Known as simply “Shaq” to millions, Shaquille O’Neal entered the hearts and minds of basketball fans — and the world — as a big kid with a dominant game, and a smile to match.
After a prolific 20 year NBA career that saw him also release platinum-selling music and star in box office smash movies, O’Neal brings his championship mentality, larger-than-life persona, and an already extensive entrepreneurial portfolio to new heights with Big Chicken, a fast-casual chicken concept that reflects his love for bold flavors and big portions.
Watch now to learn about being resourceful in marketing, Shaq’s social media strategy, and becoming a part of the Big Chicken team.
After a prolific 20 year NBA career that saw him also release platinum-selling music and star in box office smash movies, O’Neal brings his championship mentality, larger-than-life persona, and an already extensive entrepreneurial portfolio to new heights with Big Chicken, a fast-casual chicken concept that reflects his love for bold flavors and big portions.
Watch now to learn about being resourceful in marketing, Shaq’s social media strategy, and becoming a part of the Big Chicken team.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Welcome to Restaurant Influencers, presented by Entrepreneur.
00:08I am your host, Sean Walsh.
00:10If this is a Cali BBQ Media production, it's a big day, big
00:15fun with the big Shaquille O'Neal himself.
00:19Shaq, I've been doing this show.
00:21We turned our restaurant business into a media business.
00:2416 years ago, I opened up a restaurant in San Diego, Cali
00:27BBQ.
00:28That was your spot?
00:29That's our spot, Cali BBQ.
00:30I used to eat there.
00:31Oh, come on.
00:32I did.
00:33Oh yeah, I remember that spot.
00:34Oh man, that was a nice spot.
00:35I remember that spot.
00:36So seven years ago, we started a media company, and no one cared, no one was listening, and
00:47now I'm at the Big Chicken Conference at the Virgin Hotel with the big Shaquille O'Neal.
00:53I'm honored to have you here on the show.
00:55You know, every single guest I've had since we started this show three years ago, this
00:59restaurant influencer show specifically, I ask them opening question, where in the world
01:04is your favorite stadium, stage, or venue?
01:09None of my guests have actually played in a stadium, or been on a stage, or been in
01:13a venue.
01:14My favorite stadium would be probably Staples Center.
01:20Staples?
01:21Yeah, 2000 was a special year.
01:22I remember when Tim Lyewicki and the owners of the Lakers had us do the groundbreaking
01:30shovel ceremony to build the Staples Center.
01:33It was built quickly, and they were saying things like no one has ever won a championship
01:38their first year in a building, so the technology was there, a special building, so that was
01:43a great year.
01:44Stadium, venue?
01:45Yep.
01:46It's Lollapalooza.
01:47Really?
01:48Yeah.
01:49Here's the footage.
01:51I was only expecting 5,000 people, and about 200,000 people showed up, so I had to really
01:57put on a show.
01:58What was the last one?
01:59Stage.
02:00Small venue.
02:01Probably my high school play where I had to play a tree.
02:05Oh, you don't believe me?
02:08Here's the picture.
02:09Were you a good tree?
02:12My arms were tired, I'll tell you that.
02:13I just had to stand there.
02:14Can I say something about your beautiful family?
02:18Please.
02:19My kids remind me of my kids.
02:22And the fact that when daddy's working, they know how to just chill and be quiet.
02:26You got two young babies over there not making any noise, and my kids are like that.
02:30On game day, they know from 12 to 3, play the game that if you wake daddy up, daddy
02:35will bite you.
02:36So I could hear them walking around the house, whispering, playing with toys, but you have
02:39a beautiful family.
02:41So let's go to Staples Center.
02:42Yep.
02:43We're going to talk to some big sponsors I know you know, some big people.
02:47We're going to fill it with people that are in the hospitality game, the people that play
02:50the game within the game, the people that listen to this show, support the show, people
02:53that are here in the halls.
02:54You got franchisees in here that are ready to build their business.
02:58But I would love to hear from you, what's the origin story of Big Chicken?
