Leadership News & Media

How fast-casual franchise Your Pie is optimizing kitchens for modern diners

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Fast-casual pizza franchise Your Pie is strategically expanding across the Southeast under CEO Ken Caldwell by blending its authentic, handcrafted Italian…

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Papa Johns completes strategic refranchising of Orlando-area restaurants

August 26, 2026

Papa John's International, Inc. has announced in a press release that it has refranchised 28 formerly corporate-owned restaurants in the Orlando area, which…

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From the boardroom to the prep line: How Stonefire Grill's CEO is fueling legacy growth

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Stonefire Grill CEO David Youngberg joins the Restaurant Operator Podcast to share how his hands-on leadership, people-first culture and strategic use of guest…

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How Prince St. Pizza is scaling a pop-culture juggernaut across North America

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Armed with an untouchable family recipe and masterclass marketing, CEO Lawrence Longo has taken Prince St. Pizza from a local NYC secret to a rapidly expanding…

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4 misses in Founder-led negotiations

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

Although Founders know their businesses best, their deep emotional investment and daily operational pressures often compromise their negotiating leverage…

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Mr Gatti's Pizza acquired by franchisee G. Brint Ryan as CEO Jim Phillips retires

August 7, 2026

Entrepreneur and longtime franchisee G. Brint Ryan has acquired the remaining ownership interest in Mr Gatti's Pizza, making him the primary owner of the pizza…

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The new state of pizza Part 4: Winning the next chapter

by Valerie Gritton

In the final installment our new state of pizza series, we explore how the pizza brands that succeed in the next decade won't simply be the most automated…

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3 leaders every Founder must hire to scale

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

To successfully scale a company and transition from an overwhelmed operator to a confident CEO, founders must stop trying to manage everything themselves and…

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How Latitude Food Group CEO James O’Reilly is scaling &pizza, Tijuana Flats

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

As CEO of Latitude Food Group, industry veteran James O'Reilly is leveraging a centralized backend support model and rigorous operational discipline to…

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The Next Generation of Pizza Part 3: How AI is redefining growth beyond value

by Valerie Gritton

As pricing pressures, GLP-1 adoption and changing consumer habits reshape the pizza category, operators are turning to AI, automation and digital engagement to…

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Yum Brands appoints Nai De Leon as chief people officer

July 22, 2026

Yum Brands Inc. has appointed Nai De Leon as chief people and culture officer, effective Nov. 1, according to a press release.

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Build your leadership team: The team that reports directly to you

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

True organizational growth and scalability require distinguishing between mere managers and genuine leaders.

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Latitude Food Group taps James O'Reilly as CEO

July 10, 2026

Latitude Food Group, an operator-led restaurant group that owns &pizza and Tijuana Flats, has named restaurant industry veteran James O'Reilly as its next…

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The top 3 priorities for Founder success in 2026

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

To succeed in 2026's highly competitive market, businesses must focus on what matters most: delivering exceptional customer experiences across all channels…

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How Velvet Taco CEO Chris Schultz scales a cult brand without losing its soul

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

During his keynote at the Fast Casual Executive Summit in Texas, Chris Schultz will discuss restaurant growth, brand culture, leadership, international…

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The Power of the Rearview Mirror and the Windshield: An activity of reflection and projection

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

Using the metaphor of a vehicle's small rearview mirror and large windshield, columnist Kathleen Wood shares a structured framework designed to briefly…

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Can a robot have soul? How Moto Pizza uses automation to keep 'mom-and-pop' feel

by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Connect Media

Moto Pizza uses robotics and automation to streamline repetitive kitchen tasks, allowing the business to rapidly scale its volume while maintaining the…

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Domino's announces major leadership transition as CEO Russell Weiner to retire

June 23, 2026

Domino's Pizza has announced that Chief Executive Officer Russell Weiner plans to retire from his role, kicking off a multi-year leadership transition that…

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The Power of One: Your role as a Founder

by Kathleen Wood — Founder, K. Wood Partners

To successfully escape the "Stuck Zone" and scale a business, a Founder must transition from a hustle-driven operator to an intentional CEO by making three…

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Understaffing top stressor for restaurant workers, study finds

June 18, 2026

Understaffing ranks as the top stressor for restaurant workers, according to a recurring industry report released by 7shifts, an HR platform for restaurant…

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