Rev Ciancio, advertising and chief consuming officer for Salad Home, Loopy Pita, Handcraft Burgers & Brew and Branded Strategic, shares a have a look at his profession, his achievements and trade developments forward of his look at Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit 2025.
Immediately we’re shining a highlight on David “Rev” Ciancio, advertising and chief consuming officer for Salad Home, Loopy Pita, Handcraft Burgers & Brew and Branded Strategic. Ciancio might be a speaker on the upcoming Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit, which takes place on March 11-13, 2025, in Myrtle Seaside, South Carolina. He might be a panelist on a breakout session titled “Tech-Enabled Expertise Acquisition and Retention in Restaurant Franchising.”
We thought it could be enjoyable to get to know Ciancio a bit higher forward of his look at RFIS.
Describe your present position.
I’m the chief advertising officer of Salad Home, a 20-unit quick informal well being model primarily based in NJ. I oversee all advertising efforts for Loopy Pita, a multiunit quick informal Mediterranean model primarily based in Las Vegas. I’m the chief advertising officer and co-founder of Handcraft Burgers and Brew, a fast service hamburger joint in New York Metropolis and I’m additionally a hospitality advertising guide. I helped each suppliers and operators with advertising.
What was your first-ever profession position and what’s one vital lesson you discovered from it?
Technically, my first ever profession position within the restaurant enterprise was a busboy at Victor’s Novi in, and what I discovered was you will need to present up on time, be a workforce member and work exhausting.
I additionally discovered, and what I believe is extra vital over time, is that the whole lot within the restaurant enterprise is determine out-able which means there is not any drawback we will not get round, there’s nothing we will not obtain and in the event you undertake a mindset of attempting to determine one of the simplest ways to get one thing achieved with no matter sources you might have, you will be much better off.
What impressed you to work in your trade?
I really like the story of eating places and I am very massive on service and hospitality. My mom, once I was a child, every time I might get a very good grade or she would get a promotion at work or one thing nice would occur, needed to rejoice by going out to eat and she or he actually appreciated cheeseburger sliders, which my stepfather didn’t; so, my mother and I spent loads of time celebrating issues whereas going to eating places to eat hamburgers.
So, I am guessing that someplace in there that implanted each my love of the restaurant enterprise, spending time with household and in addition hamburgers and ever since then, I really like the enterprise I wish to be part of.
What do you get pleasure from most about your present position?
Being that my position may be very multifaceted and I am serving to plenty of companies directly, I get to spend all day fascinated by various things, fixing totally different issues and in the end that results in me having the ability to assist extra folks; so what I get pleasure from most about my present position helps different folks with their enterprise targets.
What’s a typical false impression folks have about what you do?
Lots of people suppose all I do is create content material for a residing. Creating content material is enjoyable and I do it typically and it is a key driver of enterprise for me, however it is just a small a part of what I do.
Additionally, folks suppose I’ve eaten at each single restaurant on the planet, particularly in New York Metropolis. Whereas I want that I might have eaten at each restaurant in New York Metropolis, it’s a work in progress. I’ll get there.
What’s one profession achievement you are most happy with?
Truthfully, beginning and working and sustaining a profitable consulting enterprise. Once I obtained let go at singleplatform the place I used to be A CMO on account of Covid after which being bought by TripAdvisor, I actually thought I used to be on a path to proceed to be a CMO. I began consulting simply to attempt to make some cash whereas I used to be on the lookout for a job solely to comprehend that the consulting life selected me and that that is what I am most happy with. I get up on daily basis and I get to assist plenty of folks with their enterprise and that is extra enjoyable than serving to one enterprise with their enterprise.
Who’s/was your mentor and what’s one vital lesson you discovered from them?
I’ve like 6 billion mentors, however I’ll provide you with a pair.
Jeff Rohrs, former CMO of Yext. We labored collectively and he positively impressed me to go outdoors of my consolation zone and to strive issues that I used to be fascinated about however not keen to do but.
Josh Glantz, who was the CEO at singleplatform once I was the CMO. Lesson: typically you’ve got to seek out an environment friendly method to get issues achieved no matter what your capabilities or belongings and sources are. Josh would discover the black gap between two factors and work out how to attract them collectively.
My coach, John Shaw. Lesson: we don’t make agreements with lack. In the event you use your thoughts to consider the unhealthy issues that may occur, you manifest them. Focus your ideas on the best good for all.
What trade developments do you suppose are presently over-hyped and why?
AI. All the businesses which can be attempting to promote operators AI lead their pitch with “we’re an AI pushed, et cetera, et cetera.” Let me let you know what, operators do not care if it is AI or not. Operators desire a button that they push that both saves them or makes them time or cash, and if it is pushed by ai, nice. Cease pitching that it is AI pushed. Begin pitching options and advantages.
What trade developments do you suppose do not get sufficient consideration and why?
The significance and scalability of visitor retention in advertising. All people is obsessive about advertising, branding, showiness and creativity, that are all tremendous vital and I do and I really like, however essentially the most scalable, best method to develop your online business is to get each single visitor to come back again Yet another time. By the best way, the key is utilizing electronic mail.
What recommendation would you give to somebody simply beginning out in your trade?
Solely be a part of this enterprise in the event you actually, actually, actually love restaurant operations, the plight of the restaurant operator and hospitality. If you cannot get up on daily basis and be glad about visitors and you do not love the method of serving meals, then this enterprise just isn’t for you. However in the event you truly love folks and you like service and you like meals and innovation and teamwork, then this trade is for you.
In the event you weren’t working in your present discipline, what would you be doing as a substitute?
I do not know. That is all I do know. I did have a dream once I was a child that I needed to be a voice actor for cartoons, and typically I nonetheless flirt with this concept. So, if I might select a path that I might robotically undertake tomorrow, it could be a voiceover for cartoons.
What do you do to have enjoyable outdoors of labor?
I am an avid rollercoaster fanatic. My solely bucket checklist merchandise is to go to each single MLB park, and I really like monster vehicles and hanging out with my child.
What’s one attention-grabbing factor about you that even the folks you’re employed with on daily basis in all probability do not know?
I got here in third place within the Pinewood Derby once I was a child. I despatched the primary promotional electronic mail blast within the historical past of the radio advertising music enterprise. I’ve sung 5 commercially launched chart albums. I’ve been featured in two primary MTV movies, and my spirit animal is Wiley Coyote.
