Autumn Keller

☀️Summer Events Preview☀️ Network outside of a conference center this season with golf tournaments, sporting events and more. Check out this round-up of events from Middle Market Growth Magazine: https://bit.ly/4cM6JXj #MiddleMarket #Growth #Networking #Deals #Dealmaking #PrivateEquity

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🤔 Is it better for General Managers to stay put or keep moving? GIG Nation - dive into Gregg Patterson's thought-provoking article "The Long Stay vs. The Short Stay GM", where he explores the pros and cons of long-term and short-term tenures. Perfect for club managers, assistant managers, and board members alike! #ClubManagement #GolfIndustry #Leadership

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Great conversation that seems to be becoming more and more frequent as the industry continues to navigate B2B ordering for restaurants and bars! Certainly worth the listen if you are retailer currently trying to navigate through this, and wondering what makes sense for your company. Retailers should and need to benefit from B2B ordering through improved analytics and recommended ordering based off real-time perpetual inventory/stores usage.

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Today, we announced the appointment of David Park to our Board of Directors! 📣 Mr. Park will serve on the audit committee of the board, expanding the board to five total directors with three serving independently. 💼 Currently, he is the founder and chief investment officer of Alpha Park Partners, a long-term oriented investment fund based in New York, and he brings to the board more than two decades of experience in the capital markets as well as extensive M&A experience. Learn more about David in our latest press release linked below! #GENK #restaurantstocks #investors #investing

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BlueGolf's Cameron Fossa, PGA, along with Clubessential's Melanie Treharne and Cody Harrison, enjoyed the Florida Chapter CMAA Summer Conference vendor showcase yesterday at the Sunseeker Resort! If you missed us yesterday, stop by today and say hello. We're here to support your efforts to streamline tournament management and give your golfers incredible experiences! #FLCMAA #ClubManagement #ClubManagementSoftware #GolfCourses #GolfClubs #CourseManagement #TournamentManagement

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"The information gathered is critical to Goldfish’s goal of ensuring the franchise is meeting and exceeding expectations all around the country.” The Martec Group is thrilled to receive an indirect shoutout from our client, Goldfish Swim School Franchising, LLC, in Issue 2, 2024 of Franchise Update. You can read the entire article by following the link below and reading pages 28-32! https://lnkd.in/eG9Rr_fr #CX #CustomerExperience #MarketIntelligence #MarketResearch

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Empower your club with tools that enhance member experience, improve retention, and grow your revenue. ClubManager makes club management simple and effective. Our system delivers proven results, helping clubs increase revenue and streamline operations. Don't just take our word for it. Experience it for yourself with your free demo. > https://ow.ly/VqGo50Sn5P1 #clubmanager #members #membermanagement #clubsoftware #freetrial #clubs #fitness #managementsoftware

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Joanna Fantozzi Nation's Restaurant News reports - "The former Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux CEO will now head the new full-service restaurant arm of Hargett Hunter Capital Management, LLC" "Private equity firm Hargett Hunter announced the appointment of Scott Taylor as CEO of the company’s newly created full-service restaurant group, Cherry Bounce Hospitality. Taylor previously worked at Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux, where he spent 14 years at the company, first as president and COO, and most recently as president and CEO—a position that he held for eighteen months until last June. In his new role, Taylor will oversee the full-service brands under the Cherry Bounce Hospitality umbrella, including Trudy's Tex Mex, Cajun Steamer Bar & Grill, Marugame Udon USA, and @Live.Eat.Surf Restaurants, and will build out the full-service portfolio under Hargett Hunter. The company is actively seeking more acquisitions and is currently in discussion with other brands to join the fold soon. “I’m excited to join the Hargett Hunter family in this important leadership role as we focus on strategic expansion with our newly created restaurant platform,” Taylor said in a statement. “I believe the right culture attracts the right people and creates special opportunities. I aligned quickly with the Hargett Hunter team on a shared vision and strategy to build best-in-class teams and partnerships across the full-service restaurant space.”  Hargett Hunter has invested in nine restaurant brands total. In addition to the four current restaurants in its portfolio, the company has also invested in Stacked, bellagreen, Chop Shop, Chopt, and Bojangles'​ Restaurants, Inc.. The purpose of creating Cherry Bounce as a hospitality platform is to “support the leadership teams of the regional casual dining brands” to “achieve their respective growth, profitability and operational goals.” “The opportunity to successfully scale authentic, differentiated and approachable restaurant brands has never been greater,” said Brock. “Scott’s presence allows us to stack the deck to enable our brands to reach their full potential. His passion for hospitality and incredible track record of driving growth will help us continue to realize the vision for building the strongest growth brands in the industry.” https://lnkd.in/grXJmTSf #QSR #Entrepreneur #Restaurants #Franchise #Franchising #FranchiseChat Chainformation Altir Industries, Inc. Franchise Pipeline Franchise Development Outsource Ned Lyerly Joe Caruso Michael (Mike) Webster PhD Anders Hall Jonathan Martin Michael Scherr

