677: Anisha Blodgett on Reinventing Pizza

After years of working in the world acquisitions, development, asset management, and commercial real estate investments, Anisha Blodgett decided it was time to trade in her portfolio for pizza. As an avid health and fitness enthusiast, Anisha was frustrated that she couldn't scratch her pizza itch without being unhealthy. In 2017 she set out to solve her problem by developing a healthier alternative to the traditional pie. In January of 2019 Power Haus Pizza and Smoothies, located in San Diego, was born.  

Show notes… Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Live intentionally."

In today's episode with Anisha Blodgett we will discuss:

• Opening a restaurant within the last year
• Most-current challenges
• Food halls
• Healthy pizza
• Free events to find out if there's a demand for your food
• Taking risks
• Hiring when you're desperate
• Don't settle
• Labor shortages
• Avoiding stress
• Work/life balance
• Hosting events that double as education
• Recognize what brings people in and going all in on it
• Catering
• Branding
• Design

Today's sponsor:

BentoBox empowers restaurants to own their presence, profits and relationships. The hospitality platform disrupts third-party services that come between the restaurant and the guest. BentoBox puts the restaurant first and offers tools that drive high-margin revenue directly through the restaurant’s website. BentoBox is trusted and loved by over 5,000 restaurants worldwide including Union Square Hospitality Group, Eleven Madison Park, Gramercy Tavern, Lilia and more.

Restaurant365 is a cloud-based, all-in-one, restaurant-specific accounting and back-office platform that seamlessly integrates with POS systems, payroll providers, food and beverage vendors. It generates accurate real-time reporting and analysis in user-friendly dashboards, facilitating immediate, data-driven decision making. Restaurant365 eliminates manual, error-prone processes and is designed to help restaurant businesses grow with functionality that helps optimize labor costs, reduce food costs and increase revenue.

Wisetail’s user-friendly platform focuses on engaging, growing, and empowering your workforce while enabling your culture to thrive in multi-site businesses. It is easily configurable to an organization's brand and technical specifications. In addition, Wisetail provides a social community for their customers to share best practices and continuously improve the learning experience.

 

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • "Teaching myself things."
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • "Too trusting."
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • "Do I want to work with this person?"
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • "Bring in more revenue."
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • "Bring the energy."
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • "Encouraging guests to try different foods."
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   • Hug Your Customers by Jack Mitchell
   • GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Organization
9. Name one service you've hired.
   • Whiplash for SEO in San Diego
10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations?
    • Trello
    • Toast
11. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • Live your life the way that makes you the happiest
    • Surround yourself with good people
    • Quality time with yourself

Contact info:

Instagram: personal @asliceof.life

Instagram: business @PowerhausPizza

Thanks for listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Huge thanks to Anisha Blodgett for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!