Controlling the Narrative. Convo with Mike Ungaro, CEO of San Pedro Fish Market

If you don’t tell your story, someone else will.Mike Ungaro, CEO and co-owner of San Pedro Fish Market, joins James Tice to explore what it really takes to scale a restaurant brand in today’s environment. From a 70-year family legacy serving millions of guests to building a media company around the business, Ungaro explains why brand is defined by experience, consistency, and storytelling. He shares why hard work alone does not guarantee growth, how controlling your narrative creates competitive advantage, and how viral moments can transform operations overnight. The conversation dives into scaling culture, maintaining quality across locations, and why modern restaurant brands must think like media companies to grow.What You’ll Learn:- Why brand is defined by experience and story, not logos or marketing- How storytelling drives customer demand and long-term revenue growth- Why working harder does not always lead to scalable results- How becoming a media company helps control your narrative and attract customers- The operational challenges of scaling hospitality, culture, and consistencyEpisode Links:San Pedro Fish Market: https://sanpedrofish.com/Fi$H Factor Podcast: youtube.com/channel/UCvDmR88K1Y_qQxeNBvFOBPg/Kings of Fish (Amazon Prime Series)Mike Ungaro LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeungaro