In this episode, I chat with Darius Aram from Slice Street Pizza about the real challenges of running a pizzeria. We cover everything from managing delivery drivers to handling customer expectations and using third-party services. If you're a pizza operator looking for practical advice, this conversation is packed with insights to help your business thrive. Like, comment, and subscribe for more tips on running a successful pizzeria! Get on Slice: http://slicelife.com/smartpizza Work this us: https://smartpizzamarketing.com/pro Buy and Ooni Oven: https://smartpizzamarketing.com/ooni Buy a Baking Steel: https://smartpizzamarketing.com/bakingsteel Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction & Welcome 1:10 - Moving from California to Texas 3:30 - Opening a Pizzeria in a New Market 6:00 - Managing Delivery Drivers 9:45 - The Pros and Cons of Third-Party Delivery Services 13:20 - Handling Customer Expectations 17:05 - The Reality of Running a Pizzeria 21:00 - Struggles with POS Systems 26:30 - Balancing Cost and Quality in Pizza 31:00 - Marketing Strategies for Pizzerias 36:15 - The Role of Social Media in Pizza Business 42:00 - The Importance of Email and Text Marketing 48:00 - Advice for New Pizza Owners 54:00 - Future Plans & Final Thoughts MY OTHER SOCIALS: 🎙 My podcast Smart Pizza Marketing where I interview entrepreneurs, creators and other inspiring people - 🌍 My website / blog - https://www.smartpizzamarketing.com 🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/spmpod 📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/smartpizzamarketing 📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@smartpizzamarketing 👨‍💻 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/smartpizzamarketing 🎥 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/smartpizzamarketing

In this episode, Bruce welcomes back Ilir Sela, CEO of a leading platform dedicated to helping independent pizza shops thrive. Discover how Ilir and his team are revolutionizing the industry with innovative solutions for online ordering, point-of-sale systems, and discounted supplies. Get exclusive insights into the challenges and successes of modern pizza operations and learn how these game-changing strategies can transform your business. Don't miss this deep dive into the future of pizza with one of the industry's top visionaries.

Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - Welcoming Ilir Sela 01:03 - Overview of the platform's products 02:36 - Solving the storage and distribution problem for pizza shops 03:55 - Service areas and expansion 06:06 - The challenge of running multiple locations 07:01 - Launching a point-of-sale system specifically for pizza shops 09:47 - Cost and benefits of the point-of-sale system 10:56 - Trends in the pizza industry 15:17 - Differentiating from third-party platforms 16:17 - The importance of service and customer retention 18:07 - Maximizing the value of existing customers 19:56 - Effective email and text marketing strategies 21:22 - Automated marketing tools provided by the platform 25:12 - Collaboration among pizza shops 29:20 - Customer behavior and loyalty 32:25 - Advice on viewing competitors as collaborators 33:17 - The trend towards self-delivery in pizza shops 35:31 - The benefits of self-delivery over third-party delivery 37:08 - Closing remarks and where to find more information

MY OTHER SOCIALS:

🎙 My podcast Smart Pizza Marketing where I interview entrepreneurs, creators and other inspiring people -

🌍 My website / blog - https://www.smartpizzamarketing.com

🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/spmpod

📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/smartpizzamarketing

📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@smartpizzamarketing

👨‍💻 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/smartpizzamarketing

🎥 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/smartpizzamarketing

In this episode of the podcast, Bruce sits down with Andres Maldonado Fuertes, the innovative mind behind Nona Street Pizza. They delve into the journey of launching a unique pizza concept in Orlando, from building a custom food truck to creating a menu that blends Neapolitan and New York styles with inventive twists. Andres shares the challenges and triumphs of starting the business, the importance of social media in their success, and their exciting plans for the future. Tune in to hear how Nona Street Pizza is setting itself apart in the crowded food scene.

MY OTHER SOCIALS:

🎙 My podcast Smart Pizza Marketing where I interview entrepreneurs, creators and other inspiring people -

🌍 My website / blog - https://www.smartpizzamarketing.com

🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/spmpod

📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/smartpizzamarketing

📱 TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@smartpizzamarketing

👨‍💻 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/smartpizzamarketing

🎥 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/smartpizzamarketing

Chapters for YouTube

0:00 - Introduction 0:53 - Meet Andres Maldonado Fuertes 1:18 - The Concept Behind Nona Street Pizza 3:30 - Unique Pizza Offerings and Fried Calzones 5:45 - Building the Custom Food Truck 9:00 - The Pizza Ovens and Cooking Process 12:00 - Developing the Perfect Pizza Dough 14:45 - Creative Pizza Toppings and Ingredients 16:15 - The Role of Social Media in Success 19:45 - The Importance of Influencers and Local Foodies 23:00 - Challenges and Learnings from the First Year 25:00 - Expanding to a Second Location 27:30 - Long-Term Vision and Continuous Improvement 30:00 - Favorite Pizza Places in Orlando 32:10 - Closing Remarks and Where to Find Nona Street Pizza