03:02Like bring me back to when did you fall in love with your mother's chicken?
03:06Well, you know, when you come from a family that doesn't have much, chicken is one of
03:11the main meals that you can stretch out.
03:14Dark meat Monday, white meat Tuesday, wings leftover.
03:18So chicken was a normal thing in our house and a lot of times we didn't have vegetables
03:24to go with it.
03:25So I used to make a chicken sandwich and eat around the bone.
03:28Chicken ketchup, chicken cheese, chicken with macaroni on top and just eat around the bone.
03:32So Perry Rogers, who you just interviewed, he owns a couple of restaurants here in Vegas
03:37and I'm a creature of habit and I'll always go to a restaurant and order this chicken
03:41sandwich.
03:42He's like, we don't make it.
03:43I was like, just give me a piece of chicken.
03:44So one day he saw me eat this chicken around the bone and he tried it.
03:47He was like, that's pretty good.
03:49We should do something.
03:50So that's how Big Chicken started.
03:52And then, you know, you got a lot of other concepts out there.
03:56You know, we look at them and, you know, see how they're doing.
03:59Todd from Raising Cane's is a good friend of mine.
04:01I always liked how, you know, he did his business.
04:04So we started Big Chicken here in Vegas and Perry is, you know, they say the greatest
04:09of leaders are the ones that hire people that are smart enough.
04:11If it was me, I would have tried to open up and franchise it down to franchise year one,
04:16but Perry's like, nope, we have to get it.
04:18Our first location is across the street here.
04:21Get it, perfect it, the do's and the don'ts.
04:24So we had that open for about three, four years and then we hired Josh and, you know,
04:28Josh brought in his team and, you know, we started franchising and I think we're up to
04:32300 in, over 300, so 40 open, yeah.
04:38You wrote a book called Family Style.
04:41Family business, every business is a family business, but for you in particular, let's
04:44talk about Big Chicken being a family business.
04:47It was my, it was, it was my mother's creation that she would just bring all the chicken
04:51and of course you, you were not allowed in the kitchen, so can you throw some cheese
04:56on that?
04:57What?
04:58Mama, can you make me a chicken sandwich?
04:59Yeah.
05:00Can you throw some macaroni on that?
05:01Can you throw some coleslaw on that?
05:02Throw some onion rings on that?
05:03So, you know, we, we brought her down and she worked with the executive chefs on how
05:08the macaroni should taste, how the chicken should be battered and everybody was really,
05:13really receptive to that and we're doing very well.
05:17What can you share to restaurant owners that are going to be watching this show about media?
05:22I think one of the coolest things about what Big Chicken did was your Facebook watch show,
05:27building in public, sharing kind of the crazy stuff that a lot of, a lot of entrepreneurs,
05:32they don't, they wouldn't be willing to share.
05:33Why, why did you do that?
05:34You know, a lot of times when we open up things like this, we think about marketing and marketing
05:40costs, but I've always operated like I don't have any money and I always want to take advantage
05:45of the free marketing.
05:46Like I just told my guy Josh, every time there's a convention here, I want somebody outside
05:52saying Shaquille O'Neal welcomes you to Las Vegas, try Big Chicken.
05:57That's free.
05:58You want to know how it's free?
05:59Take your ass to Kinko's, make it up, print it a thousand times, hand out a thousand sheets
06:04of paper.
06:05That's free marketing.
06:06Rather than, hey, convention people, can we, can we put a guy out front?
06:10Yeah, that's going to cost you $10,000.
06:11Can we put a guy on the inside?
06:12Yeah, you got to get the licenses.
06:13Well, and this right here, those phones and these cameras, that's free.
06:19You promote yourself and you put it out and my favorite slogan is all, all it takes is
06:24once.
06:25All it takes is for one person, another critic, are you a critic?
06:28No, I'm not a critic.
06:31No.
06:32I'm a storyteller.
06:33No.
06:34Okay.
06:35So what's the guys that talk about food?
06:36Food critic.
06:37Yeah.
06:38Oh, okay.
06:39Not for me.
06:40No.
