“Back to Basics” with Rachael Nemeth
Back to Basics podcast cuts through the noise to focus on what matters in hospitality. Join Rachael Nemeth, CEO of Opus Training, as she talks with service industry leaders who are shaping today's workforce.
Podcasting since 2025 • 10 episodes
“Back to Basics” with Rachael Nemeth
Latest Episodes
EP 10: Breaking the Turnover Cycle That Kills Restaurant Expansion
Etkin Tekin left his corporate strategy position at AB InBev's innovation arm to co-found one of the Northeast's fastest-growing restaurant concepts. While most operators struggle with an expensive recruiting cycle—hire, train, lose people, rep...
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44:52
EP 9: Training as Brand Strategy
In this episode of Back to Basics, Rachael Nemeth sits down with Suzie Tsai, CEO of Bonchon, who brings a rare and refreshing perspective to restaurant leadership, with over 25 years of experience in brand and marketing at companies like Chili’...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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44:51
EP8: Scaling the Brand, Not Just the Business
In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Fassio, Chief Retail and Operations Officer at Verve Coffee Roasters—a 14-unit third-wave coffee brand based in Santa Cruz, known for its relationships with growers, surf-town roots, and quality-first a...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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35:05
EP7: Innovating the Fast Food Experience Through People Development
In this episode of Back to Basics, we sit down with Aaron Noveshen, Founder and CEO of Starbird Chicken, and one of the leading innovators in fast casual dining.Aaron shares how Starbird is rethinking people development in one o...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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26:57
EP6: Scaling a Franchise Through People Development and Purpose
In this episode, we sit down with Blake Buchanan, Founder and CEO of Bahama Buck’s—a 100+ unit Midwest-based franchise known for its tropical shaved ice and culture-first approach. Blake started the business as a college student in a 240-square...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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30:17
