How to Turn Your Business into a Media Company | Shawn Walchef on Full Comp Podcast | DH068

If you want to survive and thrive in business then you have to start operating and thinking like a media company.

Being in business in 2021 and beyond is about creating memorable moments online and offline. The world is changing and we all need to keep up.

Digital Hospitality guest Josh Kopel shared our Cali BBQ Media origin story on his FULL COMP Podcast (presented by Yelp) in 2020. We talked in-depth about the changing restaurant business, business technology, and online marketing strategies for modern businesses.

How did we make our Cali BBQ more accessible to more people? With digital technology and media. We're always testing and we're always improving a little bit every single day.

Why wait for someone else to tell your story when you have all the tools and tech you need at your fingertips?

Become a Media Company Today:

You will see an impact when you start planning, producing, publishing and promoting a steady stream of digital content (audio, video, images, words) to be posted on your website and across social media publishing platforms.

For some people they might fear using social media because they do not understand it. They may be uncomfortable about updating their own website like I was when I first started.

We are convinced that there is no better time to be in business because of the Internet. No university needed. Just ask Alexa, Siri, search Google or YouTube, or subscribe to a great podcast like Full Comp that inspires you.

Stay Curious, Get Involved, and Ask For Help.

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FULL COMP Podcast Featuring Shawn Walchef:

The FULL COMP podcast is a weekly show exploring the past and future of the hospitality industry. Provocative and actionable, the show aims to ask the tough questions, supplying listeners with the tools and resources needed to thrive post-pandemic.

The host, Michelin-rated restaurateur Josh Kopel, challenges conventional wisdom by hosting both hospitality professionals and thought leaders from outside of the industry, offering a new perspective on an old business.

Show Notes from Full Comp episode featuring Shawn Walchef (Cali BBQ Media Founder):

"Every restaurateur knows how important their digital footprint is but who has time for all of that? It’s hard to tweet when you’re backwaiting tables because your busier didn’t show up.

Then the pandemic hits and, like it or not, your entire livelihood is determined by an audience you chose not to grow online.

I found myself in the same boat and worried it was too late.

The good news is that it isn’t and Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ is going to tell us exactly how he transformed his restaurant into a BBQ media company.

Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business."

Related Links to Click:

Josh Kopel on Digital Hospitality | Focus More on People, Less on Transactions

Official Josh Kopel Website | From Serving the Community to Serving the Industry

Josh Kopel Instagram profile

Josh Kopel LinkedIn profile

FLO: Restaurant Growth Accelerator

Full Comp Media

Preux and Proper

Talking Points from the Full Comp Podcast:

The beginnings of Cali BBQ

Achievements last year

Cali BBQ relied on digital marketing due to having a non-obvious location

Getting people  to care about BBQ, community and craft

Becoming your own PR person

A publicist was out of budget for Cali BBQ

Shawn about books to learn about PR

Focus on finding your own voice

Internet has changed the way traditional business is done

Cali BBQ became a media company when they were struggling in 2008-09

Why the internet is more reliable for marketing

Provides actionable, measurable analytics

Physical ads in newspapers are not as measurable

Creating Digital Hospitality

Hospitality has a competitive advantage

Connection to customers

Willingness to serve