Whoever Has the Data Wins with Tammy Billings (Signal Flare AI)

Whoever Has the Data Wins with Tammy Billings (Signal Flare AI)

Everyone's uploading spreadsheets into AI right now. But is that actually giving them an edge, or just a faster way to run the same old report? Tammy Billings is VP of Business Development at Signal Flare AI, a decision intelligence platform helping restaurants close the gap between insight and action. She's also an advisor to Ovation, Every Bite, and Scale Social, and co-founder and co-host of the podcast Bite-sized & Bossy. Tammy shares why she believes the brands willing to invest in unique, proprietary data are the ones who will win, how Signal Flare's Navigator models real price elasticity instead of assuming every increase flows straight through to the bottom line, and why so many AI tools in the restaurant space are little more than a chat wrapper on someone else's numbers. She also opens up about the twisty path that got her into restaurant tech and the quiet, ongoing habit of connecting people to jobs that's become one of her favorite ways to give back. ✨Owning unique data matters more than aggregating everyone else's ✨Price increases ripple through guest behavior in ways flat-through modeling misses ✨AI should always keep a human in the loop for judgment calls that involve nuance ✨ Translating technical complexity into language the business understands is a real skill ✨ Quiet, consistent generosity (like connecting people to jobs) builds lasting trust ✨ A conversation for brand leaders who want to know the difference between real modeling and a chatbot with a nice coat of paint. Tammy's Creative Inspiration Book: Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson Brand: Yeti Beverage: Vodka soda Song: "Joan of Arc" by Madonna

The New Luxury in an AI World with Sam Torgerson (Viceroy)

What if the most powerful thing a brand can offer isn't a product or a price point, but a moment you will never forget? Sam Torgerson is Vice President of Global Sales for Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, an independent lifestyle luxury brand with properties around the world. With 20+ years in high-end hospitality spanning Vail Resorts, Marriott International, and Ritz-Carlton, Sam has built a career on trust, deep listening, and experiences guests never forget. Sam shares what luxury hospitality has always understood that other industries are still catching up to: the most memorable moments aren't the most expensive ones. And in an AI-driven world, human connection isn't a nice-to-have. It's the new luxury. In this episode, you'll learn: ✨ Why the brands winning right now are investing in what AI can't replicate ✨ How deep listening is the foundation of world-class sales and marketing ✨ Why the simple moments make big impressions and how to create them ✨ How empowering front-line team members inspires enduring customer loyalty ✨ How following your passion can lead to a career, a team, and a life you love A conversation for brand leaders who want to borrow from the best in hospitality, and bring luxury thinking to create memorable customer experiences in any category. Sam's Creative Inspiration Book: Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara [https://www.unreasonablehospitality.com/] Brand: Nordstrom [https://www.nordstrom.com/] Beverage: Paloma [https://www.loveandlemons.com/paloma/] Song: "Confident" by Demi Lovato [https://music.apple.com/us/album/confident/1440649084?i=1440649303]

If You Think of It, You Can Do It: Lessons on Purpose, Adventure, and Service with Dr. Alexander T. McCulloch