06:41We care about business.
06:42I own restaurants.
06:43I apologize.
06:44No, you don't do your own good.
06:45All it takes is one of those food critics that got a hundred million followers to say
06:48something good or bad about your business and it'll take off.
06:52So you shared that when you were drafted in the NBA, one of the things that your mother
06:57taught you was it costs nothing to be nice.
07:01Yeah.
07:02Can you share about that story about getting drafted, about kind of humbling yourself and
07:06how you've-
07:07Well, let me take you back before that.
07:09I was raised by a drill sergeant.
07:12So you learn to be a fighter.
07:14So on your way coming up, if you're nothing and people keep telling you you're nothing,
07:20see we never give up, but I just heard I'm nothing, I'm nothing, I'm nothing, I'm nothing.
07:24Now I'm a first team high school All-American.
07:27So it kind of just hit me one day, I'm like, I'm not talking to none of you earthlings.
07:32So my best friend who still works with me now, his name is Joe Cavallaro.
07:36I went to a small school, it was 239 kids.
07:39My graduating class was 39 people.
07:42So when this article hits Cole's O'Neal the best in the USA, I thought I was the peanut
07:46butter and the jam.
07:48So the school was smart.
07:50They designed a program to, it was called the God Program.
07:53So, okay, Shaq wants to act like God, watch this.
07:56So I would come and walk down the hall, everybody would run out the school.
08:02They wouldn't say anything, wouldn't look into me.
08:04So like if I'm on the left side, everybody go on the right side and just go to the classroom
08:08and I say nothing.
08:09So I say, okay, funny man, I'm a joke.
08:12Every time I go in the lunchroom, everybody would just get up and go out the lunchroom.
08:16The whole school would just get up and go.
08:19Everybody.
08:20So I didn't practice.
08:21I go down to one corner, everybody would sprint to the other side.
08:23So I said, okay, what happened?
08:24And my best friend says to me, hey, you think you're God, we're gonna treat you like God.
08:28So that was my first sign that said, okay, always humble yourself.
08:32And then my mother gave me that statement and it's a true statement because, you know,
08:37we all have a starting point and my starting point was basically at the bottom.
08:42So now that I'm at the top, I'm still not going to treat you as if you're at the bottom.
08:46I treat people as I expect them to treat me.
08:49When you were coming up in the NBA, before you started your post-NBA media career, when
08:53did you find your voice?
08:56You've always had your voice, but when did you realize the power of what you could do
09:00post-career?
09:01I didn't.
09:02I'm always the guys, you hear us things, you have a dream and you just go for it.
09:08I think it would be asinine for me to go, I'm going to make 600 million out there, you
09:13never know.
09:14Yeah.
09:15When you're raised by a drill sergeant, you're raised by discipline.
09:18You always go with the flow and you always attack your dream.
09:21So I was actually nervous after I retired because the way I left the game was a career-ending
09:29injury.
09:30I still had one more year left.
09:31And then the last year I was going to do the Shaq tour and, you know, sit down and have
09:35all the arenas, you know, fathom over me and tell me how great or bad I was and talk about
09:40free throws and all that stuff.
09:42And then I was going to take a year off and then play.
09:44So when it came, now you have to be spontaneous in your movements and like, man.
09:50So good thing I joined TMT because we're on a lot.
09:54You know, I kept my name out there, but, you know, a lot of these things that are just
09:57happening, I just have to look up and praise God and just say, thank you.
10:01Because, you know, a lot of times it just happens because what if I don't eat those
10:06chicken sandwiches in front of Perry's?
10:08Like, you know, you talk about this is my idea, but you still got to have a championship
10:12team to run it.
10:14And that's Perry and that's Josh and that's all the guys that, you know, we bring in.
10:19They are the guys that, you know, make this thing go.
10:21So, you know, I had good leadership around me.
10:24I came up with the idea.
10:26We put some money together.
10:27We tried our first one across the street.
10:29It went well.
10:29We opened up another one here and, you know, we told people, hey, we're looking to
10:33franchise this thing.
