This isn’t another industry conference. The Founderology Growth Summit brings together visionary restaurant Founders for candid, unfiltered conversations — no theory, just real-world lessons from people who’ve built, scaled, and broken through.

Purpose, not money, is the ultimate driver for growth. Derrick Hayes, founder of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, shares the mindset and lessons — including his “20% financial factor” — that turned a family promise into a national brand.

International expansion was never part of the plan for Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls. Then came Milan. In this episode, Founder Dan Beck explains how connection and readiness to embrace opportunity turned a Maine classic into a global brand — without losing what made it special.

In 2025, Pinky Cole Hayes faced $20 million in debt and filed an ABC. In just 43 days, she bought back her company. In this episode, she shares the decisions, mindset, and leadership strategy behind rebuilding Slutty Vegan into a sharper, stronger $100 million brand.

No experience. No roadmap. Just two cousins who committed to figuring it out. In this episode, Sabin Lomac shares how a wild idea with his cousin Jim Tselikis turned into Cousins Maine Lobster — now spanning 100+ locations and multiple countries.

This isn’t a story about restaurants — it’s a Founder’s journey in grit and reinvention. In this episode, Joe Fontana shares what happened before the breakthrough: the setbacks, the risk that nearly derailed him, and how Fry the Coop came out the other side.

Daniella Senior launched her first business at 13, baking out of her parents’ home in the Dominican Republic. Today, she’s the Founder and CEO of Colada Shop, Bresca, Serenata, and Zumo — and on a mission to scale Colada Shop nationwide. Here’s how focus is fueling that growth.

What happens when a visionary Founder and a passionate Franchisee come together to build something bigger than burritos? In this episode, Randy Wyner and Caleb Walker share the real talk behind Chronic Tacos — from the risks of scaling too fast to the culture that keeps franchisees loyal.

Grit, drive, and a dream — that’s all Mehdi Zarhloul had when he arrived in America at 15. In this episode, the Founder of Crazy Pita shares how he turned relentless innovation and authentic flavor into a scalable, multi-brand restaurant legacy.