Ep 82: Michael Chachula is the Chief Information Officer for FAT Brands

01/17/24 • 47 min

To become a transformational CIO, one must have key characteristics, capabilities, and leadership styles that foster followership and inspire others to embrace their vision. This is the belief of Michael Chachula, Chief Information Officer for FAT Brands, who joins us today to shed some light on what it takes to manage the marketing tech stack for 18 different restaurant brands in a total of 2,300 locations, including Fatburger, Johnny Rockets, and Fazoli’s. With a background in tech, finance, and hospitality, Michael exemplifies the well-rounded expertise needed to run tech for a multi-brand restaurant portfolio, but it’s his focus on inspiring rather than commanding people to follow him that stands out in this interview. He also shares his take on how artificial intelligence is impacting the restaurant industry today and into the future and we discuss how tech providers can become trusted advisors, why industry experience is more important than the latest tools, and so much more! For a down-to-earth conversation with a true visionary leader, don’t miss this episode with FAT Brands’ CIO Michael Chachula!

Previous Episode

Ep 81: Afif Khoury is the Founder and CEO of SOCi; the first CoMarketing Platform for Multi-Location Brands

Shifting the relationship their customers have with AI software from a tool to a partner in the business is the main focus of our guest, and his company, today. We are excited to have with us on the show, Afif Khoury, the Founder and CEO of SOCi, the first CoMarketing Platform for Multi-Location Brands. Join the conversation as we learn more about the SOCi marketing platform, what makes their AI unique, and the crawl, walk, and run options of their model. We discuss the point solution versus the platform conundrum, how brands have responded to their platform, and thoughts on how AI will impact the local listings product area and open up new innovations around it. If you’re intrigued by the idea of AI-powered data scientists, train marketers, and force multipliers for corporate marketing teams and local representatives, then you are going to love this episode!

Next Episode

Ep 83: Joe Artime is the Head of Marketing for Moe’s Southwest Grill

Joe Artime’s journey with Moe’s Southwest Grill began as a student, slinging tacos and burritos. Today, he is the Head of Marketing for the franchise. During this episode, he joins us to discuss the new positioning for Moe’s Southwest Grill, the choice to pivot towards video content for 2024, and how the brand connects with local communities through its franchisees. Tune in as we do a deep dive into the history of the brand and its name, consider the future of the role of CMO, and explore the art of relating to customers through storytelling. Joe reveals his repositioning strategy set to take root in 2024, touches on new menu items that will be tested in the coming year, and shares upcoming plans for on and off-site content creation. Joe tells us his approach to relationship-building and empowering franchisees, gets candid about his predictions for the future of AI, and much more. Don’t miss this value-packed episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

Introducing Joe Artime, Head of Marketing for Moe’s Southwest Grill.
A fun fact about Joe that most people might not know.
A recap of the last twelve months at Moe’s Southwest Grill and his history with the brand.
Where the name Moe’s actually comes from: musicians, outlaws, and entertainers.
The new positioning of the brand which started in 2023 and will take off in 2024.
Questions around the future of the CMO position and how it may move into an operational role.
Relating to customers through storytelling.
Key areas for the upcoming repositioning of the brand.
Where the brand could improve in the future: showcasing the food.
What Joe intends to do differently with branding in 2024.
The new menu items that will be tested in the year to come.
Shooting videos on site and in a test kitchen.
Why building strong franchisee relationships is a non-negotiable.
What is behind the original localized approach to marketing.
Creating guidelines and offering suggestions to empower franchisees.
Moe’s standpoint on third-party delivery.
Joe’s predictions for the impact of AI on marketing in the restaurant space.
His progression as a marketer through roles at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, Krystal, and Burger King.
Advice for marketers: learn the business drivers, follow the data, and understand how the technologies are changing.
What he learned from taking on roles in different departments.
The status of Joe’s team today.
His take on TikTok, influencer marketing, Yelp, and a suggested guest for the podcast.