What Happens When You Get Out of Your Own Way
I just got back from filming the most powerful episode of Heroes of Hospitality we’ve ever done.
And I’m not just saying that.
We walked into Little Italy in Groveport, Ohio… and we witnessed what happens when a restaurant owner goes all-in, removes the excuses, and gets out of their own damn way.
Meet Avery – The Unicorn
Three years ago, Avery was like most restaurant owners I talk to every day.
Stuck. Burnt out. Running around like a one-man band—making the pizzas, delivering them, managing the staff, doing the books at night, handling marketing when he remembered. Living IN the business, not ON the business.
Then his dad had a brain aneurysm.
And in that moment, Avery had a choice: sell it, shut it down, or take over.
He chose option 4:
“If I’m coming back, I’m going to build something bigger than it’s ever been.”
And damn… did he.
From $500K to $5M
Avery took a traditional $500K mom-and-pop pizza shop and turned it into a $5M+ juggernaut.
Not because he had millions to invest. Not because he got lucky.
Because he committed.
He dove into David Scott Peters’ systems, took action fast, and embraced marketing, operations, and leadership like a freakin’ warrior.
He got out of the kitchen.
He trained his team.
He built systems.
He told his story.
And he made the hard decisions most restaurant owners avoid.
Filming This Episode Hit Different
Walking through the doors of Little Italy, I didn’t just see a restaurant.
I saw a brand. A legacy. A vision brought to life.
I saw every touchpoint dialed in:
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Acoustics and lighting built for comfort and control.
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Loyalty programs connected from the pizza shop to the coffee shop.
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In-store branding that made me want to take pictures everywhere I looked.
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A freakin’ dough room, ice cream pickup area, and dish station running like a NASCAR pit crew.
But most of all, I saw a leader who grew into the role his business needed.
And I saw the outcome of someone who decided…
“I’m not going to do this like my dad did. I’m going to build the business he never got to.”
This is Just the Beginning
This episode is the launch pad for Season 2 of Heroes of Hospitality.
And now… I want to find two more restaurant owners who are ready.
📍 Not interested.
📍 Not kinda committed.
📍 I’m talking READY—to do the work, embrace the pain, and make the change.
If you’re watching this and thinking,
“That could never be me…”
Then guess what? Avery thought that too. So did I at one point.
But when you surround yourself with the right people, the right knowledge, and the right system…
You become the person your business needs.
So What’s Next?
We’re on a mission to find two more “Averys.”
Two restaurants that are willing to:
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Open the doors to the reality of their operation.
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Let us help you fix it.
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Be coached by me and David.
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Document the whole damn journey so others can be inspired.
This is more than a show.
This is a movement.
Let’s find the next Heroes of Hospitality.
Because when you get out of your own way…
everything changes.
