Cali BBQ's Recipe for Authentic Engagement

Restaurateur and digital media entrepreneur Shawn Walchef is familiar with being ignored. He couldn’t be more grateful for what it’s taught him.

When his early efforts to grow San Diego’s Cali BBQ through local news outlets and press releases were met with “crickets,” he turned to social media — not as an expert, but as a curious business owner willing to embrace his unpolished self. By posting authentically and consistently, Walchef discovered the true drivers of digital connection: raw storytelling, persistence and a willingness to be vulnerable online before finding an audience.

Coming up on celebrating 17 years in business, Walchef’s refined philosophy centers on “digital hospitality,” the idea that every entrepreneur is in the business of hospitality. Accordingly, they should leverage technology to foster connection. His story inspires like-minded small businesses to elevate their branding by embracing online authenticity.

When Walchef first started creating content for Cali BBQ, he didn’t have the resources for an experienced media team or equipment setup. To him, it didn’t matter. One of his biggest revelations was that unscripted moments can be some of the most impactful, and audiences will appreciate the honesty.

“You need to claim your voice, claim your story, and start sharing it,” Walchef says. “Some of our best-performing content is literally when I’m just live streaming at my restaurant.”

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During the pandemic, for example, Walchef decided to do a TikTok live stream for four hours straight: “I told my family, ‘I’m going to live stream either until my phone dies or my arm falls off.'” Though he didn’t get many viewers, Walchef didn’t mind — he turned his attention to the users who did tune in. On this stream, Walchef connected with a family watching from North Carolina, who ended up visiting his restaurant in San Diego the following day. Moments like these highlight the importance of putting yourself out there, regardless of initial audience size.

As for popularity, “People don’t care [about followers and views],” Walchef says. “The people who do tune in, they’re the ones who matter because they’re the ones who are going to recommend you. When they think about storytelling, when they think about business, when they think about podcasts, when they think about barbecue, when they think about catering, they’ll think of you.”

Another common barrier for business owners is the fear of not producing “quality” content. Walchef warns that this mindset is counterproductive. By focusing on producing more content rather than perfecting a single video or post, he advanced his storytelling skills and organically grew his audience. Repetition and speed are content values that helped him overcome self-doubt.

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“It’s not about making one video. It’s like, how do I make 1,000? If you get your mind into a place where I need to do 1,000 videos, one video a day for 1,000 days, you will be shocked at how much better you’ll get — how much less judgmental you’ll be of your brand standards and the quality that will build from that,” Walchef says.

His mantra for digital engagement is simple: “Be the show, not the commercial.” Audiences don’t want to feel like they’re being sold to; they want to feel connected to the story. Rather than creating posts that scream, “Buy my product,” Walchef recommends showing the people and passion behind your business.

“What the internet wants is to show me the process. Show me the work!” Walchef says. For instance, Cali BBQ’s most compelling content highlights its pitmasters preparing barbeque or gives behind-the-scenes insight into running a restaurant, showcasing the brand’s humanity.

Walchef’s social media accounts thrive on the understanding that the real value of digital media lies in building meaningful relationships, not just broadcasting messages. He cautions against what he calls “posting and ghosting” or failing to engage with your audience after publishing content.

“If someone writes a review on Yelp or engages with your post, they’re a human being,” Walchef says. Responding personally to comments and reviews proves to customers that they’re valued.

“That’s what digital hospitality is,” Walchef says. “Hospitality happens in real life, but hospitality also happens online. And it happens when you listen and when you respond with empathy, caring and understanding that this is a connection that you can make and that somebody could be supporting your business for generations to come.”

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Being an entrepreneur means you have to learn to appreciate failure, and Walchef is no stranger to mistakes. “We’ve closed restaurants,” he says. “We’ve closed ghost kitchens. I’ve started podcasts that didn’t make any money that no one listened to. I made bad videos. I had bad news appearances.” The key, he says, is persistence. When you keep showing up, you keep improving — and it all starts with the first connection.

“Have the courage to look stupid, sound stupid,” Walchef says. That’s where the magic happens.

Since 2008, Cali BBQ has evolved alongside these proof-of-concept principles:

Share your story, even if it feels awkward. Vulnerability in storytelling can create deeper trust and relatability with your audience despite initially feeling risky.
Be the show, not the commercial. Storytelling can naturally lead to revenue growth without overt promotion. Value authenticity over direct advertising to make your audience feel a part of your brand.
Engage with your audience — don’t post and ghost. Engaging in real-time and promptly responding to comments can foster a sense of immediacy and strengthen customer loyalty.
Respond to positive and critical feedback. Every interaction is an opportunity to show customers you care and are willing to implement their feedback.
Assume every audience is new. Repeating brand introductions helps guarantee that your message resonates with new people at the right time.

Listen to the episode below to hear directly from Walchef, and subscribe to Behind the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Thursday. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Pandora.