operators to become more popular and profitable, Ken Burgin comes from a background as a cafe and restaurant owner in Sydney before starting the online management platform Profitable Hospitality. This led him to work for hospitality finance company, SilverChef, where he now focuses on educational content and events.  With many years of experience, Ken has seen all kinds of changes sweep the industry - from fickle fads to future foundations. 

Ken Burgin is a hospitality consultant who reckons he's stopped hundreds of hospo wannabes from sacrificing their own homes and futures for a starry-eyed food dream. He's a realist and a numbers guy who loves helping people see the beauty - and the necessity - of a nice set of numbers. He sees the pandemic as an opportunity to reset and refocus.

In this episode, we have a very special guest Ken Burgin. Ken has a wealth of experience in the industry from operating his own businesses and been an adviser and consultant for smaller independent restaurants.  He is now part of Silver Chef as Strategic Partner and Event Manager. He also runs a number of workshops online to better inform operators on how to navigate the ever-changing markets. We talked about the current storm in the industry - how to survive and thrive in it. How to manage your state in these difficult times, the role of delivery, the power of leading through purpose and values, and much more.

Venessa Barnes, Australian Pork, and host of Talking Pork and All Things Foodservice is joined by guest Ken Burgin, Strategic Partner & Events Manager of Silver Chef. In this episode the discussion focuses on suggestions on how to survive the current global crisis as a restaurant and café owner.  Ken gives practical tips on what restaurant and cafes owners could be doing now, how to handle difficult conversations with staff during this time, and advice on how owners could be communicating with their customers right now. Inspired by Australian Pork has created a platform dedicated to the Foodservice market where Industry leaders are invited to discuss the rapidly changing landscape and what these changes mean. For the most up to date information impacting the industry visit Restaurant & Catering Industry Association's Coronavirus Hub http://rca.asn.au/rca/   To get in contact with Ken: Email http://www.kenburgin.com.au/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kenburginhospitality/     Inspired by Australian Pork: To get in contact email inspired@australianpork.com.au  Visit https://inspiredbyaustralianpork.com.au/ 

In this episode I speak with Ken Burgin who previously owned and ran his own restaurant before founding Profitable Hospitality, a business designed to help Restaurateurs run more profitable businesses. Ken hosted his own podcast for seven years and now works with Silver Chef as their Community Manager helping educate Restaurant Owners on industry trends and best business practice.

During my chat with Ken Burgin, we went on a lot of tangents, and they all crossed a common theme, which is building an online platform. In random spots of Ken’s interview, we end up talking about different areas of internet marketing and content generation and I thought it would make more sense to snip and stitch this content to a bonus episode. And I did this for a couple of reasons. One being that this podcast episode would make a lot more sense as a separate episode because if you follow what we said, it might actually inspire you to write more, or start a blog, or start a podcast! Another reason is a bit… well, I’ll let you judge this. During my satisfaction survey, I got a comment saying that Adam shouldn’t talk about podcasting so much. This was probably in regaurds to episodes like Alex Osterle and Don and Ben’s food safety podcast. I wanted to honor this suggestion so we’re trying this now. No ads this time, this one is a freebie So we begin with a topic about podcasting, something which originally linked Ken and I’s interest. Here you’ll learn a lot about how we got started, and more importantly, the community we’ve joined. Community is very important when it comes to starting something new. Ken and I had different communities, but it helped us all the same. Next we talk about blogging. A big part are novice questions I am always too embarrassed to ask. Overall, we talk a lot about linkedin and how it’s been doing awesome recently. Also, Ken mentions the value of consistency and he’s been doing this for years. What I haven’t been doing, however, is doing workshops. You’ll find out how that’s beneficial here.   So now we talk about email lists, the ultimate tool to build a following. We go in to a complex marketing term called funnels which starts with a email list. I find that an email list is the most useful tool for a marketer, but it’s really hard to grow. It’s actually very inconvenient to sign your email up on a list. Because of this, many people off free things to put on their list. Ken thought of almost 500 solutions for his clients and gave it for free. Giving out freebies that are so good you’ll pay for them is the best way to get email subscribers. Now about podcasts. This is a small extension of my convo with Ken on episode 106. We talk about our favorite podcast, but listen toward the end. We tell you a lot about what makes good podcaster great. And we finish off this bonus episode with a quote, “The confused mind says no”. Make your message clear. That is the thing that will sell. Also we talk about the restaurant, In and out Thanks for enjoying is bonus episode. If you like this format, I’d love your opinion on it. Let me know by either emailing me at podcast@myfoodjobrocks.com or message me on linkedin.  

