LAS VEGAS – March 25, 2025 – While most of the Bar & Restaurant Expo was packed with panels and product demos, the real buzz happened just off the strip floor at Carlos 'n Charlie’s inside The Flamingo Hotel. The RisingTides Community In-Person Event—hosted by WISK and CaliBBQ Media—quietly became one of the most relevant meetups of the week, pulling in a full room of industry heavyweights for a different kind of networking.
Real Conversations, Not Sales Pitches
No one came to watch a keynote or sit through a sales deck. The RisingTides gathering was designed with a clear purpose: give operators, tech founders, and content creators a chance to talk without the usual trade show noise. It was stripped-down on purpose—no stages, no formalities. Just professionals who care about building the future of hospitality, sharing drinks and actual stories about what’s working and what isn’t.
From the outset, the tone was clear. No scripts, no fluff. Just a full room and a sense that every handshake might lead to something useful. RSVPs closed days early, and by 4:30 PM the space was already standing room only.
For WISK, it was an opportunity to step outside the dashboard and into the field. CEO Angelo Esposito put it plainly: “We build tools to solve real operational pain. That pain is easier to understand when you hear it straight from the people dealing with it daily.”
CaliBBQ Media’s Shawn Walchef, who’s made a name by bridging restaurant operations and content strategy, saw the night as a reminder of what hospitality is really about. “Everyone here is trying to create something meaningful—whether it’s in tech, service, media, or food. This gave them a place to connect, without pretense.”
The People Who Make Things Happen
It wasn’t just the usual suspects. The RisingTides guest list read like a who’s-who of operators, innovators, coaches, and voices shaping the next chapter of the industry.
Among those in attendance:
- Chip Klose, Restaurant Strategy
- Scot Turner, Auden Hospitality
- Jason Brooks, Hospivation
- David Scott Peters, The Restaurant Expert
- David “Rev” Ciancio, Handcraft Burgers & Brews
- Jim Taylor, Benchmark Sixty
- Daniel Knotts, Bar IQ
- Matt Plapp, America’s Best Restaurants
- Daniel Baron, SmartTab
And of course, Esposito and Walchef kept things moving—connecting people across disciplines without pulling the spotlight.
Why It Hit Different
RisingTides wasn’t just a nice break from the expo crowd. It was a proof point that the hospitality industry is hungry for connection that doesn’t feel transactional. There was no “us versus them”—tech met operators, content folks met restaurateurs, and everyone had skin in the game.
What stood out wasn’t the size of the room, but the quality of the conversations. You could hear operators breaking down real workflow issues with startup founders. Creators swapped tips on storytelling with brands still figuring out their digital voice. This wasn’t a social hour—it was collaboration in real time.
As the night went on, a few themes kept popping up: labor-saving automation, the rising role of AI in forecasting, the power of short-form video, and what it actually means to build brand loyalty in 2025.
The Perfect Time, the Right Crowd
- Date: March 25, 2025
- Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Venue: Carlos 'n Charlie’s, The Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas
Strategically timed to follow the day’s expo programming, the event hit that sweet spot between productive and relaxed. Not quite an afterparty, not quite a seminar—RisingTides offered a space where the conversations felt easy but carried weight.
It was a needed reset for attendees who’d spent the day bouncing between booths and presentations. In that small window before dinner and nightlife kicked in, RisingTides managed to turn a casual setting into a springboard for real outcomes.
What This Means Going Forward
The buzz didn’t end when the last drink was poured. Attendees kept the conversations going online, tagging #RisingTidesVegas and sharing key takeaways in real-time. Follow-up meetings were scheduled on the spot. A few even mentioned potential partnerships already underway.
WISK and CaliBBQ Media are already planning future editions, with cities like New York, Chicago, and Toronto on the radar. More importantly, they’ve found a format that works: skip the formalities, get the right mix of people in the room, and let the conversation flow naturally.
In an industry that often feels like it’s sprinting from one trend to the next, RisingTides offered something rare—an intentional pause, focused on building long-term value. No gimmicks, just honest, useful dialogue.
Media Contact:
press@wisk.aimedia@calibbq.media