10:34And our first franchise meeting, I was amazed at how many people showed up.
10:38Like we had to turn some people out because, you know, the business is still fairly
10:42young and we're still we're still trying to perfect it.
10:45I know there's no such thing as perfection, but perfection is in the eye of the beholder
10:50and we want everything done right.
10:51Everything done top of the line.
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12:10So Josh Halperin, CEO of Big Chicken.
12:13That's his last name. I never knew his last name.
12:16Sorry about that.
12:16No worries. I got you.
12:17Yeah, just Josh.
12:19He shared that he wants to be the Harvard of franchisees.
12:23So there's 4,700 applicants that are trying to get in.
12:27They want to be a part of this business, but they want to have standards.
12:30They want to build.
12:31Come here, Josh.
12:33They want to build a championship team.
12:35You're the CEO and I don't even know your last name.
12:37I apologize.
12:40No, a real hug.
12:41Give me a man to man cheek hug.
12:44Thank you, Josh.
12:45Thanks so much for that.
12:47Howard or what's his last name?
12:48Halperin.
12:49Oh, Halperin.
12:49OK, thank you, Josh.
12:53But when I talk to the people that are here running this conference, when I talk to the
12:57leadership executives, I just saw Josh Sims, who's the new chief marketing officer at Big
13:01Chicken. He's fire.
13:02He's doing phenomenal.
13:03But the people at the store level, I asked them yesterday when we were filming some
13:08incredible chicken content, I asked them, how does it feel to work for Shaq?
13:14And they go, we don't work for Shaq.
13:16We work with Shaq.
13:20That's what they that's what they told me.
13:22That's your front of the line.
13:23Yeah, I wasn't from the CEO.
13:24That's front of the line.
13:25It's true.
13:26You know, my my leadership style is always based on championship teams.
13:31You know, don't win without Kobe.
13:33I don't win without D Fish.
13:35Definitely don't win without Big Shot Bob, Robert Ory.
13:38Don't win without Phil Jackson and Pat Riley.
13:40So I never come.
13:41And then these guys are smarter than me.
13:45It would be the dumbest move for me to go in to Josh and say, Josh, I want 30 ounce
13:50chicken breasts. I don't care how they boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom,
13:53boom. It's Josh's job to say, no, let's break it down.
13:57Cost effective.
13:58Boom, boom, boom.
13:59He's been in that business.
14:00That's why he's the CEO.
14:01We we work together.
14:03I, I take pride in not knowing it all.
14:06Yeah, I like to learn every day.
14:08So I utilize my teammates and I utilize a lot of humor to keep them going.
14:13I know their job is stressful.
14:14I don't want to be the guy that's away 320 days and then come and say, get the
14:19bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep.
14:20It'll never work.
14:21Frustrate them.
14:22They won't be able to to work at an optimal speed.
14:26And they won't be able to work at their maximum.
14:28So I, I, I, I leave with a lot of humor and just come in, make people feel good,
14:33make them feel appreciated.
14:34And we just try to win championship.
14:37When you have friends, former players, celebrities come to you, you, you're a
14:42big deal in restaurants as a restaurant investors, somebody that running big
14:46chicken, plus all the other franchises that you have.
14:49What advice do you give them when they, when you, when they ask about restaurant?
14:51I don't tell them nothing.
14:52I tell them to go to my website, shack.com and you know, download my brochure where I
14:58give you all the answers and you open up the page and it's, it's blank book.
15:02I, uh, I just tell them one, I like to invest, invest in things that's going
15:08to make it better for people.
15:10No, this concept is this lot of what we do and, and other restaurants, but our
15:16restaurants has it all, you know, some people have good tenders and terrible
15:20sandwiches.
15:20Some people have terrible sandwich and good tenders.
15:23I like to think we have both.
15:24Pepsi has done a great job of supplying us with, with the beverages.
15:28I even got my own pineapple beverage and, you know, ice cream and all that stuff.
15:32But, you know, for me to give advice, it would be to, to, to, to say I'm the
15:37expert, I'm no expert, you know, my style, the way I do my business has always
15:42worked for me.
