Prosper Brief

Billy Shore, founder and executive chair of Share Our Strength, joins The Prosper Brief to reflect on more than four decades of fighting hunger and building the No Kid Hungry movement. He shares how a small idea became a national effort by bringing together leaders across business, government and the restaurant industry. The conversation explores purpose, persistence, collaboration and the power of helping people recognize that they can make a meaningful difference. He also discusses Restaurant Week for Kids, a new initiative launching this April that will unite the restaurant community around an ambitious goal: helping reach 10 million more children with three nutritious daily meals by 2032. Ready to accelerate your own leadership journey? Join the next generation of restaurant industry leaders at Prosper Accelerate 2026, October 28–30 in Dallas, Texas. Connect with leaders like Ali, challenge the way you think, and gain the relationships and insights to take your next step forward. Learn more and register: www.prosperaccelerate.com

Jason Kidd, Chief Operating Officer of Chipotle Mexican Grill, joins The Prosper Brief to discuss how leaders create operational excellence at scale without losing the human connection at the center of hospitality. Jason reflects on lessons from a career spanning retail, supply chain, merchandising and restaurant operations, and why every role and every leader can teach you something. The conversation explores being guest obsessed, throughput, culture, leadership development and the importance of focusing on the role you are in before chasing the next one.

Ready to accelerate your own leadership journey?

Join the next generation of restaurant industry leaders at Prosper Accelerate 2026, October 28–30 in Dallas, Texas. Connect with leaders like Ali, challenge the way you think, and gain the relationships and insights to take your next step forward.

Learn more and register: www.prosperaccelerate.com

Alissa Partee, President and CEO of Restaurant Technologies, joins The Prosper Brief to discuss what it means to lead with love while maintaining clarity, accountability and high expectations. Drawing on her path from Chief People Officer to COO and ultimately CEO, Alissa shares why she sees leadership as an opportunity to create a positive impact on people. The conversation explores purpose, culture, operational excellence and what good leadership should actually feel like. Ready to accelerate your own leadership journey? Join the next generation of restaurant industry leaders at Prosper Accelerate 2026, October 28–30 in Dallas, Texas. Connect with leaders like Ali, challenge the way you think, and gain the relationships and insights to take your next step forward. Learn more and register: www.prosperaccelerate.com

Ali Templin's story is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and people-centered leadership. From engineering school to relentless cold calling, from helping build DoorDash markets to entering restaurant-focused AI, Ali shows why the strongest careers rarely follow a straight line. Her philosophy is refreshingly simple: embrace change, own the outcome, get 1% better, and never underestimate the power of kindness.

Ready to accelerate your own leadership journey?

Join the next generation of restaurant industry leaders at Prosper Accelerate 2026, October 28–30 in Dallas, Texas. Connect with leaders like Ali, challenge the way you think, and gain the relationships and insights to take your next step forward.

Learn more and register: prosperaccelerate.com

In this deeply personal and energizing episode of The Prosper Brief, host Jeremiah Wynn sits down with Meredith James, EVP of Business Development at Prosper, and her longtime friend and business ally Jigar "JP" Patel, VP and Co-Founder of SAASTA (Strategic Alliance of Affiliated Stores of America). What began as a grassroots solution for small operators has grown into a 5,200+ member network advocating for equity, access, and legislative change. From industry advocacy to mindfulness, JP and Meredith reflect on leading with service, showing up for community, and creating space for those often left out of the conversation.

In this episode of The Prosper Brief, Jeremiah Wynn sits down with Chris Hellmann, a seasoned executive retiring as Chief Commercial Officer at RTI, after a remarkable career spanning nearly 30 years with Coca-Cola and beyond. Chris shares powerful insights on navigating rejection, building a career through diverse experiences, and leading with authenticity in an ever-changing world.

From pivotal career setbacks to leading through industry disruption, this conversation dives deep into what it truly takes to grow, adapt, and stand out. Whether you're early in your journey or stepping into leadership, this episode offers a practical and inspiring roadmap for long-term success.

If you've ever faced rejection or questioned your next move—this episode is for you.

And if you're ready to take your growth even further, don't miss Prosper Accelerate—where leaders, ideas, and opportunities come together to help you elevate your career and impact.

👉 Learn more: https://www.prosperforum.com/accelerate

In this energizing episode of The Prosper Brief, host Anthony Zaller sits down with Ray Johnson, former divisional VP at Cracker Barrel and founder of ReCee's Leadership Consulting Group. With over 35 years in hospitality operations, Ray shares the powerful lessons he's now bringing to franchisees and operators nationwide. From mastering the five core foundations of service to avoiding common early-stage mistakes, Ray offers a blueprint for building strong, guest-first operations with simplicity, discipline, and heart. This is an operator's masterclass in leadership that lasts.

If you are serious about sharpening your leadership and applying insights like these in real time, join us at Prosper Accelerate 2026 in Dallas, TX, October 28–30. Register now at prosperaccelerate.com and take the next step in your leadership journey.

In this flavor-packed episode of The Prosper Brief, host Jeremiah Wynn chats with Briana Jurado, the vibrant and visionary VP of Beverage Program at Botrista—a company shaking up the craft beverage world with automation. As a newly announced 2025 Prosper Accelerator, Briana shares her inspiring journey from Coca-Cola to leading beverage innovation, flavor development, and brand collaboration at Botrista. With a love for drinks, a passion for innovation, and a mission to make beverages more fun and accessible, Briana shows us how tech and taste collide in all the right ways.

Ready to connect with leaders like Briana and explore the future of innovation in foodservice? Join us at Prosper Accelerate, October 28–30, 2026 at the Omni Dallas Hotel. This high-energy event brings together operators, emerging leaders, and industry partners for powerful networking, hands-on think tanks, and forward-thinking content on technology, marketing, supply chain, and leadership development.

👉 Register now at www.prosperaccelerate.com and be part of the conversations shaping what's next for our industry.

In this inspiring episode of The Prosper Brief, host Kim DeCarolis is joined by Wade Allen, President of Win Brands, the company behind Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill and FatCats Entertainment. With a background that spans tech, marketing, and innovation leadership at Brinker International, Wade brings a modern, multidimensional view of what it takes to lead companies that prioritize people, performance, and purpose. From owning missteps to building trust through vulnerability, Wade offers a playbook for bold, real-world leadership in fast-moving, guest-first businesses.

Recorded live at the Prosper Forum at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, this episode features Shannon Iverson, 2025 Prosper Accelerator. Shannon shares her powerful story of resilience—growing up in Southern California in a widowed household, caring for her partially paralyzed mother at just eight years old, and starting her QSR journey at 14.

From teaching to chemical manufacturing to boldly stepping into franchising without a safety net, Shannon's path is marked by grit, grace, and faith. She opens up about reconnecting with her Peruvian heritage, overcoming socioeconomic barriers, reinventing herself in franchising, and rising to lead development for a 56-year legacy brand.

This is a story about belonging, perseverance, humility, and becoming the leader you were meant to be.

Want to experience the power of growth and belonging? Join us at www.prosperaccelerate.com