Do you know that restaurants typically generate 30–40% of their annual catering revenue in Q4? With the holidays, corporate events, and year-end gatherings, now is the perfect time to maximize sales outside your four walls.
This is where Danielle Guzzetta (RevGen Marketing) can help. They work with restaurant brands to:
Build or strengthen catering programs from the ground up
Leverage existing operations to unlock new revenue streams
Capture more Q4 catering sales through proven strategies and execution
Even if you don’t have a dedicated catering program yet, there’s still time to put systems in place that will help you capitalize on this critical season—and set you up for success in the year ahead.
If you are interested in scheduling a quick complimentary call to discuss how Marketing can help your brand capture its share of Q4 catering sales.
Save the Date! Wednesday, September 24 at 4:00 EST.
Black Friday is just around the corner—and it’s one of the biggest opportunities of the year to drive sales.
Here’s the question: Do you know how to reach the companies that feed their employees on Black Friday?
Danielle Guzzetta (RevGen Marketing) and Byron Duncan (New Catering Connections) are hosting a Feeding Frenzy Black Friday Webinar next Wednesday, September 24 at 4:00 EST. Get ready to learn exactly how to tap into this high-dollar market and capture your share of the spend.
When the ground shifts beneath a local business, it’s rarely gentle. One week, margins are tight but stable. Next, spending slows, costs surge, and your old strategies feel useless. Economic shifts—whether national, local, or sudden—don’t just mess with numbers. They rattle direction, identity, and rhythm. But grit alone won’t save you. The ones who make it through? They’re embedded and rooted in the community and built to flex. This isn’t theory—it’s real-world. Below are seven actionable, community-driven strategies to help local business owners not only survive instability but also leverage it as a source of growth and reinforcement.
Tune Into the Local Pulse Early
Reacting late costs more than reacting wrong. The most innovative local businesses aren’t waiting for quarterly reports—they’re listening in real time. It starts with reading local economic indicators that signal where things are headed. Think foot traffic changes, commercial lease patterns, new construction halts, or shifts in local consumer sentiment. These early signals aren’t just tea leaves—they’re tactical clues. When inflation rises faster than expected or hiring slows down across town, it’s time to rethink your inventory cycle, renegotiate vendor terms, or shift your messaging from premium to essential. The economy always leaves footprints before it hits you in the face. Learn to read them.
Mobilize Community Strengths
You don’t need to invent resilience—you need to reveal it. Too many businesses waste time chasing grants or gimmicks when the most potent assets are already around them. Tap into churches, nonprofits, neighborhood associations, and civic groups. They’re not just allies—they’re infrastructure. Mobilizing community strengths means recognizing what’s already working and reinforcing it. Host events in underused community spaces. Ask retired professionals to mentor. Let youth groups design your next window display. Don’t ask what’s missing. Ask what’s underutilized.
Reinforce With Education, Not Guesswork
There’s power in knowing what you don’t know—and fixing that fast. During periods of volatility, gut instinct has its limits. Local leaders who invest in structured learning often outperform those relying on memory or legacy systems. Studying business fundamentals for local leaders like finance, operations, and digital marketing can unlock better decision-making during crunch time (this is a good preference). Whether it’s a full degree or a weekend immersion, upskilling isn’t a luxury—it’s a form of risk reduction. The future won’t wait for you to feel ready.
Recycle Dollars Back Into the Block
Survival isn’t just personal—it’s systemic. When local money stays local, it doesn’t just help—it multiplies. A dollar spent at your shop pays your team, who then grab lunch down the street, whose owner pays the print shop you both use. This kind of money, reinforcing local circulation, isn’t abstract economics—it’s oxygen. If you’re not pointing customers toward other local businesses, you’re weakening your own future. Incentivize local referrals. Offer discounts for in-neighborhood collaborations. Turn competition into a coalition, and everyone breathes better.
Subsidize Affordable Business Spaces
If rent’s your most significant stressor, you’re not alone. But high costs don’t have to mean retreat—they can spark reinvention. More cities and regions are exploring creative ways to retain entrepreneurs by subsidizing affordable business spaces. This can mean nonprofit-led commercial real estate models, shared storefronts, time-based lease tiering, or philanthropic offsets. If you’re a property owner, consider structuring lease rates to reward local impact. If you’re a tenant, bring partners to the table. The more businesses survive the rent squeeze, the more resilient the entire street becomes.
Spread Risk Through Small Bets
Don’t put your future on one roll of the dice. In economic uncertainty, the strongest business strategy isn’t bold—it’s plural. Instead of relying on a single giant pivot, consider spreading risk through small bets. That could mean testing pop-up offerings, collaborating on a co-branded product, or running a low-cost pilot for a new service. Think nimble, not grand. Local businesses that invest in micro-pivots often outpace those chasing the next big thing. Momentum likes motion—don’t mistake scale for stability.
