FROM DOUBT TO DRIVE - For Entrepreneurs & Leaders in the Hospitality Industry

Today, we have Alberto Cartasegna, Founder & CEO of Miscusi, a smart casual restaurant chain centered around pasta, which he started in 2017. Now, Miscusi has 18 restaurants across 7 Italian cities, serving over 1 million guests per year, employing 300 people, and generating €20 million in sales. With top investors on board, they have raised over €25 million in equity, achieved B-Corp certification, and created a place even Italian grandmothers love to dine.

In this episode, Alberto shares how he faced resistance to the idea of building a restaurant chain in Italy. Frustrated that no Italian had successfully exported their cuisine globally, while brands like Starbucks and Vapiano had, he set out to change that. He also discusses why creating a well-organized restaurant chain in Italy is still rare, and how love and passion can thrive not only in a single restaurant but across a chain.

Alberto opens up about the personal cost of his dedication and focus on work—how it led to suffering, strained relationships, panic attacks, and hitting rock bottom. He shares how he overcame these challenges and describes the perfect storm that almost destroyed them but ultimately made them stronger.

Our key takeaways from the conversation are:

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© From Doubt to Drive Podcast, owned and operated by Aperitivo International B.V

From Doubt to Drive - Entrepreneurs Only.

This week with Enrico Sodano, serial entrepreneur, started his career as a goldsmith and jewelry trader before he ended up in the hospitality business. He became a McDonald’s franchisee, followed by taking over the Vapiano franchise in Switzerland and Egypt. Today, he runs different restaurant concepts in Switzerland, built his own delivery service and launched recently a small Vapiano format for gas stations – aiming double-digit numbers in stores for Switzerland.

Join us on Enrico’s entrepreneurial journey around the world and learn how he puts family and employees first, and what he does when he hits a wall. And you shouldn’t miss out Enrico’s encounter with a tuktuk driver in India in 1979 while he was carrying one kilogram of gold around his neck.

The main learnings from this conversation are:

Hit the subscribe button and hear more stories from successful entrepreneurs worldwide in hospitality, food & drinks, and related industries, as they share their inspiring journey FROM DOUBT TO DRIVE. Uncover their tools and tactics, shifts in mindset, and breakthrough moments - how they knew they were stuck and how they got out. Join our community & learn how you can move from DOUBT TO DRIVE.

© From Doubt to Drive Podcast, owned and operated by Aperitivo International B.V

From Doubt to Drive - Entrepreneurs Only

This week, we’re speaking with Travis Masiero, Founder & CEO of Luke’s Oyster Bar & Chop House and four other restaurants in Singapore and Japan (https://tmrg.com.sg/). Born in the U.S. and educated at Cornell University, Travis made the bold move to the other side of the world to open restaurants.

Our key takeaways from our conversation are:

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From Doubt to Drive - Entrepreneurs Only.

This week with Dr. Srikumar Rao, founder and.head of the Rao Institute (www.theraoinstitute.com), former business school professor, executive coach and TED Talk Speaker https://www.ted.com/talks/srikumar_rao_plug_into_your_hard_wired_happiness , who helped thousands of entrepreneurs to achieve “quantum leaps of effectiveness, resilience and happiness”. He supports leaders around the globe transform their lives so that they can experience abundant joy, no matter what comes their way.

Having said that, we took the chance with Dr. Rao to look back on more than 20 episodes and try to find out what successful entrepreneurs might do different, how to succeed in times of doubts, and how life unfolds when setting the right goals.

The main learnings from this conversation are:

Tune in and listen to Dr. Rao’s view on life and leadership.

Hit the subscribe button and hear more stories from successful entrepreneurs worldwide in hospitality, food & drinks, and related industries, as they share their inspiring journey FROM DOUBT TO DRIVE. Uncover their tools and tactics, shifts in mindset, and breakthrough moments - how they knew they were stuck and how they got out. Join our community & learn how you can move from DOUBT TO DRIVE.

© From Doubt to Drive Podcast, owned and operated by Aperitivo International B.V

From Doubt to Drive - Entrepreneurs Only.

This week with Gregor Gerlach, CEO of Seaside Hotel Collection (www.seaside-collection.com), co-founder & shareholder of Vapiano (www.vapiano.eu)

Gregor leads the family office Gerlach Wohnungsbau, runs the luxury hotel brand Seaside Hotels with hotels in Germany, Spain, and on the Maledives. In addition he started a gourmet burger joint called Burgerlich. His latest venture is Riverside Luxury Cruises, that operates cruise ships on the Danube river.

Tune in and listen to this fullblood entrepreneur who shares his knowledge and experience in leadership, decision taking and how to overcome big crisis in business life.

The main learnings from this conversation are:

Hit the subscribe button and hear more stories from successful entrepreneurs worldwide in hospitality, food & drinks, and related industries, as they share their inspiring journey FROM DOUBT TO DRIVE. Uncover their tools and tactics, shifts in mindset, and breakthrough moments - how they knew they were stuck and how they got out. Join our community & learn how you can move from DOUBT TO DRIVE.

