Cheese is the biggest cost in your shop, and if you’re not tracking it, you’re losing money. In this Takeout Tip I show you how just one extra ounce per pizza can cost nearly $6,000 a year. 

Today’s episode is sponsored by Tyrell Reed—download your free New Store Opening Checklist 

https://go.tyrellreed.com/checklist

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We Appreciate Your Support

Hey, if you’ve gotten any value from this episode, I’d love your support. Leaving a quick review on Apple or a 5-star rating on Spotify helps more pizzeria owners find this show. And as a thank you, I’m sending a free gift to every listener who shares their review—just DM me a screenshot and I’ll send you something awesome

In this episode of The Pizza King Podcast, I sit down with Matthew Zeiss, better known online as @swedza, the creator of Holy Hot Honey. Matt shares his journey from growing up on Long Island to moving to Sweden, where he discovered a completely different pizza culture. One where kebab pizza reigns supreme and Friday night means tacos, not pizza.

We talk about his deep dive into making authentic New York–style pizza at home, how that passion led to experimenting with hot honey recipes, and why his version brings a savory depth that stands apart from anything else on the market. Matt walks us through the process of building his brand from scratch. From steeping peppers for a month to nailing the perfect label design, and his big vision for getting Holy Hot Honey onto shelves around the world.

Along the way, we also touch on Matt’s other passions: music, graphic design, and even his award-winning Elvis tribute performances. It’s a conversation about projects, creativity, and the hustle of turning a big idea into reality. Pizzeria operators, take note...you might just want to get your hands on a bottle of this “divinely sweet, sinfully spicy” honey for your shop.

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Free New Store Opening Checklist
New Pizzeria? Free Store Opening Checklist! Ace Your Launch

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

We Appreciate Your Support

Hey, if you’ve gotten any value from this episode, I’d love your support. Leaving a quick review on Apple or a 5-star rating on Spotify helps more pizzeria owners find this show. And as a thank you, I’m sending a free gift to every listener who shares their review—just DM me a screenshot and I’ll send you something awesome

In this Takeout Tip, Tyrell Reed explains how clear expectations on day one improve pizza shop training and team performance. Learn a simple way to set non-negotiables with new hires and build a stronger restaurant culture.

Takeout Tips are quick bites of restaurant leadership and pizza business advice from the Pizza King Podcast.

For more tools and full episodes, follow the Pizza King Podcast. 

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Free New Store Opening Checklist
New Pizzeria? Free Store Opening Checklist! Ace Your Launch

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

We Appreciate Your Support

Hey, if you’ve gotten any value from this episode, I’d love your support. Leaving a quick review on Apple or a 5-star rating on Spotify helps more pizzeria owners find this show. And as a thank you, I’m sending a free gift to every listener who shares their review—just DM me a screenshot and I’ll send you something awesome

Most restaurants don’t fail because of bad food. They fail because of poor leadership. In this episode, Tyrell Reed shares lessons from his California Restaurant Show session Lead the Shift, including how to train managers who lead, not babysit, and why systems, not goals, drive success. Plus, news on his upcoming book Lead the Shift.

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Free New Store Opening Checklist
New Pizzeria? Free Store Opening Checklist! Ace Your Launch

Scale Your Shop Without Burnout
A free video training for serious pizza operators.

Pizza Business Coach
Free 45-Min Pizza Biz Strategy Call: Transform Your Success Now!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

We Appreciate Your Support

Hey, if you’ve gotten any value from this episode, I’d love your support. Leaving a quick review on Apple or a 5-star rating on Spotify helps more pizzeria owners find this show. And as a thank you, I’m sending a free gift to every listener who shares their review—just DM me a screenshot and I’ll send you something awesome

The California Restaurant Show 2025 brought pizzeria owners, restaurant operators, and the pizza industry together under one roof. Hear my highlights from the event, leadership lessons from the stage, and visits to some of the best pizza shops in California. 

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DM us a screenshot of your review and get a special gift!

Free New Store Opening Checklist
New Pizzeria? Free Store Opening Checklist! Ace Your Launch

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

We Appreciate Your Support

Hey, if you’ve gotten any value from this episode, I’d love your support. Leaving a quick review on Apple or a 5-star rating on Spotify helps more pizzeria owners find this show. And as a thank you, I’m sending a free gift to every listener who shares their review—just DM me a screenshot and I’ll send you something awesome

 

What can a pizza operator learn from a guy who's built and scaled 12 online brands to over $10 million in sales — without a warehouse, storefront, or full-time staff? 

In this episode, I sit down with Neil Twa, Amazon FBA expert and co-author of Almost-Automated Income, to unpack the systems, mindset, and data-driven strategy behind his success. 

We cover: 

• How Neil finds profitable products in minutes
• Why volume doesn’t matter if profit margins suck
• The power of selling "shovels to miners"
• What Amazon’s AI engine can teach you about customer targeting
• Why e-commerce isn’t a side hustle — and neither is your pizzeria

Whether you're running a pizza shop or launching your next product, this episode will challenge how you think about scale, automation, and ownership.
 
🎁 Grab Neil’s bestselling book for FREE at voltagedm.com/freebook — use code pizzaking.
 

Let's Connect! Click here to send me a text

DM us a screenshot of your review and get a special gift!