15:44And, you know, when I read quotes, I'm able to take those quotes and get
15:48inspired.
15:49The greatest leader is the one smart enough to hire people that are smarter.
15:53Like when I read that, I was, I felt like a kid.
15:55I was like, Oh my God.
15:57So if I'm going to do a restaurant TV show, you're going to be partners.
16:00There we go.
16:01Now we're talking.
16:02You heard it here.
16:03You know, I know what I know.
16:05Uh, what I don't know.
16:06I just try to surround myself with people that I do know.
16:11Perry and Josh and the guys in the team.
16:14I know I trust them.
16:16I believe in them.
16:16I don't, I don't micromanage them.
16:18I don't bother them.
16:19This thing is, it's gotten bigger, faster than I thought it would.
16:24Like when we did the one store across the street, I was happy because you
16:28got to understand I'm, I'm, I'm at the point in my life, I don't do
16:31anything for monetary rewards.
16:33Can't buy another car.
16:35Can't buy another boat.
16:36Can't buy another house.
16:38Can't buy no more jewelry.
16:39Can't buy no more cars.
16:40Even though I just bought a new Tesla truck, I can't like I'm, I'm done.
16:45So now, you know, 50, just like to see people happy.
16:49I like to see people smile.
16:51I like to operate in, in, in, in, in years of 10.
16:54I tell my friends all the time, cause they, they, they're older.
16:56They act old.
16:57And I was like, what comes after 52, 53?
16:59No, 62.
17:01In 10 summers, I'm going to be 62 years old.
17:03So I'll be happy.
17:05Uh, hopefully I'll be successful and hopefully everything that
17:08I've dreamed of will come true.
17:11Can you talk about the big podcast?
17:13You're your own media company now.
17:14That's obviously something we believe deeply in.
17:17Media company.
17:19That's, that's, that's what people, that's what people call it.
17:23You know, when I, when I am involved myself in social media, I realized
17:28the, the powerful impact that has.
17:30And a lot of times when you get power, you have to be responsible.
17:32So immediately I say 60% to make you laugh.
17:37So what am I doing?
17:3830% to inspire you.
17:40And the last 10% to let you know what I'm involved in.
17:44That's how I use social media.
17:45Like I'm not, don't put my thoughts on there and don't embarrass people.
17:50And don't do that.
17:50I want to make you, cause we all live a stressful life.
17:54Like we're having fun now, but there's one word that'll make you stop having
17:58fun is called responsibilities.
18:00You got to make sure the wife is happy.
18:02You got to make sure the kids is happy.
18:04You got to make sure these guys have the best stressful.
18:06So when I pick up my phone or TV, I want to laugh because when you laugh, it
18:11releases those endorphins in the face.
18:13Helps you relieve stress.
18:14I understand that.
18:15I realize that I want to make people laugh.
18:18That's what I want to do.
18:19And then 30%, like if I see a quote or something that helped me, maybe it
18:22could help you and that's how I use social media.
18:25So you, you said media company.
18:27I just, I just like to broadcast how I like to broadcast.
18:32How has it been doing the podcast?
18:34Have you enjoyed it?
18:35It's fine.
18:36I heard your Dana White episode.
18:37He's going to be here today.
18:38Yes.
18:38Oh, Dana's coming today.
18:39Oh, you don't know?
18:40No.
18:42I'm breaking news.
18:43Yeah.
18:44I totally written the surprise.
18:46Dana, Dana is a good friend of ours.
18:49I can remember going to UFC one, but to answer your question is just fun.
18:52You get to get to interview people.
18:55My favorite part about interviewing people is you get to tell stories.
18:59Like I got so many stories that when I tell they go viral, I
19:01don't mean them to go viral.
19:02It's just, it's just, you know, things that, uh, you know, happened.
19:07Want to know why I'm nice to kids?
19:08I would love to know why.
19:10Growing up, my father said, you either gonna take your ass to
19:13work or you're going to babysit.
