461: Using technology to combat the labor shortage with Derin Alemli

  In this episode with Derin Alemli, we discuss: Being true to yourself. Studying the consumer market. Retaining the human element in a technology driven restaurant.   Using catering to scale into a brick and mortar.   Using ingredients that can be integrated across multiple menu items. The lean startup methodology.  Starting with a "minimal viable product". Keeping your menu simple, yet interesting. How to sell a vision. Using SBA loans to validate the vision and find more funding.  What to consider when finding a location.  What the flow of a high-tech, low-touch company looks likes. Why Derin decided to go with proprietary technology.  Graduate of the University of Central Florida and the University of Chicago, Derin Alemli is a cereal entrepreneur. His first entrepreneurial success, DownBeats, set Derin up to tackle his newest entrepreneurial venture Square Roots Kitchen, a fast casual restaurant using technology to give customers the ultimate meal customization experience. Their theory is that an automated restaurant, if done right, can give consumers an easier and more personalized experience that's fast while allowing to operate with minimal staff members. Show notes… Favorite Success Quote or Mantra. "Be true to thy own self." Today's Sponsor Sourcery allows you to streamline and digitize your entire Accounts Payable operation. Digital invoicing, backed with human verification, will save you countless hours of work and increase AP accuracy. Say goodbye to your file cabinets and enter the digital world. Kabbage. Apply for up to 250,000 of funding through Kabbage, and you'll get a $50 e-gift card when you quality. Get started! Contact Info @DerinAlemli @SquareRootsKitchen www.squarerootskitchen.com Thanks for Listening! Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the top of the post. Also, please leave an honest review for the Restaurant Unstoppable Podcast on iTunes! Ratings and reviews are extremely helpful and greatly appreciated! They do matter in the rankings of the show, and I read each and every one of them. And finally, don't forget to subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Huge thanks to Derin Alemli for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!   Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!