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Where Are They Now? Catching up with the Founders of Wingstop

Wednesday, 04 October 2023 07:30 AM

One Life Radio

DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / October 4, 2023 / Wingstop, the popular international chain of restaurants known for its mouthwatering chicken wings and flavorful sauces, has come a long way since its inception. The brand's success story owes much to its founders, Antonio Swad and Bernadette Fiaschetti.

Their story actually began in 1986 with the opening of their first restaurant concept, Pizza Patron, in Dallas, TX. The popularity of the pick-up only pizza chain produced the revenue the couple needed to open the first Wingstop location in Garland, Texas, with a vision of serving the best chicken wings in the Lone Star State.

"It took about a year to create all the wing sauces from our home kitchen in Sunnyvale, TX," says Fiaschetti, "We set up a commercial fryer in our backyard and held wing testing parties that sometimes lasted until 4am. At the time, we were building our first restaurant concept, Pizza Patron, and we wouldn't get home until after midnight. The long hours didn't matter because we were young and excited to develop our menu and perfect the sauces and fries which would become the signatures of Wingstop."

The couple's passion for great food and dedication to customer service quickly paid off. Wingstop's unique take on chicken wings-cooked to order and tossed in a variety of delicious sauces-quickly captured the hearts and taste buds of diners. The concept took flight and Swad and Fiaschetti started rapidly adding new locations.

By the late 1990s, Swad and Fiaschetti had started franchising the brand, spreading its wings across the United States. While Wingstop expanded, Fiaschetti and Swad's passions grew in different directions and they made the difficult decision to sell the company and parted ways a few years later.

While Swad continued in the restaurant industry, Fiaschetti immersed herself in the world of health and wellness, founding Adrift Float Spa, the first sensory-deprivation float spa in Dallas, TX. For the next seven years, Adrift was a haven for relaxation and rejuvenation, offering a unique sensory experience through floatation therapy. Her experience with floating led her to a recurring guest spot on a local health radio show, sharing her knowledge about sensory deprivation, among other wellness topics. It was then she realized her true passion was helping people to live longer, healthier lives through education.

Her passion to help others didn't go unnoticed, leading her to accept an offer to launch her own show, One Life Radio. The first broadcast aired on August 9, 2011, from the iHeartMedia studios on legacy station KFXR 1190AM Talk Radio. Fiaschetti quickly became a trusted source for health information, inspiration, and motivation. Countless listeners tune in every Monday through Friday to hear leading health experts as they share their knowledge on nutrition, fitness, mental health, sustainable living and Bernadette's other passion - animals.

One Life Radio has gained a loyal following due to Bernadette's genuine passion for holistic health and well-being as well as her ability to engage one-on-one with leading experts and thought leaders around the world. Through the show, she provides valuable insights, practical advice, and a platform for discussing the latest trends and discoveries in health and wellness, while stressing the need to protect our medical freedom. Today, One Life Radio is considered to be one of the few leading sources of truth on mainstream media.

Through One Life Radio, Fiaschetti has garnered partnerships with several like-minded and ground-breaking companies who share her passion for helping others including Enviromedica, makers of the award-winning probiotic, Terraflora, Children's Health Defense, the children's advocacy non-profit watch group founded by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Cardio Miracle, formulated to support healthy levels of nitric oxide for heart health.

Swad remained in the restaurant industry for several more years. He has always been an advocate of federal legalization of cannabis, and in 2023 he partnered with Jerry "J-Man" Joyner, the host of the weekly Weed-and-Whisky News. Together they formed J and A Consumable Products, redefining the market with the recent launch of their flagship product, Buck'A Buzz, a 5-pack of 10mg THC gummies retailing for $5.00, and winner of the "BEST NEW PRODUCT of 2023" by the trade publication, Convenience Store News. They were in good company with other award winners including Anheuser-Busch and Hershey. According to Swad, two new products are in development and will be released soon.

"The convenience store industry is going to have a seismic shift in their attitude towards legal THC. When they do, we will have an entire pallet of well-branded products for them to offer their customers," claims Swad.

The story of Wingstop's founders, Antonio Swad and Bernadette Fiaschetti, is a testament to the power of passion, dedication and hard work. Even though they pursued different paths after their joint success, they remain friends to this day, co-parenting their two daughters, Vincenza and Antonia. They still consult each other regularly about their entrepreneurial endeavors. Fiaschetti was a huge supporter of Swad's bid for a congressional seat in 2022, interviewing him several times on her show during his campaign.

Their story is one of resilience, perseverance, and an unwavering belief that anyone can make a significant difference in the lives of many.

As Swad looks forward to expanding his company and product lines, Fiaschetti continues to inspire and educate with her radio show. Both are shining examples of the positive impact one can have on the world by pursuing a purpose-driven life.

About One Life Radio

One Life Radio is a daily, live radio talk show and podcast hosted by Dallas entrepreneur, Bernadette Fiaschetti. For the past 12 years, One Life Radio has been at the forefront of the holistic health movement featuring daily content focused on education, transparency, compassion and understanding. Their live show airs every Monday through Friday from noon-1pm CST on KFXR Talk Radio 1190AM in Dallas, Texas and via streaming on iHeart.com. Each episode is rebroadcast at 1pm PT on KMET ABC News Talk 1490AM/FM98.1 in Southern California, on oneliferadio.com and on all popular podcast apps.

Contact:

Marie Earley
One Life Radio
469-774-5319
[email protected]
www.oneliferadio.com

SOURCE: One Life Radio

Topic:
Company Update
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