Economic shifts aren’t the end of a story. They’re the start of a recalibration. Local businesses have always adapted—not because they had to, but because they’re embedded in the very DNA of a place. If you’re reading this while the ground feels shaky, know this: you’re not failing. You’re flexing. And in that flex, there’s strategy, community, and rhythm—enough not just to survive, but to reshape what comes next.
Discover how ITB Partners can transform your business with expert management consulting solutions—visit ITB Partners to fuel your growth and achieve your goals today!
I appreciate your interest in ITB Partners. For further information about ITB Partners and its Value-Added Strategy, please visit our website at www.itbpartners.com, or contact Jim Weber.
I hope you enjoyed our perspective and would like to receive regular posts directly in your email inbox. To this end, please put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts.
Join Byron Duncan (New Catering Connections) and I as we host Part 4 of the 6-Part series: The Catering Customer Journey, Wednesday, September 10th, at 3:00 pm Central time. Part 4 will focus on “Commitment” — and how to move leads from Qualified to Close. Chintan Patel from Meals Now is our vendor of the month.
We will also touch on the October Strategic Targets.
Even if you cannot attend, please still register, as we will send you the recording and link after the call.
We had 175 on our Part 3 series. We are shooting for 250 for September’s call. Please continue to share this message so that more people can take advantage of this incredible and free Playbook: catering-journey-compass.
I appreciate your interest in ITB Partners. For further information about ITB Partners and its Value-Added Strategy, please visit our website at www.itbpartners.com, or contact Jim Weber.
I hope you enjoyed our perspective and would like to receive regular posts directly in your email inbox. To this end, please put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is essential to me, so please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts.
“Why do you want to leave your current employer to work for us?” That question was the topic of a recent coaching session. My client, let’s call him Dave, scheduled a call to discuss an upcoming interview. He wanted to validate his interview strategy and thought my feedback would be helpful. He was particularly interested in my counsel on this one question: “Why do you want to leave your current employer to work for us?” I told Dave that it is a good question and commended him for seeking my advice. I went on to say that this question is typically one of the first asked in an interview. It is an important question that requires a thoughtful answer. It is an excellent opportunity for the candidate to answer strategically and set the tone for the complete interview.
Dave’s inquiry pertained to the second question an interviewer is likely to ask a candidate. The first being, “tell me a little about yourself.” This question is often used as an ice breaker to establish rapport. However, both questions are opportunities that the experienced job seeker uses to capture the interviewer’s interest and guide the direction of follow-up questions. To achieve this, compelling answers are crucial.
I explained that when an interviewer asks, “Why do you want to leave your current employer to work for us?” he is asking you two questions. The interviewer is listening to determine if your motivation to change jobs is sound and realistic. Your answer will reveal much about your ethics and your conscientiousness for job responsibilities. On a more subjective level, he is listening for clues that you may be disingenuous, which could be a potentially poor fit for their needs. The interviewer is looking for red flags that would disqualify your candidacy. They don’t want to hire a problem employee or a poor performer. In this regard, I told Dave that above all, his answer should be upbeat and positive. He must not disparage his current employer. Otherwise, he could be viewed as a troublesome employee, a negative influence if hired. This would likely eliminate him as a viable candidate.
Reasons to look for a new job.
Professional growth- Greater responsibility, challenge
Leadership
Compensation-Benefits
Better working environment/culture
More stable company
Pursuing a new industry/career
Facilitate relocation
Better work-life balance
Employers want to hear a clear, concise answer to the question. They want to understand your intentions for a job search. They want to know if your interest is genuine. They want to know that your motivation aligns with their needs. You must memorize a good, well-rehearsed answer to the question. The interviewer will notice any hesitation in your voice, so practice your delivery until it is second nature. That will alert them to red flags for further exploration.
To answer the question most effectively, one must know the target employer. The candidate must be familiar with the employer’s culture, strategy, and key initiatives, and understand how their skills, experience, and interests align with the company’s objectives. The most effective response will demonstrate that you have researched the company’s situation to learn about its employment needs. Furthermore, you can explain how you plan to use your skills and experience to support the target company’s culture, key initiatives, and competitive strategy.
This is an opportunity to speak about your career interests with enthusiasm and excitement. You can talk about job skills and personal strengths that have contributed to your success. You can point out accomplishments that align with your career goals and those of your potential employer. Concentrate on the plan for your career; career growth and new challenges, to be a part of a broader vision of your ultimate career goal.
The question, “Why do you want to leave your current employer to work for us?” presents the job seeker with an excellent opportunity to make a positive impression and influence the direction of the interview. It provides an opportunity to showcase how your experience, skills, and interests align with their requirements. However, the most effective answer requires the job seeker to complete due diligence on the target employer. They must have a clear understanding of the company’s strategy and key initiatives. The job seeker must understand the company’s culture and their value system. Armed with this information, the job seeker can craft answers that demonstrate how their skills, accomplishments, and career goals align with the employer’s needs.
