The Pineapple Perspective

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper welcomes longtime hospitality leader Andrew Parr to discuss his journey from operator to consultant and coach. Drawing on his experiences with Applebee's franchisees, major hotel groups, and independent restaurants, Andrew shares how a guest-first mentality shaped his view of hospitality. 

He breaks down the distinctions between consulting, adv...

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper interviews Kelly Esten, CMO of Toast, live from the National Restaurant Association Show 2025. They discuss the role of technology in enhancing hospitality, including how Toast integrates tools to empower staff and improve guest experiences without losing the human touch. 

Kelly shares insights on the use of AI for personalization, Toast’s expa...

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper sits down with Amy Hom, Chief Operating Officer at Barcelona Wine Bar, live from the National Restaurant Association Show 2025. Amy shares her journey from starting at McDonald's to leading major brands through culture transformation. They discuss the power of authentic hospitality to change lives, the importance of building trust within teams, and strategi...

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy Hooper sits down with sales coach and Founder of Facetime Coaching Company, Mandi Graziano for a deep dive into the principles of hospitality, sales strategy, and venue optimization. Mandi shares insights from her 27-year career in the hospitality industry, including lessons from her book Sales Tales and her hands-on work with venues and sales teams. 

They...

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy chats with Matt Wampler, co-founder of ClearCOGS, to discuss the evolving role of predictive analytics and AI in the restaurant industry. Matt shares his journey from owning Jimmy John’s franchises to launching ClearCOGS, which helps restaurants optimize prep, inventory, and labor decisions using advanced data forecasting. The conversation covers the importance of hosp...

This week, Troy welcomes Hildee Isaacs, a seasoned expert in promotional products, swag, and branded merchandise. Hildee shares her inspiring journey from her early days in New York’s film industry and her entrepreneurial ventures in Atlanta to becoming a leading consultant in the promotional products space. 

Hildee shares her thoughts on the true meaning of hospitality; of how it goes beyond service to in...

This week, Troy welcomes industry leader Eric Knott to discuss his journey from childhood in upstate New York to becoming a prominent restaurant executive. Eric shares insights on the true essence of hospitality, making people feel welcome, and expands on the implementation of it throughout your business, from the staff to operations. Eric talks about how important culture, leadership, and empowering your staff is to c...

This is a lively episode of The Pineapple Perspective, with Troy welcoming Jimmy Frischling and Michael “Schatzy” Schatzberg from Branded Hospitality. While the episode opens with humor and banter, it transitions into meaningful reflections on hospitality, evolving dining habits, and the state of restaurant technology. 

Jimmy and Schatzy share their roots in the industry, how Branded Hospitality blends inv...

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy sits down with consultant, coach, and mentor Richard Liverman. Broadcasting from the UK, Richard shares his perspectives on hospitality, branding, and the power of storytelling in business. Drawing from a diverse background from horticulture to luxury brands he illustrates how service and connection can define success across industries. 

The conversation c...

In this milestone 50th episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy Hooper sits down with longtime friend and returning guest Shawn Walchef, founder of Cali BBQ Media, for the podcast's first-ever on-location recording at Pepper Lunch in Las Vegas. They reflect on the journey of launching and sustaining a media-driven business strategy in the hospitality industry, discussing how consistent storytelling builds brand autho...

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper sits down with Tammy Billings, a seasoned marketing and technology advisor in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Tammy shares her journey from starting in hospitality at In-N-Out Burger to becoming a sought-after voice in MarTech and decision intelligence. She explains the evolution from traditional marketing roles into tech consulting, emphasizing ho...

In Episode 048 of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper sits down with Erin Levzow, a seasoned marketing and technology leader with more than two decades of experience in hospitality, restaurants, and consulting. Erin shares her insights on what hospitality truly means—emphasizing emotional connection over transactional service—and why every business, regardless of industry, should consider itself part of the hos...

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper sits down with Rev Ciancio, a hospitality marketing expert and dynamic personality in the restaurant industry. Known for his extensive social media presence, food crawl leadership, and straight-talking marketing advice, Rev shares insights into hospitality, influencer marketing, and creating meaningful guest experiences. He reflects on the early roots of hi...

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy sits down with hospitality coach, author, and industry leader Jason E. Brooks. The conversation explores what true hospitality means beyond service scripts and steps, diving into Jason's personal journey from overcoming a speech impediment to becoming a keynote speaker and trusted consultant. Jason breaks down the differences between managing, leading, and coaching, an...

In this insightful episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper sits down with hospitality veteran and author Steve Fortunato to explore the deeper meaning behind true hospitality. Steve shares a compelling personal journey that led to a major mindset shift in his 34-year career in the food and beverage industry. 

From launching boutique catering brand Room Forty to opening event venues like The ...

In this inspiring episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper sits down with serial entrepreneur and churro connoisseur Scott Porter, founder of San Diablo Artisan Churros. With an eclectic background spanning PR, healthcare, aviation, and gourmet desserts, Scott shares his unwavering belief in the power of hospitality as a strategic advantage in any industry. 

He details how his formative exper...

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper welcomes Josh Kopel, a seasoned restaurateur, entrepreneur, and host of the influential Full Comp podcast. Together, they explore the evolving landscape of the restaurant industry, diving into topics like AI-driven profitability, menu engineering, and maximizing check averages. Josh shares invaluable insights on how restaurants can leverage artificial intel...

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper sits down with hospitality industry veteran Chris Tripoli. With decades of experience in restaurant ownership, consulting, and education, Chris shares invaluable insights into what makes restaurants successful in today's rapidly evolving landscape. From his early days learning the principles of hospitality to building and scaling restaurants, Chris has seen...

Welcome to this special episode of The Pineapple Perspective with your host, Troy Hooper. In today’s episode, we’re joined by two incredible guests — Ashley Carlson, Founder and CEO of Elevate Business Solutions, and Nichole Hughes, Lead Executive Assistant at Elevate. Together, they share how their innovative approach to fractional executive assistant services helps busy executives, entrepreneurs, and business leaders...