In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy sits down with consultant, coach, and mentor Richard Liverman. Broadcasting from the UK, Richard shares his perspectives on hospitality, branding, and the power of storytelling in business. Drawing from a diverse background from horticulture to luxury brands he illustrates how service and connection can define success across industries.

The conversation centers around Richard’s core mantra, “Don’t be boring,” which he uses as a lens to challenge clients’ thinking, brand execution, and communication. He introduces listeners to the concept of “scaffolding” for personal and professional growth, highlighting systems and support that help leaders and entrepreneurs perform at their best.

Topics Discussed in the Episode:

• Defining hospitality through meaningful connection and consistency

• The role of storytelling in branding and customer engagement

• “Don’t be boring” as a mindset for challenging assumptions and innovating

• Personal and business “scaffolding” for sustainable growth

• Staying fresh and relevant through clarity of brand DNA

Connect with Richard Liverman:

https://richersolutions.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-liverman/ https://www.instagram.com/richer_solutions_global/

This show is sponsored by Pepper Lunch. Find a location near you!

Production and Administration work completed by Smart Podcast Solutions and Elevate Virtual Business Solutions.

In this milestone 50th episode of The Pineapple Perspective, Troy Hooper sits down with longtime friend and returning guest Shawn Walchef, founder of Cali BBQ Media, for the podcast's first-ever on-location recording at Pepper Lunch in Las Vegas. They reflect on the journey of launching and sustaining a media-driven business strategy in the hospitality industry, discussing how consistent storytelling builds brand authority, trust, and growth over time.

Troy credits Shawn as the original inspiration behind starting the show, and they dive into topics such as overcoming fear of publishing content, building a personal brand through video and audio, and the power of showing up consistently. Throughout the episode, they offer practical encouragement for entrepreneurs to share their stories publicly, embrace imperfect content, and use digital media as a long-term investment in visibility and influence.

• The value of consistency and speed in content creation

• Storytelling as a strategy to build trust and brand awareness

• How media transformed Troy Hooper’s leadership and business reach

• Overcoming fear and self-doubt in publishing content

• Creating a content habit to drive long-term visibility and growth

Connect with Shawn Walchef:

www.betheshow.media

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnpwalchef

https://www.instagram.com/shawnpwalchef/

https://www.instagram.com/calibbq/

https://www.instagram.com/calibbqmedia/

https://www.tiktok.com/@calibbq

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyKV0F1uggLgiPbBsnPSeUA

https://twitter.com/CaliBBQMedia

This show is sponsored by Pepper Lunch. Find a location near you!

Production and Administration work completed by Smart Podcast Solutions and Elevate Virtual Business Solutions.

In this episode of The Pineapple Perspective, host Troy Hooper sits down with Tammy Billings, a seasoned marketing and technology advisor in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Tammy shares her journey from starting in hospitality at In-N-Out Burger to becoming a sought-after voice in MarTech and decision intelligence. She explains the evolution from traditional marketing roles into tech consulting, emphasizing how hospitality principles like listening and anticipating needs still apply in a data-driven world.

They also discuss SaaS fatigue, the complexity of vendor ecosystems, the role of POS systems in data access, and how SignalFlare.ai is using AI and external data to deliver more accurate pricing and marketing insights. Tammy’s blend of service-oriented mindset and technical knowledge offers valuable perspectives for operators navigating rapid tech shifts.

Topics Discussed in the Episode:

• Tammy’s transition from marketing roles to technology advisory

• Challenges of SaaS pricing models and vendor consolidation

• SignalFlare’s data modeling and pricing tools for restaurants

• Importance of data access and ownership in POS systems

• Using composed external data for targeted marketing and site selection
  
  

Connect with Tammy Billings:

http://signalflare.ai

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammykbillings/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/signalflareai/

This show is sponsored by Pepper Lunch. Find a location near you!

Production and Administration work completed by Smart Podcast Solutions and Elevate Virtual Business Solutions.