Podcasts about Shake Shack

In this episode, we sit down with Elena Levine, Founder and CEO of Forcoda and the newly launched Forcoda Ventures. Elena has spent over a decade building a US-based product and engineering agency from the ground up as an immigrant founder, shipping more than 200 projects for enterprise clients including M&T Bank, Shake Shack, Oral-B, and the University at Buffalo — while also helping startup clients collectively raise over $100m. Today, she runs curated investor luncheons in major US cities, sits on the founder side and the investor side of the table, and has rare 360-degree visibility into what actually moves a fundraising conversation forward.In this conversation, we get into:Why clarity of thought is the single biggest differentiator Elena looks for in early-stage founders — and how investors read it in the first 30 seconds of an email or meeting.How to research investors properly before reaching out, including the underrated move of talking to founders already in their portfolio.What “smart money” actually means in practice, and how to spot the investors who will pick up the phone at 10pm on a Saturday — versus the ones you'll regret bringing onto your cap table.Why approaching investors too early can damage a relationship for years, and how to find the right moment to start the conversation.The fine line between ego and confidence — and why Elena, raised in Russia, had to relearn how to talk about herself when she landed in the US.If you're an Irish founder preparing to raise capital in the US — or any non-American founder building a credible US footprint from abroad — this episode is packed with practical, candid advice from someone who has lived every side of the table.Elena Levine is the Founder and CEO of Forcoda, an AI-first product and engineering agency she has built from the ground up over 12 years, shipping 200+ projects for US enterprise clients including M&T Bank, Shake Shack, Oral-B, and the University at Buffalo. Forcoda works across two tracks — rapid MVPs and prototypes for startups, and AI readiness, roadmaps, and agentic infrastructure for enterprise. She also founded Forcoda Ventures, which connects founders with US investors through curated luncheons in major cities, and is currently raising the firm's first fund focused on early-stage fintech and AI companies. Having built her own company as an immigrant founder in the US market, Elena has a first-hand perspective on what it takes to land enterprise clients, raise from US investors, and build a credible American footprint from abroad.Forcoda is an AI-first product and engineering agency founded in 2014. The firm has shipped over 200 projects for enterprise clients and funded startups, and operates two distinct tracks: rapid MVP and prototype delivery for early-stage founders, and AI readiness, roadmaps, and agentic infrastructure for enterprise. Its sister venture, Forcoda Ventures, runs curated investor luncheons that connect founders with 15–20 hand-picked US investors per session, and is raising a debut fund targeting fintech and AI companies.Want to get in contact with the Digital Irish team? Email us at podcast@digitalirish.comAbout Elena LevineAbout Forcoda

Shake Shack had to deal with rib theft last month. Restaurants keep adding jobs. And Subway has a new digital channel. 

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including McDonald's new corporate strategy, the World Cup's plentiful promotions, and how brands are strategically leveraging pricing in their marketing. First up is McDonald's, which announced its new McDonald's Next corporate strategy that emphasizes operational efficiency and hospitality. Alicia details what exactly this means before she and Sam discuss how the strategy fits into the broader industry push toward operational excellence and what it could look like for the No. 1 restaurant brand in the world. Next they dive into the World Cup, which kicks off this week and could be a boon to restaurant companies looking for a marketing win. Learn more about how some bigger chains are riding the World Cup's coattails — and how it could help reshape the summer for many brands. That leads naturally into a conversation on recent restaurant marketing efforts — particularly those centered around pricing. Alicia recently wrote a story about how restaurants are marketing to families through strategic pricing initiatives, and she and Sam talk about pricing in general and how companies are getting creative with their prices to attract young consumers. Finally, in the Quick Fire portion of the episode, Sam and Alicia discuss recent headlines about the retirement of Yum Brands' influential COO, the struggles at Shake Shack, and the new THC beverage test at Logan's Roadhouse.For more on these stories:McDonald's next evolution includes menu, service and technology upgradesRestaurant chains kick off a World Cup marketing barrageRestaurant chains are turning their attention to families

Aktien hören ist gut. Aktien kaufen ist besser. Bei unserem Partner Scalable Capital geht's unbegrenzt per Trading-Flatrate und auf der hauseigenen European Investor Exchange, die genau auf Privatanleger zugeschnitten ist. Alle weiteren Infos gibt's hier: scalable.capital/oaws. SpaceX-IPO ist absurd. Sektor-Rotation: Chip-Aktien fallen, Software & andere steigen. Innio und Quantinuum feiern IPO. Manchester United vor Verkauf? Universal Music fällt. PVH crasht 20%. Madison Square freut sich. Shake Shack hat Rippenbeschwerden. Alle reden über KI. Edenred (WKN: A1C0JG) wickelt das Mittagessen von Millionen Menschen ab. 50% Weltmarktanteil, kaum kopierbar. Aber Italien und Brasilien regulieren hart. Die Aktie hat 60% verloren, das KGV liegt bei 11. Übertreibt der Markt? Broadcom (WKN: A2JG9Z) verliert an einem Tag über 300 Mrd. $ Börsenwert. KI-Umsatz wächst 140%, die Prognose bleibt aber unverändert. KGV bei 20, NVIDIA sogar günstiger. Reicht das Wachstum für die Bewertung? Diesen Podcast vom 05.06.2026, 3:00 Uhr stellt dir die Podstars GmbH (Noah Leidinger) zur Verfügung. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

McDonald's is going for the goal. Shake Shack is somewhat less optimistic. And Yum Brand is losing a top exec.

Shake Shack started in 2001 as a hot dog cart in New York City's Madison Square Park. It's now a global fast-casual restaurant chain renowned for both quality and hospitality. In 2024, following a rapid rollout of digital tools like kiosks and mobile ordering, Chief Growth Officer Steph So found herself asking, had Shake Shack built a model that could truly scale, or one that still needed work? Harvard Business School professor Chris Stanton joins So and host Brian Kenny to discuss the case “Shake Shack's Playbook for the Digital Era.” Together, they explore what it means to scale hospitality in a tech-driven industry and how Shake Shack is balancing brand values, digital adoption, and the evolving role of its frontline team.

For the final episode of this season's Owners Box, we talk to Chip Wade about how the unique approach to ownership of Union Square Hospitality Group, from its founding to its current capital stack, shapes how they go to market.Special Guest: Chip Wade.

Welcome back to the NoCo Pulse for the week of May 25th, featuring special guest host Patrick Sukup from the Living in Fort Collins YouTube channel while Curt Bear is away. Patrick joins Kelsi Harris of This is NoCo and Discover NoCo Magazine to bring you the latest community news, business updates, and local highlights as we kick off Memorial Day weekend and welcome summer to Northern Colorado. What's moving features Miles Beyond Running Community gearing up for their Weld Your Metal Running Festival happening May 30th and 31st in Eaton, offering distances from 7K all the way to ultra marathon on private property complete with saunas, cold plunges, camping, and mountain views. In major real estate news, Shake Shack opens May 31st at the Shops Along College at Foothills Mall, but the bigger story is the McWhinney family selling the Shops Along College portion to a national investment firm while retaining the mall itself. This sale should finally provide the capital needed to move forward with the long awaited redevelopment plans, including removing 200,000 square feet and creating an open air concept after years of stagnation due to development costs and challenges. Meanwhile, the Toy Library continues operating in a massive discounted space inside the mall, now hosting game nights and community gatherings in addition to their toy lending program. Community gatherings spotlight Ginger and Baker's eighth annual Dog Flower Crown Photo Day on Saturday May 31st, a free event where you can bring your four legged friends for flower crowns and portraits with RSVP requested on their website. Plantiness, founded by Monica in 2020, celebrates her birthday this week by giving away free plants Thursday May 28th at Old Town Music during Thursday Night Live featuring The Burrows. Monica has given away over 5,000 free plants since starting her happiness spreading mission and hosts pop ups and collaborations with tattoo artists, The Crowded Bookshelf, and other local makers. Downtown Loveland hosts their monthly Downtown Dress Up Night on the fourth Saturday with May's theme being Gala Night starting at 5 PM, when all downtown shops hold specials and events perfect for busting out those fancy clothes you rarely get to wear. Community support highlights Outreach Fort Collins, a nonprofit that serves as a buffer between the public and police by working with individuals experiencing mental health crises or substance use issues who aren't necessarily breaking the law. The Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area Foundation hosts their art show and gala Tuesday June 2nd at the Visit Fort Collins Welcome Center, with all proceeds supporting river cleanup efforts, volunteer programs, and education about the heritage and history of the Cache la Poudre River. Business news celebrates local chefs Bri and Carmel, who are launching pop up events this year after working in high end eateries across Northern Colorado. They offer private chef experiences, catering, and company events, bringing their culinary expertise directly to your home or venue. Food picks feature Smoke and Rose Barbecue at the FoCo Food Truck Rally, serving incredible brisket mac and cheese and brisket nacho fries with friendly service perfect for families. The FoCo Food Truck Rally runs every Tuesday under new ownership, with Discover NoCo Magazine sponsoring this season and planning fun content nights throughout summer. Don't forget the Downtown Loveland Authority is giving away $100 every week to someone who shops downtown during construction, and yes it's real because Kelsi's in laws actually won. Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend and welcome to summer, NoCo. Tag us at The NoCo Pulse to share how you're supporting local. Stay connected, NoCo.