19:15I wrote, I was like, you know what?
19:16Not watching these kids.
19:17I worked at McDonald's for one day.
19:20One day I was like, man, this is, this is what work means.
19:24And it was really speak of the devil.
19:26And then he walks.
19:27Hey brother, how you doing?
19:31Go give me a hug.
19:32Dana, Dana.
19:33You're good, Dana.
19:35Come on.
19:35And he checked, checked, check requests.
19:38Pleasure.
19:39I have a hug brother.
19:40How you doing?
19:41Love you.
19:42Nice to see you.
19:44We're just talking about you.
19:45We're podcasting.
19:46Yeah.
19:47Just asking about the big chicken, big plans, big fun.
19:51Looking good, brother.
19:52You too.
19:54Appreciate it.
19:55Well, we, uh, we're going to wrap up.
19:57I know you're a busy man.
19:58I appreciate that.
19:58All the, I don't want to wrap up.
20:0010 more questions.
20:0010 more questions.
20:01Okay.
20:03What did you teach my son before, uh, before we started recording?
20:06I taught him the Luka Donchich.
20:08And what is that?
20:09So I'm not a shooter, but I used to be a shooter.
20:12So actually I'm going to teach you so you can teach him.
20:16Did you play basketball?
20:17I did.
20:18All right.
20:18So you know about the L I know.
20:20So when he's shooting, don't let them break the L and don't let them move that.
20:23I spread the fingers, man.
20:25And then just make sure he does this 10 to 20 times a night, 10 to 20 times a
20:29time.
20:30And then how old was, he said he's seven.
20:32He's seven.
20:33By the time he's nine playing a little league, he's going to be killer.
20:35What's his name?
20:36Colleen.
20:37Colleen.
20:37What's his last name?
20:38Walsh.
20:39That's a hell of a name.
20:41No, seriously.
20:43I appreciate that.
20:44Colleen.
20:44Arian name.
20:45Strong.
20:46Yeah.
20:46Oh my man.
20:48Six, four from San Diego.
20:50Whatever high school he attends.
20:52Colleen, the killer wall.
20:56Hey, remember uncle Shaki wacky.
20:58When you go big time.
20:59Colleen, you're you're listening.
21:01You will.
21:01We'll remember.
21:02We'll have a Shaki wacky.
21:03Oh, so the father said either work or you babysit.
21:07Like I'm not watching these bad ass kids and I worked and that word
21:12responsibility hit me and I was like, I wasn't ready.
21:15So I'll start babysitting.
21:16And my father raised me Mr.
21:18Miyagi style because he coached me and everything.
21:21Every time a kid got hurt, cancel practice and go to the hospital.
21:25And you see less fortunate kids, cancer kids and all that stuff.
21:29And it just always touched my heart.
21:31And I just always said myself if a kid, but especially like I haven't played 10, 12
21:36years.
21:36So sometime when I see little kids and they know who I am, like, man, you know, I am.
21:40And they're like, if you're, if you're mean to a kid, somebody needs to punch you in
21:43your face.
21:45Seriously.
21:45I had to, well, seven years ago, I denounced myself.
21:50Can I curse on this podcast?
21:51You can.
21:51I had to denounce myself for being a celebrity.
21:53A celebrity is an assholes.
21:55They really are.
21:56I never wanted to be looked at like that.
21:59You know, a lot of times you just put in a category for whatever, but I don't want to
22:03be looked at like that.
22:05Those people are assholes.
22:06They shit on people.
22:08They disrespect people.
22:09And I never wanted to be looked at like that.
22:11As you see, I came in with my best friend for 40 years.
22:13We don't need no entourage.
22:15I don't need no security.
22:17It's been, it's been me and him since blue chips.
22:19And we shot that in 1992.
22:21So when I see a lot of these, these C-list celebrities that act like they're A-list
22:26celebrity, it just, it just makes me sick.
22:27So I'm not a celebrity.
22:29I'm a regular guy.
22:31And if you watch Superman 2, he was trying to get Lois Lane to marry him.
