Rev Ciancio, advertising and chief consuming officer for Salad Home, Loopy Pita, Handcraft Burgers & Brew and Branded Strategic, shares a have a look at his profession, his achievements and business developments forward of his look at Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit 2025.
At the moment we’re shining a highlight on David “Rev” Ciancio, advertising and chief consuming officer for Salad Home, Loopy Pita, Handcraft Burgers & Brew and Branded Strategic. Ciancio can be a speaker on the upcoming Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit, which takes place on March 11-13, 2025, in Myrtle Seaside, South Carolina. He can be a panelist on a breakout session titled “Tech-Enabled Expertise Acquisition and Retention in Restaurant Franchising.”
We thought it could be enjoyable to get to know Ciancio a bit higher forward of his look at RFIS.
Describe your present position.
I’m the chief advertising officer of Salad Home, a 20-unit quick informal well being model primarily based in NJ. I oversee all advertising efforts for Loopy Pita, a multiunit quick informal Mediterranean model primarily based in Las Vegas. I’m the chief advertising officer and co-founder of Handcraft Burgers and Brew, a fast service hamburger joint in New York Metropolis and I’m additionally a hospitality advertising guide. I helped each suppliers and operators with advertising.
What was your first-ever profession position and what’s one necessary lesson you realized from it?
Technically, my first ever profession position within the restaurant enterprise was a busboy at Victor’s Novi in, and what I realized was it is very important present up on time, be a crew member and work laborious.
I additionally realized, and what I believe is extra necessary over time, is that all the pieces within the restaurant enterprise is determine out-able which means there isn’t any drawback we won’t get round, there’s nothing we won’t obtain and in the event you undertake a mindset of attempting to determine one of the best ways to get one thing finished with no matter sources you’ve got, you may be much better off.
What impressed you to work in your business?
I like the story of eating places and I am very huge on service and hospitality. My mom, once I was a child, at any time when I’d get a superb grade or she would get a promotion at work or one thing nice would occur, wished to have fun by going out to eat and he or she actually appreciated cheeseburger sliders, which my stepfather didn’t; so, my mother and I spent lots of time celebrating issues whereas going to eating places to eat hamburgers.
So, I am guessing that someplace in there that implanted each my love of the restaurant enterprise, spending time with household and likewise hamburgers and ever since then, I like the enterprise I need to be part of.
What do you get pleasure from most about your present position?
Being that my position may be very multifaceted and I am serving to plenty of companies without delay, I get to spend all day desirous about various things, fixing totally different issues and finally that results in me with the ability to assist extra folks; so what I get pleasure from most about my present position helps different folks with their enterprise targets.
What’s a standard false impression folks have about what you do?
Lots of people assume all I do is create content material for a residing. Creating content material is enjoyable and I do it usually and it is a key driver of enterprise for me, however it’s only a small a part of what I do.
Additionally, folks assume I’ve eaten at each single restaurant on this planet, particularly in New York Metropolis. Whereas I want that I might have eaten at each restaurant in New York Metropolis, it’s a work in progress. I’ll get there.
What’s one profession achievement you are most happy with?
Truthfully, beginning and working and sustaining a profitable consulting enterprise. After I obtained let go at singleplatform the place I used to be A CMO because of Covid after which being bought by TripAdvisor, I actually thought I used to be on a path to proceed to be a CMO. I began consulting simply to attempt to make some cash whereas I used to be in search of a job solely to understand that the consulting life selected me and that that is what I am most happy with. I get up on daily basis and I get to assist plenty of folks with their enterprise and that is extra enjoyable than serving to one enterprise with their enterprise.
Who’s/was your mentor and what’s one necessary lesson you realized from them?
I’ve like 6 billion mentors, however I’ll provide you with a pair.
Jeff Rohrs, former CMO of Yext. We labored collectively and he positively impressed me to go outdoors of my consolation zone and to attempt issues that I used to be interested by however not keen to do but.
Josh Glantz, who was the CEO at singleplatform once I was the CMO. Lesson: generally you’ve got to search out an environment friendly option to get issues finished no matter what your capabilities or property and sources are. Josh would discover the black gap between two factors and determine how to attract them collectively.
My coach, John Shaw. Lesson: we don’t make agreements with lack. Should you use your thoughts to consider the dangerous issues that may occur, you manifest them. Focus your ideas on the best good for all.
What business developments do you assume are presently over-hyped and why?
AI. All the businesses which are attempting to promote operators AI lead their pitch with “we’re an AI pushed, et cetera, et cetera.” Let me let you know what, operators do not care if it is AI or not. Operators desire a button that they push that both saves them or makes them time or cash, and if it is pushed by ai, nice. Cease pitching that it is AI pushed. Begin pitching options and advantages.
What business developments do you assume do not get sufficient consideration and why?
The significance and scalability of visitor retention in advertising. Everyone is obsessive about advertising, branding, showiness and creativity, that are all tremendous necessary and I do and I like, however probably the most scalable, best option to develop what you are promoting is to get each single visitor to return again Yet another time. By the best way, the key is utilizing e mail.
What recommendation would you give to somebody simply beginning out in your business?
Solely be a part of this enterprise in the event you really, really, really love restaurant operations, the plight of the restaurant operator and hospitality. If you cannot get up on daily basis and be thankful for visitors and you do not love the method of serving meals, then this enterprise shouldn’t be for you. However in the event you really love folks and you like service and you like meals and innovation and teamwork, then this business is for you.
Should you weren’t working in your present discipline, what would you be doing as a substitute?
I do not know. That is all I do know. I did have a dream once I was a child that I wished to be a voice actor for cartoons, and generally I nonetheless flirt with this concept. So, if I might select a path that I might robotically undertake tomorrow, it could be a voiceover for cartoons.
What do you do to have enjoyable outdoors of labor?
I am an avid rollercoaster fanatic. My solely bucket listing merchandise is to go to each single MLB park, and I like monster vans and hanging out with my child.
What’s one attention-grabbing factor about you that even the folks you’re employed with on daily basis most likely do not know?
I got here in third place within the Pinewood Derby once I was a child. I despatched the primary promotional e mail blast within the historical past of the radio advertising music enterprise. I’ve sung 5 commercially launched chart albums. I’ve been featured in two primary MTV movies, and my spirit animal is Wiley Coyote.
