Cooking Up Success

Frankie DiCarlantonio, Director of Business Operations at Scaffidi Restaurant Group
Steubenville, Ohio

Starting with humble beginnings as a small family restaurant in Steubenville, Ohio, Frankie DiCarlantonio has seen his cousin’s Scaffidi’s Pasta grow into a multifaceted restaurant group that spans the Ohio Valley. Opening in 2009, the all-homemade restaurant quickly outgrew its original operation space and moved to a new location, expanding its footprint by a factor of 12 overnight. Scaffidi’s remained committed to hand prepared dishes even as it grew the number of services it provided. Beginning at the restaurant as a teenager, Frank was chosen to be the Director of Business Operations for the newly formed Scaffidi Restaurant Group (SRG), which oversees the restaurant and bar, a catering service and and institutional food service.

Like many family-owned small businesses, SRG relies on digital technologies to attract customers and expand name recognition of the brand. Emphasizing quality and using targeted advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, SRG has generated a loyal customer base. Accounting software such as Quickbooks, applications for scheduling like Homebase, and a tool called 17hats to track contracts and invoices all make running a small business easier than it has ever been. Google Suite’s products including the shared drive and Gmail serve to keep the staff on the same page as well.

The simplicity these digital tools provide for compliance management ensures that Frankie is spending less time mired in paperwork and more time improving the brand of SRG. Small and family-owned businesses rely on the accessibility of technology solutions to operate an effective enterprise. Frankie joined the Connected Commerce Council (3C) because he agrees with the principles that 3C stands for, protecting small businesses from excessive technology regulation and increasing digital educational opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Read more about the Scaffidi Restaurant Group here.