 Hello friends, today we have the honor of interviewing Shelly and SMC. SMC is one of the top PR firms in Vancouver that does restaurant PR. And if you talk about PR, you would not know of Shelly. Like, I do not do this intro any justice, please. Thank you once again for having me tell us really more about you and SMC. Yeah, well thank you so much for having us here. And SMC is a full service boutique public relations and digital marketing agency. We specialize in restaurant, culinary and hospitality clients. And that's what we do. I know you represent all the biggest restaurants in Vancouver. And not just Vancouver, it's pretty international too, right? Yeah, so we're concentrated mostly in Vancouver and then BC. And then we do on occasion have the pleasure of working with clients outside of Vancouver and even Canada. I mean, obviously I come from a biased place in that I know that what we do drives real measurable results for our clients. You know, there's two ways to look at it. One is earned coverage versus paid coverage. So earned coverage means that we work with our contacts, our media colleagues. So whether they're traditional media or online media influencers, bloggers. And we tell our clients story to them. And hopefully then they're compelled to want to learn more and to write about them. And that's called editorial coverage. Paid marketing is an advertisement or a sponsored post. It often doesn't come across as quite as genuine because of course the reader knows that somebody paid for it to be there. At the end of the day I wouldn't have my business if we didn't drive measurable results for our clients. So that's the bottom line. We also wouldn't have clients that have been with us since we started seven years ago that are still with us today. So we work together in partnership with them. We effectively come on board and we act as their in-house team. That's kind of how close and intimate we get to know their business. And we are their eyes and ears and representative of their public voice. Exactly. And it's funny because I was talking to Justin from Juke. And then I'm like, so what do you do for PR? It's like, oh, we're going to Shelley like really, really close. Even through COVID, he's like, yes, even through COVID. Wow, that's a loyal customer. And that's like a fan of yours. We love Justin and Brian at Juke and Beatbox. We feel like we're a part of their team. We're a part of their family. And early COVID days when we were trying to figure out how we were moving forward and who we were moving forward with. I gave Justin a call and I said, how does it look? And he said, you know, at Shelley, we consider you part of the family and we couldn't imagine running our business without you. So we are absolutely going to be doing this together. When you guys first built SMC, what did you know what it would turn out into? And is it like, was it as easy as you seem like? It's just like, oh, it seems like everyone signs up with you. But was it like that? I mean, it's not easy. I'm glad that it may look that way. But there's a lot of hard work and long hours and that goes in behind the scenes. And when we first started out, it was myself and Jan, who's one of our amazing account managers now. It was just me and him, you know, and we grew from there. And I think, you know, growth for us has been strategic. We have the opportunity, luckily, to work with a lot of different clients, but they have to be a brand fit for us. How so? And why is that really important for you? Because as PR, when you bring on a client, we're essentially endorsing their brand. And so, you know, I've worked for 15, 20 years building relationships with media. They trust me. So they know that when I go to them and I present them with a story or a client that I am endorsing their brand. And I feel like they're of value and worth talking about. So if I was to go to any of our media colleagues and ask them to write about something that wasn't worth writing about, well, then our integrity would dwindle pretty quickly. And so our growth has been strategic and measured versus way more quickly if I would have brought on any client that had approached us. That is so cool. For an outsider looking into PR, you never really think about it's really what makes you different and valuable is your relationships. Absolutely. That's everything. That is everything. That is so cool. So you talked about the struggles the long hours. You must have encountered some PR crisis. Tell me one of those crazy stories that I'll be like telling my friends for days. Yeah. Well, I've, I don't know. Too many? Yeah. I'm thinking we've had several crises over the years. Before I had SMC, I worked for a very high profile restaurant group. And it's interesting how I approach crises now. I see them almost as a challenge versus something that I would take very personally. So we went 10 years ago when protests were quite invasive