Most people spend their lives trying to find the right path. Dr. McCulloch continues to find the perfect ones. Liz’s dad is an adventurer, doctor, entrepreneur, rancher, investor, husband, father of six, grandfather of 24, and volunteer physician for 30+ international medical missions. His story began in the woods of Ohio, where a love of nature sparked a fascination with biology. That curiosity led him to medicine, becoming a talented plastic surgeon, and the founder of the Aesthetic Surgery Center of Colorado. Along the way, he met and worked with his true love, Carole, built a 25,000-acre cattle ranch, raised a family, and spent decades exploring the world, pursuing opportunities many only dream about. The common thread is a simple philosophy: “If you don’t think of it, you can’t do it.” In this special father-daughter conversation, Dr. McCulloch shares lessons from life following curiosity, embracing opportunity, and creating impact with work and service. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: ✨Why finding work you genuinely enjoy matters more than chasing a title ✨How mentors can help shape your future long before you realize it ✨Why the most successful people create opportunities instead of waiting for them ✨Why choosing the right life partner is the most important decision you’ll ever make ✨How a philosophy of “If you think of it, do it” can guide every chapter of life Whether you’re beginning your career, making a change, or deciding what’s next, this is a reminder that a meaningful life is created with honesty, curiosity, and courage. DR. MCCULLOCH’S CREATIVE INSPIRATION Book: Johnny Tremain [https://www.amazon.com/Johnny-Tremain-Boston-Against-British/dp/B00AFV6UIK/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1V14YEGGCNE5B&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uTrasBPErpBqCt-EE0tvSeS11Ybc3lV1YYtSf-Idj1OVkgtVH_4E_zbMjJRK-79mUWwAcLPcXEeOcMh9zMo99MWlxmVoNt2yqzeSKOUriTMLabUjal7y83P4cSX4mOMv2wf1eTPzjvqmA0OSHrrkd8R46Qbh-vhiYc8TtQ2MNsmsCP2k2PGlZQE36O-qbuQoKwXGPYsP1NW4FruMeqYW6sTRNjb0-9N99pikAKI4OTo.3MzL6VtRicgJv3aAf6DLra6p2CEq5wCuEqeL9GmeNeU&dib_tag=se&keywords=johnny+tremain+book+by+esther&qid=1782187526&sprefix=johnny+tremain+book+by+esthe%2Caps%2C224&sr=8-3] by Esther Forbes [https://www.amazon.com/Johnny-Tremain-Boston-Against-British/dp/B00AFV6UIK/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1V14YEGGCNE5B&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.uTrasBPErpBqCt-EE0tvSeS11Ybc3lV1YYtSf-Idj1OVkgtVH_4E_zbMjJRK-79mUWwAcLPcXEeOcMh9zMo99MWlxmVoNt2yqzeSKOUriTMLabUjal7y83P4cSX4mOMv2wf1eTPzjvqmA0OSHrrkd8R46Qbh-vhiYc8TtQ2MNsmsCP2k2PGlZQE36O-qbuQoKwXGPYsP1NW4FruMeqYW6sTRNjb0-9N99pikAKI4OTo.3MzL6VtRicgJv3aAf6DLra6p2CEq5wCuEqeL9GmeNeU&dib_tag=se&keywords=johnny+tremain+book+by+esther&qid=1782187526&sprefix=johnny+tremain+book+by+esthe%2Caps%2C224&sr=8-3] Brand: Apple [https://www.apple.com/] Song: “Gratitude” by Brandon Lake [https://music.apple.com/us/song/gratitude/1748026587]; also songs by Jerry Jeff Walker, Willy Nelson, Garth Brooks, Maná, Carlos Vives, and Bad Bunny Beverage: Sidecar [https://www.liquor.com/recipes/sidecar/]

How to Rebrand Yourself and Land Your Dream Job with Marita Swift (The Big Biscuit)

Most people only apply for jobs they're already qualified for. But what if you're meant for more — or something completely different? Marita Swift knew what she wanted to do next. She just wasn't qualified. Yet. Marita is the VP of Strategic Growth at The Big Biscuit, a Kansas City-based breakfast and lunch concept where she leads franchise development, market expansion, and growth strategy. Her path there was anything but conventional. She started as a fine dining chef, cut her teeth in scratch kitchens, and spent a decade building culinary expertise before making a deliberate, methodical pivot into brand strategy and growth. Marita shares the three-step process that made her personal rebrand work, and how the same discipline shapes the way she builds and protects her business today. In this episode, you'll learn: ✨How to rebrand yourself when you’re ready for what’s next ✨Why the best leaders study the role they want before they step into it ✨How to differentiate in a crowded category by knowing what you do best ✨How to balance short-term execution with long-term strategic vision ✨How brand architecture helps teams make smarter decisions as they grow For rising and established leaders alike who are ready to define where they’re going, and build the skills, story, and strategy to get there. Marita's Creative Inspiration: Book: Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday Brand: Whole Foods Beverage: Pinot noir Song: Anything by Rihanna or Billie Eilish

How to Use Setbacks to Build What’s Even Better with Katrina Markoff (Violet Flame Chocolate)

What if crisis and conflict can be the beginning of your most meaningful work? Katrina Markoff, founder of Violet Flame Chocolate and Vosges Haut-Chocolat, has spent her career building brands that are impossible to replicate. Long before “immersive experiences” became a marketing trend, Katrina was blending storytelling, global ingredients, rituals, craftsmanship, and imagination to create the most distinctive luxury chocolate brands. She has been named one of the Top 10 Chocolatiers in the World by National Geographic, Top 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company, Food Artisan of the Year by Bon Appetit, and more. But after profound personal and professional upheaval, Katrina found herself rebuilding from the ground up. And instead of recreating what already existed, she created something entirely new. In this episode, we explore how creativity became part of her healing process and why some of the strongest brands emerge after disruption, reinvention, and loss. In this episode, you'll learn: ✨ Why the strongest founders use disruption to carve out new territory ✨ How setbacks can become the catalyst for better, more meaningful creativity ✨How sensory experiences and ritual create deeper emotional brand connection ✨ Why brands that are emotionally resonant stand apart in an AI-driven world ✨ Why the future belongs to brands that create truly immersive experiences This conversation is a powerful reminder that the best brands and versions of ourselves are not created by avoiding hardship, but by overcoming obstacles to become stronger, more intentional, and more original. Katrina’s Creative Inspiration Book: Coction: The Alchemy of Food Brands: Ulla Johnson and Flamingo Estate Beverage: Toffee and Scotch whiskey Song: Florence + the Machine