I met Ken when he commented on an article I posted. I think it was the one on how podcasting changed my life. Ken mentioned his experience podcasting in the food industry so we got to talking and decided to swap interviews. You can listen to my interview on Ken’s podcast on the show notes. Ken is what I like to call, an authority in the restaurant management industry. He’s had a restaurant for years,a nd then after selling it, he decided to take a more, teacher role. Ken doesn’t like the word consultant, but he has helped so many restaurant owners lower their cost and manage their dream. So in this interview, we learn some tips on how to become an authority in your space, but this is also a nice interview for people who are in the restaurant industry. You’ll learn the biggest problem with managing the restaurant industry, and even steps on how to sell a restaurants, and so much more. During our interview, Ken and I talk a lot about podcasting and blogging and I separated a good chunk of our interview and we’ll be turning it into a bonus episode later in the week. *NEW* Sponsor - Bakerpedia This episode is brought to you by BAKERpedia – your one-stop, resource that answers all your questions on industry trends, ingredient information, food safety and more. It’s shared knowledge, freely available, always. BAKERpedia.com – we do all the thinking so you can focus on your business. Sponsor – FoodGrads If you are even just a little bit interested in a career in food & beverage, you should join FoodGrads.  It’s an interactive platform where you can hear about different careers, hear from your peers, have a voice and share your story as well as ask specific questions and get feedback from industry experts across the sector. You can create a profile, add your resume and search for co-op, internships and full time opportunities just for Food Grads. Employers can find you too, they can recruit you for jobs and projects they need help with to give you the relevant industry experience you need. Join FoodGrads today! Just go to Foodgrads.com Sponsor – ICON Foods So let me pose this question to you food developers and R and D colleagues out there in Podcast land. Have you even run into a situation where you have marketing breathing down your neck to accomplish the impossible? I’ll bet. This is where my friends at Icon Foods can play a roll. Their ReformulateU initiative is in place and ready to help you reformulate with Clean Label Sugar Reduction in mind. Icon’s CEO Thom King was on one of my podcasts a while back and he literally wrote the book on cutting out sugar. His book Guy Gone Keto comes out in late March. If you are looking to cut down on your added sugars in your formulas and want a reliable supply chain partner in clean label sweeteners and ingredients look no further than Icon Foods. www.iconfoods.com or give them a call at 310-455-9876 What do you tell someone in a sentence or less?: I work with restaurants to get more business Barbeque Stopper – A word that makes everyone go silent, consultant, psycologist…. Food science I developed profitablehospitaility.com and posted blogs and podcasts onto the website Restaurant Owners are great at food, but they lack marketing and accounting skills. Ken has all of this as downloads How do you get people to find you?: Linkedin! I post frequently and people like it. It’s only been recently that I’ve used linkedin. I’ve been here quite a while. I’m available as a speaker and do workshops, which adds on. SEO is great too. Can you describe your ideal clinet/patients: I came from a  restaurant and a café background as an independent workshop. I ran workshops to gently tell people to get out of the restaurant business. You have to build a business with people who want to get going. How do you vet them: Money is a great filter. $40 dollar membership, $400 dollar call. Find a pain point, give value Steps it took to get to where you are today: I’ve always wanted to have a  café so I bought one in Sydney and grew it over 10 years. Bought another with a partner. Didn’t work out too well. Sold the café business. I sold the training side to the restaurant and hotels association. Then I consulted and was approached by Silver Chef and they bought the business. Why did you start a podcast?: I liked a podcast and I liked listening to them. I thought it would distinguish myself compared to the rest. Do you recommend any other podcasts?: History podcasts, business podcasts, BBC food program, Russian History podcasts, Hardcore History, Paul Barron Food Service authority in the US, Food Marketing Nerds (Wendy’s, Jersey Mikes) What are the common questions you get in the restaurant business?: Where do I find a chef? Why are my food costs so high why are my wages so high? Why is social media not working? You will get more engagement on articles trying to cut cost than to increase sale What advice can you give about cost?: Cloud based scheduling is cheap and easy to implement. And Cloud based point of sale system. Adopting technology is not about cost, but the struggle to understand it How do you teach people about technology?: Well it’s about stories. Great stories will convince people to adapt to technology. Especially if you mention if you save money. “If you want to get more people to listen, they need to hear cash register ring more” How do you sell a restaurant?: You need to control a lease and get it right. You will usually get a lease for 10-15 years. You have the right to do almost whatever you want with that lease. You also have to have it be easily ran. It has to be simple and people who want to buy businesses need to get it right away. What should someone do when they want to start a restaurant?: Get into the restaurant industry. Your college experience probably doesn’t cover it. Learn the ins and outs of a restaurant. There’s a very steep learning curve. Be there in the business 6 to 12 months Favorite Restaurant Concept: Grounds of Alexandria right next to the Sydney Airport Eataly World – FICO. A Theme park in Eataly What flavors are hot in Australia: Hot, big, spicy flavors such as Asian food. They also like to know more about where the food comes from Gelato Shops Hokey Poke – New Zealand flavors Unicorn Frappachino – worker complaints Tyler Cowan – Overrated or Underrated? Reid Hoffman – Masters of Scale GMO – good or bad? Bad Vegetarians good or bad. Good Social Media in marketing. Good or Bad? Good Robots/Automation? Good or Bad: Good Favorite Book: There’s a new three volume biography about Joseph Stalin. The Life of Stalin. What is the best food you’ve ever eaten?: An Indian restaurant called Malabar Any advice for anyone who wants to be a consultant: I talked to someone who consulted consultants. You gotta sell the benefit and pitch that you’ll make someone more money. “I’m going to cut your power cost and refrigeration” everyone wants it but must pay him to know the brand. Most consultants are too busy talking about themselves rather than tell them the benefits. Simple numbers work better, focus on dollar amounts rather than arbitrary percentages. Where can we find you?: I have a blog at kenburgin.au, profitablehospitality.com.au, Ken Burgin on Linkedin  

