Pizza King Podcast: Empowering Pizzeria Leadership
The Pizza King Podcast is where pizzeria owners and operators go to sharpen their skills, build better teams, and grow more profitable businesses. Hosted by Tyrell Reed—franchise leader, coach, and author of Next Level Leadership—each episode delivers practical insights, real-life stories, and expert advice to help you win in the pizza business. Whether you're opening your first shop or scaling your tenth, this show is your guide to pizza business excellence.
Episodes
Powered by ThrivePOS
Learn how to drive more traffic, increase repeat visits, and build stronger customer relationships using birthdays and new mover programs. I sit down with David Michaelson of Celebration Marketing to break down why birthdays are the strongest dining occasion, why personalized mail is outperforming digital channels, and how independent pizzerias can use these tools to grow.
We cover how to target the right demogra...
Powered by Thrive POS
This takeout tip breaks down how introverted owners can grow their pizzeria without feeling drained. You learn how to engage your community in small, consistent ways that build real relationships, drive repeat orders, and strengthen your local presence.
You get clear steps you can use today to stay visible, support key groups, and create a simple system for monthly outreach.
If you want steady growth wi...
Powered by ThrivePOS
You will hear the story of OG Papa Fern and how he built a following by traveling the country, teaching the craft of Argentinian style pizza, and supporting independent shops. We talk about dough methods, fermentation, adapting to different kitchens, and the realities of running high-cost specialty styles.
You will learn how collaboration events can drive traffic, how to introduce new styles to customers, and wh...
Get up to 3 months FREE from Thrive POS! Visit ThrivePOs.com/PizzaKing
You learn how to drive faster online sales by removing friction in your ordering process. I walk through a real shop visit where one simple change turned a slow day into a strong night. You see how direct links, clean messages, and fewer steps can lift response rates and help customers place orders fast.
This is a quick win for any pizzeria looking to raise sales...
Explore the exclusive listener offer from Thrive POS at the link below
You learn how to build a strong team from day one. I break down a simple three day onboarding system that helps you train faster, spot A players early, and set up future managers.
You hear why most new hires fail, how to fix your training gaps, and the routine that keeps people engaged and growing.
Pizzeria owners will walk away with clea...
Learn about our exclusive listener offer from Thrive POS visit ThrivePOS.com/Pizzaking
You get a full recap of my week at the Pizza Tomorrow Summit and the Florida Restaurant Show. I talk about speaking on leadership, judging world class pizza makers, connecting with friends from across the industry, and spending real time with the people who make this community special.
I walk through each day, from the leadership session on day on...
Check Out The Exclusive Offer From Thrive POS
In this Takeout Tip, Tyrell Reed breaks down the difference between systems that help you lead and systems that keep you stuck putting out fires. Most operators aren’t losing sleep over food—they’re losing sleep over missing numbers, mismatched schedules, and reports that never tell the full story. Tyrell shares how clarity and real-time data can change everything, helping you coach with...
In this episode of The Pizza King Podcast, Tyrell Reed takes last week’s Takeout Tip on self-audits to the next level. Learn exactly how to prepare for your first in-store audit, what to look for in every area, how to document what you find, and how to follow up so the changes actually stick.
You’ll learn how to:
• Set the right mindset before your first audit
• Use simple tools like checklists or apps such as SafetyCultur...
In this Takeout Tip, Tyrell Reed shares why every pizzeria owner should perform regular self-audits. Learn how to find coachable moments, protect your brand, and strengthen food safety before the health inspector ever walks in. Tyrell breaks down five key steps: scheduling monthly walk-throughs, checking food safety habits, using audit checklists, coaching instead of catching, and closing the loop with follow-ups.
If you run a pizza...
Independent artist Hitmaker Steve shares how Pizza Man went from a line in his kitchen to a full video, why he bets on collaboration, and how he balances creativity with the business. Practical takeaways on vision, execution, and momentum.
Show notes, key topics
• Origin of Pizza Man, the kitchen moment and first lyric
• Visual first creative process, scripting the shoot
• Shipping when good enough beats perfect
You can’t run a pizza shop on gut feelings. In this Takeout Tips episode, Tyrell breaks down how to make smarter, data-driven decisions using what your POS is already telling you.
