The Operator's Table

French Whisky, Costa Rica Rum & Growth w/ Pierre Bardinet | Les Bienheureux

French whisky, Costa Rican single-estate rum, and a French house betting big on the US market. In this episode of The Operator’s Table, host Cris Morgado sits down with Pierre Bardinet, Technical Director & US Export Manager at Les Bienheureux — the team behind Bellevoye French whisky and rums like El Pasador de Oro and Embargo — to unpack how they’re redefining what French-made spirits can be while gearing up for a major 2026 US launch. Pierre shares his family roots in wine and rum, the early lessons from scaling a distillery 10× while improving quality, and why blind tasting is the company’s non-negotiable for every new product. They dive into the big shifts in whisky and rum trends (premiumisation vs “de-premiumisation,” new world whiskies, traceability in rum, low/no-alcohol), and how Les Bienheureux is using French credibility plus Costa Rican terroir to stand out in crowded categories. From there, the conversation moves into the operator seat: * How they position French whisky in markets dominated by Scotch & American whiskey * Why single-estate Costa Rican rum and transparency are central to their growth story * Where AI, automation and data could transform sales reporting, forecasting and content at scale * What makes an ideal importer / distributor partner and how they systemise finding them * The KPIs and headlines Pierre wants to celebrate in 2026 as they launch in the US In the final stretch, Pierre shares what keeps him grounded — daily bike rides along the Hudson, a strong value-driven team culture at Les Bienheureux — plus: * A long-form biography of Napoleon as a surprising leadership playbook * His golden nugget for anyone building a career in spirits: never lose sight of the consumer, and never trade your values for short-term wins * Why bringing “good products to good people” is the simple why behind his work If you’re into premium spirits, export strategy, distributors, this episode is packed with operator-level insight.

Scaling Wrap City Sandwich Company: Jason Lyon on Franchising, Systems & Hospitality

What does it take to turn a beloved local wrap shop into a scalable, franchise-ready brand—without losing its soul? In this episode of The Operator’s Table, Cris Morgado sits down with Jason Lyon, Chief Operating Officer at Wrap City Sandwich Company, to unpack how he’s taking a New England favorite from 15 locations to a 50-location vision—with systems, culture, and guest experience at the core. Jason shares how he went from 14-year-old dishwasher to COO, the lessons he still uses from iconic New England restaurant groups, and why culture and hospitality are the real growth engine behind any restaurant brand. You’ll hear about: * How Wrap City is preparing to scale from local favorite to franchise-ready QSR/fast casual brand * The power of a frictionless loyalty program that guests actually use * How their potato chip CPG brand drives awareness for the restaurants * Omni-channel marketing across social, CTV, DTC and retail * Jason’s gratitude practice, leadership routines, and advice for new operators * The one book he still recommends: The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard * What he’d tell his 18-year-old self about hard work, hours, and “no silver bullets” If you’re in restaurants, QSR, franchising, or CPG, this conversation is packed with practical insights on systems, people, and growth.

Scaling CPG Brands Without Burning Out | Andy Harrow (Second Seat Partners)

Veteran CPG operator Andy Horrow, founder of Second Seat Partners, joins Cris Morgado on The Operator’s Table to break down how early-stage and emerging CPG, food & beverage brands can scale sustainably—without grinding themselves into the ground. In this episode, Andy shares lessons from years inside PepsiCo/Gatorade, protein and beverage startups, and now as a “second seat” operator helping founders with go-to-market, retail velocity and profitable growth. You’ll hear Andy’s take on: * His shift from big corporate roles to launching Second Seat Partners * The “co-pilot / wingman” model and the kind of founders he can help the most * Why most brands aren’t ready for Walmart or Costco (and what to prove first) * How to think about cash, margins, COGS and marketing spend without sinking the business * Building distribution in alcohol & beverage through the three-tier system and deep distributor relationships * Growing in concentric circles instead of chasing national scale too early * The mindset behind his Substack, “Less Grind, More Joy”, and why joy, walking and reflection matter just as much as strategy and KPIs * How community, friendships and a strong “second seat” network keep you going when entrepreneurship gets tough If you’re a CPG founder, food & beverage operator, or challenger brand trying to scale smart—while still having a life—this conversation is for you. ---------------------------------------- Connect with Andy 🔹 Website: secondseatpartners.com [http://secondseatpartners.com] 🔹 Substack: “Less Grind, More Joy” (search on Substack) 🔹 LinkedIn: Andy Harrow ---------------------------------------- If you enjoyed this episode, follow The Operator’s Table, share it with a founder friend, and leave a comment with your biggest takeaway from Andy’s journey. ---------------------------------------- #CPG #SecondSeatPartners #AndyHarrow #CrisMorgado #FoodAndBeverage #GoToMarket #RetailVelocity #CPGConsulting #EntrepreneurLife #LessGrindMoreJoy

Desmond Clark: From NFL Tight End to Logistics Leader with a Winning Mindset

Former Chicago Bears tight end Desmond Clark sits down at The Operator’s Table with host Cris Morgado to unpack how he went from the NFL to building Bear Down Logistics into a fast-growing freight brokerage. In this episode, Desmond shares his philosophy that “every obstacle is an opportunity”—and how that mindset powers his journey as a founder, leader and coach. You’ll hear us dive into: * How Desmond’s NFL career shaped his leadership, resilience and mindset * The early business failures that taught him to bet on himself * Growing Bear Down Logistics with heavy haul, niche expertise and SEO-driven lead gen * Fighting double-brokering and fraud in freight and protecting cash flow * Why people, systems and marketing all matter—and which one he’d invest in first * The role of faith, the Bible and “1% better every day” in his personal operating system * Culture as “who we are inside the virtual walls” at Bear Down Logistics * Where Desmond sees the next big opportunities in freight & logistics * If you’re an operator, broker, or founder in logistics (or just love real talk on growth, mindset and leadership), this one’s for you. 🔔 Subscribe to The Operator’s Table for more conversations with the people who keep business moving. 👍 Like, comment and share this episode with someone who needs a mindset boost today. #DesmondClark #BearDownLogistics #LogisticsPodcast #FreightBroker #EntrepreneurMindset

Building a Business Core: Insights from Sixpack CEO Ron Dichter

Host Cris Morgado sits down with Ron Eliot Dichter, founder & CEO of Sixpack, an all-in-one business and payments platform that helps real-world operators run, sell, and get paid—online and in person. In this episode, Ron shares: * His 30+ year entrepreneurial journey and first internet business in college * Why he built Sixpack as a single core system instead of stacking third-party tools * What’s working vs. causing friction as he scales a lean 9-person SaaS team * How he thinks about ideal customer profile, metrics, and distribution without paid ads * Where he’d invest first: people, systems, or marketing Stick around to the end to hear Ron’s 4 a.m. fitness routine, how he operates without caffeine, and the beet-juice + smoothie combo that powers his days. 👉 If you’re a SaaS founder, gym or martial arts studio owner, or service operator trying to simplify your tech stack, this episode is for you.