Ken Burgin has been actively involved in hospitality for more than 25 years. First as the owner of Caffe Troppo in Sydney, and then working with restaurants, hotels and cafes in an advisory role. His resource website ProfitableHospitality.com is used by business owners and managers all around the world. Ken likes to use webinars and podcasts as another way to ... Read More The post 70. Rebroadcast: Profitable Hospitality and How to Best Interview Your Guest with Ken Burgin appeared first on We Are Podcast.

Ken Burgin has been actively involved in hospitality for more than 25 years. First as the owner of Caffe Troppo in Sydney, and then working with restaurants, hotels and cafes in an advisory role. His resource website ProfitableHospitality.com is used by business owners and managers all around the world. Ken likes to use webinars and podcasts as another way to ... The post 70. Rebroadcast: Profitable Hospitality and How to Best Interview Your Guest with Ken Burgin appeared first on We Are Podcast.

Ken Burgin has been actively involved in hospitality for more than 25 years. First as the owner of Caffe Troppo in Sydney, and then working with restaurants, hotels and cafes in an advisory role. His resource website ProfitableHospitality.com is used by business owners and managers all around the world. Ken likes to use webinars and podcasts as another way to ... Read More The post 70. Rebroadcast: Profitable Hospitality and How to Best Interview Your Guest with Ken Burgin appeared first on Must Amplify.

Ken Burgin has been actively involved in hospitality for more than 25 years. First as the owner of Caffe Troppo in Sydney, and then working with restaurants, hotels and cafes in an advisory role. His resource website ProfitableHospitality.com is used by business owners and managers all around the world. Ken likes to use webinars and podcasts as another way to ... Read More The post 70. Rebroadcast: Profitable Hospitality and How to Best Interview Your Guest with Ken Burgin appeared first on Amplify Agency.

