A variety of Tampa restaurateurs and industry professionals gathered for an “Accelerate” event hosted by What Now Media Group at the Cambria Hotel Tampa-Brandon. The event provided an opportunity for the Tampa restaurant community to connect and share strategies for growth in the competitive market.
Cambria Hotel Tampa-Brandon, located at 9970 Delaney Lake Drive, hosted the free event, bringing together dozens of representatives from businesses featured on What Now Tampa. This included local restaurants and industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners. Attendees networked over light bites and beverages before a presentation focused on strategies for growing and succeeding in today’s competitive market.
The event was hosted by Kyle Dondero, director of partner success at What Now Media Group, and featured a range of notable restaurateurs and business owners. Attendees included a variety of local restaurant owners, including Ashley Tucker, general manager of the Cambria Hotel Tampa-Brandon, and Barbara Canty, sales manager of the Cambria, who welcomed guests and shared insights on the hotel’s unique role in supporting local dining and hospitality growth.
Other participants included Kim Pudoka of Bread and Vine, co-franchisee of the modern bakery and café concept; Megi Duhanxhiu and Heledio Mekshi of De Facto Cafe, co-owners of the eclectic café set to reopen with a fresh menu; and Jason Klamson of Hanami Sushi, business manager for the popular Japanese sushi spot expanding in the Rosemary District.
Other attendees included Justin Tang and Brandon Tang of Kanpai Ramen, offering ramen and Japanese street food in New Port Richey; Greg Proechel of Oro, COO of the modern, seasonal dining concept; and Kenther Ramos, President of Quality Foods Restaurant Group, which is bringing new BWW Go and Jimmy John’s locations to Sarasota. Additionally, Jonathan Bucklew, Madison Sharp, Kristy Scott, and Josh Davis from Depot 303, a brand-new food hall in Mulberry, were on hand to share their insights on multi-concept operations.
Representatives from several of What Now Media Group’s Preferred Partners attended to provide expert guidance. Tiffany LeTendre from ADT shared strategies for enhancing restaurant security. Tammi Kopec of Heartland offered insights on payroll solutions that streamline back-office operations. Zach Craver from Easy Ice discussed cost-saving ice and refrigeration solutions, while Rick Schuessler of Global Payments shared POS solutions to improve efficiency. Brittany Giardina and Rebecca Sherman of OpenTable highlighted tools to manage reservations and maximize guest satisfaction. Additional Preferred Partners included Michael Avallone of Our Town America, Kevin Agren and Marco Ramirez from SpotOn, and Brian Kozlowski of TagRisk, all providing actionable strategies to help restaurants grow and protect their businesses.
The restaurant owners and industry-leading experts from What Now Media Group’s network of Preferred Partners shared valuable insights, operational highlights, and expert advice, creating an engaging and informative evening that was both enriching and beneficial for all attendees.
This led Kyle Dondero to take the conversation even deeper, discussing critical business points, such as having an exit plan and efficiently managing operations after expanding to multiple locations. After Kyle and the guests shared their tips, knowledge, and concerns, everyone became quickly interested in learning more about their businesses and how they could help one another.
This event served as a valuable platform for both restaurant owners and industry partners to collaborate, brainstorm, and form new connections. It’s clear that the Phoenix restaurant community is eager to continue innovating and evolving, and What Now Media Group’s Accelerate events provide the perfect space for these conversations.
What Now Media Group shares restaurant opening news in 33 cities across North America, breaking news, and provides timely insight into yet-to-open brick-and-mortar businesses. The platform shares news of thousands of openings across all 33 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.
For a complete list of our partners, click here. To learn more about becoming a preferred partner, click here.