I appreciate your interest in ITB Partners. For further information about ITB Partners and its Value-Added Strategy, please visit our website at www.itbpartners.com, or contact Jim Weber.
I hope you enjoyed our perspective and would like to receive regular posts directly in your email inbox. To this end, please put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me, so please don’t hesitate to leave a comment.
New Catering Connections and RevGen Marketing are building something incredible – a one-of-a-kind Catering Playbook – but it’s so much more than a playbook. It is the go-to resource for restaurants that want to WIN at Catering. Those who are leaning into these strategies are stealing their share of this $72 billion market. Check it out: catering-journey-compass
If you need help building (or leveraging) a catering program. Go to: revgenmktg.com and sign up for a free consultation. We would love to help you grab your share of this $72 billion market.
The Count Down is On! We are just one week away from Part 3 of our Catering Customer Journey webinar!
Please join Byron (NCC) and RevGen Marketing next Wednesday, August 6th at 3pm Central/4pm Eastern, where we will focus on “Connections” and will take a deep dive into both Inbound Sales and Outbound Sales — and how you can maximize your time to drive the best results efficiently and effectively.
Thank you to everyone who joined Parts 1 & 2 of the Catering Customer Journey webinar that Byron and I hosted last week — what a huge success!
In case you missed it (or want to revisit), check out the spectacular Playbook we’ve been building: www.thecateringspace.com. We’ll be adding to it continuously — and trust me, as a CMO who’s built catering programs from the ground up, I would’ve killed for a resource like this. It’s truly invaluable.
Be sure to sign up for Part 3 of this incredible journey we are taking.
Next up: Part 3 – “Connections”
🗓 When: August 6, 2025 at 3:00 PM CT / 4:00 PM ET
📍 Topic: NCC – Catering Customer Journey – Part 3: Connections
New Catering Connections (NCC) & RevGen Marketing will be hosting a 3-part Webinar Series starting in July. The Catering Customer Journey series will be built around helping Catering Sales Managers, Marketing Leaders, Owners, and General Managers understand a Customer’s needs at each stage.
The Six Stages are:
1. Awareness
2. Exploration
3. Connection
4. Commitment
5. Experience
6. Care
The first webinar: July 9 – 3pm Central – will cover “Awareness and Exploration.” NCC & RevGen Marketing will demonstrate to attendees how to approach these 2 stages as well as highlight: What works best, common mistakes, and when time is tight. For each section, attendees with receive a Takeaway Toolbox…because a Webinar without usable Takeaways is a waste of everyone’s time. So please join Danielle Guzzetta, Byron Duncan, and our team: (New Catering Connections ).
ItB Partners is pleased to announce the execution of its Value-Added Strategic Initiative by implementing three important programs.
These programs are designed to facilitate our consultants’ client service by improving their effectiveness, while providing our clients more options to improve their businesses.
The Three Programs we are launching at this time include:
In Kind Capital offers a program that includes restaurant business financing, a secure customer transaction system, and a marketing program to drive business to participating restaurants.
REVGEN Catering offers a turn-key catering program for restaurants.
The Travel Reservation System offers an easy-to-use meeting and travel planning and reservation system while enjoying the most competitive rates available.
Thank you for your interest in ITB Partners. For further information about ITB Partners and its Value-Added Strategy, please visit our website at www.itbpartners.com, or contact Jim Weber.
I hope you enjoyed our perspective and would like to receive regular posts directly in your email inbox. To this end, please put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me, so please leave a comment.
When the ground shifts beneath a local business, it’s rarely gentle. One week, margins are tight but stable. Next, spending slows, costs surge, and your old strategies feel useless. Economic shifts—whether national, local, or sudden—don’t just mess with numbers. They rattle direction, identity, and rhythm. But grit alone won’t save you. The ones who make it through? They’re embedded and rooted in the community and built to flex. This isn’t theory—it’s real-world. Below are seven actionable, community-driven strategies to help local business owners not only survive instability but also leverage it as a source of growth and reinforcement.
“Why do you want to leave your current employer to work for us?” That question was the topic of a recent coaching session. My client, let’s call him Dave, scheduled a call to discuss an upcoming interview. He wanted to validate his interview strategy and thought my feedback would be helpful. He was particularly interested in my counsel on this one question: “Why do you want to leave your current employer to work for us?” I told Dave that it is a good question and commended him for seeking my advice. I went on to say that this question is typically one of the first asked in an interview. It is an important question that requires a thoughtful answer. It is an excellent opportunity for the candidate to answer strategically and set the tone for the complete interview.