Dec Mullarkey, head of investment strategy and asset allocation at SLC Management, says that earnings are strong and should keep the stock market rolling, but that signs of weakness shown by the bond market and concerns about how the war in Iran is impacting oil are going to be limiting factors. Mullarkey worries that a longer conflict could turn oil into a global crisis, where rationing and other measures could create more severe and long-lasting economic troubles. If, however, the situation can be resolved quickly, Mullarkey says the shadows over hanging the market should clear quickly, providing a real boost going forward. In "The Week That Is," Vijay Marolia, chief investment officer at Regal Point Capital, looks at the bond market's sell-off from the end of last week, and while investors can cheer bond yields reaching their year-to-date high, he notes that higher rates could stunt economic growth and hurt the stock market's trajectory. The big thing he expects to impact markets in the week ahead, however, is Nvidia earnings on Wednesday, where he is expecting gonzo numbers but a disappointed market response, simply because investor expectations are sky high. Plus, he discusses community protests over data centers, noting that there are economic consequences buried under the headlines, as limiting data center growth could curtail capital expenditures by tech companies and limit the speed with which artificial intelligence can reach its potential. Plus, David Trainer, founder and president at New Constructs puts Shake Shack back in the Danger Zone, noting that the stock — which currently trades in the $60 range after being as high as $144 in the last year — has a negative book value, and is using accounting measures that are clear signs of trouble.  

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including Inspire Brands' plans to go public plus earnings results from 18 currently public restaurant companies. First up is the news that Inspire had filed documents with the SEC to go public — a move that Sam and Alicia have anticipated for a few years, yet nevertheless feels huge for a restaurant industry that has been fairly dormant as far as IPOs are concerned. The editors discuss what this means for Inspire and whether it could nudge other companies to jump into the public markets. Then they take a dive into the crazy spate of restaurant earnings, of which there were 18 over the course of the week. They start with the burger category, where McDonald's, Burger King, and Shake Shack reported positive results, while Wendy's continued a run of negative sales. How are McDonald's and Burger King leveraging operations and marketing to build momentum, while Wendy's keeps taking the hits? Sam and Alicia break it down. Next they move into the full-service sector, where it's mostly good news, as Texas Roadhouse, BJ's, and First Watch continue to thrive while Applebee's and Bloomin' Brands are showing signs of life. Why does casual dinging in particular seem to be succeeding in the midst of this economy? Sam and Alicia discuss. They then dig into other brands that reported this week, including Noodles & Co. and El Pollo Loco — both of which wowed with their results — plus Sweetgreen, which posted a staggering -12.8% sales drop the same week it introduced wraps to the menu. Finally, we share an interview between managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister and Jeff's Bagel Run cofounders Jeff and Danielle Perera, recorded live at Restaurant Leadership Conference.For more on these stories: Dunkin' owner Inspire Brands files documents for an IPOBurger King's sales surge while Popeyes strugglesTexas Roadhouse sprints to best same-store sales since '24

Mark talks about Iran, Mamdani's false promises, the new Michael Jackson movie, the new Trump passport, Tucker Carlson, Ted Turner's doomsday video, major decline of Shake Shack shares, while McDonalds shares are up, the popularity of pickleball, flight attendant who posted on X about Trump assassination attempt, the largest and most popular food chain in America, Tiger Woods in Europe for rehab and the cost of the Ukraine war for Russia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark talks about Iran, Mamdani's false promises, the new Michael Jackson movie, the new Trump passport, Tucker Carlson, Ted Turner's doomsday video, major decline of Shake Shack shares, while McDonalds shares are up, the popularity of pickleball, flight attendant who posted on X about Trump assassination attempt, the largest and most popular food chain in America, Tiger Woods in Europe for rehab and the cost of the Ukraine war for Russia. 

Bienvenue dans la chronique financière la plus délirante des 48 dernières heures.

