The Pre-Shift
Great teams make great restaurants. On The Pre-Shift, restaurant operators and industry experts dive into what it takes to build great restaurant teams. We explore their stories, the strategies they use, and valuable lessons on running restaurant teams. Hosted by D. J. Costantino. Presented by 7shifts.
The Pre-Shift
The WOWorks growth playbook for repeatable systems and unified tech | 068
How do you take six distinct fast-casual brands and scale them under a single, efficient operational umbrella? In this episode, we sit down with Lauriena Borstein, Chief Operating Officer, and Kyle Mark, Chief Information Officer of WOWorks—the restaurant group behind Saladworks, Frutta Bowls, and Garbanzo, among others.
They share the "One WOW Way," their philosophy for unifying operations, technology, and communication across their entire portfolio. Lauriena details how creating repeatable systems while maintaining flexibility is the key to scaling, and why franchisee profitability is their non-negotiable north star metric. Kyle explains the monumental task of consolidating disparate systems into a single tech stack and how proving the ROI—like a 30-35% increase in digital sales—is crucial for getting franchisee buy-in. This conversation is a masterclass in managing growth, the c between operations and technology, and why a strong culture is built on communication.
Key takeaways
- Building repeatable systems. Scaling any brand requires creating consistent, repeatable systems with flexibility for local execution.
- The "one WOW way" is A core philosophy for shared services like tech and supply chain, which creates efficiency across a multi-brand portfolio.
- Franchisee profitability is #1. Franchisee profitability is the primary metric for success, as no initiative is scalable if it isn't profitable.
- Unify your tech stack for growth. A single tech stack (POS, online ordering, loyalty) simplifies operations, reduces training, and unifies data analysis.
- Communicate, communicate, communicate. Build a strong culture with a consistent communication cadence, ensuring franchisees hear a unified message from all leadership.
- Don't be afraid to fail fast. Growth-minded operators must try new things and be willing to fail fast, dropping what doesn't work to move on quickly.
Resources
- Learn more about WOWorks and their family of brands:
- Connect with the guests on LinkedIn:
📲 Connect with D.J.
DJ's Email
Follow on LinkedIn
More 7shifts
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
Follow us on TikTok
Read the 7shifts Blog
About Us
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.
