The Bar Business Podcast: Smart Hospitality & Marketing Secrets For Bar & Pub Owners

Most bar owners spend years chasing better sales, better systems, and better data.

But very few stop and ask two uncomfortable questions:

Do you actually love your bar anymore?
And does your business still bring you joy?

In this episode we are talking about a topic most hospitality leaders avoid, the emotional side of running a bar.

Because when a bar owner stops loving their business, it shows up everywhere:
in leadership, in team culture, and in the guest experience.

This episode breaks down how mindset, leadership, and culture all start with the same foundation, whether or not you still care about the business you're building.

If you're a bar owner, hospitality leader, or restaurant manager, this conversation will challenge the way you think about leadership, burnout, and what it really takes to build a bar people love working in and visiting.
🔴 Learn More: 🔴

📌 Want a personalized bar growth plan?
Book your FREE STRATEGY SESSION here
→ https://barbusinesscoach.com/strategy-session

🚨 Want a stronger team and better bar culture?
Grab the free Bar Culture Workbook now
→ https://barbusinesspodcast.com

📢 Get FREE ACCESS to a group that understands the bar business
→ https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation

🚀 Snag my books "How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!" and "Menus that Sell".
→ https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/
Our Partners:
QuixSpec Bar and Restaurant Intelligence
Business intelligence that actually works! Make confident, data-driven decisions that directly impact your bottom line.
https://www.quixspec.com
Dining Alliance
Dining Alliance helps foodservice operators of all sizes unlock real savings and earn CashBack through our industry-leading rebate program.
https://mydiningalliance.com/register/easy/?c=cjps&segment=Restaurant

What if the slowest hours in your bar could become some of the most profitable?

If your afternoons feel quiet and the seats sit empty until happy hour, you’re not dealing with a traffic problem, you’re dealing with unused revenue.

There’s a growing crowd of remote workers looking for a place to settle in, and your bar may already be the perfect fit.

In this episode, we break down the Work-from-Bar Pivot and show you how to turn slow afternoon hours into daytime sales and early happy hour momentum.

If you’ve been writing off the middle of the day, this episode might make you see your bar completely differently.
🔴 Learn More: 🔴

📌 Want a personalized bar growth plan?
Book your FREE STRATEGY SESSION here
→ https://barbusinesscoach.com/strategy-session

🚨 Want a stronger team and better bar culture?
Grab the free Bar Culture Workbook now
→ https://barbusinesspodcast.com

📢 Get FREE ACCESS to a group that understands the bar business
→ https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation

🚀 Snag my books "How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!" and "Menus that Sell".
→ https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/
Our Partners:
QuixSpec Bar and Restaurant Intelligence
Business intelligence that actually works! Make confident, data-driven decisions that directly impact your bottom line.
https://www.quixspec.com
Dining Alliance
Dining Alliance helps foodservice operators of all sizes unlock real savings and earn CashBack through our industry-leading rebate program.
https://mydiningalliance.com/register/easy/?c=cjps&segment=Restaurant

Running a bar or restaurant right now isn’t just hard, it’s overwhelming.
Costs are up, regulations keep shifting, and somehow you’re still expected to master tech, lead a team, control inventory, and deliver unforgettable service at the same time. 
The truth? Most owners were never taught the business fundamentals before jumping in and the failure rate shows it.
In this episode, Jay Ashton and Domenic Pedulla, hosts of the Late Night Restaurant Podcast, share what they’re seeing from the front lines of hospitality across Canada and beyond.
They break down government pressure, rising alcohol taxes, tech resistance, lack of execution, and why education (not hustle) is the real separator between operators who survive and those who shut their doors.
If you care about profitability, longevity, and building a bar or restaurant that doesn’t become another statistic, this conversation will challenge the way you think about running your business.