Consumer health in focus, as companies sound the alarm on spending. What we're hearing out of fast food chains like McDonald's and Shake Shack, and how even gyms, pet companies, and consumer staples are seeing signs of a pinch. Plus the latest results out of Coreaweave and Coinbase, the state of housing with the spring season underway, and The Chartmaster Carter Worth and Mike Khouw tag team an old school Options Action on Apple as the tech giant trades at a record high. Fast Money Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Carl Quintanilla, Jim Cramer and David Faber drilled down on new record highs for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq — amid investor hopes for an Iran deal. AI in the spotlight: In a "First on CNBC" interview, Arm Holdings CEO Rene Haas spoke about the chip designer's better-than-expected results, which didn't stop the stock from falling sharply lower. The anchors discussed what Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said about the AI startup trying to keep up with demand, after posting 80-fold growth in Q1. Also in focus: McDonald's beats on earnings despite a "challenging environment," Shake Shack tumbles, the Iran war effect on Whirlpool's stock, Datadog and Fortinet soar and spark a software rally, Elon Musk's take on the SpaceX-Anthropic deal.   Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Whirlpool sinks on disappointing results, and management says the Iran war triggered a recession-level industry decline. New signs the K-shaped is widening. Plus, McDonald's stays afloat while Shake Shack stumbles. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On May 31 – June 2, in NYC, the industry-defining NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference is taking place. In this Suite Spot episode we are pulling back the curtain on what to expect at this year's landmark event. Joining us on the Suite Spot is Alexi Khajavi, President of Hospitality, Travel, and Real Estate at Questex. In this exclusive preview, Alexi breaks down the 2026 NYU IHIF agenda and shares why this year's gathering is more critical than ever for hospitality leaders, hoteliers, and investors.  Tune in now. Ryan Embree: Welcome to Suite Spot, where hoteliers check in, and we check out what’s trending in hotel marketing. I’m your host, Ryan Embree. Hello everyone. Welcome to another episode of The Suite Spot. This is your host, as always, Ryan Embree here with another hospitality event preview with a very familiar guest, very excited about this conversation. It’s spring, so right around the corner, we know what’s next, one of the premier events of the hospitality event calendar. Here to talk with me, a frequent guest, Alexi Khajavi, Questex, President, Hospitality and Real Estate. Alexi, thank you so much for joining me again here on the Suite Spot. Alexi Khajavi: Ryan, great to see you. Great to be back. Ryan Embree: Yes, it has been too long since we last spoke. We were out in Denver together at the Hospitality Show there on stage. Alexi, you were talking about everything that happened over the course of an entire year. I feel like from October to where we sit right now, in the middle of spring, it’s felt like a complete change. Whirlwind. I’m not even sure if when this episode’s released how much there could be even more change, but since then, so ground us. Give us a little sense of the state of hospitality and the sentence EE everything that you’re feeling right now. Alexi Khajavi: What we saw each other end of October in Denver, just at the conclusion of the hospitality show. And I guess, yeah, to your point, every day is, like an like a year or or seven years for that matter. So, six months on I mean, some consistencies, and I suppose the consistency is the volatility just in the geopolitics, macroeconomics, local state of affairs. And that does have a knock on effect on, on tourism and hospitality certainly. But some of the themes are consistent and that is that it is a, a continued challenging operational environment. rev pars have which we talked about rev pars, we were starting to see some normalization after they had been really on a only an up into the right performance for the prior three years. We started seeing that slowing down in Q3, Q4 of last year. And that has continued. One of the, the aspects, and a lot of people are talking about it, is a Ks shaped economy. And so you’re still seeing some, some interesting and pretty exciting, RevPAR ADR growth on the luxury side of that upper part of the K, if you will. And in the lower K of the market, you’re, you’re seeing increasing and continued challenges. Right? And I think everyone is sort of asking two questions around that, which is one is how much more runway of growth does the luxury market have? And then in on, on the sort of upper upscale midscale and economy, is the economic conditions going to encourage a trading down of the consumer. Speaking to David Pepper, for example, from Choice yesterday, they are seeing some positive RevPAR growth in that upper upscale, which, they’ve got a lot of hotel stock in. So I think the question is and we’re seeing some data that the customer is still traveling. They still see both on the leisure sh leisure side from the experience economy, travel as not being discretionary and not being something that they’re willing to give up, but something that they may trade down for make it more economical, domestic tourism, and drive to staycations those types of things versus the international travel, which certainly was in demand for the last three years. Corporate travel, I think that’s, that’s directly tied to GDP and the economy. But again, corporate travel has actually been coming back. It lagged leisure tourism recovery. So that’s been, performing quite well. Again, business is done face to face. It’s why we do live events in the, in, in, in the sectors in which we serve. So, continued operational challenge, questions around demand, a lot of impact from AI on demand, and how that demand is coming to your brand.com or to your property website, how they’re searching. SEO is in massive disruption. So, it’s not a typical recovery at this point. It’s, it’s fragmented, it’s bifurcated. It depends what part of the market you are in. There’s divergent recovery that’s sort of replacing that, that high tide lifts all boats. That uneven demand is translating into really kind of diversity of performance. And so it depends what markets you’re in. So the operating side is, is is tough. It is becoming harder and it is becoming more expensive. And yet there are some tools out there, AI and others, and technology generally that’s offering a lot of opportunity for optimization, efficiency, productivity in those areas, which will flow through to the bottom line. And then we’re also seeing, kind of a bifurcation in the capital markets. On, on, on the big side, there is a ton of capital that is chasing hospitality, moving from other asset classes whether it be office or retail or industrial. And they’re moving into hospitality for all the reasons that it’s operational real estate. It’s a tailwind market from the experience economy, despite the fact that we are cyclical, right? It goes up and down, but there’s a ton of liquidity. There’s a, there’s a wall of money that’s chasing, the asset class ranging from your owner operator franchisee, which is looking to grow from three properties to 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, whatever it may be, to institutional capital, which really never looked at a hospitality in general. So that’s creating more diversity in the type of investors which is coming into the market. So again, all of that challenge could unlock the transaction market. And then with those transactions, we see this regeneration of capital CapEx is deployed, and that’s really good for the industry. I mean, nobody likes to see falling net operating incomes, in running hotels. But that being said, it means that people have to be hyper-focused on how to run those hotels more efficiently. Why we run the hospitality show. And at the same time, NYU coming up, a lot of new capital coming into the market, a lot of capital chasing that, trying to figure out where the deals are, where to deploy that capital. And again, that’s why we have events like IHIF EMEA in Berlin, which was a few weeks ago. And to your point, NYU IHIF coming up in five weeks. Ryan Embree: It’s so many storylines in our industry right now that we’re chasing. We’d even touch on the upcoming summer, summer World Cup and events like the Olympics here in a couple years that are also gonna have a massive shift in international travel, which has been down. So again, so many challenges, but also think opportunistic time right now in hospitality and being at a spot like NYU is one of those places to capture those opportunities, to learn more about that from your peers, to have those conversations. Networking, I mean, I’ll, I’ll turn our attention there with some impressive numbers from the event. 2200 delegates, 450 plus C-suite executives, 400 plus investors, and $132 billion in assets under management there. So it’s impressive, like I said, impressive feat and number that you have all gathered in, one of the hospitality meccas of the world, which is New York City. What makes this event different from other hospitality events, and why is it a really a can’t miss for, for hoteliers investors this year? Alexi Khajavi: Yeah, I would say it’s a couple of things. One which you touched upon, which is, New York City financial capital of the world, it is the gateway city for the us it is, a hospitality driven economy. But it’s also one of the most thriving, financial market economies, in the US and certainly the world as well. So, that if you were to think, where do you hold an investment forum in any sector, but for that matter, in hospitality, New York, no better place, right? The money is there, the banks are there, the professional services are there, the brokers are there and many of the, the top brands are on the Eastern Shore board from DC and Maryland, up to the city here. So, it is just simply having it in New York. Second, it’s got a 40 year history associated with the New York University and the School of Hospitality and the John Tisch Center of Hospitality. It’s the only event where a portion of every dollar and revenue spent there goes towards supporting the next generation of hospitality professionals. So, we continue to partner with NYU and the School of Professional Studies. There, it’s an incredible partnership, which we’re just privileged and delighted to continue. And the fact that labor and talent is a massive challenge for the industry that, that you’re, you’re supporting a school which is turning out some of the most talented future hospitality professionals in the world by attending or sponsoring that’s goodwill. And, and we’re just delighted to be able to support that. So, that, again, I think is another anchor for why NYU is just such a special event and is different from a lot of the other good events that are, that are out there. And then lastly, NYU is part of a global portfolio of hospitality investment forums. And so, we have our event in Berlin. We have an event in Manchester, UK. We have an event in Athens, Greece, which is focused on the branded resi and the resort, segment, which is international and frankly, one of the fastest growing segments in hospitality. And then we have our Asia event in Hong Kong. So, we’re able to still bring in that global capital, those global operators that want to do business, want to bring their brands, want to deploy capital, want to invest in the us. So it’s not just a New York show, it’s not just a US focused show, but it’s a North America event where how do operators, how do investors, and how does the ecosystem of professional services come in and facilitate and drive deals to invest in the US and North American hotel market and all those things coming together, make it vibrant, make it diverse, make it one of the most active deal making conferences in the circuit. It really is for the investors to connect, with each other, but also the rest of the segments and the stakeholders, as it’s very diverse and fragmented industry. So deals get done. I mean, it was just on a in a conversation, a few weeks ago talking about a deal that’s been, announced since then. But they met in New York last June and really kicked off those conversations there at New York. And that ultimately consummated in a deal, in the fourth quarter of, of, of last year. We know that that’s what our value proposition is, and we know that’s why people spend their time with us and invest in, in NYU and we expect it to be even more vibrant and active on the deal making side, this June. So it should be should be a good event. Ryan Embree: That’s why I was gonna say, I had the privilege of attending for the first time last year, and I think the biggest difference for me was just the energy and the buzzing, and it just, it felt like what you said, it felt like deals were moving forward, whether that was the first time someone was connecting and networking, or whether it was something where these, these deals are not done in a vacuum or a silo that they take time, they take effort, and they take meetings like this, right? This connection, sometimes it’s, especially in a challenging market, can be the thing that brings a deal across the finish line. So it was palpable in the air when we were at that event last year. And it was a, it was a who’s who in hospitality too. You turned one way as a brand leader over here. Next is a president of asset management company. It really was an an extremely impressive event. I wanna get your thoughts, Alexi. You mentioned the sister events, the IHIF emea, which just wrapped up here at the end of March, obviously completely different markets that we’re talking about, but I still think holistically, there’s probably some