In this episode, we sit down with Xavi Padrosa, co-founder and CEO of Teleferique Barcelona. A rapidly growing Spanish restaurant group with locations across Spain, California and Arizona. Known for authentic tapas, pinchos, paella and a hospitality experience designed to transport guests straight to Barcelona.

Before building Teleferique Barcelona, Xavi came to the United States as a teenager to pursue tennis, eventually staying in California for college after realizing a professional tennis career wasn’t in the cards. While his parents had already built a beloved restaurant in Barcelona, Xavi and his sister saw an opportunity to bring the concept to the U.S.

What started as a small 30 to 40 seat restaurant outside Barcelona turned into something much bigger after a real estate developer discovered Teleferique on his honeymoon and invited them to open in Walnut Creek, California. Despite having little restaurant experience, limited resources and no clear roadmap for U.S. expansion, Xavi and his family took the leap.

Today, Teleferique Barcelona has grown to 11 locations across multiple states with several restaurants generating millions in annual sales all while staying focused on authentic hospitality and Spanish culture.

In this episode, we talk about:
• Moving to the U.S. as a teenager to pursue tennis
• Taking over and modernizing the family restaurant business
• Opening the first Teleferique Barcelona location in Spain
• The unexpected honeymoon story that sparked U.S. expansion
• Raising money and opening the first U.S. location in Walnut Creek
• Adapting authentic Spanish cuisine for the American market
• Why many European restaurant concepts fail in the U.S.
• Scaling from one restaurant to 11 locations
• Managing rapid restaurant growth without private equity
• Why Xavi prioritizes balance over hyper growth
• How Ironman training changed his mindset as an entrepreneur

Whether you’re building a restaurant or scaling a hospitality brand, this episode is packed with practical lessons on adaptation, leadership and building something that lasts.

Resources & Links
Xavi Padrosa Email: xavi@telefericbarcelona.com
Telefèric Barcelona Website: https://www.telefericbarcelona.com/

Made possible by Signs and Mirrors, the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores.

Opening Soon Links & Resources
→ Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com
→ NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio
→ Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast
→ More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com
→ Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/

Andy Gottlieb is the founder of Sandwell. A New York City sandwich brand focused on serving healthy-ish sandwiches made with high quality proteins, fresh baked bread and simple ingredients. What started as a search for a sandwich he wanted to eat every day has grown into a restaurant brand serving hundreds of customers daily across multiple locations.

Before launching Sandwell and after studying finance preparing for a career in banking, Andy walked away from the industry to attend culinary school and pursue a career in restaurants. Over the next two decades Andy worked as a chef, helped build restaurant groups, managed hospitality real estate projects and eventually became CFO of a New York hospitality group.

From working under a former White House chef and recovering from life altering foot surgeries, to helping open restaurants across Washington D.C. and New York City, Andy shares the experiences that shaped his approach to hospitality. He discusses the realities of opening Sandwell, the lessons learned from growing the business and why creating a great customer experience matters just as much as creating great food.

Today, Sandwell serves hundreds of sandwiches per day across multiple New York City locations. Andy is building a restaurant brand designed to scale while staying true to the values that made it successful in the first place.

In this episode, we talk about:
• Why Andy walked away from a career in finance to attend culinary school
• Working under a former White House chef
• The foot injuries that unexpectedly changed his path
• Building restaurants, managing hospitality projects and becoming a restaurant CFO
• The inspiration behind launching Sandwell
• How Sandwell found its niche in the crowded sandwich market
• The economics of opening and operating a restaurant business
• Why hospitality matters as much as the food itself
• Growing from one location to multiple locations in New York City
• Using AI to improve marketing, operations and customer acquisition
• Building a sustainable restaurant brand without relying on viral moments

Resources & Links
Sandwell Website: https://www.getsandwell.com/
Sandwell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getsandwell/

Made possible by Signs and Mirrors, the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores.

Opening Soon Links & Resources
→ Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com
→ NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio
→ Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast
→ More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com
→ Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/

Liam Hyde is the founder of Clubhouse Golf. A premium indoor golf simulator concept in New York City that officially opened in April 2026. Designed as a 24/7, self-service golf experience, Clubhouse Golf is rethinking what indoor golf can look like.

Before launching Clubhouse Golf, Liam spent years working in tech sales at companies like Salesforce and MuleSoft. While building a successful career in software, he always knew he wanted to create something of his own. After noticing major gaps in New York City’s indoor golf scene and becoming frustrated with the lack of accessible options, Liam decided to leave the corporate world and bet on himself.

From touring nearly 50 spaces across New York City and negotiating leases as a first-time operator, to personally spackling walls at 2am and helping build out the entire space himself, Liam shares the realities of launching a new business. He navigated permitting delays, HVAC negotiations, construction setbacks and the challenge of bootstrapping a $250K–$300K buildout with limited outside investment.

With a private atmosphere, 24-hour access and a neighborhood focused membership model, Clubhouse Golf is building a new kind of golf experience while laying the foundation for expansion across New York and beyond.

In this episode, we talk about:
• Why Liam left Salesforce and MuleSoft to start Clubhouse Golf
• The inspiration behind launching Clubhouse Golf
• Touring nearly 50 locations to find the right space
• Negotiating leases and convincing landlords as a first-time founder
• HVAC setbacks, permitting delays and construction challenges
• Bootstrapping a $250K–$300K buildout with limited outside funding
• How Clubhouse Golf’s 24/7 self-service business model works
• Using AI to build custom software and improve operations
• The zero-interest lending resource that helped fund the business
• Lessons learned from launching a physical business for the first time

Resources & Links
Clubhouse Golf NYC Website: https://www.clubhousegolf.nyc/
Clubhouse Golf NYC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clubhousegolf.nyc/
Hebrew Free Loan Society Website: https://hfls.org/

Made possible by Signs and Mirrors, the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores.

Opening Soon Links & Resources
→ Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com
→ NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio
→ Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast
→ More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com
→ Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/