Tech + Mortar Episode 028, April 23, 2020

Jim Mizes, Blaze & SiteZeus

Talk Highlights

  • Examples of the initiatives restaurants have taken to reach customers in new ways.
  • What restaurant professionals should be doing to ensure they make it to the other side.
  • How the future of the restaurant business will look.

Speaker Bio

Jim Mizes started his career in the retail industry as a young man working at his father’s pharmacy. He then went to school and received a degree in accounting and began working in typical finance jobs. After realizing that accounting wasn’t what brought him joy, Jim joined Taco Bell as a general manager and quickly worked his way up to their VP of operations. In 1989, Jim repositioned the brand’s 59, 79, 99 campaign and saw a 60% growth in same-store sales. After building up several restaurant brands, Jim finally joined Blaze Pizza where he grew the brand from 2 stores to over 340 in only 6 and a half years.

Jim is now retired and recently joined SiteZeus’ board of directors to continue to help retail and restaurant brands grow into new markets.

Show Notes

  • 1:40 - Jim’s take on where retail is allocating funds during this time
  • 2:55 - Initiatives restaurants are taking to pivot their strategies with no dine-in 
  • 5:00 - How restaurants can prepare for business after COVID-19
  • 6:50 - What restauranteurs can do to maintain funds and get to the other side 
  • 9:40 - How non-leadership positions can add value to their company
  • 12:30 - Is there an advantage for those restaurant brands who own their real estate?
  • 13:30 - Jim’s prediction on what the future of the restaurant business looks like
  • 15:15 - Quickfire - COVID-19 edition!

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