570: 9 Brutal Lessons I Wish I Knew Before Opening My Pizza Shop

Join Bruce from Smart Pizza Marketing in this raw, one-on-one episode where he shares the 9 biggest lessons he learned the hard way over 20 years in the pizza business. Whether you're just starting out or trying to grow your pizzeria, these insights can save you thousands in mistakes, stress, and sleepless nights.

💡 This isn’t theory—this is real advice from someone who’s lived it.

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🍕 Sponsored by Mike’s Hot Honey: https://www.mikeshothoney.com

📍Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction & Why This Episode Matters
01:08 - Shoutout to Mike’s Hot Honey & Branding Lessons
01:37 - The Mission Behind Smart Pizza Marketing
02:18 - Lesson #1: Keep the Menu Simple
03:17 - Lesson #2: Track Every Dollar Like a Maniac
04:43 - Lesson #3: Preventative Maintenance is Non-Negotiable
05:30 - Lesson #4: Pay to Keep Great People
06:23 - Lesson #5: Dominate TikTok & YouTube
07:20 - Lesson #6: Never Stop Improving Your Dough

08:14 - Lesson #7: Remember Why You Started

09:14 - Lesson #8: Everything Feels Unscalable at First

10:08 - Lesson #9: Network Like Your Life Depends On It
12:39 - Why Ed Started the Podcast & Final Thoughts