Page 14 - August 2021 Barbecue News Magazine

bbq podcasts
Digital Hospitality
Link: https://calibbq.media/podcast-episodes
Ben Arnot
BBQ Podcast Guru
https://smokinghotconfes- sions.com/
There are not many BBQ
podcasts out there that
have the pedigree of Digital
Hospitality. Beginning life
as Behind the Smoke, hosts
Shawn P Walchef and Derek
Marso were never afraid to
ask the big questions and
dive into the most intimi-
dating of topics. And the
reason for this was simple. Both hosts were lifelong busi- ness owners in the BBQ and hospitality industries. Walchef is the founder of Cali Comfort BBQ and Marso is the founder of Valley Farm Market - both robust businesses that Walchef and Marso nursed through inception, birth and growth well beyond that dreaded two-year mark where most businesses fail. Throughout the first two years of the show they explored topics that others feared because they had lived through those experiences themselves and had guests on their show who had as well. Together they com- bined their knowledge and experience to help their listen- ers who may have been facing these same issues.
At the 99 episode mark, their hard work was realised, with the duo taking out the ‘Best Audio Series’ award at the National BBQ & Grilling Association’s Annual Excellence Awards in 2018. And so it was that they used their 100th Episode to reflect on the journey they had taken, the NBBQA Awards, and announced that the show was going to be taking a new direction. Marso would be leaving the show, and the show itself would be re- branded Digital Hospitality. It would become the cornerstone of Walchef’s latest venture: Cali Media.
The style of the show would be best described as honest conversations between business owners. Guests include owners of BBQ restaurants, catering businesses, bbq event organizers and other notable bbq influencers and media personalities to learn how they best tell their stories digi- tally. And the topics are deep - getting to the heart of the true issues that we face in this BBQ business. They talk about mental health, physical health, spiritual health, fa- therhood, substance abuse and other pain points while learning the best business lessons and daily habits from their guests. In short, the Digital Hospitality podcast episodes are conversations for the super curious - those
who want to know the thought processes behind inspirational humans who have built some- thing that leaves a lasting legacy.
Episodes of the Digital Hospital- ity podcast are published every Thursday. There are almost 200 episodes available, including the entire Behind The Smoke back catalogue, and each episode aver- ages 45 minutes in length. You can track them down on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Alternatively, you can head on over to the cal- ibbq.media website and track them down there too. Trust me, you’re gonna love it!
BarbecueNews.com - 14
AUGUST 2021