Business owners from the Seattle area and beyond gathered on Thursday, January 23, to grow their businesses and personal connections at an Accelerate Event hosted by What Now in Capitol Hill.
The free event at Capitale Pizzeria hosted more than two dozen representatives from businesses featured on What Now Seattle, including restaurants and industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners. Attendees mingled while enjoying bites and beverages inside, including delicious handcrafted pizzas and an incredible charcuterie board featuring a variety of meats, cheeses, spreads, and crackers.
Capitale Pizzeria proudly hosted What Now Media Group’s latest Accelerate event at its new location, which opened in Capitol Hill at 426 Broadway East. After the restaurant made its debut, customers quickly recognized what was missing from Capitol Hill. Capitale Pizzeria offers a variety of delicious pizza options, all made with hand-selected ingredients from the finest Italian importers and local producers. This includes creamy Fior di Latte mozzarella and authentic Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It didn’t take long for Capitale Pizzeria to earn a reputation as one of the most authentic pizzerias on Capitol Hill.
“The heart and soul of Capitale are deeply rooted in our Italian heritage,” according to the company’s website. “As descendants of a long line of pizza aficionados, we grew up with the rich traditions and authentic flavors of Neapolitan pizza. However, our passion for quality pizza and our curiosity about global culinary traditions led us to create something truly special — pizzas inspired by the Neapolitan tradition but infused with flavors from all over the world. We wanted to honor the time-honored techniques of making Neapolitan pizza while introducing innovative flavor combinations that reflect the diverse culinary heritage of major cities around the globe. The result is a menu that celebrates the uniqueness of each city and the universal love for pizza.”
During a presentation led by Caleb Spivak, Founder and CEO of What Now Media Group, local entrepreneurs and business representatives shared their experiences, provided updates on their progress, and reflected on what they learned from opening brick-and-mortar businesses in Seattle. Key takeaways included the importance of having passion, the necessity of pivoting effectively—especially following an emergency—and the value of connecting with others in the community.
Several business owners and local franchisees attended the recent Accelerate event, which was hosted by Capitale Pizzeria owner Rodrigo Parisi. While the event was hosted at a local pizzeria, that didn’t intimidate any local competitors from joining in on the event. Isaiah Ruffin and Colleen Constant, the co-owners of Pizza By Ruffin, were in attendance and shared how their business was doing, including the status of their recently opened location at 400 Fairview Avenue N Suite 107. Stephanie Tran, the owner of In Pizza We Trust, also shared updates on her business.
Other business owners who attended the Accelerate event were Evan Watts, the founder and owner of Watts Brewing Company; Mikayla Benedict, the representative and wine distributor for House of Eve; several members from Chay Concept, including the company’s founders and president; and Charles Koh, the CMO at Conscious Hospitality Group, who is responsible for Sugo Hand Roll Bar and other concepts. This diverse group of business owners and representatives shared their experiences, struggles, and accomplishments regarding opening restaurants in Seattle throughout the year.
While business owners made up most of the attendees, the event also featured a handful of industry-leading experts in What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners, such as Rudy Jiminez and Steven Little, local representatives for SpotOn: POS Solutions. The team contributed to the conversation by sharing the pros and cons of having the right POS system at a restaurant.
Other Preferred Partners in attendance were Ryan Sakamoto and Jose Rodriguez Sandoval, who represented E HPS Heartland: Payroll, to discuss how a business owner can simplify their payment system with the help of their services. Another partner in the crowd who helped guide the business owners was Nathan Wornica of Our Town America: Marketing. Wornica told the group about the different ways a company can use marketing to stand out in a busy area.
This led CEO Caleb Spivak to discuss critical business points, such as having an exit plan and efficiently managing operations after expanding to multiple locations. After Caleb and the guests shared their tips, knowledge, and concerns, everyone quickly grew interested in learning more about their businesses and how they can help one another.
What Now Media Group shares restaurant opening news in 31 cities across the U.S., breaking news and providing timely insight into yet-to-open brick-and-mortar businesses. The platform shares news of thousands of openings across all 31 cities annually.
The industry-leading experts in What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners help new businesses open and existing businesses grow.
Stay tuned for future Accelerate events from What Now Media Group in 2025. For more details, see the Accelerate page here.
