Shawn Walchef, founder of Cali BBQ Media, has a unique definition of hospitality. For Walchef, hospitality is more than just a warm greeting; it’s about creating lifelong relationships built on trust. While at the National Restaurant Association Show 2024 in Chicago, Walcef discussed the importance of building a community with host Arun Kumar. 

Listen now to learn more about loyalty in hospitality, the truth about advertising, and the power of opportunities and connections. 

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Episode Links

• Cali BBQ Media Online: https://content.calibbq.media/
• Cali BBQ Media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calibbq/
• Shawn Walchef Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnpwalchef/
• Shawn Walchef TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shawnpwalchef
• Shawn Walchef LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef/
• Cali BBQ Media TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@calibbq
• Cali BBQ Media YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CaliBBQMedia
• Cali BBQ Media LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cali-comfort/

Takeaways:

Loyalty is Hospitality - Shawn Walchef has built a business and community on hospitality. For Walchef, hospitality extends beyond a warm greeting, and into creating friendships built on trust.

Be the Show, Not the Commercial - If you have heard Shawn Walchef speak, you know his philosophy of being the show, meaning telling your story, over advertising to potential customers. He truly believes that customers don’t buy from you until they buy into you

Opportunities and Connections -  Shawn Walchef has made it his life work to  create deep connections and authentic relationships. That intention has brought him and Cali BBQ opportunities that he couldn’t fathom.

ABOUT SHAWN WALCHEF

Shawn P. Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) is the founder of Cali BBQ Media, a podcast host, business coach, and proud dad. Since opening Cali BBQ in 2008, his family-run restaurant and media company in San Diego has generated over $30 million in sales. As a restaurateur who started during the Great Recession, Shawn mastered using digital tools and innovative ideas to stay afloat. During the pandemic, he and his team developed a scalable plan that tripled the profitability of the traditional full-service restaurant model.

Shawn hosts two weekly video podcast series: Digital Hospitality and Restaurant Influencers. These podcasts are part of his growing media empire, which also includes content creation, consulting, and digital services to help others with their smartphone storytelling. His strategies have garnered attention from major media outlets like Amazon Prime TV, Bloomberg TV, Entrepreneur, Inc., Eater, ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox News. Committed to helping others succeed, Shawn is dedicated to guiding businesses to the right digital tools and social media strategies to unlock endless opportunities. 

His Motto: “Stay Curious. Get Involved. Ask for Help.”

ABOUT DATA DELICACIES—

Data Delicacies is a weekly podcast that dives deep into the world of technology and data as it pertains to restaurants. Host Arun Kumar interviews some of the best and brightest in the industry about all things hospitality tech, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

Data Delicacies on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/29ExS0n9X3Z3FyK4HuSPKH

Incentivio Online - https://www.incentivio.com/

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Produced by Incentivio & Cali BBQ Media - https://www.incentivio.com/ | https://betheshow.media