Free Daily Podcast Summary
The Pre-Shift: Daily Summaries Delivered
by 7shifts
Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into what it takes to build great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, the strategies they use, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D. J. Costantino. The Pre-Shift Podcast is taking a hiatus. Thank you for listening and being part of our restaurant community!
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 3 days ago41 min
Why Pluckers puts sales and people ahead of labor cost with Dave Paul | 078
In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we talk to Dave Paul, co-founder and owner of Pluckers Wing Bar, a 34-location Texas concept that's still independently owned. He explains how they decide when to open a store, who gets promoted, and why his managers hear more about sales and people than labor cost. Dave and his business partner Mark opened the first store two weeks after college, waited seven years for the second, and now leads about 4,000 team members. If you’re weighing a second lo...
- Oct 7, 202649 min
Put down the ramekins: How Joe Fontana built Fry the Coop to 10 locations | 077
Two hours into portioning sauce into cups, Joe Fontana decided he was done doing the work and needed to start building the system. In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we sit down with Joe, founder and owner of Fry the Coop, a Nashville hot chicken concept with 10 Chicago locations and an 11th on the way, to talk about how he built a business that could grow past one restaurant. Joe shares how a meatball concept he couldn't fund led him to a simpler menu, why he trains with one page inst...
- Sep 2, 202645 min
The pitfalls of restaurant scaling with Andrew Scott of OwnerShift | 076
Andrew Scott, founder of Owner Shift Training and former multi-unit restaurant owner, walks us through the expensive mistakes that nearly took him under at his fifth location—and the systems he rebuilt to stop being the operating system his restaurants depended on. You're driving across the city for the third time today because someone forgot to order lettuce. Your phone buzzes at 6 a.m. with a no-call-no-show text. You can't even make it out of the city limits for a family visit before you'...
- Aug 12, 202640 min
The compliance rules that multi-units get wrong with Felice Ekelman, JD | 075
Getting workplace law advice after you get a complaint is like fixing a schedule after the shift's over. In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we sit down with Felice Ekelman, a principal at Jackson Lewis who leads the firm's restaurant industry group, to talk about the compliance mistakes that catch multi-unit operators off guard. Felice walks through why state and local rules don't travel with you from one location to the next, what "audit-proof" really looks like on paper and on the fl...
- Jul 8, 202641 min
Scaling self-pour tap walls: Inside Oak & Stone's expansion | 074
Growing from one restaurant to nine teaches you that what worked at one location might not work at another. In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we sit down with Sam Aguilar, Brand President of Oak & Stone Restaurants, to discuss what it actually takes to scale a multi-unit concept without losing your culture along the way. Sam shares how Oak & Stone built a communication system that cascades from his weekly one-on-ones all the way down to the pre-shift, plus why he tracks two la...
- Jun 3, 202628 min
Letting go of the day-to-day: Tom Schmidt's journey from busser to leader | 073
The Pre-Shift Podcast is back! Tom Schmidt, co-owner of Salt + Smoke BBQ, talks with host D.J. about shifting from hands-on restaurant work to leading an eight-location, 550+ employee business, a transition he says truly began around the fourth location and felt like a “phantom limb” loss of how he measured success. He explains how delegating to partners and leaders—especially co-owner Haley, a director of operations, and later hospitality, HR, finance, and catering roles—enabled growth while...
- Feb 5, 20261 min
An update on The Pre-Shift podcast
The Pre-Shift podcast is taking a hiatus. This podcast launched in 2021, and we’re so grateful to our listeners. We’ll continue to talk about hospitality and share tips from real operators in our newsletter, so make sure to subscribe to Food Runner. Take a look back through our archive! There are still a lot of great insights in these episodes from our 70+ guests. 📧 Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter Send us Fan Mail 📲 Connect with us Email us Follow on LinkedIn...
- Nov 5, 202524 min
The QUESO Framework: how Condado Tacos built a culture-first restaurant empire | 072
How do you grow from a single taco joint to a 50+ location brand without losing the soul of your company? For Joe Kahn and Chris Artinian of Condado Tacos, the answer is simple: QUESO. In this episode, Founder Joe Kahn and CEO Chris Artinian share the origin story of Condado Tacos, built on the principle of creating a restaurant where people would want to work forever. They detail their unique "QUESO" framework—Quality, Unique, Empowered, Service, and Opportunity—that serves as the lens for e...
Get The Pre-Shift summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
Walk-In Talk Podcast
Raw conversations with food industry professionals about restaurant operations, culinary leadership, and the business of hospitality.
Fell Into Food Podcast
Chef Jeff Fell examines how technology and innovation shape modern kitchens through interviews with industry professionals.
Do Small Business Like a Big Boss Podcast
A lawyer offers practical legal and business strategies for small business owners to scale and compete effectively.
Cheeky Pint
John Collison interviews founders, builders, and leaders over a pint.
Bred To Lead
Leadership is developed through real-world turnarounds, early warning signs, and people-first habits that prevent organizational decline.
The Business of Boutique Fitness
A studio owner shares proven strategies for growing a boutique fitness business, from marketing to scaling operations.
Your Brand Amplified
Explores the strategies and mindsets of successful entrepreneurs in business growth, marketing, and personal branding.
Hunters and Unicorns
Explores the strategies and journeys of top tech leaders and sales innovators shaping the software industry.
The Shift with Sam Baker
Conversations with women about life, identity, and change after 40, exploring work, love, health, and self-image with honesty and humor.
Business MVP
Athletes and sports entrepreneurs discuss how their experiences shape leadership, business, and community impact.
Success Profiles Radio
Explores diverse aspects of success through interviews with experts in leadership, business, health, relationships, and personal growth.
Entrepreneur Parents - Pretty & Punk Podcast | Family Success, Business Tactics, Relationship Goals
Parents who run businesses share real experiences balancing family, marriage, and entrepreneurship.
About The Pre-Shift
Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into what it takes to build great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, the strategies they use, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D. J. Costantino. The Pre-Shift Podcast is taking a hiatus. Thank you for listening and being part of our restaurant community!
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from The Pre-Shift in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's The Pre-Shift daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of The Pre-Shift as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the The Pre-Shift podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official The Pre-Shift product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by 7shifts.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts, any in the catalog. Basic raises that to 15, Pro to 40 and Max to 100. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does The Pre-Shift release new episodes?
The Pre-Shift publishes biweekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does The Pre-Shift cover?
The Pre-Shift covers topics including Business, Arts, Food, Management. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting The Pre-Shift summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.