In this episode, Xavier Mariezcurrena sits down with Steve Uhr, the Director of New Restaurant Openings for STARR Restaurants. Steve shares his journey from burnout to becoming the architect behind nearly 10 successful restaurant launches in just three years, revealing the "masochism" required to execute strategies for successful new restaurant openings in today's volatile market.Steve offers an unfiltered look at the difference between the DC and Philadelphia labor markets, how to manage the "smartphone generation," why the pre-opening phase is sacred, and the brilliant way his team used ChatGPT to fact-check a food critic.

In this episode of the 86 Reason Podcast, host Xavier Mariezcurrena sits down with Dan Anfinson, COO of MH Restaurant Group and President of The Slapfish Company, to uncover how a former dishwasher is revolutionizing restaurant operations across Texas.Dan reveals his game-changing approach to AI implementation in restaurant back-of-house operations, sharing how he discovered 240 basis points in his P&L by focusing on kitchen prep standardization instead of front-of-house automation.He introduces the "Wizard of Oz" effect, keeping technology invisible so the guest experience stays authentically human.Beyond the numbers, Dan opens up about his leadership journey, the "blood pact" commitment he made with his team, and his conscious decision to prioritize being a "Great Dad" over being a "Kick-Ass Operator."

From collecting grease traps to leading cloud transformation at Sage Intacct, Chad Freedman's journey reveals how restaurant CFOs are evolving from data entry clerks to strategic advisors.In this episode of the 86 Reason Podcast, host Xavier Mariezcurrena sits down with Chad Freedman, Director & Practice Lead for Hospitality at Sage Intacct, who literally went door-to-door collecting used cooking oil before becoming a leader in restaurant finance technology. His unconventional path gives him a unique perspective on what restaurant finance leaders actually need to drive growth.

Why do restaurants with 45-minute waits still go broke?Bruce Nelson learned this the hard way. After 20 years in the industry, he opened his dream restaurant—packed tables, rave reviews, the works. It closed in 13 months. The brutal lesson? He had mastered the "Magic" of hospitality but completely ignored the "Math" of profit.Now, as a Fractional CFO and author of "Restaurant Management: The Myth, the Magic, the Math," Bruce helps restaurant groups scale from $13M to over $66M by teaching them what most culinary schools never do: how to actually make money.In this episode of the 86 Reason Podcast, host Xavier Mariezcurrena unpacks Bruce's framework for sustainable restaurant success, the critical mistakes operators make with pricing and overhead, and why your busiest night might be costing you more than you think.

What does playing first flute in a world-class orchestra have to do with creating exceptional restaurant podcasts? Everything, according to Raquel Murillo. In this episode of the 86 Reason Hospitality Podcast, host Xavier Mariezcurrena explores how classical discipline translates directly into the precision and excellence required to curate the best voices in hospitality.Raquel brings an unconventional blend of musical mastery, front-line restaurant experience, and corporate precision to her role as Executive Relationship Manager at Over Easy Office. With a Master's degree in Music, a Specialization in Commercial Law, and over a decade supporting C-level executives at companies like Jerónimo Martins, she applies the same "first flute" discipline to curating the 86 Reason Hospitality Podcast, ensuring every episode features leaders whose unfiltered stories of resilience truly move the needle.From performing with her rose gold flute in international orchestras to serving tables at Toronto's Corn Beef House, Raquel's unique path has equipped her to recognize the hospitality innovators who are mastering specialized accounting, optimizing technology, and building sustainable operations. This classical discipline is what sets the rose gold standard for identifying which voices deserve to be heard on a great restaurant podcast.

High sales but no profit? Your balance sheet is hiding the "dead bodies" killing your restaurant.Raffi Yousefian, CEO of Fork CPA, reveals the financial framework that separates thriving restaurant groups from those that flame out. If you've ever wondered why expansion feels impossible or where your money actually goes, this episode will change how you look at your numbers forever.Raffi specializes exclusively in restaurant accounting and has seen it all—the operators who scale successfully and those who multiply their problems instead of their profits. In this episode, he shares the exact metrics, systems, and strategies that define sustainable restaurant growth.

Great food isn't enough anymore. In today's competitive restaurant landscape, operational excellence separates thriving multi-unit operations from those constantly fighting fires, and the biggest battles aren't happening in the dining room. They're buried in scheduling chaos, compliance nightmares, and labor management issues that quietly destroy profitability and burn out your best managers.In this episode of the 86 Reason Podcast, Anthony Presley, founder of Time Forge, reveals how he transformed his unconventional background, from hacking video games in Cairo to pioneering workforce solutions, into a system that saves multi-unit operators from costly compliance errors and excessive manager workloads.

Join host Xavier Mariezcurrena on 86 Reason for a fascinating conversation with Ronnie Sanders, President of Vine Street Imports, exploring how the wine industry is navigating dramatic shifts in consumer behavior and market dynamics. Ronnie's journey from a disastrous "one and done" dishwashing job to building a respected wine import company is a masterclass in relationship-building, market adaptation, and understanding what quality-conscious consumers truly want.This isn't just another wine industry story. Ronnie candidly shares the cold-calling hustle that grew Vine Street from 200 cases to 25,000, the financial realities of paying tariffs upfront, and why the industry's mantra has become "people are drinking less, but they're drinking better." His insights into boutique winemaker discovery and managing complex import logistics reveal what it really takes to succeed in global wine distribution.Essential for: Restaurant operators, wine buyers, hospitality finance professionals, beverage directors, and anyone interested in understanding the real economics behind the wine on their tables.

Join host Xavier Mariezcurrena on 86 Reason for an eye-opening conversation with Bill Lindsey, Partner & Co-Founder at COGS-Well and a living legend in restaurant technology. Bill's 50-year journey from a dishroom in 1974 to revolutionizing inventory management for multi-unit operators is a masterclass in operational innovation, technological adaptation, and understanding what restaurant operators truly need.This isn't your typical tech founder story. Bill candidly shares how a spinal injury forced him out of kitchen operations and into programming, the "cooking method" he used to build software that actually works for real operators, and why making inventory control easy—not just powerful—became his life's mission. His approach to centralized purchasing transformed casino operations and set the standard for modern restaurant technology.Essential for: Multi-unit restaurant operators, hospitality technology professionals, restaurant owners struggling with inventory control, and anyone who believes better systems start with understanding the problems firsthand.

Join us on 86 Reason for an inspiring conversation with Sande Friedman, founder of Friends in Wine, who reveals how an unconventional background in library science became the secret weapon for building one of Philadelphia's most profitable wine retail programs. From navigating Pennsylvania's archaic liquor laws to pioneering staff education models that drive real revenue, Sande's journey from "failing" a cheese exam to entrepreneurial success is packed with actionable wisdom for any hospitality leader.Her hard-earned truth? "The biggest mistake that any type of business can make is not investing in the staff." In this episode, Sande dismantles the myth that wine sales are about product knowledge alone and proves why storytelling, operational structure, and genuine human connection are the true drivers of profitability and customer loyalty.Essential for: Restaurant owners, beverage directors, retail managers, hospitality entrepreneurs, and anyone ready to transform their wine program from cost center to profit engine.