to a lot of restaurants. There was protesters for foie gras. And so that impacted business quite significantly with protesters in front of the restaurant every day. I also worked on Fox's Hell's Kitchen series with Chef Gordon Ramsay. And because of that, there was very high scrutiny on the restaurant. That was the prize for that season. That was back in 2010. And, you know, there was an expose article of sorts that took, you know, some health code violations completely out of context. And that made national news just because of their profile on television. So there's those. And then, and now I guess, you know, our most immediate crises would be COVID. Right. And in dealing with COVID cases or exposures within some of the restaurants. And I think that the public sentiment on that has changed. It's not quite so scary at this point. And I don't think that there's blame placed on the restaurant. So the first one or two were a lot to deal with. And now we just take it in stride and can approach that with confidence. Beautiful. Like, okay, you know what? Let's crash course 101 for our viewers. Let's say, for example, if they want to have good PR, what would your advice be for them? What would be that one thing you're like, you know what? First of all, these are the steps I would take. Like just one, you know, I don't want to give away all your secrets. Yeah. I mean, every single client is different. And so, you know, part of that process is really getting to know that company's voice and that company's brand. And then it's working with them on finding those things that perhaps they take for granted that make them unique and special. It's like that unique selling proposition that they take for granted. But then we're bringing that out and then trying to tell a story with it. Next up is a rapid question series. Okay. So this is like, you just need to answer me with your most authentic response. We don't need to think too much about it. I want to capture that real authentic response. Okay. What do you think about the food scene in Vancouver? It's kind of a long way, baby. A long way. Very awesome. What do you think about owning a restaurant in Vancouver? Harder than people may think. Harder. Why is that? In that there's that romanticized version or vision that you have about what it's like to own a restaurant. You know, welcome friends, welcome guests, but there's so much that goes in behind the scenes that people don't even think about. What is one thing that scares you away from restaurants? Long hours, low margins. Gotcha. What do you think? Would you ever want to own a restaurant? Yes. You would. You wouldn't, but I would want to. But I have a dream of it. You have a dream of it. That romanticized feeling. I have a romanticized vision of what that would look like, but I know too much. Tell me that vision. Tell me that dream of yours in, let's say, three sentences or four sentences. Paint that picture. Show me. Neighborhood restaurant, 20 to 30 seats, regular customers that come in, know you like family, beautiful food, incredible suppliers and ingredients, good value. Beautiful. I have a location. You have a location? Well, I walk by it almost every day, but... You're going to manifest that to life one day? No. No. It's when you don't care about it anymore. It's like, you know what, this is truly a passion project for me just to share a little bit about it. It's me and my wife, we went to Spain three, four years ago, and we really love the Spanish tapas. We love the fact that it's $4, $5, and it's a really bite-size drinks, mini glasses of wine and beer, and you just sit down and chat. It's just such a great bonding environment, and that's kind of something that we want to be able to bring to Vancouver and when we can do that. Yeah. Maybe we'll be in touch, you know. Beautiful. I like that. I like that. What's the biggest struggle that you hear all the time with restaurant peers? Pre-Covid staffing. Pre-Covid staffing is an issue. Yes. Finding good people. There was a staffing shortage in Vancouver. Now, unfortunately, that's not the case. So, yeah, obviously things have changed in the past, you know, post-Covid versus pre-Covid. And then post-Covid is what's the biggest challenge? Trying to stay alive. Just trying to stay alive. Yeah, that's a good one. Actually, funny enough that there are some restaurants that are super popular. Yeah. Yeah. Why do you think? What made that split? What is that thing that makes some restaurants, like, busier than ever and those that are suffering? Pre-Covid or post-Covid, I always say authenticity. Authenticity. And that doesn't necessarily mean that your food is authentic. That means do you approach something with heart? Do you approach it with authenticity? Is it something that you're passionate about? Why are you in this business? Is it just to make money? Then people can sense that. Wow. That's true. Yeah. And people, you think