lessons, feedback and sentiment that you could probably share that will translate into NYU, right? And some of those themes that are gonna make it there. What was your kind of, I guess, overall sentiment about the event and how just the energy and hotelier’s feeling was around that event? Alexi Khajavi: Yeah, I mean to go back to the start of the podcast, every day, there’s been something else. There’s been a, a ton of volatility in the market, a lot of uncertainty in, in the world. We still have a, a conflict, going on in, in Europe with, Ukraine and Russia. We now have a conflict happening in the Middle East. You’ve got macroeconomic conditions of still tariffs and the inflation that is causing interest rates still remain elevated, albeit they’ve, they’ve come down, over the last sort of 12 months. Elevated however, to historical, all of that creates uncertainty in the market. And as an investor said in, in Berlin, we can, we’re very good at penciling in risk and quantifying, the impact of that risk on both present day valuation. And a 20 year IRR, what is harder to pencil in is volatility and uncertainty. The certainty of risk is fine because you can quantify, the impact that that risk will have on the business. What you can’t is the uncertainty. And so with that, what we saw in Berlin, however, is that really is driving a lot of engagement around the expertise and the speakers and the sessions. We really pride ourselves on not having the same speakers every year saying the same things. We always leave a portion of our programs sort of unfinished, if you will, or, started but un unfinished because, because of that volatility in the market. So we saw a huge amount of engagement with people in the, in the sessions, in the rooms, which is interesting because at the end of the day, it is a deal making conference. And people are in meeting rooms, they’re up in suites they’re in the lobby and they’re, they’re engaging with each other, they’re there to do business. But we saw a lot of engagement, increased engagement with the sessions that we had. We then saw those individuals that were in a session often go out of the session and engage with each other and engage with speakers. And so one of the things that we’re doing is creating content fueled networking. So, a session will then lead to a round table where the speakers will stick around and the delegates or the folks that were in that session as an audience are able to then continue that conversation and go deeper and get into an actual conversation rather than just sort of a q and a that’s, that’s tagged on at the end. So it really created a, I think, a huge amount of engagement and peer-to-peer conversations. And really, I think people seeking a perspective. When, when you’re in a volatile market, really the most important thing you can do is to, to talk to your peers, to talk to your competitors, to talk to your mentors and get different perspectives to try and create some fidelity of what didn’t work or what has working, or what are the things that you’re trying out that’s really exciting. I mean, we really love that because, an open market, a transparent market, and an engaged market on the buy side and the sell side is a more informed market. Everybody needs that, right? It just makes markets more efficient. It make every, makes everybody better operators, and it creates a transparency as to where those opportunities are. And that’s, that is a, a tide that does lift all boats. The other thing I would say, Ryan, is, is that there’s always this question in an, an investment forum, like IHIF, like NYU as to what the sentiment is. And we’ve been tracking investor sentiment for the last five years now, since, January of 2020, which was an interesting time to first sentiment. Yeah. And it’s interesting because it certainly went down during COVID, no news flash there. It quickly rose up from 22 to 21 to 24, and then it’s leveled off since then. And it’s kind of just, a few index points gone, gone up or down depending on all of this volatility Liberation day last year, which was the first day of April, if I’m not mistaken, which was actually right during IHIF was created a lot of pessimism. It, however, was replaced with some optimism as interest rates fell down. So the sentiment to that question was, was actually quite positive. I think maybe through just the density of volatility or the consistency of volatility. People are somewhat getting used to it and separating noise from substance. And, and really there are the, there are more deals coming to market. We are seeing a diversification of capital coming into the market, lot of high net worth, lot of family office, a lot of institutional capital, sovereign wealth pension funds. And what that’s creating is more demand. So you’re starting, when we talk to the brokers, you’re starting to see a number of underbids in terms of a mandate comes to the market. A transaction occurred, but there was 6, 7, 8 under bidders in that transaction that shows interest, it shows appetite and it shows that the bid ask gap to a certain extent is narrowing. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean in all cases that valuations have come down. I think buyers would like them to, but at the end of the day, I think capital, and we’re seeing capital become more confident and have more conviction in the market, but that also there are regeneration opportunities through CapEx deployment, through repositioning and through other levers that they have to pull, that they can take an asset that is performing at x and through CapEx and better operations and better plans, better brand, make it X plus y. And that was really the sentiment coming out of Berlin that the market is opening up, that there is a diversity of capital coming into it that’s creating a lot more demand and through a number of different sort of challenges, or let’s just say realities on the operator side, you are seeing a higher interest in selling. And I think that that will start to, to narrow the bid ask gap and look the unlocking of the market. We’ve been waiting for it for two, three years. It’s been a challenging market, but I think everyone’s seeing some optimism. I think the wishlist is, is that we reduce the amount of volatility in the market, but that’s an uncontrollable from your and and my perspective, we don’t have much control of that. Ryan Embree: Yeah. But I think the industry’s skin is, is thickening to that, right? And we’ve talked about that, how it’s our new normal is the constant state of change. And I also think it’s something, I’m not sure if we’ve talked about or thought about this too much, but we really saw worst case scenario just six years ago of being like, where everything dropped to none. When we’re assessing risk, we’re a lot more battle test. This industry is a lot more battle tested than maybe previous than it had previously. So some of these uncontrollables, like you mentioned, that yes, they are headwinds, yes, they are challenges, but it’s those investors right now that see opportunities that assess that risk and say there could be some really, really great upside at a at a time right now. And one of the places also where there is a lot of uncertainty, but I would, I would almost phrase it in the sense of a, of a positive uncertainty is the impact that AI is gonna have on our business in the future. And the gains and dividends that we can yield from those have really just scratch the surface. And we talked about this, and I wanna bring that into the conversation ’cause it’s hard to not talk about it anymore, right? It, I think we don’t go a, a podcast episode without bringing it up and people filling out their bingo cards on AI and technology. But I want, I wanna take us back to where we were a year ago, and maybe we can do this an exercise. Alexi, what would you grade right now, our industry, which historically has been maybe on the lighter end of the spectrum of a technology adoption, but what would you, what grade would you give it? Because I think we’re at this weird inflection point where hoteliers and brands and management companies and really everybody’s starting to look and saying, alright, we’ve implemented some ai. Where are the dividends? Where are the results? How do I measure these successes? What, what grade would you give and how do you think we can improve there? Alexi Khajavi: You know, that’s a, that’s a great question because it’s not an easy one to answer. Sure and not to cop out of giving you a specific answer, I would give it a a non-applicable, because the reality is, is that technology as a whole, in terms of using technology as a tool to optimize the hospitality market, I would certainly give ourselves a c plus. I think that’s historically been where we have failed for many reasons, which we can we don’t need to go into right , we know, we know that. But I think, I think AI right now is there is an overestimation of its impact on the near term, and there’s an under appreciation for its impact on, on the long term. Love that that’s, that’s quickly, quickly changing. I mean, if you, to your point, if you just look at the last six months, massive wholesale change, and I, so I think that that’s changing very quickly that people are starting to appreciate this. This is enormous, both in its capacity to be a force of good as well as its capacity to be a, a force of bad, to sort of broadly call it as such. But that being said, I think there’s sort of two themes around ai. One is on the, on the sort of operational side, AI has, has largely, I think been distributed as a individual choice through the industry and the departments. And the overall, whether you’re on the brand side or the operator side or the investor side, I know that there are mandates and there are committees and everybody’s sort of got their own playbook to how they’re using ai. But at the end of the day, it’s gonna come down to any individual that’s using it or not using it in their respective role. And that’s all over the map. Some people are using it, some people are not. And, and frankly, I think those that are using it are going to be better off for their r and d and just their effort to try and figure it out. Because the more you use it, the better off you become at using. It’s, it’s a tool like any tool, right? You, you need how to use how to use that tool in order for it to do the job you want it to do. So in that case, I think we’re probably no different than some other industries, which are certainly spending a lot of money on it and trying to figure it out. The other aspect of it though, that I think is really interesting is that it is already changing, particularly those frontline manager roles. A GM, for example, that is using AI will have more time to do the things that a GM should be doing, rather than all of the back office stuff, which AI can do at scale and at pace, and to a high degree of quality with oversight and q and a being done, not just to let AI go do all those things, but that, that frees up your general manager to go do the things that really drives guest satisfaction. Respond to RFPs, take care of guests, drive revenue, be present in the local market so that you’re capturing demand drivers, in your local city or wherever you may be. So, I think if that individual GM is using AI effectively to free them up to do what a GM really should be doing, and probably why that person went into being a GM in the first place, then I think we’re gonna start to see the progress. But we haven’t really started to measure it yet. I also see on the positive side, other industries, IE healthcare are also realizing that AI is doing a lot of back office work at a very high level, or high degree of, of quality. And that’s now freeing up their own people. And what they’re finding is, is that maybe we should be engaging, empowering those roles in a hospital or healthcare broadly to be taking care of patients in a more human hospitable way. And so, in some degree, I think the long-term impact will be that other industries are now going to start looking at hospitality as being a, at the vanguard of driving human powered experiences that will drive back to revenue and premiumization and ultimately profits. So we’ve always looked to other industries for, God, we’re, so, we’re Luddites, how do you do this? What, how do teach us in hospitality? I, I think we’re going to start to see other industries look to us to, how do you actually take care of a guest, a customer for that matter? How do you do that to create loyalty to, to a, to increase average order value or ticket receipts. So I think that’s the opportunity to answer your question in terms of one area that I think is directly and already being deeply impacted is distribution and search. Search is been a, a topic of discussion for the last 30 years. And we’ve largely gone through this used SEO to fine, the white hat, the black hat the right levers to pull your all tags, your meditechs, I mean, the whole thing, right? Brand equity, la la, la. Well, AI replaces all that in one fell swoop, and nobody really knows how that’s going to play out. But on the sort of doomsday perspective, it completely wipes out your brand equity online in a search engine. On the positive side, it reinforces it because AI is simply pulling from algorithms and behaviors on the internet to sort of drive, it’s, it’s results. But again, we don’t know the answer to that. And I think already revenue management, sales and marketing distribution, those are the areas where I think in the next six months, we’re gonna be having a conversation that is gonna be completely different than the conversation we’re having today. And we’re gonna be focusing a lot on that because that is one of the areas that today is being completely upended. Ryan Embree: I one hundred percent agree with you. I think that’s where a lot of the hunger and the appetite and thirst for knowledge right now of why maybe there’s more engagement