Episodes

In this episode, we chat to Boston bartender, Curtis McMillan about tiki, his new book, The Mischievous Mixologist and his career. The book is fantastic and I highly urge you to get it. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – Shawn Soole …

This came out of a long session I did with the Mixology Class at Camosun College. I have the class come in every 6 months with new students and try and enlighten them on the industry as a whole. I …

In this episode, I sit down with Jason Littrell of Kinetic Management Systems to chat about the rise of AI in the hospitality industry and how he shows clients how to implement it in their everyday for guest retention to …

I suppose it's a bit of a reflection period coming to the end of the year, so I have reposted a chat that Mike Norbury and I did when he competed in the Patron Perfectionists competition. Now he is the …

A little throwback episode about embracing the mistakes you make and taking control of the narrative going forward. It's a nice reminder for myself as well, so I hope you enjoy it. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – Shawn Soole https:/...

In this episode, I get to chat with industry stalwart, Jim Meehan about his career, the industry and his amazing new book, The Bartender's Pantry. This is a must get book, get it here. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – Shawn …

In this episode, I take on a topic that I don't feel many independent operators think about when they open and run their venues. A successful succession plan is very important after the first 5 years of business. FOLLOW US …

In this episode, I chat with good friend Hugo Togni of Bar Pompette in Toronto, and absolutely gem of a human and the tour de force behind Bar Pompette in Toronto, one of the most awarded bars in the country …

In this episode, I chat about certifications and wage increases for your team along with how much to budget per year for staff training, if you aren't investing 1-2% into training your team, you are missing out on a massive …

In this episode, I sit down with Jim Taylor of Benchmark Sixty and chat about his new book, Bold Operations. A deep dive in modern day operations and how to implement systems to tackle staffing, training and so much more. …

In this episode, I tackle the top 5 expenses for a restaurant and what their budgets should be. I know so many operators don't know what their costs should be so I wanted to quantify the best I can. Hope …

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Cardone of Continuous Beverage and chat his journey through flair, to Diageo World Class and his latest endeavour with his sober journey and educating the industry and more on the moveme...

In this episode, I lay out the the costs of how much it actually costs to open a restaurant. These are just industry averages and everyone is different, but I wanted to give tangible figures and some antidotes along the …

In this episode, I sit down with Kate Gerwin of Happy Accidents and of Drink Master fame and we have a chance to delve into small markets, awards, cocktails, travel and the TV show. Hope you enjoy the episode. FOLLOW …

In this episode, I give you five actionable ways to saving costs in the current restaurant market. They are listed below for reference. Here are five solutions for "Navigating the Costs of Running a Restaurant in 2024" 1. Cut...

In this episode, I catch up with Dave Mitton, Global Brand Ambassador of J.P Wiser's as we chat about his start in the industry, his move to brand ambassadorship and the state of Canadian Whisky. Absolute gem of a human, …

In this episode, I recently put out a questionnaire for business owners, operators and managers to see how other markets are doing. The results were shocking and telling on how the industry is currently. The link to my break ...

In this episode, I sit down with Reece Sims, a spirits expert and entrepreneur. We dive into the importance of fitness in the hospitality industry, overcoming rejection, and finding success beyond financial goals. Reece also ...

Hiring is Guessing, Firing is Knowing. I live by this to stop perfectionism in the hiring process. Here are 5 tips to hiring the right team. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – Shawn Soole https://www.instagram.com/shawnsoole/ Soole Hos...

In this episode, I catch up with Keegan McGregor, fresh off his global bartending competition win. We dive into his journey through imposter syndrome, the importance of self-confidence, and his desire to uplift his local comm...

This week I chat about 5 key takeaways from minimizing staff turnover in your venue. Hope this helps some operators out there. FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM – Shawn Soole https://www.instagram.com/shawnsoole/ Soole Hospitality Conce...

In this episode of, Shawn sits down with Evelyn Chick, award-winning bartender and entrepreneur, to discuss financial literacy, the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and redefining success in the hospitality industry. Evely...

In this episode, I dive into the power of language in leadership. I discuss how shifting from "working for" to "working with" your team can transform your business culture, foster collaboration, and drive success. Tune in to ...

In this episode, Shawn chats with Kevin Demers, Montreal’s hospitality visionary and the mastermind behind multiple venues, including Coldroom. Kevin shares his entrepreneurial journey, offering insights on scaling a business...