The Financial Advantage with GSS
The Financial Advantage with GSS is the podcast for hospitality CFOs, business owners, and financial leaders seeking practical strategies to streamline operations and drive scalable growth. Designed to address the unique challenges of multi-unit financial management, this show delivers actionable insights to navigate compliance, optimize workflows, and enhance decision-making.
Each episode features industry experts and proven solutions tailored to the restaurant industry, providing the knowledge you need to stay ahead in a competitive market and achieve operational excellence.
The Financial Advantage with GSS
From Labor Costs to AI: Restaurant ROI Tactics with David Drinan
In this episode of The Financial Advantage, host Nick Stauff sits down with David Drinan, Managing Partner at BlackThorne Strategic Advisors, to explore how restaurants can unlock value through operational efficiency and smart tech investments.
David shares firsthand insights from years in restructuring, private equity, and hospitality consulting. He shows how underperforming restaurants can improve profitability by focusing on labor efficiency, purchasing strategy, and automation—without relying solely on top-line growth. From dynamic scheduling tools to voice AI and fully autonomous kitchens, David outlines the tech reshaping the industry.
They also discuss how brand values and customer expectations can clash with innovation, and why striking the right balance is key. Whether you run five locations or fifty, this episode offers practical takeaways to improve unit economics and scale more confidently.