The Bar Business Podcast: Bar & Pub Owner Profits, Marketing & Operations

Before You Fire a Bar Employee [how to give them one last chance to improve]

What do you do when an employee keeps falling short, but you’re not ready to fire them? In this episode, I’m talking about performance improvement plans, or PIPs, and ho

Is Live Music Making Your Bar Money or Costing You?

Is your live music night actually making you money, or does it just look successful because the bar is full? In this episode, I’m digging into the real ROI of live music

How to Improve Bar Profitability: The 50-Lever Framework

Improving bar profitability rarely comes from one big change. More often, it comes from fixing dozens of small problems across your costs, revenue, operations, staff, and

Gut Instinct vs. Data: How Bar Owners Make Better Business Decisions

Running a successful bar requires more than trusting your gut—and more than blindly following the numbers.  In this episode, I break down how bar owners can use gut inst

Classic Cocktail Trends: Why Simple Drinks Are Winning in Bars

Classic cocktails are making a comeback as guests move away from overly complicated craft cocktails and toward familiar drinks like Espresso Martinis, Old Fashioneds, Mar

Generational Drinking Trends Every Bar Owner Should Know in 2026

Gen Z drinking trends are changing what customers expect from bars in 2026 but Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers are drinking very differently. In this episode, I bre

Chris Schneider & Brian Haan: How We Adapted Our Bar After the Smoking Ban

  Last week, Brian Haan and I started telling the story of how we ended up running 86th Street Pub together. About 15 months into owning the bar, we hit the first major

Chris Schneider & Brian Haan: Buying, Managing, and Learning to Run a Bar

After more than 260 episodes talking about the bar business, there’s one story I probably should have told a long time ago: how I actually became a bar owner and learned

How to Increase Restaurant and Bar Revenue Without More Customers

When revenue drops, I know the first instinct is usually to get more customers through the door.  But what if you’re trying to market your way out of the wrong problem?

How to Open a Restaurant From Idea to Opening Night with Adam Weisblatt

Opening a great restaurant takes more than great food, hospitality, or a good business plan. Everything matters. In this episode, I sit down with Adam Weisblatt, co-foun

How to Set Clear Staff Expectations and Build a Better Bar Team

  Bad attitudes, inconsistent service, and employees ignoring standards may all have the same root cause: unclear expectations.  In this episode, I break down the 20-mi

Po6: What a Female-Led Bar Team Taught Hong Kong About Hospitality with Beckaly Franks

On this episode of Party of Six, we have a wide-ranging panel conversation on hospitality, focusing on Beckaly Franks tracing her path from Idaho and Portland to Hong Kon

From $200 to Shark Tank and Building an Event Bartending Business with Nelson Brooks

Nelson Brooks started Cabana Boys with around $200 and eventually took the business to Shark Tank, where he landed an investment from Kendra Scott.  In this episode, I’m

Happy Hour Profitability and How to Know If Your Bar’s Specials Actually Work

Good drinks aren’t the only thing that can make or break a happy hour. A packed bar can still be losing money. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to tell if your ha

Bar Loans, Business Credit, and Getting Approved with Matt Meehan and Luigi Rosabianca

Most bar owners don't think about financing until they need money—and by then, the decisions they've already made can determine whether a lender says yes or no.

Signature Cocktails: Turn One Drink Into a Word-of-Mouth Marketing Asset

Having a bestselling cocktail does not mean you have a signature drink. A bestseller moves units. A signature moves people. In this episode, I’m breaking down what turn

The Pour Cost System: Calculate It, Track It, and Protect Your Margins

Most bar owners don't have a pour cost problem. They have a tracking problem. In this episode, I'm breaking down how to calculate pour cost correctly, why mon

How to Spot the Signs Before Your Regulars Leave

  Most unhappy customers never tell you something is wrong.  They simply stop showing up.  In this episode, I'm breaking down why silence is one of the most dange

Bar Marketing Strategy: How to Avoid Slow Nights Before They Happen

Bar owners who avoid slow nights are not just lucky. They planned better. In this episode, I’m breaking down my Anchor Rhythm Tactical Marketing System and how it helps

Bar Breakeven Formula: How Turn Dollar Goals Into Guest Count

Looking at breakeven in dollars does not help you run your bar. A dollar target sounds important, but it does not tell you what to do. In this episode, I’m breaking dow