FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution

People won’t be hanging out in large groups for a very, very long time. It’s a tough pill for me to swallow and that’s not even my sector of the industry. Event planners are going to need to get scrappy if they’re going to find any work in the coming year. One event planner I’m not worried about is Natasha Miller. She embodies the word resilience and has taken her events company digital. Today she unveils the bleeding edge of virtual events, marrying together work and play.
Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
Click here to book time on my personal calendar.
Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide.
Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.
SHOW NOTES

Officially started Entire productions in 2001
Transitioned to representing acts and producing events
Fake it until you make it
Would say yes to everything and then figure out how to do it
It took  Warren Buffet 9 years to make his first million dollars
Everyone wants to get rich quick
Natasha didn’t care about being rich until recently
Planning for retirement
Educational path
Went to college on violin scholarship
Didn’t graduate
Self-taught entrepreneurship
No mentors
Attended the Goldman Sachs 10k SD
Already millions of dollars in revenue at that time
Learned so much
Terrified by the accounting education but it was crucial
Every year after the course, grew 65% each year
Entrepreneurs Organization
3-year course at MIT
Entrepreneurial Master’s class at Havard
Access to so many incredible entrepreneurs
Implementing what you have learned
Learning not to implement everything at once
Goals pre-Covid
Grow by 25%
Splitting Entertainment production and Event Production
Planning their biggest event of the year
March 17th 2020
Retail costs would be $500k
City shutdown on March 16th 2020
Initial reaction to Covid
Panic, sorrow, and nervousness
Canceling WeWork lease
Making difficult choices regarding the team
Feeling grateful for aspects of Covid
A chance to step back
Reflecting on the business
Repairing broken parts of the business
Having the space to improve the business
Pivoting during Covid
Everything has worked so far
Created a variety show platform for virtual events
Bite-sized shows with educational or entertaining speakers
Internal marketing event
Still of value to clients
Goal is to keep Entire Productions top of mind with client base
The growth of virtual events
Expanding people’s businesses
One client has a 200 client in-person event every year
Expanded to 2000 virtual events
Less prominent post-Covid but is here to stay
53% of all restaurants will permanently close
Also possible in the events space
Younger businesses are quick to pivot
Older businesses have mostly been giving up faster
Failure depends on overheads
Cash is king
The events industry isn’t well represented in government

Show Notes

People won’t be hanging out in large groups for a very, very long time. It’s a tough pill for me to swallow and that’s not even my sector of the industry. Event planners are going to need to get scrappy if they’re going to find any work in the coming year. One event planner I’m not worried about is Natasha Miller. She embodies the word resilience and has taken her events company digital. Today she unveils the bleeding edge of virtual events, marrying together work and play.

Click to sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Click here to book time on my personal calendar.

Click here to download our Restaurant Recovery Guide.

Want to streamline your front-of-house operations and increase sales? Head over to http://restaurants.yelp.com/fullcomppodcast to claim your free page and learn more about these powerful tools for your business.

SHOW NOTES

  • Officially started Entire productions in 2001
  • Transitioned to representing acts and producing events
  • Fake it until you make it
  • Would say yes to everything and then figure out how to do it
  • It took  Warren Buffet 9 years to make his first million dollars
  • Everyone wants to get rich quick
  • Natasha didn’t care about being rich until recently
  • Planning for retirement
  • Educational path
  • Went to college on violin scholarship
  • Didn’t graduate
  • Self-taught entrepreneurship
  • No mentors
  • Attended the Goldman Sachs 10k SD
  • Already millions of dollars in revenue at that time
  • Learned so much
  • Terrified by the accounting education but it was crucial
  • Every year after the course, grew 65% each year
  • Entrepreneurs Organization
  • 3-year course at MIT
  • Entrepreneurial Master’s class at Havard
  • Access to so many incredible entrepreneurs
  • Implementing what you have learned
  • Learning not to implement everything at once
  • Goals pre-Covid
  • Grow by 25%
  • Splitting Entertainment production and Event Production
  • Planning their biggest event of the year
  • March 17th 2020
  • Retail costs would be $500k
  • City shutdown on March 16th 2020
  • Initial reaction to Covid
  • Panic, sorrow, and nervousness
  • Canceling WeWork lease
  • Making difficult choices regarding the team
  • Feeling grateful for aspects of Covid
  • A chance to step back
  • Reflecting on the business
  • Repairing broken parts of the business
  • Having the space to improve the business
  • Pivoting during Covid
  • Everything has worked so far
  • Created a variety show platform for virtual events
  • Bite-sized shows with educational or entertaining speakers
  • Internal marketing event
  • Still of value to clients
  • Goal is to keep Entire Productions top of mind with client base
  • The growth of virtual events
  • Expanding people’s businesses
  • One client has a 200 client in-person event every year
  • Expanded to 2000 virtual events
  • Less prominent post-Covid but is here to stay
  • 53% of all restaurants will permanently close
  • Also possible in the events space
  • Younger businesses are quick to pivot
  • Older businesses have mostly been giving up faster
  • Failure depends on overheads
  • Cash is king
  • The events industry isn’t well represented in government

What is FULL COMP: The Voice of the Restaurant Industry Revolution?

What if I told you that the difference between struggling and thriving in the restaurant industry is just one conversation away?

I’m Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur who’s spent decades building blockbuster brands across every tier of dining. I know the challenges you’re facing—because I’ve been there. That’s why I created FULL COMP.

Every week, I go one-on-one with the smartest minds in the game: restaurateurs, chefs, and industry insiders who’ve cracked the code. Together, we unpack their biggest wins, hardest lessons, and the strategies that changed everything.

No fluff, no filler—just actionable insights to help you boost profits, build your brand, and create the kind of restaurant you’ve always dreamed of.

So, if you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start seeing results, hit subscribe.