has spent years building two things at the same time: a restaurant business and a media brand strong enough to attract the people most podcasters only dream about. Today, his guest list includes Shaquille O’Neal, Dana White, John Taffer and Chef Robert Irvine. None of it came from luck. It came from consistency, community, and the willingness to publish long before anyone was watching.

Shawn Walchef has learned that getting celebrities onto your podcast has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with consistency, community, and proving you can show up long enough to matter. In this episode, he breaks down the real playbook behind landing guests like Shaquille O’Neal, Dana White and John Taffer. From starting local and doubling your reps to partnering with bigger platforms and eventually attracting PR teams through the reverse funnel, Walchef explains how any creator can build a show that earns attention. The formula is simple: keep publishing, keep improving, and stay impossible to ignore.

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying. It works seamlessly with your POS, so there’s nothing you need to do. And because DAVO guarantees your taxes will be paid on time and in full, there’s nothing to worry about either.

Digital Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated and our partners at Marqii live that every day. Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences from first search to latest visit with their one-stop digital operations platform built for hospitality operators.

In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef, the community turned Thanksgiving into a deeper conversation about what hospitality really looks like beyond the meal. Members reflected on honoring family traditions, creating space for overlooked voices at the table, preparing teams for the chaos of holiday service, and carrying gratitude through health scares, career pivots, and personal reinvention. Stories ranged from family moments to behind the scenes glimpses of restaurant life, even touching on the unexpected chaos of holiday mishaps. The theme was simple: Thanksgiving hospitality is about presence, inclusion, and showing up for one another in meaningful, everyday ways.

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying. It works seamlessly with your POS, so there’s nothing you need to do. And because DAVO guarantees your taxes will be paid on time and in full, there’s nothing to worry about either.

Digital Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated and our partners at Marqii live that every day. Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences from first search to latest visit with their one-stop digital operations platform built for hospitality operators.

KNOW founder and CEO Krish Sridhar joins Shawn Walchef to share how a simple digital checklist grew into a platform used by millions of frontline workers across the world. Krish explains why hospitality teams need intuitive, mobile tools that remove friction and create clarity, how AI should stay invisible, and why KNOW builds features directly with operators. This episode reveals how better workflows, communication, and daily structure can transform frontline performance in any multi unit business.

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying. It works seamlessly with your POS, so there’s nothing you need to do. And because DAVO guarantees your taxes will be paid on time and in full, there’s nothing to worry about either.

Digital Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated and our partners at Marqii live that every day. Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences from first search to latest visit with their one-stop digital operations platform built for hospitality operators.

In this episode of Pitch The Tide, Charlie Eblen shares how Single Tree BBQ grew from a food truck into a rising Tennessee brand built on family, community, and purpose. After losing his job in 2020, Charlie committed to building something of his own and turned Single Tree into a destination for real barbecue and real connection. Today he is raising 5 million dollars to open a flagship location, expand into new markets, and bring more people into Single Tree Nation. Charlie explains why the heart of his growth plan is teaching others, maintaining unyielding standards, and honoring the legacy that inspired the brand. Single Tree BBQ is focused on impact, opportunity, and creating a home for everyone who walks through the door.

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying. It works seamlessly with your POS, so there’s nothing you need to do. And because DAVO guarantees your taxes will be paid on time and in full, there’s nothing to worry about either.

Digital Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated and our partners at Marqii live that every day. Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences from first search to latest visit with their one-stop digital operations platform built for hospitality operators.

Shawn Walchef shares the biggest lessons he has learned serving on the Toast Customer Advisory Board. From seeing how deeply Toast invests in customer success to understanding the power of real feedback loops, Walchef explains why every operator benefits from joining a larger community. He also reflects on how peers, storytelling, and brand advocacy helped shape his restaurant and media business. For Walchef, progress accelerates when operators learn together and choose to get involved.

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying. It works seamlessly with your POS, so there’s nothing you need to do. And because DAVO guarantees your taxes will be paid on time and in full, there’s nothing to worry about either.

Digital Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated and our partners at Marqii live that every day. Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences from first search to latest visit with their one-stop digital operations platform built for hospitality operators.

