Geoff Alexander, President and CEO of Wow Bao, has a unique business concept that pushes boundaries.
In 2017, Wow Bao’s parent company, Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, had an idea: They wanted to create a product that could help restaurants and catering businesses that were really struggling during COVID. Like catering companies that do one big order a week, then sit dormant; the ice cream shop that isn’t busy over the summer; and the hotel that has a whole room service staff, but isn’t producing to its full capacity. On my podcast, The Irresistible Factor, Geoff shares how all of these businesses could benefit by selling his new concept out of their existing kitchens. The concept, Wow Bao, is fast Asian-inspired street food, like bao, pan-seared potstickers, steamed dumplings, rice & noodle bowls and more.
In the height of the pandemic, this idea exploded, with ghost kitchens operating all over the country. Wow Bao had always been on the cutting edge — opening on college campuses and at stadiums, using technology in the early 2010s. Wow Bao was able to adapt quickly, especially with Geoff at the helm.
On this episode, Geoff shares how the company expanded at lightning speed, advice for entrepreneurs, the challenges they navigated and so much more!
Listen to The Irresistible Factor’s Interview with Wow Bao’s President and CEO, Geoff Alexander.
Here’s what you won’t want to miss from our conversation:
- How COVID-19 affected Wow Bao’s brand and products
- The role of a third-party platform and where consumers are shopping from
- How to navigate business challenges
- Wow Bao’s experience of their “hockey stick” growth
Links mentioned in this episode: