R: Rob Grimes with the IFBTA, here at the NRA show, but actually more importantly here with Jason Leeson, the president of Squirrel systems who is one of our newer Global industry partner members. So Jason, welcome to NRA, welcome to the IFBTA and it’s great to see you someplace other than Vancouver for a change.
Jason Leeson: You bet, glad to be here Rob.
R: So you know, obviously it’s an investment to become part of the IFBTA and so it’s good to know why you guys thought that the IFBTA would both be important to the industry but also important to Squirrel’s business.
J: Sure, look I think that what you’re doing with the IFBTA, what I really like is the idea of the local chapters the opportunity to get to participate in. You know, we’re here at the NRA show, this is a big show and we get the opportunity to see a lot of people but it’s kind of really quick in-and-out of the booth. When you go to the IFBTA local chapter event it’s an opportunity to sit down, one, the speakers I think have been fantastic, they’re very educational for all of us and it’s an opportunity for us as a vendor and restaurant operators to kind of get together in a non-sales-y type environment, to just share lessons learned, educate each other in that intimate setting. It’s been a great learning opportunity—I think for all of us. That’s what I really like about it.
R: So we’ve talked about the future cloud based on your background and where you’re taking the company and we’ve talked about the differentiating factors. So here’s the other question for you personally right—so you’ve made this switch, you go from a very large industry segment into hospitality, so what’s been the biggest eye-opener for you coming into hospitality?
J: Well one how big it is, I can tell you. You get it you get a real view that when you come to the NRA show write for example. I’ll tell you—I could say it’s probably that. Honestly, Rob, it’s just how big this industry is. How much opportunity, quite frankly that there is at the same time too. I hear people for example when I first to the industry, it feels like it was quite some time ago when point of sale was displacing cash registers in the industry. The innovation that’s happening in the markets today feels similar to what’s going on there. I’ve been a techie kind of all my life, I’ve been an entrepreneur, I love to innovate and that’s a little bit about what I’m here to do at Squirrel.
R: Listen, it’s been a pleasure. And it’s been a pleasure getting together with you now several times during the year as our Global industry partner member, and I look forward to spending a lot more time in the future and seeing where things go with Squirrel.
J: sounds good I appreciate you Rob.
R: Thank you, so Rob Grimes with the IFBTA and here in Squirrel Systems at the NRA show.
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