He Grow This 90-Year-Old Texas Donut Brand Towards 750 Stores by 2030

Kerry Leo, Vice President of Technology at Shipley Do-Nuts, is helping modernize one of America’s most established donut brands. By blending frontline listening with smart technology, he’s helping turn a nearly 90-year-old company into a scalable business built for growth. Watch now to learn how a 90-year-old brand is scaling fast, why listening in the shops drives better tech decisions, and how Shipley is building for its next era of growth. Sponsored by: • TOAST - All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Chapters: [03:32] - Why He Joined Shipley [04:35] - Road to 750 Stores [07:12] - How Kerry Leo Evaluates Tech [10:20] - The Shipley Origin Story [16:05] - The Future of Voice Ordering SPONSORS: RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS IS PRESENTED BY TOAST — Restaurant Influencers is brought to you by Toast, the powerful restaurant point of sale and management system that helps restaurants improve operations, increase sales and create a better guest experience. • Toast All-In-1 Restaurant POS: https://bit.ly/3vpeVsc Episode Links: Kerry Leo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerryaleo/ Shipley Do-Nuts: https://shipleydonuts.com/ Shipley Do-Nuts Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shipleydonuts/ Shipley Do-Nuts Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shipleydonuts Shipley Do-Nuts LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shipley-do-nuts/ Shipley Do-Nuts X (Twitter): https://x.com/shipleydonuts Key Takeaways: Listening Starts at the Store Level: Kerry Leo makes it clear that good decisions do not start in a boardroom. They start by talking directly to franchisees, cashiers, and frontline teams to understand real pain points before bringing in new tools or ideas. Tech Should Solve a Problem: Leo is not interested in adding technology for the sake of it. His approach is rooted in operational need, making sure any new system supports the business, helps the team, and fixes an actual problem. A Legacy Brand Still Has Room to Evolve: With deep family roots in Houston and a history going back to 1936, Shipley shows how a legacy brand can honor its story while still adapting to the needs of modern operators and customers. *** KERRY LEO — Kerry Leo is the Vice President of Technology at Shipley Do-Nuts, where he has spent the last five years driving innovation and growth for the iconic 90-year-old brand. His expertise spans digital strategy, cybersecurity, AI strategy, integration projects, and business process improvement, helping the organization adapt and compete in a rapidly changing market. Working closely with cross-functional teams, he leads technology initiatives that improve operational efficiency and enhance the guest experience. ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS — Restaurant Influencers is a weekly video podcast series presented by Entrepreneur Media and Cali BBQ Media. Every week host and restaurant owner Shawn Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) talks with business leaders like Shaquille O’Neal, Rob Dyrdek, Emeril Lagasse, Mayim Bialik, Jon Taffer, Robert Irvine, Toast co-founder Aman Narang, and more, about their secrets to Smartphone Storytelling, marketing, branding, and how to show up where customers are engaging online. Published by Entrepreneur Media - https://entreprenuer.com Produced by Cali BBQ Media - https://betheshow.media