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Why so many restaurants fail. The National Restaurant Association estimates a failure rate of about one in three in the first year alone. I find this shocking! Do you seriously mean that two of three restaurants succeed. Oh well, success is part luck. Here is my take on why I think so many restaurants fail. The skills it takes to prepare food are entirely different from the skills it takes to run a business. Restauranteurs often don't think of the consumer and put them first. For example, many restaurants fail to post their menus online. Do they have no idea how important this is? People want to check out what a restaurant offers and what they charge. A pdf of a menu is easy and cheap to do and post. Instead, restaurants think people only go to the site to order online. So you can't see the menu without starting an order, presumably to cancel it later. And the online order menu can differ from the menu you will be handed as you sit down. Another example: Upcharges for substitutions. Insane. If the items are not equivalent in value, then reduce the quantity a bit. Why annoy the customer with a reminder that what they're wanting costs. Fresh ground pepper. Should be on every table. Why is it that even upscale restaurants put those cheap little salt and pepper bottles on the table? Adjustments for inconvenience. Any time, repeat, ANY TIME, something gets messed up or even slightly off of what the customer desired, the restaurant should provide some compensation. A small reduction in the bill or perhaps a free dessert would go a very long way. Surcharge for credit card usage. If you just have to do this, how about stating it as a discount for cash. Just a few things out of many. These don't cause a restaurant to fail. They just indicate that restauranteurs don't think like the people they serve. One simple tip does it all: make sure when your customer leaves, there is not a thing they can complain about. Because if there is, they will.

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Exciting times in the golf and country club industry! Just came across this fascinating article by Andy Medici detailing the recent acquisition trends and market dynamics reshaping our favorite pastime. The resurgence of golf’s popularity combined with the multiple revenue streams —from greens fees to restaurant sales and monthly dues—make them attractive investments. Plus, the shift away from traditional real estate sectors like office and retail towards more stable revenue models is fueling investor interest. As technology continues to evolve, it’s clear that the allure of a real-world golfing experience remains unmatched. Far from being threatened, technology enhances the game, offering new ways to measure performance and enhance player experience. Exciting times for the golf industry, with plenty of opportunities on the horizon! #GolfIndustry #privateclubs #DanielCommunities Read the full article - https://lnkd.in/euXMcYxZ.

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There is - or there was - an intended difference between throwing a baseball as hard as you could, and pitching in a baseball game. Not anymore, it appears. When I coached youth baseball from Little League through HS Travel Leagues, I would stress three things about pitching: velocity, location, and movement. Velocity wasn’t meant to imply throwing as hard as possible every pitch, but rather mixing up the velocity. Location may seem obvious but every pitch is not intended to be a strike, or even hittable. And movement was intended to produce as late of movement as possible. Make no mistake, the secret to hitting is timing. And the secret to pitching is disrupting the hitters timing. The best hitters can always catch up to the best hitters fastball, as impossible as it may seem from a physics standpoint. Pitchers need to remember this, and save their arms and their careers. #mlb #theartofpitching

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🤔 Is it better for General Managers to stay put or keep moving? GIG Nation - dive into Gregg Patterson's thought-provoking article "The Long Stay vs. The Short Stay GM", where he explores the pros and cons of long-term and short-term tenures. Perfect for club managers, assistant managers, and board members alike! #ClubManagement #GolfIndustry #Leadership

