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Darkest moment in Josh Kopel career was even brighter.
“For me, the lowest point in my career was the highest point — when I got that $50,000 cash advance that required no personal guarantee to turn my business around,” podcast host AND star-rated restaurant shares. “I was all f**** to give. I just didn't care anymore.”
We often mark our lives with our achievements. But sometimes, we need to pay attention to those moments when things look really bad in order to grow.
When times are tough, a leader must dig in and find one solution. That's the way to get to the next level, and it's exactly what prompted Kopel to improve his situation. “I've been almost exclusively motivated by fear for most of my career,” he admits.
Although Kopel was once driven by fear—fear of failure, fear of disappointing his family, fear of losing it all—he now has a different, more enriching feeling driving him: vulnerability.
Going through difficult times can help people understand each other better. “For me, if I become a better coach or a better consultant or a better media personality, it's rooted in empathy; it's rooted in vulnerability,” he says. Shawn Walchef IN Restaurant influencers podcast series.
These days, as host of the popular Yelp for Restaurants podcast FULL SUMMARYKopel has had a chance to be vulnerable with millions of people thanks to the global reach of digital media. He has asked tough questions and shared his battle scars through more than 400 episodes.
His goal, as always, is to elevate the restaurant industry.
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Restaurants and media
Kopel spent more than two decades in the restaurant business, operating venues ranging from bars to fine dining.
Some were quick successes, like his New Orleans-inspired bar, Five0Four. The site, which he called “an anecdote about loneliness,” generated $1.4 million in its first year from a 900-square-foot site.
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Not all of his concepts went as well as he did.
Despite outward signs of success, Kopel often felt isolated and overwhelmed by the pressures of ownership. He realized he wasn't as alone as he thought. Other restaurant owners struggled just as badly.
When to pandemic hit in 2020, he sold his last restaurant. “It's not like I was out of work,” he says. “It was like being out of an industry.”
The fork in the road had arrived. And just in time, an unexpected opportunity arose.
A longtime connection, a Yelp executive, suggested Kopel consider media production. In just a few weeks, FULL SUMMARY the podcast was born. The series became not just a platform for sharing stories, but a vehicle for personal growth and industry transformation.
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“The podcast gives context,” says Kopel. “It's about building connections and learning from others.”
Kopel's willingness to embrace vulnerability has been a cornerstone of his success. In a keynote speech for Yelp at the National Restaurant Association show, he shared raw, personal stories about his struggles. He heralded his success by showing that he was, as he says, “born of failure.”
This approach has also shaped his podcast interviews. Like any good leader, Kopel leads without hiding his wounds. His tRANSPARENCY creates a space where guests feel comfortable sharing deeper knowledge.
“You build trust through vulnerability,” he explains. He uses this strategy in his coaching work, and honesty and empathy guide his relationships with his clients.
He knows that restaurants of all kinds suffer from the same problems, such as profitabilitywork and cash flow. He believes restaurants can solve them by simplifying and improving only the elements that produce the most revenue on the front end.
Revenue, awareness, and customer visit frequency depend on the same thing that creates the best coaching interactions and podcast interviews: one-on-one relationships. Then it's just a matter of scale.
Kopel's love for restaurants has only grown as his influence grows through his podcast and other media. He is persistent and persistent in creating meaningful change in this industry. Through his podcast and coaching programs, he's empowering restaurants to simplify, prioritize and thrive.
“Being comfortable is boring,” he says. “Magic happens when you get uncomfortable and move on.”
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