Knead Solutions | Hospitality and Food & Beverage Consulting

Hospitality, Sales, and
Food & Beverage Consulting

Our proven process drives measurable results to ensure your growth and success.

ABOUT

GET TO KNOW US

We are Knead Solutions.
Hospitality experts.

We believe change is a process, not an event.

We are a team of proven experts in hospitality and food and beverage sales, marketing, and operations. Whether you’re thinking of opening a new restaurant or improving an existing operation, we can help you avoid the pitfalls that lead to reduced profit or worse, closure. Transforming your business is our business.

FREE DOWNLOAD

The 5 Ps to a
Successful Restaurant

If you own a food &/or beverage establishment, this is a must read

Approximately 60% of restaurants fail within the first year of operation and 80% fail within the first five years¹. The 5 Ps are the essential elements to to help you avoid becoming a statistic. It explains what may be limiting your profit and growth. It forces you to evaluate your operation and ask the hard questions that can save your business and lead to prosperity.

¹ CNBC

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SERVICES

WHAT WE DO

Start Your Business

Financial Modeling & Feasibility
Brand & Concept Development
Site Selection
Investor Pitch & Presentation
Business Plan
Operational Support
Sales Strategy
Video, Graphics, Animation
Website Development

Improve Your Business

Operational Assessment
Brand & Concept Repositioning
Executive Coaching
Menu Engineering
Management Services
Lead Generation & Direct Sales
Onsite Diagnosis
Standard Operating Procedures
Sales Taskforce Support

III

Grow Your Business

Growth Strategy
Sales & Marketing
Franchising & Licensing
Growth Revenue Plan
Leadership Training
Corporate Systems
SEO, SEM, Digital Ads, and Social Media, Email Marketing

WHY KNEAD

HOW WE’RE DIFFERENT

Experience

Over 100-years of combined hospitality experience, specializing in hotel operations, F&B, marketing, and sales.

Effective Diagnosis

Cost studies, feasibility studies, market surveys, analyses of the competitive structure of the industry or business.

Commitment

We meet you where you are: virtually or in person, we’re ready to help.

Actions

Expert evaluation of the business from technological and operating standpoints. Reports, recommendations, action plans, budgeting

Solutions

We meet you where you are: virtually or in person, we’re ready to help.

Implementation

Rolling up our sleeves and doing the work with you!

AWARDS

JUST A FEW OF THE ACCOLADES OUR WORK HAS BEEN HONORED WITH

Knead Solutions Partner, Shawn Ford teaches how to make a cocktail with fresh vegetables in a Subway commercial on Bar Rescue on SpikeTV

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Knead Solutions Partner, Shawn Ford demonstrates how to pour the perfect beer out of a tap from Bar Rescue on SpikeTV

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OUR TEAM

MEET US

Shawn Ford

Partner

Shawn is a highly respected hospitality consultant and trainer with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He has developed and launched over 300 stores worldwide and has served as a consultant and trainer for numerous clients including Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Beam Suntory, and The Staples Center. Mr. Ford also appears as a Master Mixologist on the TV show Bar Rescue and serves as chairperson of Ford Hospitality.

Ayesha Yousef

Partner

Ayesha is a sales and marketing expert with over 20 years of experience and has been recognized as a "Top 10 Elite Salesperson” with Hyatt. She has held leadership positions at leading industry firms such as Wyndham, Marriott, and Intercontinental Hotels. Ayesha is currently the owner of Hotellogy, where she focuses on improving sales and marketing efforts, sales training, and increasing market share for various companies across the US.

Ron Reis

Partner

Ron is a successful entrepreneur and professional with expertise in hospitality and restaurant marketing and technology. He founded three digital media agencies, two of which have been acquired, and has worked with major clients such as Microsoft, Google, and Pfizer. His video content has gained widespread viewership, with over 1 billion views worldwide. In addition to his media ventures, Ron also owns three successful restaurants.

Ryan O'Connor

Partner

Ryan is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the hospitality industry. He has a track record of successful business strategy development and a dynamic approach to problem-solving. Ryan has a diverse background in various types of hospitality businesses, including luxury hotels, award-winning bars, retail concepts, and fast casual dining. He has expertise in concept development, menu creation, and streamlining operations. Ryan brings his extensive knowledge and experience to help teams improve and sustain the performance, offerings, and outreach of their businesses.

Dan Unter

Partner

Dan Unter is an entrepreneur with experience in various industries including hospitality, CleanTech, and marketplaces. He has a track record of creating new revenue streams and has held leadership positions as CEO and general counsel for mid-cap tech companies. Unter has also worked as a professional chef and owned a successful restaurant and catering business. His current focus is on helping companies achieve growth through his expertise and experience.

CLIENTS

CHECK OUR WORK

From startup
to global brand.

We help clients of all sizes solve complex issues.

No matter what stage of development you’re in, we can help ensure success. We can help you choose an ideal location, plan a menu, optimize occupancy rates, implement technology, and maximize revenue. Take a look at just some of the brands that trust Knead Solutions to hone their business.

TESTIMONIALS

What they’re saying about us.

We would have not been able to have a successful launch without Shawn Ford and Ryan O’Connor from Knead Solutions. They not only helped us with the concept and design of our brand new restaurant and bar Vine + Forge but they helped immensely with setting up the operation to be successful and sustainable overtime. Having Shawn and Ryan involved in our project was the first step that helped us go in the right direction, with both staying engaged well after it was completed..

Juan P. Laginia

General Manager - Sonesta Columbus Downtown

Opening a new restaurant is challenging and I'm glad we went with Knead Solutions to help. There was so much we didn't even know we didn't know.

Jane Williams

Owner

My family has been in the hotel business since I was a child but it was always run like a family business. We were able to transform our business to a highly efficient, profitable operation.