Power Up Your Business with Fast-Paced, Action-Focused Training
Build your own experience at the Expo with fast-paced, 15-minute Quick Bite sessions and in-depth, 45-minute Super Sessions designed for busy hospitality professionals.
Move between sessions throughout the day and choose the topics that matter most to your operation — from marketing and technology to cost control and immigration. Every session is built to deliver practical ideas you can implement immediately — no fluff, no filler, just real strategies that move the needle.
Pro Tip: Bring your team.
Divide and conquer by having managers, marketers, chefs, and operations leaders attend different sessions — then regroup and share key takeaways. You’ll multiply the value of your time at the Expo and walk away with a fully aligned, action-ready plan for your business.
One day. Multiple perspectives. Exponentially greater impact.
2026 Schedule
Quick Bite Training
Marketing Zone
Drive revenue, increase traffic, and grow smarter.
Sharpen your competitive edge with quick-hit strategies for social media, local marketing, customer loyalty, and more. These casual, interactive presentation encourage real-time questions and peer discussion.
10:15 am
Driving Sales & Customer Loyalty through Marketing Limited Time Offer Promotions
Anna Musbach, Director of Sales & Marketing, Lincoln Hospitality
Andy Robertson, Food & Beverage Creative, Lincoln Hospitality
11:00 am
Free Ways to Partner Locally with Yelp & Promote Your Business
Jessica Johnson, Senior Community Director, Yelp
11:45 am
From Tech to Table: Using AI & Digital Tools to Drive Restaurant Sales
Jack Holt, Owner, Smokin’ Jack’s BBQ
12:45 pm
Working with Your DMO: Practical Strategies to Drive Visibility, Media & Traffic
Kathryn Lavey, Creative Director, Visit Milwaukee
Operations Zone
Practical cost-control strategies for stronger operations.
Fine-tune your business with targeted sessions covering labor optimization, cost control, team building, and operational efficiency. Share experiences and gather practical solutions you can implement immediately.
10:00 am
Get Your Shift Together!
How to create a culture that doesn’t suck…
Beth Hussey, Shifty Founder & Restaurateur
10:30 am
Power Moves: Cut Your Utility Bills Without Cutting Corners
Jeremy Wilkinson, Senior Trade Ally Manager, Focus on Energy
11:15 am
Your P&L Is Talking—Are You Listening?
Randy Brinkman, CPA-Partner, EWH Small Business Accounting
12:00 pm
Found Money: Where Restaurants Are Overpaying Every Month
Rodney Wead, Strategic-Partner, Schooley Mitchell
Adam Smith, Strategic-Partner, Schooley Mitchell
1:00 pm
Funding, Financing & Free Help: What Restaurant Owners Don’t Know They Qualify For
Gregory Martin, Center Director, Small Business Development Center, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Super Sessions
The conversations you can’t afford to miss.
Dive deeper with extended sessions that hit on trending industry topics. These comprehensive workshops deliver detailed strategies and actionable takeaways for significant business impact.
9:30 – 10:15 am
Staying Compliant in a Changing Landscape—What Every Restaurant & Hospitality Employer Must Know About Tips, Labor Law, and Risk
Michael Gotzler, Shareholder, Littler Mendelson
Nina Neff, Associate, Littler Mendelson
The restaurant and hospitality industries continue to face intense scrutiny—especially around tipping practices, wage and hour compliance, and employer responsibilities in an evolving labor environment. With tip-related lawsuits and enforcement actions making headlines, operators can no longer afford to rely on outdated assumptions or informal practices. The stakes are high, and the cost of getting it wrong can be enormous.
Join Michael Gotzler, Shareholder at Littler and a leading voice on employment law, for a timely and practical Super Session designed exclusively for restaurant operators, hotel managers, and hospitality professionals. In just 45 minutes, Michael will break down the must-know legal standards that directly impact day-to-day operations—offering clarity, real‑world examples, and actionable steps to protect your business.
Topics will include:
- Tip pooling and tip‑sharing rules: What’s legal, what’s not, and the most common mistakes operators make.
- Service charges vs. tips: Understanding the differences and the major compliance traps.
- New and emerging federal and state enforcement priorities affecting restaurants and bars.
- Wage-and-hour pitfalls unique to hospitality—side work, dual‑role employees, time tracking, and more.
- Preventing costly lawsuits by creating clear practices and documentation.
- How to be a great employer while staying out of legal trouble in an era of heightened employee awareness and regulation.
Why Attend?
Times have changed—and so has the law. What may have been acceptable five years ago can now expose employers to significant liability. This session gives operators the tools and knowledge to navigate today’s environment confidently, reduce risk, and maintain a workplace that is fair, compliant, and positioned for long-term success.
Whether you run a coffee shop, manage a full‑service restaurant, oversee hotel F&B, or support multiple locations, this Super Session offers essential legal insight that can save thousands of dollars—and help you build a stronger, more resilient business.
10:45 – 11:30 am
Compliance Under Pressure: Practical Immigration Compliance Strategies for Wisconsin Restaurants
Sam Moheban, Immigration Attorney, Ruder Ware
As immigration enforcement efforts intensify, Immigration Attorney Sam Moheban of Ruder Ware will outline practical steps Wisconsin restaurants can take to strengthen compliance and reduce risk. The session focuses on building robust I‑9 practices, preparing for site visits, developing emergency response plans, and avoiding common pitfalls.
Takeaways
- Enforcement is increasing in Wisconsin. Ensure your I-9 practices are audit-ready.
- Be prepared for site visits. Learn practical response protocols tailored specifically to hospitality operations.
- Reduce financial and operational risk. Gain clear, Wisconsin-focused guidance to protect your business and workforce.
12:00 – 12:45 pm
Blunt Truths: The Costs That Are Hurting Your Profitability
Marla Poytinger, CEO, Bars & Recreation
David Poytinger, Chief Innovation Officer, Bars & Recreation
Erin Hochevar, Vice President, Bars & Recreation
Most operators know their food and labor costs—but still can’t explain where the money went. The real margin killers hide in small, unquestioned decisions. Learn where hospitality leaders leak profit and how clarity, creativity, and decisiveness fix the problem without gutting the guest experience.
- The profit leaks you don’t know you have
- Costs quietly killing margins every day
- What top operators fix before it’s too late