The Dirt Dog Pod

On this episode of The Dirt Dog Pod, we sit down with Craig Avera, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cali Coffee. Cali Coffee is best known for its high-energy drive-thru experience, customizable specialty drinks, and upbeat California-inspired brand.

Craig talks about the journey of building a business, the sacrifices behind the success, and the lessons learned along the way. Get an inside look at the mindset, challenges, and real-life experiences that turn a vision into a thriving brand.

If you work in commercial real estate, franchising, or restaurant development, this one’s packed with real-world insight from someone doing the work every day.

Listen now, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations from the people who build what’s next.

In this episode of The Dirt Dog Pod, we sit down with Seth Larsen, Chief Development Officer at Cheba Hut Subs. Cheba Hut is a toasted-sub brand known for its laid-back, one-of-a-kind branding, and Seth helps decide where it opens next.

Seth walks us through how Cheba Hut picks markets and sites, what makes a location work for the brand, and how they partner with landlords to bring each new shop to life.

If you work in commercial real estate, franchising, or restaurant development, this one’s packed with real-world insight from someone doing the work every day.

Listen now, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations from the people who build what’s next.

David Slavny, CDO of The Learning Experience joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod to discuss the rapidily growing daycare market. Discover how TLE navigated the challenges of COVID-19, the role of franchisees in their growth strategy, and the unique approach they take to site selection and development. We also explore TLE's innovative use of characters, like Bubbles and Friends, to create engaging and educational content that resonates with children and parents alike. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned real estate professional, this episode offers valuable insights into the dynamic daycare industry and the importance of strategic partnerships. Tune in to learn more about the future of TLE and the exciting opportunities ahead.

In this episode of the Dirt Dog Pod, we sit down with Shawn Nelson, the visionary founder and CEO of Lovesac. From a spontaneous idea on his parents' couch to a publicly traded company, Sean shares the incredible journey of Lovesac's evolution. Discover how a giant beanbag concept turned into a billion-dollar brand, the challenges faced along the way, and the philosophy of "Design for Life" that drives their success. Tune in for insights on entrepreneurship, resilience, and the power of taking action. Don't miss this inspiring conversation!

This week we have our first double guest episode! Robert Campos and Garrett Snyder join us to talk about the growth of Mountain Mike's Pizza.

Garrett Snyder is the Vice President of Restaurant Development for Mountain Mike’s Pizza, where he oversees all aspects of site selection, design and construction. Since joining the brand in July 2020, Garrett has played a pivotal role in Mountain Mike’s rapid expansion, growing its national footprint from three states to ten, with a presence in 15 states expected by the end of 2026.

Robert Campos serves as Vice President of Franchise Development at Mountain Mike’s Pizza, where he leads the brand’s efforts to identify, recruit and inform potential new franchise partners. In this role, Robert is dedicated to expanding the reach of Mountain Mike’s across the country by aligning with passionate entrepreneurs who share the brand’s commitment to quality, community and exceptional guest experiences.

The Mountain Mike's team is passionate about bringing fun memories to communities across the US through their brand. Nothing like a classic arcade game, some time with family, and teacups of joy.

Dave Anderson, the Founder of Famous Dave's, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. Dave is an perfect example of the American Dream. Born to Native American parents, Dave worked to open the first Famous Dave's in his small town in Wisconsin. The rollercoaster ride for the brand from there is really something to behold. Dave lives for Barbecue and loves the experience that it creates bringing people together. He built the restaurants in his vision to create the ultimate place for people to gather together and have a fun meal.

In this episode we discuss:

• Dave's upbringing around BBQ and how the brand begun.
• The vision that Dave had for the brand and how they focused on the smallest details to create his vision.
• Dave's inspirational view on the importance of failing and owning your failures.

Dok Kwon, the COO and President of Cupbop, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. Dok moved to Utah to join the Cupbop brand leaving behind his high paying finance life in New York. Dok made this big change in his life because of the goal that Cupbop is trying to obtain. Dok shares that the brand is trying to become the first national QSR to teach the US about Korean Cuisine. He is so passionate about this goal that he made the drastic change to move across country and join a new budding brand.

In this episode we discuss:

• Dok shares his story of moving to the US and finding his path by working to help his family.
• The wild story of how Cupbop has become such a massive brand in a part of the world you would not expect.
• The view that the Cupbop team has towards growth and how they are going about growing without losing the brand's identity.

Bob O'Connell, A recently retired Senior Real Estate Manager for McDonald's, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. We are thrilled to have Bob join us on the pod to give us a glimpse into what has for a long time been the gold standard for quick service brands, McDonald's. Bob has been a longtime Dirt Dog for McDonald's having been with the company for nearly 32 years. Bob was over a team of real estate managers that focused on growing the footprint of the brand in the western states as well as a handful of US territories.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Bob explains how McDonald's leverages their 70 year history and all the data from their stores when searching for new locations.
• Bob talks about McDonald's site selection process and how so much homework is done upfront that they rarely ever have to shut down an operating location.
• Bob gives his advice on how the business is changing but people are still central to everything in real estate.

Shelly Holt, President of First Community Bank Utah, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. We are thrilled to have Shelly on the pod because she provides a banker's point of view on the real estate and retail market. Shelly has been in banking her entire career starting as a teller for Zions Bank in College. Shelly gives some amazing advice about building up those around you as well as her take on the future outlook of the market.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Shelly explains what goals she had for her time as President and how she is achieving them.
• Shelly gives us the inside look at how a banking institution runs and makes money.
• Her perspective on being a high ranking female in a very male dominated industry.

David Roberts, COO of Hangry Joe's Chicken & Wings, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. David is an operations guru and a great guest that shows us another side of what is important to get right in the retail game. David comes and shares his expertise on how operators streamline their stores and keep them running as smoothly as possible. David also shares the amazing story of Hangry Joe's that has burst onto the scene in the last few years after starting out at the beginning of COVID.

In this episode, we discuss:

• David explains how his job may focus on small things but, those small things add up to a much bigger picture.
• We talk about the growth of chicken concepts and what Hangry Joe's is doing that is setting them apart.
• David gets the chance to talk directly to different groups involved in the brand and give them one piece of advice