Some business leaders have a seemingly psychic ability to spot trends, and take them mainstream at just the right moment. Ron Shaich is one of those. As a pioneering force behind fast-casual dining, Shaich saw that a growing number of Americans craved higher quality food in a relaxed yet speedy setting. His first major company, Au Bon Pain, paved the way for ... Show More
Today
Beyond the Parade: Macy’s navigates tariffs, turbulence and retail evolution
<p>This Thursday marks the 99th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Macy’s Inc. chairman and CEO Tony Spring joins Rapid Response with a behind-the-scenes preview of what to expect. It’s been a tumultuous year for the legacy retailer, shaped by new tariffs, shifting consum ... Show More
23m 18s
Nov 22
Possible: Steve Kerr and Kris Brown on leadership and purpose in sports
<p>What does it take to turn tragedy into advocacy, and advocacy into lasting change? This week, Reid and Aria are talking to Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and Kris Brown, president of Brady, the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention organization. Together, they explore how sp ... Show More
1 h
Feb 2020
Panera Bread/Au Bon Pain: Ron Shaich (2018)
In the early 1980s, Ron Shaich bought a small, struggling Boston bakery chain called Au Bon Pain, and built it out to 250 locations nationwide. Ron then saw an opportunity to build something even bigger: Panera Bread. It was the start of "fast casual" – a new kind of eating exper ... Show More
42m 9s
Nov 2023
Fast Casual Food Pioneer Ron Shaich Explains How to Find a Niche — and then Scale
The restaurant business is notoriously competitive and often propelled by passing fads. But, first at the helm of Au Bon Pain, and then as the founder of Panera Bread, Ron Shaich managed to create an entirely new category of dining between fast food and table service and then dom ... Show More
30m 12s
Jun 2023
BONUS #4 🥗 The Storyteller of Salad: Nathaniel Ru, Sweetgreen Co-founder
We recorded an interview in a restaurant, none other than Sweetgreen. We interviewed Nathaniel Ru, Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer of the billion dollar salad chain. Nathaniel tells us about: Launching a $10/bowl restaurant during a recession How he used a boombox to drive bus ... Show More
56m 15s
Mar 2023
Food52: Amanda Hesser (2021)
<p>In the early 1990s, as Amanda Hesser's college friends were interviewing for their first cubicle jobs, she chose a different path; one that led straight into the kitchens of Europe, where she cooked traditional recipes and learned the rhythm of the seasons from a crusty French ... Show More
1h 30m
May 2022
Nature’s Path: Arran and Ratana Stephens
<p>Starting a business with your spouse can either bring you closer together or tear you apart. For Arran and Ratana Stephens, their business has lasted for nearly 40 years, and their marriage has thrived for much longer. As business partners, they seem perfectly matched: he ... Show More
1h 17m
Dec 2021
Where Are They Now? David Orozco
#1199 In today's "Where are they now?" episode, David Orozco of OrozcoNutrition.com returns to talk about what's happened for him and his business since our first conversation in episode 1,141. Back then, he was balancing a couple of brands and trying to figure out which one to f ... Show More
28m 57s
Jun 2024
Dave’s Hot Chicken: Arman Oganesyan
<p>Dave’s Hot Chicken began as a tiny pop-up, selling spicy chicken tenders and fries from a tent in East Hollywood. Their homemade take on Nashville Hot Chicken was an overnight sensation in a city that had barely heard of it, and within days, co-founder Arman Oganesyan and his ... Show More
1h 6m