Connect with Jay and Domenic and check out the Late Night Restaurant Podcast 
👉 Jay Ashton – https://www.linkedin.com/in/canadasrestaurantguy/
👉 Domenic Pedulla – https://www.linkedin.com/in/domenic-pedulla-71605848/
👉 Late Night Restaurant Podcast – https://www.youtube.com/@LateNightRestaurantPodcast
🔴 Learn More: 🔴

📌 Want a personalized bar growth plan?
Book your FREE STRATEGY SESSION here
→ https://barbusinesscoach.com/strategy-session

🚨 Want a stronger team and better bar culture?
Grab the free Bar Culture Workbook now
→ https://barbusinesspodcast.com

📢 Get FREE ACCESS to a group that understands the bar business
→ https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation

🚀 Snag my books "How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!" and "Menus that Sell".
→ https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/
Our Partners:
QuixSpec Bar and Restaurant Intelligence
Business intelligence that actually works! Make confident, data-driven decisions that directly impact your bottom line.
https://www.quixspec.com
Dining Alliance
Dining Alliance helps foodservice operators of all sizes unlock real savings and earn CashBack through our industry-leading rebate program.
https://mydiningalliance.com/register/easy/?c=cjps&segment=Restaurant

Your dashboard tells you what happened.
It doesn’t tell you why.
If revenue is slipping, labor is climbing, or regulars are quietly disappearing, your KPIs are showing symptoms, not causes.
In this episode, we break down The Human Audit, a simple 15-minute monthly system for bar owners to reduce staff turnover, improve guest experience, and protect profit by asking five direct questions.
You’ll learn:
Why KPIs are lagging indicators
The five questions to ask your team every month
How to spot turnover risk early
How to catch guest experience leaks before they cost you
How to fix culture issues before they hit your numbers
If something feels off in your bar, this is how you figure out why.
🔴 Learn More: 🔴

📌 Want a personalized bar growth plan?
Book your FREE STRATEGY SESSION here
→ https://barbusinesscoach.com/strategy-session

🚨 Want a stronger team and better bar culture?
Grab the free Bar Culture Workbook now
→ https://barbusinesspodcast.com

📢 Get FREE ACCESS to a group that understands the bar business
→ https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation

🚀 Snag my books "How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!" and "Menus that Sell".
→ https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/
Our Partners:
QuixSpec Bar and Restaurant Intelligence
Business intelligence that actually works! Make confident, data-driven decisions that directly impact your bottom line.
https://www.quixspec.com
Dining Alliance
Dining Alliance helps foodservice operators of all sizes unlock real savings and earn CashBack through our industry-leading rebate program.
https://mydiningalliance.com/register/easy/?c=cjps&segment=Restaurant

You’re spending money on ads… but your bar still doesn’t have real regulars.
The drinks are good. 
The vibe is solid. 
People come in once, and then you never see them again.
Because attention isn’t loyalty. And discounts don’t build attachment.
Today, we’re breaking down why a simple $50 hospitality move can outperform a $5,000 ad campaign and how to turn everyday service into moments people actually talk about.
If you’re tired of chasing new customers and ready to build the kind that stick, let’s get into it.
🔴 Learn More: 🔴

📌 Want a personalized bar growth plan?
Book your FREE STRATEGY SESSION here
→ https://barbusinesscoach.com/strategy-session

🚨 Want a stronger team and better bar culture?
Grab the free Bar Culture Workbook now
→ https://barbusinesspodcast.com

📢 Get FREE ACCESS to a group that understands the bar business
→ https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation

🚀 Snag my books "How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!" and "Menus that Sell".
→ https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/
Our Partners:
QuixSpec Bar and Restaurant Intelligence
Business intelligence that actually works! Make confident, data-driven decisions that directly impact your bottom line.
https://www.quixspec.com
Dining Alliance
Dining Alliance helps foodservice operators of all sizes unlock real savings and earn CashBack through our industry-leading rebate program.
https://mydiningalliance.com/register/easy/?c=cjps&segment=Restaurant