86 Reason Podcast by Over Easy Office

Food waste is one of the biggest profit-eaters in the hospitality industry. Millions of pounds of perfectly good prepared food end up in landfills every single day—not because operators don’t care, but because traditional donation logistics are broken.

In Episode 22 of the 86 Reason Podcast, host Xavier sits down with Kimberly Smith, CEO of Copia, to unpack how smart technology, back-of-house integration, ...

"Don't ever again ask me if it's okay to take care of your team." 
Those were the words of @Shake Shack's COO, Zach Koff, to @Lissa Hamilton at 6:00 AM the morning after the tragic Route 91 shooting in Las Vegas.
Lissa was running an $11.5M location on the Strip. While the rest of the city was trying to get out, she was fighting to get in to check on her team and support local first responders. When she called her COO, w...

What happens when you trade dreams of becoming the next Whitney Houston for a hotel accounting desk—and end up building one of Southern California's most celebrated culinary brands?In Episode 20 of the 86 Reason Podcast, host Xavier Mariezcurrena sits down with Kwini Reed, Co-Founder & COO of A Table for Two Hospitality, the operational engine behind Poppy + Rose, Poppy & Seed, and Root of All Food Catering.A James Be...

In this episode, Xavier Mariezcurrena sits down with Steve Uhr, the Director of New Restaurant Openings for STARR Restaurants. Steve shares his journey from burnout to becoming the architect behind nearly 10 successful restaurant launches in just three years, revealing the "masochism" required to execute strategies for successful new restaurant openings in today's volatile market.Steve offers an unfiltered look at the difference be...

In this episode of the 86 Reason Podcast, host Xavier Mariezcurrena sits down with Dan Anfinson, COO of MH Restaurant Group and President of The Slapfish Company, to uncover how a former dishwasher is revolutionizing restaurant operations across Texas.Dan reveals his game-changing approach to AI implementation in restaurant back-of-house operations, sharing how he discovered 240 basis points in his P&L by focusing on kitchen pr...

From collecting grease traps to leading cloud transformation at Sage Intacct, Chad Freedman's journey reveals how restaurant CFOs are evolving from data entry clerks to strategic advisors.In this episode of the 86 Reason Podcast, host Xavier Mariezcurrena sits down with Chad Freedman, Director & Practice Lead for Hospitality at Sage Intacct, who literally went door-to-door collecting used cooking oil before becoming a leader in...

Why do restaurants with 45-minute waits still go broke?Bruce Nelson learned this the hard way. After 20 years in the industry, he opened his dream restaurant—packed tables, rave reviews, the works. It closed in 13 months. The brutal lesson? He had mastered the "Magic" of hospitality but completely ignored the "Math" of profit.Now, as a Fractional CFO and author of "Restaurant Management: The Myth, the Magic, the Math," Bruce ...

What does playing first flute in a world-class orchestra have to do with creating exceptional restaurant podcasts? Everything, according to Raquel Murillo. In this episode of the 86 Reason Hospitality Podcast, host Xavier Mariezcurrena explores how classical discipline translates directly into the precision and excellence required to curate the best voices in hospitality.Raquel brings an unconventional blend of musical mastery, fro...

High sales but no profit? Your balance sheet is hiding the "dead bodies" killing your restaurant.Raffi Yousefian, CEO of Fork CPA, reveals the financial framework that separates thriving restaurant groups from those that flame out. If you've ever wondered why expansion feels impossible or where your money actually goes, this episode will change how you look at your numbers forever.Raffi specializes exclusively in restaurant account...

Great food isn't enough anymore. In today's competitive restaurant landscape, operational excellence separates thriving multi-unit operations from those constantly fighting fires, and the biggest battles aren't happening in the dining room. They're buried in scheduling chaos, compliance nightmares, and labor management issues that quietly destroy profitability and burn out your best managers.In this episode of the 86 Reason Podcast...

Join host Xavier Mariezcurrena on 86 Reason for a fascinating conversation with Ronnie Sanders, President of Vine Street Imports, exploring how the wine industry is navigating dramatic shifts in consumer behavior and market dynamics. Ronnie's journey from a disastrous "one and done" dishwashing job to building a respected wine import company is a masterclass in relationship-building, market adaptation, and understanding what qualit...

Join host Xavier Mariezcurrena on 86 Reason for an eye-opening conversation with Bill Lindsey, Partner & Co-Founder at COGS-Well and a living legend in restaurant technology. Bill's 50-year journey from a dishroom in 1974 to revolutionizing inventory management for multi-unit operators is a masterclass in operational innovation, technological adaptation, and understanding what restaurant operators truly need.This isn't your typ...

Join us on 86 Reason for an inspiring conversation with Sande Friedman, founder of Friends in Wine, who reveals how an unconventional background in library science became the secret weapon for building one of Philadelphia's most profitable wine retail programs. From navigating Pennsylvania's archaic liquor laws to pioneering staff education models that drive real revenue, Sande's journey from "failing" a cheese exam to entrepreneur...

Join host Xavier Mariezcurrena on 86 Reason for a game-changing conversation with Josh Sharkey, the "apex predator of restaurant tech" and Founder & CEO of meez. From fine dining at Jean-Georges and Cafe Gray to scaling Bark Hot Dogs across four locations, Josh has lived the chaos of kitchen operations—and he's built the solution the industry desperately needs.His revelation? Most restaurants are unknowingly bleeding prof...

Join host Xavier Mariezcurrena on 86 Reason for an inspiring conversation with Matthew "Buddah" Budenstein, co-founder of Liberty Kitchen and owner of Infinite Abundance Catering. Matt's journey from dropping 15 plates on his first week as a dishwasher to building a thriving multi-location restaurant and catering empire is a masterclass in resilience, community building, and the power of saying yes to challenges.This isn't a typica...

Join host Xavier Mariezcurrena on 86 Reason for a brutally honest conversation about restaurant technology with Ty Shehadi, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Restaurant365. From busboy to tech leader, Ty brings a rare perspective: he's lived in "the four walls" for over a decade and now helps shape the future of restaurant back-office solutions. His message? The best software in the world is worthless without the support to actuall...

Join host Xavier Mariezcurrena on 86 Reason for an essential deep-dive into restaurant accounting software and multi-unit financial strategy with Steven Mamis, Restaurant365 Expert, Multi-Unit Restaurant Controller, and Founder of FORCS (Complete Restaurant Accounting & Operations Services). As Senior Controller of Five Guys New York, Steven brings battle-tested wisdom on why managing finances for multi-unit restaurants is a "u...

Join host Xavier Mariezcurrena on 86 Reason for a raw, eye-opening conversation with Andy Himmel, Restaurant Industry Executive and Founder & CEO of The Restaurant CPAs. This episode delivers hard-earned wisdom about restaurant success, specialized financial strategy, and why the human element still trumps spreadsheets in hospitality.Andy's story begins with disaster: At 22, his first restaurant's building collapsed before open...

Join us on 86 Reason for a raw, revelatory conversation with Shawn P. Walchef, founder of Cali BBQ Media, who dismantles the dangerous "if you build it, they will come" myth and reveals why restaurant owners must actively own their story to survive and thrive. A restaurateur since age 13 (starting as a dishwasher at the very restaurant he now owns), Shawn shares his transformation from burnout to building a media empire that market...