© From Doubt to Drive Podcast, owned and operated by Aperitivo International B.V

From Doubt to Drive - Entrepreneurs Only

This week, we feature Thom Elliot, Co-Founder of Pizza Pilgrims (https://www.pizzapilgrims.co.uk/), which he started with his brother in 2012 following a pilgrimage to Italy. They have grown the business organically, with a lot of fun, and with massive respect for bringing Neapolitan pizza to London. What began as a street food movement has now expanded to 22 pizzerias across the UK, employing 480 people, generating 30 million in sales, and 1 million in profit. The company is still growing at 20% per year. It was initially funded by 15 early-stage investors and Imbiba (https://imbiba.com/news/2021/3/24/imbiba-invests-in-pizza-pilgrims).

Thom talks with us about how COVID presented the ultimate roadblock but also created big opportunities, such as selling pizza ingredients in a box—up to 10,000 boxes a week—which saved the company. He also shares why, as a founder, he doesn't focus on numbers at all and how listening to Led Zeppelin exclusively for weeks helps him during crises.

Our key takeaways from our conversation are:

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© From Doubt to Drive Podcast, owned and operated by Aperitivo International B.V

From Doubt to Drive - Entrepreneurs Only

Stefan shares with us the early beginnings of Coffee Fellows and how he initially underestimated the strength of local bakery chains in Germany, especially in smaller and mid-sized cities. He also expresses his respect for Starbucks while being motivated to provide an even better experience for his customers. Stefan discusses the company's U.S. expansion and the lessons he learned about running a successful business from his career in professional sports.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coffeefellows/

Our key takeaways from our conversation are:

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© From Doubt to Drive Podcast, owned and operated by Aperitivo International B.V

From Doubt to Drive - Entrepreneurs Only.

beets&roots was founded in Berlin in 2016 by the Michelin-starred chef Andreas Tuffentsammer and the young entrepreneur Max Kochen. Their inspiration was the lack of freshly prepared, healthy lunch options in Germany. beets&roots embodies the open-minded, global mentality, but with an international flair. Max talks about their journey and how he grew the company up to more than 15 locations, with a multichannel approach to B2B, delivery, travel hubs and retail.

In this episode, he also shares beets&root’s superpower, how they react to market developments and anticipate technical progress as a necessary tool for the future growth of the company. At the same time, Max shares his personal struggles and his ability to manage uncomfortable feelings, and how he gains power out of it.

The main learnings from this conversation are:

Hit the subscribe button and hear more stories from successful entrepreneurs worldwide in hospitality, food & drinks, and related industries, as they share their inspiring journey FROM DOUBT TO DRIVE. Uncover their tools and tactics, shifts in mindset, and breakthrough moments - how they knew they were stuck and how they got out. Join our community & learn how you can move from DOUBT TO DRIVE.

From Doubt to Drive - Entrepreneurs Only.

This week with Robin Rowland, former CEO and Mr. “Yo! Sushi” (https://yosushi.com/), where he grew the brand to over 100 restaurants and to a 200 million valuation. Robin is an industry veteran and nowadays an operating partner at TriSpan. Their private equity “Rising Stars Fund” has invested over 300 million into 10 portfolio companies so far: https://www.trispanllp.com/rising-stars-platform/. Robin talks about his investment strategy, how being an accelerator of growth, both for property and people, is key for success, and why he never lost a deal he wanted to get.

Our main learnings from this conversation are:

If you have interesting investment ideas for Robin, please contact him via.

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© From Doubt to Drive Podcast, owned and operated by Aperitivo International B.V

From Doubt to Drive - Entrepreneurs Only.

Mirco founded the company with his friend Lorenz Hampel when they were students in Hamburg, Germany in 2003. Therefore, they terminated their “Bausparvertrag” and with only 7.000 Euro in cash they started to conquer one of the biggest brands in the world. Today, fritz kola is a hip and well-known brand in many European countries, they employ 300 people, called Fritzis, make a triple digit million number in sales and position themselves not only as beverage producer, but also use their market power to make strong statements against racism and right populism.

In this episode, Mirco talks about being the small startup in the market that stands up and conquers against the biggest soft drink giants, about how he had to learn to lead people and develop a company culture, and how important the consumer as guiding star is.

If you want to learn more about fritz, the struggles, roadblocks and successes of a startup, you should buy Mirco’s book “Fritz vs. Goliath” (available in German and English language) https://www.amazon.de/dp/3430210577?psc=1&smid=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp

The main learnings from this conversation are:

Hit the subscribe button and hear more stories from successful entrepreneurs worldwide in hospitality, food & drinks, and related industries, as they share their inspiring journey FROM DOUBT TO DRIVE. Uncover their tools and tactics, shifts in mindset, and breakthrough moments - how they knew they were stuck and how they got out. Join our community & learn how you can move from DOUBT TO DRIVE.

© From Doubt to Drive Podcast, owned and operated by Aperitivo International B.V - Recorded on June 27, 2024 via Zoom in Hamburg, Germany (Mirco Wiegert) – Bandarawella, Sri Lanka (Mario C. Bauer) – Hamburg, Germany (Florian Schneider),