in those sessions than you’ve seen before, is because I think people are starting to, if they haven’t already started to understand the gravity of where we’re at in this inflection point and the massive disruption that this is going to cause and do not want to be left behind. And I think you’re right. There was a fascinating point you made in there about the GM and their role, and we all, the big fears around AI are, are AI replacing jobs? And I would say when it comes to hospitality, it could really upend what the, the role of a job, right? Your GM might start looking a lot more like the GM of 40 years ago when you first got into hospitality, or where you weren’t having to do those tasks. And we almost have to learn this new job. It might be the same title as general manager, but you’re doing completely different things, which is a fascinating topic to talk about because we’ve been training these young hospitality professionals in the way of what a GM is today. That role could look completely different here in the next three to five based on the, on the speed and acceleration of these, of AI tasks that they’re doing. So it, I could talk about it all the time. We do talk about it all the time, I feel like, but it’ll be very interesting to see that impact that it’s making. I wanna switch back to NYU, and this is one of my favorite questions because there’s so much intention in these, in these shows, and that’s why I love doing these episode, these preview episodes, because you get to, to learn all the work that goes in, you’ve told me before you start on these events, day after, sometimes even now hours after that first one ended. So this year’s theme sharpening the edge. Talk to us a little bit about how the team settled on this and, and the story behind it and how you’ve incorporated it into the programming a little bit. Alexi Khajavi: Yeah, I mean, sharpening the edge is, an ode to the investment, nature of the event. It’s a deal making conference and it’s in New York. And so it’s a very sort of public market Wall Street saying, where do you find your edge or where do you find your alpha compared to another investor? If all you’re doing is chasing, the broad returns of a market or an asset class for that much, or for that matter, then you’re, you’re gonna be, at the whipping end of the overall broader market. It’s not a good place to be in a volatile market like this. And it doesn’t drive the outsized returns that investors are looking for. So it really is a tip of the, the cap to where we are. We’re in New York, we have a lot of Wall Street, public Market, New York Stock Exchange, synergies there, Sarah Eisen from CNBC, comes up and moderates the CEO panel. Most of the CEOs head down for interviews, on Wall Street and CNBC and Squawk Box and so forth. And we have that partnership still with CNBC this year. So, but as you shift it to what’s happening in the capital markets as it relates to real estate and more specifically to hospitality, private equity has been the dominant capital type in hotel investment. And that’s been the case for the last decade. And today that’s really no longer the case. It’s PE is still extremely active, but it’s more diversified in terms of across investor types. So we’re seeing, again, as I said, family offices, high net worth, a lot of sovereign, a lot of institutional capital that is growing materially, that is looking to hospitality to, to deploy capital. And with that, you’re seeing a lot of opportunities around value add. PE is really your value add investor, right? They’re looking for an underperforming asset or an asset that has the ability to perform at a higher level that’s sharpening the edge, that’s driving alpha. And so PE is really looking at this as a great opportunity as institutional capital comes in and is looking for stable, more stable returns, securitized assets, and an annuity like return over a longer hold period. It’s a great opportunity for private equity to exit in a market in which it’s been tough to exit. That being said, global hotel and fund allocations in hospitality and real estate has been tough, but it’s growing and it’s coming back. And so you’ve got a lot more money coming back into the market. And, and that’s really, a positive thing. We having events across Asia, Europe, and the us it allows for us to drive that cross-border capital. US capital has been less active, but despite all the challenges, we still see a lot of, international capital, which wants to invest in the us. So that kind of diversification of capital is a real, real positive for the market. It, it means more liquidity, it means more exit opportunities to get off, on the off ramp for PE or any other investor. As more capital comes in, it offers more opportunities to exit. It provides or, or enables less sort of seasonality, if you will, in the marketplace, right? There’s less of that volatility in the marketplace as all as well. So really the sharpening the edge is about having the education, the networking, and the quality of people in the room that have the money are looking to deploy and know how to create alpha. Getting those individuals together to hear from each other, engage with one another, and ultimately, build relationships with the ecosystem that helps a deal get done, transact that transacts, underwrites that deal, and then drives that alpha from an operating value creation perspective. Those are the folks that are in the room at NYU. Ryan Embree: And you’re right in the middle of it. I mean, I remember waking up at the, the marquee and seeing Chris Nasetta on CNBC and a few hours later seeing him just a couple hundred feet up on stage in front of me. I mean, that’s the possibilities right there. Alexi Khajavi: And talking to people, right? I mean, this is the beauty of the hospitality industry is there’s really good people, right? They’re just, at the end of the day, you may be running a public company, and on TV, you’re sitting there talking to a franchisee of a Hampton that wants to meet the CEO. So it really kind of creates this very magical engagement where the fifth floor, sixth floor, seventh floor, eighth floor of the marquee are just a hive of activity with the best and the brightest from a franchisee to Chris Nasetta, to your point, there’s not many places that create that access and that transparency and cross engagement from such a diverse, but focused, sector, as NYU. So it’s a real, real special place to be. Ryan Embree: A thousand percent. And last year you used this forum to really get us fired up for some of the sessions in educations. And now you’re talking about, especially with your experience here earlier in the year, people being more open to that, being more thirsty and, and hungry for that information, looking up and down the programming. Because we know you spoke to last year the detail and depth that your team goes to create these panels, and sometimes even putting on stage opinions that differ, that go head to head to one another, to try to get that friction to try to get a rise out of that engagement. Looking up and down the agenda this year, which sessions, if you had to pick a few, do you have your eyes on? Alexi Khajavi: Well, there’s some, some obvious ones, but always at NYU, we’ve got some, some exciting ones as well. And the first one, our first session actually Monday morning, Anthony Scaramucci, the Mooch, who is an investor himself actually owns a restaurant as well, but certainly, podcaster and just an expert, on the economy, politics, the Trump administration having worked, I think 10 days, there, if I’m not mistaken. So, he’s gonna kick us off. We always have a marquee name that’s relevant to the industry, but he really has his finger on the pulse as to, one, what are all the geopolitics and the macroeconomics, in the overall state of the economy and the country, what impact is that having on the investment markets on where the opportunities are? Alexi Khajavi: And as he runs a restaurant what is he seeing? What does he think specifically of the hotel space? So I think that’s, again, that’s, that’s just not something that you get at any of the other hotel investment forums, but you get that and you’ll get it right, served with breakfast on Monday morning. So we kick off big and we kick off bold on Monday. Obviously Monday has, is a great day. We have the CEO council on Monday as well. Or sorry, the CEO panel that’s the five top brands, again, interviewed by Sarah Eisen, which they have a great rapport with. And that really does set the tone for what they’re seeing as the opportunities. Clearly they are on top of demand and where RevPAR and ADRs and occupancies are going, how they’re performing and what the differences are by chain scale. There will be a lot of conversation around how much gas in the tank does luxury have I’m sure you’ll hear differing views on that. And then are we gonna see a return to some of the midscale and upper upscale, as potentially people trade down but still travel and where’s economy, where’s extended stay? We’ve also seen these brands make some interesting investments in new concepts, graduate hotels, which is last year, yo hotels glamping and branded resi. That’s a big day. In fact, we’ve got a full day of content on branded resi with active developers developing properties right now that are branded resi mix of hotel, mixed use, retail, hospitality and so forth. And then capital markets. Capital markets our Cap Talks session is probably one of our most popular, and that’ll be a mix of both active US investors as well as foreign capital, international capital investors, sovereign Wealth, as well as private equity, which continue to look to deploy capital in the US. Alexi Khajavi: We then have Danny Meyer, who’s the founder, and CEO of Union Square Hospitality, Shake Shack. And obviously a number of other incredible Union Square restaurants in the city here. But and then you’ve got your breakouts where you will be focusing a lot on the investment development market. Asset management is a key thing, how do you drive Alpha through the operations of these hotels? So there’s a ton of content. We’ve left a lot of time for networking. We know that’s where the deal making is the eighth floor, which is the lobby level. We’ve extended the event to include the Broadway Lounge, which is this beautiful lounge overlooking Times Square. We’ll have, food and beverage in there throughout the days. Great space to network amongst all the delegates, including the ninth floor where we’ve got Marriott and Hilton taking that space. So it’s just a ton going on. And the program’s out, it’s 90% there. We still got a few couple of marquee names that we’re going to announce over the next few weeks. But really, if you’re gonna be, if you’re in hospitality, investment development and operations where you’re driving Alpha, there really is no other place to be on the first and 2nd of June. You’ve gotta be there. Ryan Embree: Yeah. I can attest to it again, first time last year have the privilege of attending officially announcing the Suite Spot will be back at NYU this year. We can’t wait. Our associate producer’s gonna be traveling with me this time. This is her first time. And there is even a first timers meet and greet that you do as well at the event, which I had the privilege of partaking in networking last year. What type of tips for any hoteliers investors that might be considering or even attending the first time, what, what one piece of advice would you drill down for this event as the best piece? Ryan Embree: I would definitely get on the app. I know that the serendipitous meeting, which to your point, you bump into the CEO of Hilton or Marriott for that matter, is great. And that’s, there’s good value in that, but we have about 70, almost 80% of all delegates are on the app. That’s great. And that’s a great place to find people and to be found and it also gives you all the other information as the agenda speaker bios, but it allows for you to reach out to other delegates. So I would definitely do, that’s, something that can be sometimes just overlooked or just not not done. And then I would go to the Sunday evening reception if it’s your first time that’s at the marquee, six o’clock, we get about 500 people there. A good mix of veterans and, and first timers. I would certainly do that. I would try and plan out your days ahead. It’s amazing how with all that, with all everything that’s going on, you can easily kind of get sidetracked. So if there are some sessions that you wanna see, you can bookmark them in the app and make sure that you, you don’t miss those. But, I would, get some sleep, stay hydrated and be prepared to have some full days of education, networking and just a whole lot of fun. Ryan Embree: Yeah. And some of the receptions that are after hours at the end of the day, are absolutely amazing too. And I know you have sponsors that kind of do that, sometimes onsite, sometimes offsite, encourage, those to attend that in full force as well. Hospitality, we definitely know how to, to host a party, that’s for sure. So Alexi, we appreciate you hosting us here on the Suite Spot and previewing this year’s 2026 NYU. We are counting down the days until June. Thank you again to my audience to learn more information. Obviously visit the website, make sure you register. Any final thoughts before we wrap up today, Alexi? Alexi Khajavi: No, just very much looking forward to seeing you there and the other 2400 people that will be joining us. So, looking very much forward to it. And appreciate your time. Ryan Embree: All right, thank you, Alexi. Thank you for listening to The Suite Spot and hope to see you at NYU in June in New York City. To join our loyalty program, be sure to subscribe and give us a five star reading on iTunes. Suite Spot is produced by Travel Media Group. Our editor is Brandon Bell, with Cover Art by Bary Gordon. I’m your host Ryan Embree, and we hope you enjoyed your stay.