22:34He went back home and he gave all his powers away.
22:37That's who I am.
22:38So I don't like being called celebrity because you're a celebrity, you assholes.
22:42And I fucking hate you.
22:44So let's, let's end on a great note.
22:47What are, what are you going to bring to the state?
22:49I mean, I, I hear you were, where were you last night?
22:53We have kids in the room, sir.
22:54It's all right.
22:55My kids, my uncle Shaki was working at a nightclub.
23:00Uncle Shaki's working at a nightclub.
23:03I was working at a nightclub and I was in bed by what time?
23:052.30.
23:06By 2.30.
23:07Yep.
23:08So what's the, what's the message to all of the, the franchisees that are going to
23:12be taking this big chicken brand back to wherever they are in the world, sharing,
23:16sharing your business, your love, your smiles.
23:19Hopefully you like it.
23:21Hopefully you want to join the team and hopefully you want to help us win
23:25championships and help us grow.
23:27Because again, you have to understand I'm not in this to become a trillionaire.
23:33I can't do nothing else.
23:34Yeah.
23:35You know, and you know, it was crazy.
23:37I'm telling you this now, but I actually thought about that the other day.
23:40When I go outside, I'm like, God, like, cause I bought two Tesla trucks
23:44and my friend jumping on me.
23:46Oh, you like the electric car now?
23:47I was like, I do.
23:48It was like, what about all those other 40 cars?
23:50I'm sitting there like, man, and I just got a new house in Dallas
23:54and I got this and I got that.
23:56I'm, I'm good.
23:57I'm good.
23:58So I, uh, again, I just hope that people want to, want to grow with us.
24:02Uh, they just want to, you know, help us, you know, win championships.
24:06Cause there's really no other concept like this.
24:08There's pieces of, you know, a lot of, like I sent it to Josh.
24:12There's a, it's one franchise that's never really done chicken sandwiches.
24:16Now, all of a sudden they want to do chicken sandwiches.
24:19Like, Oh, they know about the big chicken mafia is coming to close you down.
24:25Yes, we are.
24:26So I had a special request, the commanding officer.
24:29We just opened a Cali barbecue at the San Diego Navy exchange.
24:32And there is a big chicken coming to the San Diego Navy base.
24:35Yes.
24:35The commanding officer asked, is it possible?
24:39Will Shaq be making an appearance for the men and women that serve the country?
24:42Of course.
24:43I give him my word.
24:44Shaq loves San Diego and I love the military.
24:47So yeah.
24:48You own Cali barbecue?
24:50My wife owns Cali.
24:51I work for my wife.
24:52Give me a, I've heard of your spots.
24:54And I've been there.
24:55You've heard of my spot?
24:56I've been there many times.
24:56Look at that.
24:58You've been there many times.
25:00The one on, uh, many times.
25:01What's the one on the one in the, in the place?
25:03No, no.
25:03But what street is it on?
25:04Troy street.
25:05Oh yeah.
25:05I remember the one on.
25:06Yeah.
25:06That's what I'm talking about.
25:07There it is.
25:08Spring Valley.
25:08You get from uncle Shaq right there.
25:11Shaquille O'Neal.
25:12We appreciate you.
25:13All right.
25:13You're the best.
25:19Thank you for listening to restaurant influencers.
25:21If you want to get in touch with me, I am weirdly available at Sean P
25:25Walsh, F S H a W N P W a L C H E F Cali barbecue.
25:31Media has other shows.
25:33You can check out digital hospitality.
25:35We've been doing that show since 2017.
25:38We also just launched a show season two family style on YouTube with toast.
25:44And if you are a restaurant brand or a hospitality brand, and you're looking
25:48to launch your own show, Cali barbecue media can help you recently.
25:52We just launched room for seconds with Greg Medjewski.
25:56It is an incredible insight into leadership, into hospitality, into
26:01enterprise restaurants and franchise franchisee relationships.
26:06Take a look at room for seconds.
26:08And if you're ready to start a show, reach out to us, be the show dot media.
26:13We can't wait to work with you.