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They Bet Everything on a Restaurant Everyone Said Would Fail | Mark & Lauren Weghorst, Slapfish
On today's show I sat down with Indiana entrepreneurs Mark and Lauren Weghorst, founders of central Indiana's fast-growing seafood restaurant Slapfish, which has its original location inside Broccoli Bill's in Noblesville, one on Massachusetts Avenue in Indianapolis, one in Fishers at The Yard, and another in Carmel's Market District. A fifth location is set to open this fall in Indy's Meridian-Kessler neighborhood. Mark shares how a failed tenant restaurant space at the family's Broccoli Bill's grocery store led him to Google "fast casual seafood concepts" and pursue Slapfish. The Weghorsts risked everything while raising three young kids, from receiving an SBA loan to emptying their savings and using their home as collateral. They describe the frantic early days of opening in 2019, a packed grand opening, learning operations with little experience, and staying open through COVID during Lent, which ultimately boosted carryout and delivery growth. As the broader Slapfish brand contracted, they expanded locally and built a commissary prep model for consistency, all while focusing on community involvement and better family balance. If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast. You are going to learn about: - Where the Idea of Slapfish Originated - The Risks the Weghorsts Took to Launch Slapfish - How Slapfish Successfully Navigated COVID - What Makes Slapfish Unique From Other Seafood Restaurants Thank you to our partners: Elements Financial Check out these great clips from the show: 00:00 All In Mindset 01:29 Guest Introduction: Mark and Lauren Weghorst, Slapfish 02:18 Why Seafood in Indiana 03:57 Broccoli Bill's Origins 08:57 How They Met 10:42 Pro Golf Hustle Years 17:26 Back Home and Broccoli Bill's Expansion 19:47 Restaurant Tenant Leaves 20:46 Googling Slapfish Franchise 22:54 Risking Everything with Kids 27:10 SBA Loan and Franchise Deal 29:33 Training and Scrappy Buildout 32:05 Grand Opening Chaos 33:17 Early Ops Struggles and Loyal Fans 34:35 Why It Took Off 35:16 Payroll Stress Reality 38:12 COVID Pivot Wins 40:48 Franchise Collapse Fallout 42:18 Mass Ave Momentum 43:37 Supply Chain Scramble 45:45 Midwest Growth Vision 47:36 Seafood Logistics Midwest 49:33 Commissary Consistency 53:10 Redefining Success Balance 59:23 Choosing Meridian Kessler 01:00:50 Lessons For The Kids 01:04:48 Indiana Rapid Fire 01:06:48 Advice And Hidden Gems 01:12:31 Final Wrap And Where To Find Get IN. is brought to you by our friends at Sweetwater. Whether you are looking to start a podcast or level up your current show you need to hit them up.
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