From Wall Street to Main Street, the latest on the markets and what it means for your money. Updated regularly on weekdays, featuring CNBC expert analysis and sound from top business newsmakers. Anchored by CNBC's Jill Schneider. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The latest in business, financial, and market news and how it impacts your money, reported by CNBC's Peter Schacknow. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

TMZ just won't stop..!!!

The DanDalorian fills in for Tim Schneider as shares his take of the day. Gene shares his gossip talk in shots.

Michael Fanuele, Chief Brand Officer at Shake Shack, has built a career shaping some of the most iconic brands in the world. Over the course of his career, he has created market-moving work for brands such as Dos Equis, Arby's, Cadillac, Charles Schwab, Cheerios, The Economist, and Volvo. In this conversation with Ryan, he brings that same clarity and curiosity to a personal story that changes how he thinks about leadership and creativity. From uncovering his biological family to stepping into a role with real momentum, Michael opens up about fear, identity, and the responsibility that comes with leading people. They talk about hospitality as a true brand advantage, why the best ideas often come from pushing into uncomfortable territory, and how great leaders create the conditions for others to do their best work.

This week on the HowToBBQRight Podcast, with summer right around the corner, it sure is cold down here (00:17)! Shoutout to Jessie from Avocados on Demand for the huge order of avocados (04:44). I whipped up the viral Crunchwrap Supreme casserole for dinner this week, and it was killer (12:01)! Y'all have had Wagyu burgers before, but what about Wagyu hot dogs (15:03)? I made a strawberry crunch bar this week, and it might be the best dessert I've ever made (23:51). We drove all the way to Nashville to try out the new BBQ menu at Shake Shack, and it was a feast (26:35). If you're smoking a bone-in pork loin, here's how to get it done (36:05). Got some thicker strip steaks? Reverse sear them to perfection (40:11). Luzianne Tea is now the official tea of the HowToBBQRight Podcast (43:17)! Ben from Krack's Country Cookin whipped up a white sauce cucumber salad, and we might have to recreate it (44:28). Finally, we're gearing up to cook BBQ for over 300 people at the Palmer Home (45:56)!

In hour two, Hoch is all in on a new McRib-like rib sandwich coming to Shake Shack. Crowder defends eating dinner and sweets while sitting in his bed. Oronde Gadsden shares his takeaways from the Dolphins draft.

Kanoa and Billy are back in Billy's hotel room to break down the NFL Draft, the NBA Playoffs, and to answer the age-old question between In-n-Out and Shake Shack. Ryan Kalei Tsuji and Brian McInnis also join the show to talk more about Hawaii Athletics.

What if you could get access to a Masters or PhD level BCBA for free, within 24 hours, from your phone? That is exactly what Amol Deshpande built after spending years fighting a broken system just to get his own son diagnosed and into care. Amol is the founder and CEO of Frontera, a Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur who previously founded Farmers Business Network, growing it into a nearly four billion dollar company, and served as a general partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers. He pivoted his entire career after his son was diagnosed with autism at age two. In this episode, he shares what the journey has looked like over the past 12 years, why he believes the clinical community is failing parents at the moment of diagnosis, and why his son is now 14, badgering him to watch South Park, spending too much money at Shake Shack, and heading to a Knicks game. This is a conversation about hope, access, and what happens when a parent decides to do something about the system instead of just surviving it.   What you will hear in this episode: •      Why even a Silicon Valley entrepreneur with every advantage struggled to get his son diagnosed •      How his son went from a serious autism diagnosis at age two to thriving as a teenager •      Why the clinical community gets the moment of diagnosis completely wrong •      Why a diagnosis label is a baseline, not a prophecy •      How Frontera gives parents free access to expert BCBA support within 24 hours •      Why community is one of the most underrated tools in the autism parenting toolkit •      Rob shares his own sons' outcomes including what they were told would never happen   ABOUT THE GUEST Amol Deshpande is a seasoned entrepreneur and parent of a child with autism. His personal experience navigating a fragmented and inefficient care system inspired the creation of Frontera, a suite of tools that harnesses technology to expand access to high-quality behavioral healthcare for families everywhere. Amol also invests in mission-oriented ventures through Divergent Investments, his family office. Before Frontera he founded and built Farmers Business Network into a nearly four billion dollar company with 1,000 employees from scratch. Prior to that he was a general partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, where he was the first investor in companies such as Beyond Meat and Axia Vegetable Seeds.   ABOUT YOUR HOST Rob Gorski is the founder of The Autism Dad, a blog and podcast dedicated to supporting parents raising kids on the autism spectrum. As a dad of three autistic sons with over 25 years of experience, Rob brings lived experience, honesty, and heart to every conversation.   THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY If your mornings feel like a battle before the day even starts, I want to tell you about something that is genuinely changing that for families in our community. It is called VizyPlan, and it was built by a dad who gets it. The app uses AI to create visual routines with images of your actual child doing each step. Not stock photos. Not generic pictures. Your kid. Your home. Your routine. And it goes way beyond mornings. Calming tools, social stories, and advocacy support, it is all in one place. A real autism playbook for life after diagnosis. Your family's photos and information stay private and protected. VizyPlan was built with that in mind from day one. When your child can see their day before they live it, everything shifts. Visit VizyPlan.com/app to learn more and download the app. Use the code theautismdad to get your first month free. See your day. Mightier is a clinically proven app that helps kids build emotional regulation skills through biofeedback-based video games. It meets kids where they are and gives parents real tools to support them at home. Visit mightier.com and use code theautismdad22 for 10% off.   ONE MORE THING My first book is coming. It is called Your Child Was Just Diagnosed with Autism: Real Talk, Support and Next Steps from a Dad Who Has Been There, and it is everything I wish I had when we were in the thick of it. You can get updates, early access information, and preorder details at theautismdad.com/book. Go check it out.   If you found this episode helpful, please follow The Autism Dad Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Visit listen.theautismdad.com for past episodes, resources, and ways to support the show.   Produced in partnership with Frontera.

The Masters are underway. The Sabres & Amerks both earned big wins Wednesday. Plus Gene goes over the lastest NFL stories.

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN executive editor Alicia Kelso and managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including workforce news at Starbucks and Burger King (along with the monthly jobs report), another potentially game-changing value move at McDonald's, and major tech updates at Shake Shack. First up is the labor market. The March jobs report showed a slight improvement, with the industry rebounding from February's losses, but is there enough momentum heading into summer? Burger King seems to think so: It's going on a hiring spree, expressing an “immediate need” for 60,000 new employees amidst the success of its “Reclaim the Flame” initiative. And Starbucks is hoping for stronger retention with a new bonus structure for baristas, who can now earn up to $1200 extra per year, among other changes. Will it be enough to stave off unions? Alicia and Leigh Anne discuss. Then they turn to McDonald's, which just shared more details on its new $3 McValue menu launching later this month, intensifying the value wars that began almost two years ago. How low can restaurants really afford to go? Then they talk about Shake Shack's Project Catalyst, a major tech overhaul including its first loyalty program, AI tools, and modernized kitchen systems as it barrels toward a goal of 1,500 units. In the Quick Fire segment, Alicia and Leigh Anne tackle additional headlines, including Papa Johns' new sandwich offerings, 7 Brew's campus expansion, and chains joining the 1,000-unit club. For more on these stories:Restaurants claw back some of the jobs lost in FebruaryMcDonald's Under $3 Menu includes at least 10 itemsShake Shack unveils a new tech strategy to drive more growth

This episode features a lively discussion on recent travel mishaps, opinions on CrossFit programming, and the importance of enjoying fitness without overcomplication. The hosts share personal stories, critique current competition formats, and explore the value of fun and simplicity in fitness routines.   Topics  Travel chaos and airport stories Critique of CrossFit quarterfinal programming The importance of fun and exploration in fitness Discussion on competition standards and innovation The role of community and motivation in fitness Themes  The Realities of Travel Nightmares and Airport Adventures Critiquing CrossFit Quarterfinals: Innovation or Stagnation?    Sound Bites "That whole thing was a nightmare." "Shake Shack is overhyped." "The workouts are too bland." Chapters 00:00 Airport Adventures: Tyler's Travel Tales 12:30 Quarterfinal Workouts: A Critical Review 20:06 Standards in Competitive Sports 23:36 The Evolution of Competition Formats 28:36 The Need for a Unified Competitive Landscape 34:38 Rediscovering the Joy of Fitness 39:17 Closing Thoughts and Future Directions  

Independent restaurants don't like the Sysco merger. Chagee is pumping the brakes on expansion. And Shake Shack unveiled big tech upgrades.

Welcome to Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, sponsored by Duvo and Mirakl.In today's Retail Daily Minute, Omni Talk's Chris Walton discusses:McCormick acquires Unilever's food business in a nearly $45 billion deal, as Unilever sharpens its focus on faster-growing personal care.Macy's formally launches Ask Macy's, an AI conversational shopping assistant powered by Google Gemini, with early beta data showing revenue per visit nearly 5x higher among users.Allbirds agrees to sell its assets and IP to American Exchange Group for just $39 million, a fraction of the $4 billion-plus valuation it once commanded.The Retail Daily Minute has been rocketing up the Feedspot charts, so stay informed with Omni Talk's Retail Daily Minute, your source for the latest and most important retail insights.Be careful out there!

