#144: Lessons from Starting & Growing Slice | with Ilir Sela

In this episode, David and Steve chat with Ilir Sela, the visionary Founder and CEO of Slice, a platform that empowers over 20,000 independent pizzerias and generates nearly $2 billion in sales.

Ilir shares his incredible journey—from growing up in a small town in Macedonia to moving to New York City and embracing the entrepreneurial spirit that built his career. He talks about his early ventures, the lessons he learned bootstrapping a business, and how Slice is bridging the digital gap for small pizzerias, ensuring they thrive in an online world.

We also dive into:

• The evolution from MyPizza to Slice
• The power of bootstrapping and how it shaped his leadership
• How COVID-19 accelerated growth and helped small businesses survive
• The importance of trust, culture, and doing the right thing

And of course, we had to ask—what’s his go-to pizza spot in NYC?
If you're passionate about entrepreneurship, small business success, and a great slice of pizza, this episode is for you.

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/g5S5-cTsZJc 

Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page
The Modern Hotelier is produced, edited, and published by Make More Media

Links:
Ilir on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilirsela/

Slice: https://slice.com/

Slice Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SlicePlatform/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/144

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Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.