He shares a real example from an operator who nearly wasted a campaign on the wrong customers and explains how to build better habits with weekly dashboards, simple metrics, and pattern spotting.
You’ll learn:
- Why your gut is biased and how dat...
Ric Gruber, CEO of Billy Bricks Pizza, shares how he scaled Chicago's first wood-fired brand into a multi-unit operation with restaurants, mobile pizza trucks, and Moo Joe's Ice Cream.
He broke down how they:
• Built repeatable systems for growth and accountability
• Use weekly manager rundowns to drive clarity
• Track key restaurant metrics like labor, food cost, and guest feedback
• Improved their speed to le...
In this Sunday Q&A, I answer 20 operator questions on delivery apps, marketing ROI, loyalty, reviews, labor, inventory, and delivery profitability. You get the exact metrics, systems, and scripts I use to run tighter shops.
Learn More By Visiting ThrivePOS.com/PizzaKing
Visit ThrivePOS.com/Pizzaking to learn more!
DM us a screenshot of your review and get a special gift!
Free New Store Opening ChecklistNew Pizzeria? Free Sto...
Every shop has unwritten rules, and some of them cost you money. In today’s episode I break down common kitchen superstitions, why they show up, and how to keep standards high to the last minute of service.
Send me your shop’s unwritten rules.
Learn More By Visiting ThrivePOS.com/PizzaKing
DM us a screenshot of your review and get a special gift!
Free New Store Opening ChecklistNew Pizzeria? Free Store Opening Checklist...
Halloween lands on a Friday this year. That means chaos for most pizzerias. In this Takeout Tip, I break down how to prep in the next two weeks to stay fast, stocked, and profitable. From staffing and preorders to menu simplification and flow, this plan keeps you in control when the orders flood in.
If you want your Halloween night to run smooth, this is your playbook.
Learn More By Visiting ThrivePOS.com/PizzaKing
DM us a scree...
Before there was the Pizza King Podcast, there was “That’s On Everything.” In this crossover episode, I sit down with my brothers Corey, Bruce, and Jay to talk life, peace, family, and pizza.
We get into what it really takes to stay consistent, the power of local pizzerias, and why pizza connects people more than anything else. This one’s fun, raw, and real—just like the start of every great idea.
You do not need a budget to start your email program. In this workshop, I show pizzeria owners how to use three free tools—Mailchimp, Canva, and ChatGPT—to build a simple email list, create a QR code for signups, and send your first message this week. You will learn what to write, when to send it, and how to track results.
If you want more help join in our live workshops or email me directly to book a call info@tyrellreed.com
Jesse Heredia, owner of Jesse’s Pizza Co. in Borger, Texas, shares how he took over a struggling shop with net-7 terms, cut the chaos, rebuilt the flow, and won the town back. We cover menu discipline, culture, community giving, second-chance hiring, and why he tests new pies on a buffet to get instant feedback. We also talk future plans and lessons from his time in law enforcement.
Learn More By Visiting ThrivePOS.com/PizzaKing
D...
You feel busy, then you leave the shop with nothing finished. I used to live there. Today I break down why multitasking kills your results and what to do instead. We cover time blocks, daily priorities, better delegation, and quiet zones. You will leave with a simple focus plan you can run today. Multitasking can drop productivity by up to 40 percent. Let’s fix that.
Learn More By Visiting ThrivePOS.com/PizzaKing
DM us a scree...
You asked. I answered. Today I run through 20 questions new and future pizzeria owners keep asking. Startup costs. Profit timelines. Permits. Location. Kitchen design. Equipment. POS. Vendors. Breakeven. Food cost. Pricing. Labor. Hiring. Culture. Delivery. Low budget marketing. All clear. All practical. Use this to plan your next move.
Learn More By Visiting ThrivePOS.com/PizzaKing
DM us a screenshot of your review and get a...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
As Director of The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he’s bringing that expertise to The Male Room — a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works — and what doesn’t. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.