Legacy, Loyalty, and Life Beyond the Restaurant with Sam Romano

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Episode Summary
Shawn is out on baby leave, which means a big moment for the show: Erin Ragsdale Joins Ryan as guest co-host. Before getting into the main event, the two swap Aggie-vs-SMU trash talk, dig into some very suspicious stadium power outages and Erin recounts literally getting bitten by a dog she was trying to rescue earlier that same day.

Then the real conversation kicks off with Sam Romano, President of Romano Enterprises and the man behind Dallas staple Nick & Sam’s. Sam opens up about getting the call in college that changed his path — his father’s health scare that brought him home from Syracuse a year early to take over the family business — and how he’s since built out a portfolio far beyond restaurants. He also talks candidly about protecting his father’s legacy, why he’s bullish on private equity in sports, and his long-running support of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. It all wraps with a rapid-fire round covering everything from favorite restaurants to the best leadership advice he’s ever gotten.

Timestamps
– Aggie Pride, Suspicious Outages & SMU’s Big Win (0:00)
– Erin Takes One for the Team (4:36)
– Meet Sam Romano (7:52)
– From Syracuse Lacrosse to Running the Family Business (8:47)
– 27 Years of Nick & Sam’s (10:32)
– A Seat on a Bank Board & an Unexpected Mentor (12:49)
– Owning a Piece of the Texas Rangers (14:24)
– From Passing on a Deal to Producing Roof Man (20:05)
– Sam’s Support of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (25:09)
– Hot Mic Rapid Fire (26:35) Favorite restaurant (besides Nick & Sam’s):
– What’s Coming Up: A Walmart Surprise & an Art Exhibit (29:11)

Connect

• Sam Romano & Nick and Sam’s: Visit Nick and Sam’s in Dallas
• Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Gala: Mid-November — details to come
• Deconstructing Dallas: Available on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts