Scaling Without Selling Out | James Bonanno - Upstream Hospitality Group (The Taproom, Bango Bowls)

Staying Hungry dives deep into what it really takes to grow a hospitality brand without losing your soul.In this episode, “Scaling Without Selling Out,” hosts Michael D’Onofrio and Vinny Pappalardo sit down with James Bonanno, co-founder and CEO of Upstream Hospitality Group - the team behind Tap Room, Bango Bowls, Salt Shack, and more Long Island favorites.From two broke bartenders to a multi-concept operation, James breaks down how Upstream scaled smart - building systems, culture, and tech that keep guests happy and teams proud. This one’s all about the mindset shift from running restaurants to running a company.If you’re a restaurant owner, operator, or anyone in hospitality trying to grow without compromising quality or authenticity - this conversation will hit home.Timestamps00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome01:41 Jamie’s Early Career in Hospitality03:34 The Birth of Taproom10:11 Scaling the Business13:42 Challenges and Successes16:06 Franchising and Expansion20:44 Technology and Data in Restaurants24:59 Partnerships and Future Plans31:15 Working with Tritech: Initial Hesitations and Success32:17 The Impact of Location and Development on Business35:34 Expanding with New Concepts and Franchises38:36 Building a Strong Leadership Team43:21 Networking and Community Building45:50 Balancing Work and Personal Life49:52 Future Plans and Mentorship58:50 Final Thoughts and ReflectionsGuest & Sponsorship Inquiries - [email protected] episodes dropping soon! *SUBSCRIBE*: https://www.youtube.com/@stayinghungrypodcast?sub_confirmation=1FOLLOW US:https://www.instagram.com/stayinghungrypodcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/4cfz4H7IIzUlEcGtwSgJMuhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573551302497https://www.linkedin.com/company/staying-hungry-podcast/Podcast by Viola Media: https://viola.media/#stayinghungry #hospitalityindustry #restaurantbusiness