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Lee Brian Schrager has a knack for turning curiosity into groundbreaking ideas.
As nan Chief Communications Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility astatine Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits, Lee Schrager is besides nan laminitis of nan South Beach and New York Wine & Food Festivals (powered by The Food Network). His latest brainchild, FoodieCon, is reshaping nan nutrient show acquisition by integrating societal media influencers and staying up of manufacture trends.
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"I retrieve opinionated astatine our New York show 2 years agone and conscionable talking to immoderate group and saying to myself, 'Wow, what is that agelong statement of group astatine Capital One's tent?'" he told Restaurant Influencers big Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media. It turned retired that they were featuring a fewer influencers who were well-known successful nan nutrient space. "I said to myself correct past and there, we really request to do thing pinch influencers. And I said, we should telephone this FoodieCon if nan name's available. That was connected a Saturday. By Monday, I already owned nan name."
Despite nan first uncertainty, FoodieCon, which is simply a portion of his vino and nutrient festivals, has since sold out, proving nan concept's immense appeal. In nan quickly evolving scenery of societal media, Schreger emphasizes nan value of listening and adapting, a mindset that has allowed his events to enactment applicable and innovative, leveraging platforms for illustration Instagram and TikTok to link pinch audiences.
Expanding nan Wine & Food Festival
Lee Shrager's elasticity and strategical mindset were further highlighted erstwhile plans for a Los Angeles show shifted attraction to New York. Initially preparing to motorboat a show successful LA, Schrager pivoted nether his boss's guidance to prioritize nan New York market, which Southern Glazer's was entering. This displacement paid off, arsenic nan New York show has thrived successful 1 of nan historically toughest markets.
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"We were seconds distant from launching successful LA, truthful I was happy to benignant of refocus my power into New York, 1 of nan toughest cities to do anything," he notes. "The New York show conscionable celebrated its 16th twelvemonth successful October."
The caller inception of FoodieCon is simply a testament to Schrager's intuitive reasoning and proactive approach.
While overseeing nan New York Wine and Food Festival, Schreger noticed a vendor sponsor drafting accrued postulation by implementing notable societal media figures, specified arsenic GrossyPelosi and Brunch pinch Babs. Schrager quickly realized nan imaginable of an arena centered astir influencer engagement.
Lee Brian Schrager's travel pinch nan Wine and Food Festivals and FoodieCon exemplifies his expertise to toggle shape insights into impactful initiatives. "In bid to beryllium a bully communicator, you request to perceive to people," he asserts. "I deliberation you request to beryllium unfastened to criticism. I deliberation you request to beryllium unfastened to suggestions connected really to do it differently. You request to beryllium unfastened to change. I deliberation alteration is really important conscionable to enactment existent pinch nan trends."
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By integrating influencer culture, implementing strategical pivots, and having a heavy knowing of effective communication, Schrager continues to group caller standards of excellence and forward-thinking.
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