STK, the posh steakhouse owned by The One Group with locations coast-to-coast, played host this month to What Now Media Group’s Orlando Accelerate event at its Disney Springs outpost, at 1580 E. Buena Vista Drive.
More than three dozen local restaurant owners, franchisees, and Preferred Partners attended the first official in-person What Now Orlando Accelerate event at STK on May 14, 2024, led by What Now CEO and Founder Caleb J. Spivak.
Accelerate is a quarterly event held in each of What Now’s 31 cities across the country that aims to bring together the owners of new and expanding area restaurants alongside business experts that can aid in helping the entrepreneurs and business owners open and grow to the next level.
Set atop STK’s private second-floor dining space, the restaurant and its team flawlessly executed the event, showcasing to the the budding — and even seasoned — restaurateurs in attendance what operational excellence looks like. Highlights of the venue included sweeping views of Disney Springs and playful food and beverage options like a build-your-own Ceasar Salad bar station and STK’s mouthwatering burger sliders.
“The mission is to bring together like-minded entrepreneurs to connect,” Spivak shared. He emphasized that attendees could benefit from each other’s experiences, while Preferred Partners were on hand to provide guidance on all facets of launching and growing their businesses.
During Spivak’s presentation on business strategies, restaurant owners and entrepreneurs took turns sharing insights about their ventures. Key lessons from their discussions included the necessity of partnering with reliable service providers and the critical role of employee training and proper treatment.
Restaurants in attendance included Open Container, a shipping container wine bar franchise with plans to expand across the state; Poke Burri, an Atlanta-based franchise that opened its first Florida location; and Crispy Cones which is adding a second location. They were joined by What Now Orlando’s Preferred Partners which can be found here.