While most NYC travel tips focus on where to eat, what to pack, and attractions to see, those neglect three unglamorous details that can ruin your trip.Needing to pee in the middle of Times Square? Rough.Your phone battery dying when you're next up at the ticket scanner for a Broadway show? Yikes.Blisters on your feet after day one of your trip? Bummer.This article is gonna save you headaches, stress, and an uncomfortable trip to New York City.1- The Bathroom SituationIf the status of public restrooms in New York City were an Olympic downhill skiing race, this city would be accidentally going uphill, backwards on planks of plywood.The cleanliness, availability, and proximity of places to go pee in NYC are all awful.NYC Bathroom Advice #1 - Go Before You LeaveIf you are at a restaurant, bar, museum, etc., and are about to leave, use the restroom before you do.NYC Bathroom Advice #2 - Know Your OptionsFamiliarize yourself with places that are likely to have bathrooms, including but not limited to:Hotel lobbiesNew York Public LibrariesSome parks (not all, mind you)Whole FoodsMany coffee shops (not all, again)And, do yourself the favor and follow this amazing Google Maps list from Got2GoNYC! It shows hundreds of available bathrooms throughout the city.2- Staying Charged & ConnectedThe present reality is that you need your phone to explore New York City. You will use it for Google Maps to navigate to your next destination, it will have your tickets for Broadway shows, and it will, of course, serve as your camera for documenting your travels.You cannot afford for your phone to die.Phone Charging Advice #1 - Charging AroundA better option is to charge somewhere that gets you a place to rest, a break from the elements, and a spot to charge your devices. Here are a few reliable places you can charge your phone (and often get free WiFi, too) in New York City:Many fast-food-style restaurants, such as McDonald's and Shake Shack.Many coffee shopsPublic librariesFood-eating areas of bodegas, grocery stores, or delisPhone Charging Advice #2 - Portable ChargerBetter than relying on a plug that may or may not exist, invest in a portable charger.I have used this Luxtude charger for years, even buying the larger version for travel. I love that it's compact, can give about 1.25 charges, and has the built-in cord.3- Taking 20k StepsWhen visiting New York City, plan on taking around 20,000 steps each day. That equates to roughly 8 to 10 miles (13 to 16 km) every day!Walking Tip #1 - Prioritize Quality ShoesWhile you can reserve your best heels for a night out, during most of your day, you will want to wear comfortable, walking-friendly shoes.As a bonus point, waterproof or water-resistant shoes are huge! NYC has its rainiest spells in the summer, so be prepared even in the summer.Walking Tip #2 - Find the Better SideThe skyscrapers and plethora of buildings create interesting temperature swings. You can use that to your advantage!In the hot summer months, find the shady side of the sidewalk to walk on. In the cold winter months, find the sunny side of the sidewalk to walk on.Walking Tip #3 - Know Your DistancesIn Manhattan, in the grid system areas, 20 blocks is roughly a mile. For average walking speed, that's 15-25 minutes of walking.Walking Tip #4 - Anti-ChafeIt only takes one bad chafing experience to actively avoid it in the future!This anti-chafe stick from Body Glide will be $10 well spent.

In a nutshell, the boys re-cap their March Break adventures. Dom faced some challenges trying to buy movie theatre tickets while Vik witnessed the Shake Shack security team in action. Dom gave Vik some epoxy advice and the guys discussed some stuff they're working on this week. The Jurassic Park series is discussed while neither of the boys know what Bitcoin mining is. Thanks so much for listening and any and all support is appreciated. Vik www.thestumpshop.comDom www.minspiredliving .com

A paparazzi photo of Taylor Swift getting out of a car at Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Chateau Marmont party went viral showing nothing but her feet, a black dress, and an umbrella—and Ricki immediately identified it was Taylor because "they always put umbrellas up around her when she gets off her private jet, and only Beyoncé does that too." We also discovered the Bridesmaids cast reunited at the Oscars 15 years later, Rebel Wilson hates the Rozelle Interchange so much she takes a helicopter to work, and In-N-Out Burger is overrated (Shake Shack and Fat Sal's are better).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

McDonald's CEO: McDonald's CEO goes viral and every other fast food CEO wants in on the fun. This definitely sold a shit ton of Big Arch burgers.Palette Cleansers: From the Doordash Dot, the creepy home drone camera and the sleepy Indian spying on you, the future is bleak. Also Kelly Osbourne is withering away.THE BEAR!, FUCK YOU WATCH THIS!, METHOD MAN!, GZA!, SHADOWBOXIN'!, 4TH CHAMBER!, GHOSTFACE!, KILLAH PRIEST!, RZA!, POLITICAL STUFF!, IRAQ!, WHAT HAPPENED!, BURGER KING!, EPSTEIN FILES!, HDM VOICEMAIL!, SERVE YOU!, LEGAL THREATS!, UNHINGED!, DOCUMENTARY COMMENTARY!, YOUTUBE!, COMPLAINTS!, LOONEY!, MCDONALDS CEO!, VIRAL!, BIG ARCH!, SPRITE!, FRIES!, CRISPY ONIONS!, SLIVERED ONIONS!, PLANNED!, REVIEWBRUH!, BURGER KING CEO!, WHOPPER!, WENDY'S CEO!, A&W SPOKESPERSON!, AUTISTIC!, LITTLE BITE!, GOY SLOP!, PRODUCT!, BUN SUCKERS!, PLAN YOUR LAST BITE MOTHERFUCKER!, PLANNING YOUR LAST BITE!, PLAN MY LAST BITE OF A MEAL MOTHERFUCKER!, MAYOR!, NEW YORK!, BURGER ELEMENT!, SHAKE SHACK!, COVID!, VACCINES!, EATING PIZZA FORK AND KNIFE!, WHATABURGER!, UNDERRATED BURGER!, WAYMO!, DOORDASH DOT!, DRONE!, AUTO DRIVE PODS!, REPLACE DELIVERY DRIVERS!, AUTONOMOUS!, EXPLOSIVES!, ELECTRIC SCOOTERS!, CLOSE WAYMO DOORS!, META GLASSES!, INDIAN PEOPLE!, SLEEPY INDIAN IMPRESSION!, AMAZON DRONE CAMERA!, RING!, OPEN MIC COMEDIAN!, SHARON OSBOURNE!, KELLY OSBOURNE!, LOOKS WEIRD!, FRAIL!, SURGERY!, OZEMPIC!, FIREWORK FAIL!, TERRY!, GLUE HANDS!, STUCK!, GENIUS! You can find the videos from this episode at our Discord RIGHT HERE!

01:07 Good News, Bad News08:14 Pop Trash14:28 Are You Smarter Than A Community College Dropout? 24:19 Voicemail: Mahoney Tries The Big Arch31:30 Redneck Report39:21 Voicemail: Worst Paying Jobs Continued44:06 Shake Shack's Tipping ScandalSocials: @DaveandMahoney Voicemail: 833-Yo-Dummy Additional Content: daveandmahoney.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Steak n Shake worse than Shake Shack? Are we in on the Hunger games?

On this week's Extra Serving, NRN editor in chief Sam Oches and executive editor Alicia Kelso discuss the latest restaurant industry news, including McDonald's Big Arch Burger coming to the U.S., Domino's incredible dominance over its pizza competitors, and Sweetgreen's disastrous fourth quarter. First up is McDonald's, which announced that its Big Arch Burger — which has tested internationally since 2024 — would come to the U.S. starting March 3. Sam and Alicia discuss the premium burger, with Alicia explaining how the new item fulfills a barbell strategy for the brand, and Sam wondering how it differs from past McDonald's failures like the Arch Deluxe and Angus burgers. Next they dive into last week's earnings, starting with the pizza category. Domino's reported another strong quarter, reassuring anyone who thought the pizza category as a whole might be faltering. Sam and Alicia talk about Domino's market share gains in pizza and how it's doing so well while competitors Pizza Hut and Papa Johns are floundering; in fact, Papa Johns reported this week that sales were down 5% in the latest quarter, and that it would close 300 underperforming locations. What's going on in pizza? They then move their attention to the full-service side of the industry, where casual dining stalwarts like Applebee's, BJ's, Red Robin, and Outback mostly had good news report, while family dining brands like First Watch and IHOP dispelled notions that the category was suffering from customers cutting back on their breakfast and brunch spend. Could there be sustained momentum in full-service dining? Sam and Alicia break it down. Finally, in this week's “extra serving” portion of the episode, managing editor Leigh Anne Zinsmeister joins to talk about results from leading fast-casual brands, including CAVA and Shake Shack, which enjoyed positive results, and Sweetgreen, which had a disastrous quarter with sales down 11.5%.For more on these stories:McDonald's is bringing its Big Arch Burger to the U.S.Domino's defies industry-wide consumer spending slowdown with 3.7% Q4 same-store sales growthSweetgreen moves with ‘urgency' as same-store sales plummet 11.5%

Hour 2 opens with a tribute to Connor Hellebuyck, whose incredible performance in net was pivotal to the United States Men's National Ice Hockey Team winning gold, highlighting why the U.S. may not have prevailed without him. The conversation then shifts to lighter, more humorous territory as a special guest roasts the Rooster for calling Shake Shack overrated, only to enjoy it after tasting it again, prompting a self-reflective moment where he pats himself on the back for his willingness to compromise and grow. The hour wraps with NFL offseason insight as Chris Russell breaks down the Washington Commanders' free agency outlook, explaining why the team is not expected to use a franchise tag and emphasizing the need to build depth at the edge position based on lessons from last season.

