Business owners from Houston and beyond gathered on Thursday, November 14, to share insights, make connections, and collaborate at one of What Now Media Group’s Accelerate events.
The free event at Clarkwood cocktail bar featured over twenty representatives from restaurants featured on What Now Houston and a handful of industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners. Attendees mingled while enjoying bites and beverages.
Clarkwood debuted a new Courtyard bar a few months ago in a historic theater at 3201 Allen Pkwy Suite 190, blending classic elegance with a contemporary European twist. Doubling the footprint of the original bar, this new 1,500-square-foot annex combines indoor and outdoor elements, creating a luxurious alfresco destination for Houston’s cocktail connoisseurs. Founders Mason Clark and Army Sadeghi, who launched the celebrated Clarkwood in January 2022, had long envisioned this extension. Now, the chic cocktail bar brings together a plethora of business professionals.
During a presentation by Caleb Spivak, the Founder and CEO of What Now Media Group, local entrepreneurs and business representatives shared their experiences. They updated their progress and reflected on the lessons from opening brick-and-mortar establishments in Houston. Key takeaways from the discussion included the importance of passion for achieving success, the necessity of pivoting effectively—especially in response to emergencies—and the significance of building connections within the community.
Another topic discussed was sales tax automation. We know that taxes are a monthly obligation that consumes your valuable time and money, and mistakes can be costly. Our partners at DAVO by Avalara offer a powerful tool that automates every step of the sales tax process—from collecting to filing to paying. It integrates seamlessly with your POS system, so there’s nothing you need to do once you’re set up.
DAVO simplifies sales tax management with a one-time setup process. Once you complete this simple setup, DAVO handles everything for you. They collect and set aside sales tax daily, using data from your POS system, so you don’t have to worry about having enough cash at the end of the month. Additionally, DAVO automatically files your state sales tax on time, guaranteed. Did you know that some states even offer a discount for on-time filing? If you’re interested in learning how to eliminate the stress of sales tax, visit our partners at DAVO or contact them directly for more information.
This is the type of essential service that restaurant owners can learn about at Accelerate events, where they can connect with service providers and experts who can solve their problems or questions.
Several franchise owners from local chain restaurants were in attendance, including Frank Lin and Emily Tran of Parlor Doughnuts and Robert and Andrea Quintanilla, the franchisees of Fajita Pete’s. Both businesses shared how far they’ve come since opening locations in Houston and where they hope to go. 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.
Franchise owners weren’t the only participants, as several restaurant owners and business founders were also in attendance, such as Daniel Wolfe, the owner of City Cellars; Christian Hernandez, the mastermind behind Barbacana Restaurant; Adnan Baqui, the CEO of Cheaters Creamery; and many more. No matter the extent of their business experience, everyone provided each other with helpful insight that hopefully excelled each business in one way or another.
Another highlight of the event was getting to hear from Samantha Hooks and Steve Peña of RSP Designs. This locally owned and operated building design firm is an industry leader in engineering, design, implementation, and project management. Also in attendance were Jordan Watts and Nathan Drake of Spot On, a company that focuses on point-of-sale systems and payment processing software
After Caleb and the guests shared their tips, knowledge, and concerns, everyone mingled and shared their information, hoping to advance their business even further with some additional help.
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 2024. For more details, see the Accelerate page here.
