SALIDO Spotlight
Creating new hospitality and restaurant technology is a very rewarding space to work on in the tech world but by no means does it comes without its challenges. Something that helps us get through and understand our customer’s needs better is the fact our team members have hospitality in their blood. Today’s spotlight highlights one of our co-founders, Casey Cohen, our Director of Hospitality. As a co-founder, she has had her hands in almost all departments at SALIDO.
Whether it’s leading sales and hospitality initiatives or supporting and contributing to other departments such as marketing and customer experience, she’s in the trenches with the team.
What’s your favorite aspect of working at SALIDO you like the most? What I love about SALIDO is that not any one day is the same. I love embracing the start-up life and the different challenges you meet, as well as the successes that happen too. When it comes to the external side of our business, I really enjoy interacting with our customers; showing them the system, discussing best practices, sharing knowledge.
How does your hospitality background fit into your role at SALIDO? How does that help what you do today? Prior to SALIDO, I worked for over 10 years at the Butter Group, starting as a hostess and diligently worked my way up to spearheaded customer development and VIP relations. My experience with The Butter Group immensely impacts what we do here at SALIDO; I’ve suffered the same restaurant technology pain points as many of our customers. That’s what we’re fixing. As we continue to build out the systems, I’m able to provide the context to our product team of legacy systems inefficiencies and how we can develop features that will ultimately provide our customers with streamlined operations.
In my spare time I share my experiences and act as a voice for servers — and offering inspiration how they can leverage all their knowledge and skill sets to learn and grow within their company or translate those skills into another industry.
What’s your outlet for stress relief/brainstorm? SoulCycle is my lifeline. If you see my Instagram, you’ll quickly learn that I’m there once or twice a day or doing another fitness activity. Recently, I’ve started attending Rumble, the boxing-inspired fitness classes. Not only is my health a priority, I use this time to clear my head, think of solutions to a challenge myself to grow, or brainstorm for SALIDO.
On the other end, my educational experience is with studio art. I’ve stepped away from that in recent years to focus on SALIDO, but as we grow the company and eventually head to a new office space, I’m looking to tap into that part of my brain again to design and create our new space.
What is your eat “any time of the day” food? Besides coffee?
Must order Cocktail? This is a funny question as one thing I know is other people cocktail orders. Mine is a Kettle One dirty martini on the rocks. Martini glasses are just a vehicle for spilling a drink.
Where do you live in the city? I live in Chelsea. I moved there years ago when we first start at SALIDO and were working in the Meatpacking District, wanted to be lose to the office. Now, I’ve come to love the area as can be as quiet or busy as you want it to be. I love going to Seamore’s, which recently opened, or check out my old stomping grounds at 1Oak or the Dream Hotel.
Favorite Artist? Andy Warhol, so much so, I wrote my graduate thesis on the special Dom Perignon bottle series created in homage to him and something I actually sold at 1Oak.
Favorite food/cuisine? Korean food, especially Korean Barbeque! Cote the new steakhouse version of Korean BBQ is great and also will head to Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong on 32nd street.
Favorite Restaurant? Benihana — anything cooked in front of you makes me happy. My go to order is the hibachi shrimp. The restaurant reminds me of childhood and you can act like a kid again when you have dinner there. I always walk out happy with my jacket carrying that Benihanna smell for a few days after. Plus, who doesn’t love the onion volcano? One of these days I finally catch the shrimp they throw at you in my mouth!
Favorite Spots in Soho? Sweetgreen (any salad will do!), Seamore’s for a healthy, fish-focused sit down meal (live and work near one!), and Poke Spot for the spicy salmon bowl and brown rice.
Anything Else? I’m a big believer in giving back and paying it forward. I’ve helped orchestrate some of our company’s community service initiatives around autism awareness, something a bit closer to my life, and I’m looking forward to planning more activities that help our industry as well as other passions for people in the company.
If you are interested in getting SALIDO in your restaurant click here
To learn how to join the team or view opportunities at SALIDO click here