The show opens with an exhilarating recap of international sports, as United States men's national ice hockey team captures gold on an overtime winner from Jack Hughes, with Chris Russell breaking down how the U.S. survived despite being outplayed by Canada men's national ice hockey team for much of the game. The conversation also touches on the odd tradition of the losing coach not receiving a medal and highlights Team USA goalie whose stellar performance was pivotal to the victory. The discussion then shifts to the NFL offseason, including the implications of franchise tagging, the tight end market, and why the Washington Commanders are prioritizing depth at the edge position over chasing high-priced stars in a thin free-agent market. Lighter moments balance the show, from a guest roasting Chris Russell for a Shake Shack comment to media mishaps like ESPN mistakenly using the wrong photo of a deceased player, and the hour closes with reactions to President Trump celebrating the U.S. men's hockey gold while sparking controversy with remarks about the women's team.

SPONSORS: Check out the new show from Ian Fidance "IAN DO: AN ODD GUY DOIN ODD JOBS" new episodes every other Tuesday!    / @ianfidancecomedy   Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at https://shopify.com/date Lauren Compton is joined by comedian Sean Patton, who walks her through the perfect first date in New York City—*from *Shake Shack to walking the High Line and everything in between. Sean breaks down where to go, how to catch a real vibe, and how to end the night the right way, while mixing in stories about NYC drinking laws, dating fails, Texas BBQ, and why simple plans beat fancy ones every time.

Go to http://HelloFresh.com/thesip10fm  to Get 10 free meals + a FREE Zwilling Knife (a $144.99 value) on your third box. Use my code for 10% off your next SeatGeek order*: https://seatgeek.onelink.me/RrnK/THESIP10 Sponsored by SeatGeek! *Restrictions apply. Max $20 discount

Hey we're back! And where did everybody go? Seriously... it's like a ghost town around here. No one. Nothing. Not even one Shake Shack. Anyway, Mike (@comedymikegoldstein) and Lizzy (@lizzyhoo) were clearly up all night partying with Kyrgios because they are dusty and barely making sense. There's tennis-adjacent chat, new (and very cheap) graphics, and some wild speculation about what AO champion, Carlos Alcaraz, will get for a tattoo. And all this happens while Ace vapes in the corner, giving off a menacing vibe. Oh, and we finish with a very special visit from the uber-sensual tennis legend, Marat Safin. Gee he's cool. And smells nice. I mean like, really nice. I would best describe it as an intoxicating mix of moisturising cream and sandalwood. AusOpen.comiHeartApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jordo went chubby and Max blew the big game episode. Plus, the reason Shake Shack actually loses to In-N-Out, weight loss drug life, the porno home, kids ruin the guac, fancy cocktail bars are missing this one thing, and all the sandwiches, cheese, cakes, halftime shows, and ranch dressing drips.

It's been almost 2 years since Nate Cardin last graced the pages of the NYTimes, and from our perspective that's almost 2 years too long. But he's back now, and in excellent form, with a wry theme and some amusing other clues. We were buoyed by the juxtaposition of 53A, Beyond well-done, BURNT, and 56A, Exceptionally good, in Gen Z slang, FIRE (a GUCCI of a clue, in our opinion

Weight Watchers became one of the most trusted brands in weight-loss by emphasizing the importance of human connection. Now, medications like GLP-1's have completely changed the weight loss landscape, and Weight Watchers has adapted their platform and product offerings to meet the moment. Tara Comonte became the President and CEO of Weight Watchers in February of 2025 after serving as a director since June of 2023. Tara has over two decades of executive leadership experience across corporate and digital strategy, technology, operations, and finance. That includes serving as CEO of Tomorrow Life Sciences, CFO of Shake Shack, Chief Financial and Business Affairs Officer at Getty Images, and CFO of McCann World Group, the world's largest marketing communications business. Today, Tara takes us through a whirlwind year for Weight Watchers, and discusses her plans for reinvigorating the brand through innovation, while maintaining their emphasis on personal connections.Highlights:History of Weight Watchers (2:15)Brand Positioning (6:50)Pharmaceutical Company Collaborations (10:03)Rebranding Weight Watchers (11:38)Product Innovations (13:25)Brand Partnerships (15:39)Marketing Strategy (17:50)Weight Watchers' B2B Strategy (20:48)Using AI and Maintaining Human Connection (22:34)Outlook for 2026 (24:35)Links:Tara Comonte LinkedInWeight Watchers LinkedInWeight Watchers WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co.

CNBC Leader's Playbook features conversations with the world's top CEOs and business leaders about how they think, decide, and lead, hosted by CNBC Senior Media & Tech Correspondent Julia Boorstin.In this episode, Shake Shack Founder Danny Meyer and CEO Rob Lynch reveal the leadership strategies that helped them build and grow a single hot dog cart into one of the fastest growing restaurant chains in America.All-new episodes air Wednesdays at 10PM ET/PT on CNBC. Visit CNBC.com/LeadersPlaybook for more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(00:00-34:20) Happy birthday, Keith Richards. Audio of Mad Dog absolutely furious with Travis Kelce for not talking to the media. Cal May. We're the Call Her Daddy of St. Louis sports talk radio. Brock Bowers' hairline. Iggy made salmon to take to drug church. Missouri State in the XBox Bowl. Jackson struggled putting together a new TV stand. More hands make less work. We need highly skilled heroes. Scout before you pop. Ballwin Beer Bitch wants to hop on real quick to thank Tim for motivating the Billikens. Loofa talk.(34:29-40:13) Billy Eilish is 24 today. Josh Pate thinks Drink is involved in the Michigan coaching search. Audio of Kenny Dillingham talking about loving it at Arizona State. You aging stump!(40:23-1:06:46) Head coach of the SLU Billikens, Josh Schertz joins us. Coach credits Tim for the Billikens good play. Hey Dummy, make more shots. Coach had a sense before the season started that he had something good. Looking back at the gut wrenching loss against Stanford. The all guard lineup. The team's shooting success. Kellen Thames. Shake Shack.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Danny Meyer is best known as the founder of Shake Shack and the legendary restaurants of his Union Square Hospitality Group in New York City. He joined host Jeff Berman in 2024 for the first Masters of Scale Live, presented by Capital One Business. Later in the conversation, Danny's daughter, Hallie Meyer, joined them on stage. Hallie is busy scaling her own food venture, the gourmet NYC ice cream shop Caffè Panna. The Meyers offer invaluable insights on how to scale great experiences for customers and teams.Subscribe to the Masters of Scale weekly newsletter: https://mastersofscale.com/subscribe See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

SVP and Stanford Steve are back to break down Week 9 of the NFL season, discussing the top NFC contenders, who's in Pooptown and more. SVP is HUGE on the Seahawks and Rams. Are they the two best teams in the NFC? Who are the top 4? Plus a full MNF reaction and Dallas recap, where the Cardinals cruised against the Cowboys. The guys also discuss the Sauce Gardner trade, what to make of the Colts, Steelers, Chargers and Broncos, how bad it could get for the Commanders and more. Plus, the Big Man is headed to Lubbock and y'all need to show up and show out. Additionally, be careful when touching the Shake Shack plates on Delta flights, a word on the start to the College basketball and NBA seasons, how the life of an NFL kicker is insane, important programming notes and more. | SVPod Approximate Timecodes: (0:00) Intro (3:02) Programming notes (5:13) Merch coming? (6:24) Cowboys trade for Logan Wilson (8:16) AT&T Stadium is awesome (9:31) Dallas recap (14:29) MNF recap (16:43) Jacoby Brissett should be QB1 (18:51) Seahawks dominate Commanders (20:11) Rams blow out Saints (22:41) SVP's Top 4 NFC teams (29:17) AFC div leaders or the field? (31:03) Bills beat Chiefs (33:04) Thoughts on IND, LAC and DEN (37:13) Current residents of Pooptown (41:29) Should Jayden Daniels have been in the game? (44:16) More on World Series Game 7 (47:05) The life of an NFL kicker is wild (53:40) Steve is headed to Lubbock (53:35) CBB szn is underway (1:01:54) Shake Shack plates are DANGEROUS (1:03:53) NBA update (1:07:45) Who won the Sauce trade? (1:10:03) Clemson-PSU Natty not happening (1:10:50) CFP Rankings show preview (1:12:41) Coming up (1:16:49) Thanks for watching Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices