Charlie Eblen of Single Tree BBQ on Becoming the “Nike of BBQ”

For Charlie Eblen, founder of Single Tree BBQ and host of Single Tree Nation Podcast, Just Do It! is both a motto and rallying cry on his mission to transform his business into, “the Nike of BBQ”.

Watch now to learn about building community with the perfect plate of barbecue, capturing customer data, and the power of podcasting and online storytelling.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN on this episode of the Restaurant Influencers podcast, presented by the @Toast point of sale and restaurant management technology company? Let us know by leaving a YouTube comment below.

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Chapters:

[4:27] - Charlie Eblen 2-Minute Drill

[9:41] - Finding Your Cliff

[19:00] - Navigating the Non-Believers

[36:05] - Switching to Toast POS

[42:13] - Advice for Pitching to Investor Partners

Charlie Eblen is a Restaurant Influencer —

Just Do It! It’s more than a slogan for Charlie Eblen, owner of Single Tree BBQ in Murfreesboro, TN. It’s a rallying cry.

“We really believe that we can be the "Nike of Barbecue.” says Charlie Eblen to Restaurant Influencers host Shawn Walchef of

The motivation behind that mission is not to be the top-selling BBQ restaurant and corner the market. Instead, the entrepreneur credits his push to a more noble cause; he wishes to use BBQ to impact the community.

Eblen has turned to technology to increase his digital hospitality. Taking steps, like implementing an upgraded POS system, is done with the customer in mind.

“We went with Toast to be able to start doing stuff like having a loyalty program,” says Eblen of the change. “Being able to tell our loyal fans of Single Tree Barbecue that we're opening a brick and mortar, that we're going to partner with Heroes Den (a local live music restaurant in Murfreesboro, TN) and we're going to have live music and we're going to have a great bar. We're going to have an amazing barbecue.”

In addition to technology upgrades, Eblen has dove head first into the new media world of podcasting with the Single Tree Nation podcast. After a push from Digital Media Guru Shawn Walchef, he wasted no time putting ideas to action and broadening the scope of Single Tree’s impact.

“The purpose of my show is really that it doesn't have anything to do with Single Tree BBQ. It has everything to do with our community and helping build our community through barbecue, digital hospitality, and online storytelling.” explains Charlie Eblen of the weekly podcast.

The most apt description of Eblen’s growth as a restaurant influencer is summed up in his own words: “It’s been amazing.”

#podcast #entrepreneur #restaurantowner

EPISODE LINKS:

Charlie Eblen Instagram

Charlie Eblen TikTok

Single Tree BBQ Social Links

ABOUT CHARLIE EBLEN (@singletreebbq)

Charlie Eblen is the founder and operator of Single Tree Wood Fire BBQ in Murfreesboro, TN. After his corporate career was cut short during the pandemic, Eblen and his family decided to go all in on Single Tree. It has paid off tremendously. With a brick and mortar location set to open and a hot new podcast titled Single Tree Nation, he is on pace to bring his mission of becoming the “Nike of BBQ” to the masses.

Charlie Eblen’s Linkedin

ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS:

Welcome to the Restaurant Influencers podcast and video series. Every week host and restaurant owner Shawn P. Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) talks with leaders like Emeril Lagasse, Sam The Cooking Guy, and Marguerite Zabar Mariscal, and Rob Dyrdek about their secrets to running a business, modern branding, and how to show up where customers are spending time online.

• Published by Entrepreneur Media

• Produced by Cali BBQ Media

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