 Episode 7: Getting the (Work) Family Together: Ken Burgin’s Advice on Recruitment The staff of a café or restaurant is kind of like a big family. Unlike a family, however, you’re able to choose who...

In this special episode of The Ask Juliet and Clinton Show, LinkedIn expert, Ken Burgin answers 3 questions about marketing on LinkedIn. In this episode we answered the following questions: 1. "What are the key aspects of a strong LinkedIn profile?" 2. "What kind of posts work best on LinkedIn?" 3. "How can I use LinkedIn to attract clients?" Get the show notes with all the links and resources mentioned in this episode at http://askjulietandclinton.com/82

Ken Burgin has been actively involved in hospitality for more than 25 years. First as the owner of Caffe Troppo in Sydney, and then working with restaurants, hotels and cafes in an advisory role. His resource website ProfitableHospitality.com is used by business owners and managers all around the world. Ken likes to use webinars and podcasts as another way to ... The post 9: Profitable Hospitality and how to best interview your guest with Ken Burgin appeared first on We Are Podcast.

Ken Burgin has been actively involved in hospitality for more than 25 years. First as the owner of Caffe Troppo in Sydney, and then working with restaurants, hotels and cafes in an advisory role. His resource website ProfitableHospitality.com is used by business owners and managers all around the world. Ken likes to use webinars and podcasts as another way to ... Read More The post 9: Profitable Hospitality and how to best interview your guest with Ken Burgin appeared first on Must Amplify.

Ken Burgin has been actively involved in hospitality for more than 25 years. First as the owner of Caffe Troppo in Sydney, and then working with restaurants, hotels and cafes in an advisory role. His resource website ProfitableHospitality.com is used by business owners and managers all around the world. Ken likes to use webinars and podcasts as another way to reach new and existing customers, backed up by active use of social media and an email newsletter.

Employee theft is the silent profit killer that plays a major role in the financial life or death of your restaurant, cafe, hotel, or bar. How can I learn the causes and cures of employee theft and prevent loss in my business? How do I prevent employee theft in my restaurant, hotel, or bar? What loss prevention strategy, when implemented, will keep my employees honest? Employee Theft is the Silent Profit Killer I answer questions of my co-host, Ken Burgin, from the Profitable Hospitality podcast located down-under in Sydney, Australia. Employee Theft Employee Theft from a restaurant, hotel, or bar is a term that is used when an employee steals cash, food, ingredients, or supplies while working on the job. In the eyes of the law, employee theft is just theft…the elements of the crime are identical. To commit theft, the employee must intend to permanently deprive their employer of the value of the item stolen. Employee theft is an insidious crime because the employer is paying a wage and benefits to the thief on top of paying for the cost of their dishonesty. Studies have shown that dishonest employees do a lot of damage because they were trusted, had daily access, and had an insider’s know-how to circumvent the accountability systems. This breach of trust makes employee theft more like the crime of embezzlement than shoplifting. Employee Theft Profile There is no real physical profile for a dishonest employee. Dishonest employees come in all shapes, sizes, ages, sexes, ethnic backgrounds, religions, levels of education, and economic status. You cannot determine who is likely to steal based on their demographic status alone. However, an employer can make reasonable assessments based on their past and present conduct, integrity, and judgment. Some restaurant and bar employees have stolen from every prior employer and will certainly steal from you if hired. It’s a risk-reward decision for them. The reward is the amount they can steal without getting caught. Most employee theft suspects I’ve encountered never thought they would be never be caught. They thought they were too smart for the boss because they got away with it for months or years. This was the reason most often given, and why they felt the risk was worth the reward. I've found that employers with high-theft losses were not sending a clear message that accountability systems were in place to detect employee theft. The deterrence for borderline-dishonest employees includes getting caught, fired, arrested, convicted, jailed, probation, and paying restitution. Help them to realize that a criminal record and bad job reference will have a compounding effect that will follow them for years. But because of the nature of a cash business, borderline honest employees have to resist ever-present opportunities to steal cash, product, or merchandise…all that some need is a nudge from a supervisor to elevate their desire and motivation to steal from you. Some employees would never steal from you under any circumstances. What keeps these employees honest is their moral character, loyalty, respect for the law and their employer, and the desire to be viewed as trustworthy. You have little control over these positive attributes other than recognizing it in the people and hiring more like them. Accountability is Key to Prevent Employee theft You are the architect of your employee theft loss prevention plan. You need a clearly defined accountability structure for employees and managers on every shift. Your best employees and managers will like the structure and tangible goals to achieve. Maintaining high-standards allows good employees to excel and be recognized for their accomplishments Studies support this by proving that employee theft losses are significantly less in business with high-accountability, high employee satisfaction, and reduced employee turnover.

Ken Burgin loves a good café. He can also tell quicksmart if it's a profitable enterprise. Some people simply shouldn't be behind the counter, he tells us who and why.

Ken Burgin loves a good café. He can also tell quicksmart if it's a profitable enterprise. Some people simply shouldn't be behind the counter, he tells us who and why.

Twitter is a powerful social networking tool that helps you build relationships with colleagues across the world. However, many therapists in Australia are yet to understand and appreciate how helpful it can be for their businesses. Twitter has a language of its own, plus, you need to use specific tools to use Twitter in a productive way. Social media enthusiast Ken Burgin, who joined us in podcast#37 on LinkedIn marketing, returns to give us an overview of the basics of Twitter for therapists. In this interview, Ken discusses: What is Twitter? Why  therapists should consider using Twitter An overview of the basics of Twitter The benefits of Twitter for marketing and networking Advice for therapists on how they can interact in on Twitter and still maintain their ethical codes and be professional. The most common Twitter mistakes people make. The first steps to get started with Twitter Tips on the kind of posting frequency and type of content you need to be sharing on Twitter

Ken Burgin of Profitable Hospitality shares how to go deep within your niche and market to a very targeted group through social media. If we can't be all things to all people, how do we approach our ideal client? Ken shares two customer traits that make a big difference to your business.

Jack from Dead Rabit (www.DeadRabbitNYC.com) really inspired me to share what he did with his menu. Of course a cafe and cocktail menu are different, but you'll be inspired to hear what he and others are up to. Also, thanks to Ken Burgin from Profitable Hospitality for having me as a guest on episode 89 (http://ht.ly/zmxx4)

Ken is a specialist in management systems and profit strategies for hotels, clubs and restaurants. For over thirty years Ken has been involved in the hospitality industry. He has been a restaurant owner and operator, Restaurant Consultant, tutor and hospitality entrepreneur. Today, his main focus is on profitable hospitality, which can be described as a resource website for restaurants, cafes, hotels, club owners Managers and chefs.

Do you know that LinkedIn is a powerful professional social media network to market your psychotherapy or counselling services and connect with other professionals who can support the growth of your business? Many counsellors and therapists are not using LinkedIn effectively. And some are yet to join or if they have joined, have not completed their profile and are missing out on online visibility. LinkedIn is your professional face to the world, and is a powerful platform to position yourself as an authority in your niche, as well as network with like-minded mental health professionals. Ken Burgin has been teaching small businesses about marketing and social media for more than 15 years. In this interview he shares the basics of a compelling LinkedIn profile that helps you be visible to others; how to start to find and connect with others in the mental health industry; the biggest mistakes you see small business owners making on LinkedIn; the business benefits therapists can experience from being visible on LinkedIn; how to make regular updates on your profile; the business benefits of posting updates on a regular basis; how to write recommendations and why to consider them; LinkedIn groups- how to find and join them; how to manage privacy concerns on LinkedIn.

  In today’s podcast we have one of my friends and business associates, Ken Burgin. He has been actively involved in a hospitality industry for more than 25 years. He was first the owner of Caffe Troppo in Sydney and then he worked with restaurants, hotels and cafes in an advisory role. He now has [...]E17: Ken Burgin – How To Use Twitter As A Marketing Tool is a post from: Mumpreneurs Online Work From Home Ideas by Fiona Lewis