that restaurants are able to survive or are performing much better when they're being authentic? Absolutely. Absolutely. That's the key. Yeah. I like that. It's the heart. The passion. The passion and the heart. Yes, I love it. And that comes from the top down, but it's exemplified in every single aspect of the restaurant. From the team, the morale, from what's on the plate, the ingredients, the suppliers, the decor. It has to make sense and be presented in a full package. Yeah, I honestly speak with restaurateurs every single day, obviously. But even new businesses that are contacting us to explore what PR could look like for them. Right. And I can tell very quickly where they're coming from and what their motivations are. And for us, it's very important to work with people that are in it because they have those right motivations and for working with PR. And oftentimes, the restaurants are doing so many amazing things that are so interesting. And they just don't know how to package it in a way. That will tell the story in a way that will get them exposure. Right. And that's what we're here for. We're here to take what they're doing and just make a few tweaks, package it up, and then present it to the world. I love that. And I guess it's contradicting to... And it's like, it doesn't do you any justice if you bring in someone that's not authentic. And that doesn't work from passion because the success is not going to be there. It doesn't matter how much you put in. With COVID as well, there are some restaurants that luckily were set up to adapt very quickly. So if they already had the infrastructure in place for takeout and delivery, then they were already ahead of the game. Gotcha. If they were fortunate to be in a restaurant on a corner that had a side window like Livia or Revolver, then they were already ahead of the game. And then there's some restaurants that just right away, they saw the challenge and they rose to the occasion. And they just made it happen versus others that decided to take a step back. And I'm not saying that one is right and one is wrong. It was interesting to see how everybody adapted in their own unique way. Totally. And I guess the people that kind of braced for it and made changes and adapted to it really was able to see the benefit of it. Like my friend from Poké Guy. Yeah. I'm like, why are you open? No one's here. And he's like, oh, I want to be able to position myself that I'm always open. So when things are right again or when things are not right, they still know they can count on us. For sure. And I'm like, wow. And then a month later, we went to find him. He's like, yeah, see, these guys are open now, but no one knows they're open because they didn't open through. They didn't stick it out. The same thing goes pre COVID was when, you know, a restaurant that was very, very popular for lunch, let's say, and dinner. But they had a booming lunch business and they decided for whatever reason to close for lunch. And then a year later, they said, you know what, we want to open for lunch again. Well, do you think lunch came back right away? No, because it takes a long time to build that public perception and to create habits. I love that creating habits. That's really the key. Yeah, I think that is actually really interesting. What do you think about how delivery apps and their effect in the restaurant? There's like two sides to it. I have a lot to say on this topic. Please. Yeah, honest feedback. Just boom. Give me the punchline. Absolutely. Do you like them? Do you actually know what? Do you like them or do you not like them? I think that right now they are a necessary evil. Okay. Necessary evil. Yeah. And I think that, you know, there's three main delivery apps with another emerging in Vancouver right now. They range in support for the restaurant industry. So, you know, if you look at Uber, they charge 30% commission right off the top. So right there with a restaurant that's dealing with what? 4% to 6% profit margin? How do you think that translates? It doesn't, right? Yeah. And then you have DoorDash that, you know, their fees are a little bit less than they were working with some restaurants. Skip the dishes. Introduce a COVID relief program with 15% of commissions that went back to the restaurant. So, you know, they all treated it very differently. Yes, yes, yes. I think that the delivery apps allowed a lot of restaurants right away to be able to still continue their business. Right. But it's not, it's not really a viable solution for the long term. Can you say I hate them? I can't say I hate them. There's emerging apps like From2, Brandon from Pigeon is introducing a cost delivery service, which has been great. So, you know, he started very early in COVID days to do that. And some restaurants like Nuba, for example, they're doing direct delivery. Gotcha. So, they're employing their staff. Yeah. They're keeping the money in the