Startup Cafe: Building Craveable Brands with Lawrence Longo
☕️ Startup Cafe
Agenda
8:45 - 9:30 am • Coffee and Socialize
9:30- 10:30 am • Talk and Presentation
October 29th, 2025
About: Lawrence Longo
Lawrence Longo is a serial food and hospitality entrepreneur known for building bold, craveable restaurant brands with a strong emphasis on storytelling, community, and experience. Longo helped expand Prince St. Pizza from its New York origins into a multi-city brand with deep roots in both East and West Coast markets. He also revived the iconic burger stand Irv’s Burgers, transforming it into a “premium fast food” concept that honors the classic burger-stand ethos while adding modern flair.
Longo began his journey in food as founder and CEO of Off the Menu, a platform and concept focused on accessing hidden or exclusive menu items and unique dining experiences. He is also involved with other ventures such as Bar Next Door, Sparky’s Sports Bar, and a new ice cream concept called Hall Pass.
What sets Longo apart is his philosophy: simplicity, product obsession, and hospitality. He believes deeply in aligning partner agendas, tapping into local voices and micro-influencers, and ensuring every location preserves the soul of the original concept.
In recent years, Longo has aggressively scaled his brands, opening new Prince St. Pizza locations across the U.S and Canada, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Arizona, Dallas, and Chicago, while eyeing international growth. He continues to push the boundary between fast food and hospitality, striving to build brands that people love and return to.
About: Mike Schibel
Mike Schibel is the founder of Travel With Meaning, a platform dedicated to inspiring meaningful travel through storytelling and connection. A seasoned content creator, Mike has written for Uproxx, Rova, and is regularly featured in the Palisades Post. He has collaborated with premier destinations such as Visit Seattle, the Hawaiian Islands, Los Cabos, and Austria to create impactful campaigns that resonate with travelers.
Mike has been a featured speaker for Royal Caribbean’s guest series and was recognized as an ASAT Entrepreneur Finalist, a TBEX Top Podcast Nominee, and the Travel With Meaning Podcast has been named a Top 25 Travel Podcast by International Hospitality Institute.
ABOUT The KINN
The KINN is a membership network, accelerator, and collaborative workspace for conscious entrepreneurs, based in Venice, CA. Running tailored inner development and business accelerator programs for startups, providing executive coaching, accountability, and access to a top-tier LA-based community of entrepreneurs, creatives, intrapreneurs, and investors. If you're interested in learning more about KINN Membership, please visit http://thekinn.co/apply
About Startup Coil
Networking for innovators to connect with like-minded individuals, startups, and entrepreneurs. startupcoil.com
About Nerds of LA
Join Nerds of LA—where LA’s most innovative minds collide! We’re building the ultimate network by connecting with other powerhouse groups in the area, expanding our reach across the city. If you’re ready to link up with founders, VCs, AI visionaries, and innovators shaping the future, this is the group you’ve been looking for.
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Highlights from previous special guests
Building Businesses from the Heart with Lavinia Errico, Co-Founder of Equinox
How to Scale Consciously with Ryan Blair
Founder Mental Health Pledge with Brad Baum
Art Show with Denise Di Novi
Operating Incubators with Reuben Vollmer
Malibu Love Affair with Brigitte Londo
Live Through Love with Ruben Rojas
Finding Stillness with Henry Mitchell
Smarter with Science! with Science Stanley and Zen Zachary
The Science of Charisma: The 7 Secrets of Public Speaking with Richard Greene
Unveiling the Human Experience with Paul Vincent
Note: By attending this event, I hereby give my permission to the Horizon House LLC, their Releases, and to the photographer, my free and unlimited consent and permission to publish/broadcast, republish/rebroadcast or exhibit in the furtherance of their work, with or without identification of me by name, any photographs, videos or audios of myself, that have been obtained from my participation in KINN or Horizon Studio activities. I furthermore waive any and all claims for any compensation by reason thereof or for damages for reasons thereof.
Water Provided by Alive Water
Sourced from Opal Springs, a pristine volcanic aquifer in Oregon, this water is naturally alkaline, mineral-rich, and bottled in sacred glass to preserve its purity. Experience it the way nature intended.
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