Support the show

We Appreciate Your Support

Hey, if you’ve gotten any value from this episode, I’d love your support. Leaving a quick review on Apple or a 5-star rating on Spotify helps more pizzeria owners find this show. And as a thank you, I’m sending a free gift to every listener who shares their review—just DM me a screenshot and I’ll send you something awesome

In this episode of The Pizza King Podcast, I break down what it’s really like to sell your pizza shop after 23 years in the business. From running seven Westshore Pizza locations to navigating the emotional ups and downs of exiting the business, I share the behind-the-scenes story of my final days as a restaurant owner.

Whether you're thinking about selling your pizzeria, planning your exit strategy, or just curious about what life looks like after ownership—this one's for you. I also talk about what's next: my focus on coaching pizza operators, building community, and (yes) still making pies—just at home now.

What you'll learn:

• How we decided to sell our pizza shop
• What the sales process actually looked like
• Life after owning a pizzeria
• Why I’m not rushing back into ownership
• What's next for the Pizza King Podcast and beyond

🎁 Bonus: Hear how to grab some free Westshore Pizza merch just by supporting the show!

Let's Connect! Click here to send me a text

Scale Your Shop Without Burnout
A free video training for serious pizza operators.

Free New Store Opening Checklist
New Pizzeria? Free Store Opening Checklist! Ace Your Launch

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

We Appreciate Your Support

Hey, if you’ve gotten any value from this episode, I’d love your support. Leaving a quick review on Apple or a 5-star rating on Spotify helps more pizzeria owners find this show. And as a thank you, I’m sending a free gift to every listener who shares their review—just DM me a screenshot and I’ll send you something awesome

I used to think Gen Z was just entitled and lazy—until I realized I needed to shift how I lead. In this episode, I’m breaking down what’s actually working inside my pizzeria to lead and connect with Gen Z employees.

From coaching in the moment to celebrating small wins and using the tools they actually prefer, I share real-life strategies that have helped me go from frustrated to fired up about this new generation. If you're struggling to manage your younger team, this one’s for you.

🎧 Plus: I challenge you to try just one thing from this episode and see how your team responds.

Let's Connect! Click here to send me a text

Free New Store Opening Checklist
New Pizzeria? Free Store Opening Checklist! Ace Your Launch

Scale Your Shop Without Burnout
A free video training for serious pizza operators.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

We Appreciate Your Support

Hey, if you’ve gotten any value from this episode, I’d love your support. Leaving a quick review on Apple or a 5-star rating on Spotify helps more pizzeria owners find this show. And as a thank you, I’m sending a free gift to every listener who shares their review—just DM me a screenshot and I’ll send you something awesome

In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Giffin, founder of Commercial Kitchen Stop, to talk shop — literally. Ryan and I dig into everything from smart kitchen design to saving real money when you're building out a new pizzeria.

He shares how he went from side hustling and cutting bold purchase orders during COVID to becoming one of the top 100 kitchen dealers in the country. We talk about his recent acquisition of a competitor, how he helps operators stretch their startup budgets, and what equipment is worth investing in (and where you can save big).

We also get into:

• Common mistakes operators make during a kitchen build
• How refurbished equipment can save you $10K+
• The importance of EOS and building a values-driven team
• Why Ryan’s a big believer in crypto — and how he's educating others to adopt it
• What separates successful operators from those still stuck in the grind

I learned a ton in this conversation — and even walked away with some Bitcoin Cash, live on the show. Email Ryan to get yours! [email protected]

Go Follow Commercial Kitchen Stop

Instagram

Facebook

https://commercialkitchenstop.com/

Check out Ryan's YouTube channel to learn more about Bitcoin Cash and other cryptocurrencies

https://www.youtube.com/c/RyanGiffin

Let's Connect! Click here to send me a text

DM us a screenshot of your review and get a special gift!

Free New Store Opening Checklist
New Pizzeria? Free Store Opening Checklist! Ace Your Launch

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Support the show

We Appreciate Your Support

Hey, if you’ve gotten any value from this episode, I’d love your support. Leaving a quick review on Apple or a 5-star rating on Spotify helps more pizzeria owners find this show. And as a thank you, I’m sending a free gift to every listener who shares their review—just DM me a screenshot and I’ll send you something awesome

In this episode of The Pizza King Podcast, I’m joined by Eddie LeBon and Joel from Thrive POS — not to sell you on their system, but to pull back the curtain on what it’s really like choosing the right point of sale for your pizza shop.

These two bring a rare mix of tech-side knowledge and real restaurant experience. We talk through what operators get wrong when picking a POS, the mistakes they’ve seen firsthand, what questions you should be asking during demos, and how to avoid getting burned by hidden fees or rushed installs.

Whether you’re shopping for your first system or thinking about switching, this episode is packed with value. We even get into the future of POS tech, from AI order takers to the evolving role of customer experience.

💬 Favorite Quote: “A POS system should be Software Advil — it should solve headaches, not create them.”

Full disclosure: I’m a long-time Thrive POS user — but this isn’t an ad. It’s the conversation I wish I had before buying my first system.

Let's Connect! Click here to send me a text

DM us a screenshot of your review and get a special gift!

Support the show

We Appreciate Your Support

Hey, if you’ve gotten any value from this episode, I’d love your support. Leaving a quick review on Apple or a 5-star rating on Spotify helps more pizzeria owners find this show. And as a thank you, I’m sending a free gift to every listener who shares their review—just DM me a screenshot and I’ll send you something awesome