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#MinutemanPress #Franchisees Make a Difference in Mesa, AZ; Devin & John Weiss Join President’s Club https://lnkd.in/e2yw6EVe In February of 2022, Devin and John Weiss purchased independent print shop Avante Print Center and joined the Minuteman Press franchise family. Now operating as Minuteman Press in Mesa, AZ, Devin and John have successfully transformed the business by continuing to provide outstanding service, investing in the Internet Marketing Program, and expanding their promotional products and apparel lines. Their business is located at 218 West Hampton Avenue, Unit 13, Mesa, AZ 85210. After achieving over $1 million in gross sales for the year ending 2023, Devin and John are two of the newest members of the Minuteman Press International President’s Club. Devin says, “As fairly new owners of our Minuteman Press location in Mesa, this has been our goal since the beginning. It feels great to achieve this milestone but we aren’t stopping here! We definitely want to continue growing and achieve more of our personal goals for the business.” Growing the Business Devin and John highlight the shop’s keys to growth: “Customer service is always the number one driving factor for us. The Internet Marketing Program has been a tremendous help in growth and customer acquisition. Having a dedicated promotional products specialist has been a key area of growth for us. This was an untapped resource at our shop and has allowed us to bring additional products to our clients and further service their needs.” Support in a New Industry Prior to joining Minuteman Press, Devin and John have owned other businesses but not in the printing industry. John says, “We come from different backgrounds. I’ve had many businesses and career paths, and Devin owned one business for over 25 years. This gave us the benefit of numerous experiences to draw on as owners. At the same time, Minuteman Press is the first franchise either of us have owned and that was probably the biggest selling point to us. We have been extremely impressed with the structure and support that the MPI provides.” When describing the support provided by Minuteman Press, the first word that comes to Devin’s mind is simply, “Tremendous!” She elaborates, “We came in as true novices to the world of print, and the training was invaluable. Our local support of our Regional VP Jack Panzer and our Field Rep is something we can truly count on and use often. The knowledge we have at our disposal from MPIHQ has helped us many times. They are a valuable resource!” Congratulations! Devin Weiss Jack Panzer #franchising #franchises #careers #businessowner #arizonabusiness #print #printing #printingbusiness #printingindustry #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship

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📉💔 71 restaurants closed in February alone. The pressure from current regulations is crushing us. How long can we keep our kitchens open under these conditions? 🍽️ #RestaurantLife #ChefsUnite #SaveOurRestaurants #FoodIndustry #BreakingNews

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In this recent interview clip, Nick Ippolito, Player Development Mentor AKA "The Host Whisperer," discusses with URComped CEO, Craig Shacklett, that the ratings are the big issue with table, and in order to improve, casinos should incentivize their pit bosses on accuracy. Link to full interview and podcast in the comments.

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Beyond Topgolf's "Sure Thing" Topgolf recently introduced the "Sure Thing" driver—a non-USGA conforming club designed to make the game more accessible for new and first-time golfers. At Old Tom Capital, we’re big fans of this initiative. Golf, as many of us know, can be challenging to play. Even seasoned players can struggle, making it daunting for newcomers. By offering equipment like the "Sure Thing," Topgolf and similar venues are lowering the barrier to entry, giving more people the chance to experience the thrill of a well-struck shot. This isn't a debate about the bifurcation of golf or the ongoing discussions among governing bodies about distance control. Rather, it's about fostering a love for the game by making it more approachable. The easier it is for someone to enjoy that first successful swing, the more likely they are to get hooked on golf—leading them to play more often, explore different formats, watch more events, take golf trips, purchase equipment, and ultimately, transition from curious newcomers to passionate golfers. However, this raises an important question: what's the next step after that initial Topgolf experience? While off-course entertainment venues like Topgolf play a crucial role in introducing people to the game (6 million more people swung a club off-course than on-course last year), there's a significant gap between these facilities and traditional green grass courses, even beginner-friendly par 3 courses. According to the National Golf Foundation, 68% of the 33 million off-course golfers are interested in transitioning to green grass golf, highlighting a latent demand for intermediate experiences that bridge this gap. Golf needs more quasi-golf concepts—new, innovative formats that provide an entry-level experience closer to a traditional golf course setting. Think of it as finding the "pickleball of golf"—a sport that's not quite golf as we know it, but still offers the satisfaction of swinging a club and aiming for a target. Whether this involves non-conforming clubs, larger cups, or even different types of balls, the goal is to create engaging, accessible experiences that encourage more people to get outside and play. As the golf industry continues to evolve, there's a growing opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors to innovate in this space. What will be the next big thing that captures the imagination of the golf-curious and helps them take the next step in their golf journey? At Old Tom Capital, we're excited to see how the game can grow and adapt to meet the needs of new generations of golfers. #GolfInnovation #GolfIndustry #Topgolf #NewGolfers #GolfEngagement

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