local economy. And of course, as we know, would you rather keep that money in the local economy? They say, what, 60 cents on every dollar stays in the community versus supporting something like the delivery apps coming from Silicon Valley where there's only, you know, let's say 20%. Gotcha. Yeah. How do you think we can come back from all this restaurant specifically because like a lot of restaurants aren't going to be able to come back? Yeah. I think that that is the harsh reality of things in that we are seeing some permanent closures, sadly. Some of them may have been on their way to begin with. Right. Who knows. I think that what's promising for me to see is that people are getting on with things. However, that means so we're starting to see new restaurants open. Yeah. That perhaps put them put those openings on hold for a couple of months. We're starting to see people that are introducing promotions and really innovative ideas. And I think the public only benefits from that innovation, which is great to see. How can people help throughout this period, do you think? Support local restaurants for sure. Support those restaurants that you would be disappointed to see if they weren't around tomorrow. Gotcha. If you can order direct from the restaurant and pick up. Gotcha. If you're ordering, take out, pick up whenever possible. I know that's not possible for everybody. But think about, think about that. Gotcha. Yeah. I like what you're doing with Breaking Bread. Tell me a little bit about that. Thank you. Yeah. So Breaking Bread started very early in the game. Yeah. We March 11th. So that was the night that everything was canceled effectively. So earlier in that week, we still had meetings where this was a thing that was happening. We weren't really taking it as seriously as perhaps we should at that time. And then March 11th is when everything changed. We thought, well, often times, if restaurants aren't doing well, then of course we're not going to do well. So we have to figure something out to support these restaurants that are starting to tell us that their revenues are quickly dwindling. So we came up with this idea that it was really just a short-term restaurant promotion. Yeah. So we reached out to our clients the next day on the 12th. And within 24 hours, launched this restaurant promotion with some of our clients. And then we reached out to other close contacts of ours. We had 23 inaugural restaurants. Right. Announced 5 p.m. on March 13th. And it just took on a life of its own from that. It's crazy. Award-winning. Yes. Amazing. It's very exciting. That's so cool. I'm like, wow. I would like that. That helps restaurants. That gives you that pat on the back. Yeah. You're doing good. Yeah. I mean, there's a reason why we were able to do this. Overnight for us, because if the restaurants are impacted, we're impacted. So right away, we lost 85% of our revenue. Yeah. Were you scared? Absolutely. Oh, yeah. How could you not be? Right. Well, but I was committed to keeping my team fully employed. We had this Breaking Bread initiative that again, took on a life of its own. So, you know, we knew we had a campaign. We had a website and we had restaurants from all over Canada asking to get involved. Wow. So we worked around the clock for weeks, basically trying to scale up the website in order to accommodate them. Yeah. And we're a full service agency. So we had a writer. We had a social media manager. Right. We had a website developer. We had PR, newsletter, everything. We had the whole team needed to scale up, something like that. And because of the loss of clients and the loss of business, we had time. Right. And how can people support you guys, our viewers, Breaking Bread? Yeah. I think by supporting the restaurants, you're supporting Breaking Bread. I love that. You can find the link below. Check out all the restaurants that are involved with Breaking Bread. I think like just bringing awareness to it is key. Right. And that's something that I'm committed in doing, like in reciprocation of you just taking your time out for us. You know, and it's something that we're very thankful for as well. And that's why initially when we shot The Secret Sauce, it was like a project and then it slowly evolved into something that has a bigger meaning to it. Where, wow, there's a lot of people who are starving and just driving down Gaston. I'm like, what's going on? It's crazy. And then the more digging that I did, the more that we realized that, oh, wow, we're very, very lucky and grateful to be so relatively sheltered from the worst. Right. And that's why we decided that all the ad revenue that we have would be gone to donate and help out the cause of starvation. That's great. Locally and also internationally to the North America. Good for you. Thank you. Thank you. I really appreciate it. This is the only thing I can ask for. Thank you. Thanks for having me. Of course. Boom.