Jason E. Brooks steps in this week for Shawn Walchef as he leads a deep conversation about one of the most overlooked challenges in hospitality tech: the last mile. A keynote speaker, longtime operator, and industry veteran, Jason breaks down why tools that look perfect in a demo often struggle once they hit the chaos of real operations. He explores the gap between idea and execution, the friction points that derail adoption, and the misunderstandings that operators and tech builders often have about each other.

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying. It works seamlessly with your POS, so there’s nothing you need to do. And because DAVO guarantees your taxes will be paid on time and in full, there’s nothing to worry about either.

Digital Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated and our partners at Marqii live that every day. Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences from first search to latest visit with their one-stop digital operations platform built for hospitality operators.

On the roof of Amazon’s Santa Barbara campus ahead of the Palm Tree Music Festival, eero Executive Vice President Mark Sieglock highlights why reliable connectivity is now core to modern hospitality. Sieglock has been with eero for ten years, joining before its first product launch in 2016. Since then, eero has expanded to tens of millions of homes and businesses in 28 countries while staying focused on consistent, secure coverage.

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying. It works seamlessly with your POS, so there’s nothing you need to do. And because DAVO guarantees your taxes will be paid on time and in full, there’s nothing to worry about either.

Digital Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated and our partners at Marqii live that every day. Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences from first search to latest visit with their one-stop digital operations platform built for hospitality operators.

In this episode of Pitch The Tide, Brenda Saunders shares how Trakr is making inventory simpler for every restaurant that’s still stuck with clipboards and spreadsheets. As the founder and CEO, Brenda built Trakr to solve a universal operational headache: inconsistent, time-consuming, error-prone counts that throw off ordering and create waste. Trakr gives teams a mobile app that lets them count by area, tap or scan items, track movement, and see exactly what’s on the shelves across every location. Built with real operators in mind, Trakr helps restaurants save hours, reduce waste, tighten operations, and finally bring inventory into the modern era.

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying. It works seamlessly with your POS, so there’s nothing you need to do. And because DAVO guarantees your taxes will be paid on time and in full, there’s nothing to worry about either.

Digital Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated and our partners at Marqii live that every day. Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences from first search to latest visit with their one-stop digital operations platform built for hospitality operators.

Shawn Walchef explains some core concepts that will allow you to 10X Your Media Output Right Now! Shawn Walchef is the owner of Cali BBQ Media and a leading voice in the restaurant and hospitality industry. He’s built a successful BBQ brand by embracing “Digital Hospitality”—helping restaurant owners think like media companies to stay relevant in the modern age. As the host of the Restaurant Influencers podcast, Shawn interviews top industry leaders, sharing insights on branding, technology, and the future of hospitality. He speaks at major events like the National Restaurant Association Show and International Pizza Expo, teaching businesses how to leverage storytelling, social media, and digital tools for success.

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying. It works seamlessly with your POS, so there’s nothing you need to do. And because DAVO guarantees your taxes will be paid on time and in full, there’s nothing to worry about either.

Digital Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated and our partners at Marqii live that every day. Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences from first search to latest visit with their one-stop digital operations platform built for hospitality operators.

In this session of Rising Tides Live, hosted by Shawn Walchef, , the conversation focused on stepping out of your comfort zone and why growth only happens when you do. From live reports at RFDC in Las Vegas to community members sharing their own real-world stories, the group explored how discomfort fuels learning, leadership, and momentum. Operators talked about walking hallways to shake hands with industry titans, advisors opened up about reinventing careers through new technology, and creators shared the challenge of showing up even when life gets messy. The message was simple: being uncomfortable is unavoidable, but it is also the path forward. Show up, take the step, and let discomfort expand what’s possible.

DAVO automates every step of the sales tax process — from collecting to filing to paying. It works seamlessly with your POS, so there’s nothing you need to do. And because DAVO guarantees your taxes will be paid on time and in full, there’s nothing to worry about either.

Digital Hospitality doesn't have to be complicated and our partners at Marqii live that every day. Marqii is designed to create unforgettable customer experiences from first search to latest visit with their one-stop digital operations platform built for hospitality operators.