Weathering Economic Cycles
For those who have done a lot of time in our industry, economic downturns are as inevitable as the sun rising every morning. While these downturns may seem catastrophic at the time, rest assured they are survivable. Note that downturns include not just recessions, but also one-off black swan events such as Black Tuesday in […]
Twenty-five Lessons Learned in 25 Years in Hospitality
The ESPN Series “30 for 30” happens to be one of my favorite shows. The documentaries that they have produced are wonderful to watch. I have my own version of this show…well, sort of. What have you learned in your career? Someone asked me that the other day, and I must admit, I was stumped […]
FOUR TOP CATERING INDUSTRY EXPERTS JOIN CONSULTANCY
Certified Catering Consultants Adds to Team Roster Certified Catering Consultants welcomes the addition of four top experts in the catering and hospitality industry to the roster of prominent executives at our firm. Francisco (Frank) Christian Jr, Greg Karl, John Lombardo and Bob Pacanovsky will expand upon the expert advisory services, consulting, training and coaching provided […]
How to Hire a Great Salesperson
One of the most common questions I get from my clients is, “how do you hire excellent salespeople?” This, as you may know, can be easier said than done! Traditional recruitment and interview methods can work well in some cases, but we have all hired an individual this way and been utterly disappointed by the […]
Landing the Big One
One interesting bit of collective memory among off-premise caterers: remembering the first truly big party that you ever catered. Often if this topic comes up over drinks at the end of a long day, some twinges of embarrassment might be in evidence. The first time I ever did a party for more than 1200 people, […]
Count Your Blessings
OK, so depending upon where you live, it’s “the dead of summer” or you are nearing the fall season. Maybe summer is your slow time and you can’t wait for the post-labor-day business increase, or possibly you are burnt out—literally and figuratively–from cooking lots of brats and burgers in the sun at company picnics and […]
When is Enough, Enough? Dealing with Charitable Events.
This morning I listened to the audio from my Spotlight Campfire Session at the New Orleans Catersource. Kathleen Stoehr, who is taking over the Catersource Education role, asked me to listen to the recording of this session to review the questions that were asked. I hate hearing my own voice, so believe me, it was […]
Always Be Recruiting
As I talk to business people here in Denver, I love to ask “What is the biggest challenge you are facing?” Recently, the answer has overwhelmingly been: “finding great people”. With unemployment below 4%, it seems that everyone is looking for top talent and not having much success in their search. Those great people are […]
Props That Pop!
It’s not just enough to network; crafting a winning proposal is also essential to booking the event. Your proposal should pop! Here’s the scenario. It’s Friday afternoon, and an event planner calls looking for a proposal for a client. She wants it emailed by 10 AM Monday. Yours will be one of the three she […]
Consulting for Caterers – The Cost/Benefit Equation
Virtually all large corporations use consultants for a variety of purposes – but many caterers are unsure of what consultants do, and the value they bring. In essence, most caterers and other businesses that use consultants are seeking a competitive advantage. A catering industry specialist such as Certified Catering Consultants is most likely to provide […]
