Uncertainty seems to be the only certainty in today's restaurant industry. In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we sit down with Jay Ashton, Canada's Restaurant Guy, to discuss how Canadian restaurants can adapt to tariffs and economic challenges.

Jay shares practical strategies from his 35-year career. These go beyond simply raising prices to tactics like creating salads without lettuce and developing multiple revenue streams through newsletters and digital merchandising. Whether you're concerned about the current tariff situation or looking for always-relevant business advice for navigating uncertain times, Jay's approaches and timeless wisdom offer valuable insights for restaurants looking to thrive during economic shifts.

Resources
Connect with Jay on LinkedIn 🔗
Site: Canada's Restaurant Guy 🍁
Listen to The Late Night Restaurant Show 🌃
Strategies to offset tariffs newsletter 📰

Latest Updates on Canadian Tariffs | restaurantscanada.org 🇨🇦

Chapters
0:00 - Introduction to Jay Ashton, Canada's restaurant guy
2:45 - Understanding the tariff situation for Canadian restaurants
5:30 - The impact of tariffs on restaurant inventory and pricing
8:15 - Menu innovation: "You can make salads without lettuce"
11:20 - The flex burger: Reducing costs through creative protein options
14:45 - Using the "why column" to evaluate every menu ingredient
17:30 - Preparing your business without panicking
20:10 - Cash flow is king: Smart inventory management
23:40 - Technology solutions for tracking costs and inventory
27:15 - Communicating price changes to your customers
31:50 - Why restaurants need five revenue streams
35:25 - Newsletter marketing as an additional revenue source
39:10 - Using Uber Eats as an e-commerce platform
42:40 - Developing CPG product lines and merchandise
45:15 - Final advice: Don't panic, have a plan

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📲 Connect with D.J.
DJ's Email
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More 7shifts
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Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
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About Us
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

For many 16-year-olds, a first job is just a way to make some extra side cash—nothing more than a temporary gig. But for Julianna Blackhurst, a part-time job in high school became the foundation of her lifelong career.

In this episode of The Pre-Shift Podcast, we sat down with the Senior Director of Franchise Operations at Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, to talk about two types of growth: career growth and franchise growth.

Resources:

• Check out Jeremiah’s Italian Ice 🍦
• Connect with Julianna on LinkedIn 🔗
• Follow Jeremiah’s on Instagram 📸

Chapters:

• 00:00 Introduction and welcome
• 00:50 Juliana's career journey at Jeremiah's
• 03:33 The importance of company culture
• 05:48 Jeremiah's core values
• 12:25 The franchising model
• 17:17 Going outside of Florida
• 21:38 Leadership lessons
• 23:41 The 14-flavor offering model
• 25:16 Advice for young people
• 30:51 Juliana's favorite Jeremiah's menu item
• 35:40 Conclusion

Guest Bio:

Julianna Blackhurst, Senior Director of Franchise Operations, oversees the Operations for Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, responsible for the company’s 100+ locations in 11 states. She oversees the company’s ongoing expansion, as it is projected to reach 180+ units in 2025. In her previous role with Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, she was Director of Training and Operational Growth. Julianna was responsible for developing and administrating Jeremiah’s training program (“Cool School”) and the New Store Opening Process. Amidst her tenure, Ms. Blackhurst has been recognized by QSR Magazine in the 2021 issue of Young Leaders to Watch. Julianna takes pride in being active in the community, volunteering as a coach for Pop Warner sports. In 2017, Ms. Blackhurst received a Bachelor of Arts in History degree from the University of Central Florida and Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Finance, Rollins College 2021.

Send us a text

More 7shifts
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
Follow us on TikTok
Read the 7shifts Blog

About Us
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.

What if mandatory training didn’t have to be boring? With creative storytelling and an irreverent approach, ARROW UP Training makes engaging, effective training programs for restaurant teams.

In this episode, we’re joined by Jason Berkowitz, the founder and CEO of ARROW UP Training.

Jason offers insights into building consistent employee experiences and the role of continuous training in fostering a strong team—and a better guest experience. He also discusses the importance of structured onboarding, developing strong leaders, and the power of storytelling in training.

Resources
Check out ARROW UP Training ⬆️
Connect with Jason on LinkedIn 🔗
Connect with Jason on Instagram 🤳
Get Jason’s Book 📖
FREE video mini-course: Unlocking effortless restaurant scheduling 📲

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Welcome
• 00:50 Meet Jason Berkowitz: From Restaurant Ops to ARROW UP
• 03:33 The Birth of ARROW UP
• 05:48 ARROW UP's Unique Training Approach
• 12:25 Implementing ARROW UP in Restaurants
• 17:17 Effective Onboarding and Training Practices
• 21:38 Growth Mindset in Restaurant Management
• 22:31 The Role of Supervisors
• 23:41 Building Effective Training Programs
• 25:16 Managing Friends and De-escalation Techniques
• 30:51 The Importance of Checklists
• 35:40 Customizing Training for Different Restaurant Cultures
• 37:49 Exciting Developments at ARROW UP
• 41:29 Conclusion and Contact Information

Guest Bio
Jason Berkowitz is currently the CEO and Founder of Arrow UP Training - an online platform with built-in content and a suite of smart tools that help restaurants develop supervisors into leaders, satisfy compliance and lower operating costs. Their programs have become standard practice for independent restaurants, top co

Send us a text

More 7shifts
Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts
Subscribe to Food Runner, our Monthly Restaurant Newsletter
7shifts on YouTube
Follow us on TikTok
Read the 7shifts Blog

About Us
7shifts is a scheduling, payroll, and employee retention app designed to help restaurants thrive. With an easy-to-use app and industry-specific solutions, 7shifts saves time, reduces errors, and helps keep costs in check for more than 50,000 restaurants.