General Session / Sunday / October 5, 2025 / 5:00 PM

Perfect Pitch: Round 1

Following a global contest, several concepts have been selected to be part of The Perfect Pitch, which is three rounds this year.

Entrepreneurs will pitch their fast casual concepts to attendees and a panel of advisers who will quiz them about their growth plans and also give them advice.

Choosing a winner: Four founders will pitch their concepts during Round 1 with the audience selecting a winner. During round 2, four more will pitch their business plans, and the audience will vote for a winner. During round 3, those two winners will go head-to-head answering audience and adviser questions. The audience will vote for a final winner.

It’s our “nicer” version of “Shark Tank,” which means it’s all about helping small but innovative concepts get off the ground. The audience members will vote on their favorite pitch, and the winner will receive bragging rights (of course), a $3,500 prize, 6 months of free service with Ovation and a starring spot on the Fast Casual Frontrunners series to compete for a $200,000 investment from Savor.


ADVISERS

Paul Barron | Founder & CEO | Fast Casual Frontrunners
Cassie Ghaffar | Co-Founder | Saigon Hustle
Cassie Ghaffar, a native of Houston and dynamic businesswoman, has a diverse background in both science and business. While pursuing her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Houston, she simultaneously owned her own business in the nightclub industry and worked as a consultant for dental practices. Through these experiences, she gained expertise in business and marketing within the medical and healthcare industries. Cassandra joined ZT Wealth in 2009 and quickly aligned with the company's vision. In addition to her responsibilities in corporate marketing and events, she spearheaded the management and consulting for the dental division at ZT Wealth, drawing from her firsthand experience and passion for dentistry. She made an impressive mark in her career after climbing the corporate ladder as Senior VP of Marketing and Operations at ZT Wealth. Shortly after having a family, she embarked on a new entrepreneurial venture and focused her effects into becoming a franchisee of Amazing Lash Studio with six successful locations in Dallas and Austin.
Sandy Nguyen | Co-Founder | Saigon Hustle
Sandy Nguyen, a Houston native and first-generation Vietnamese, has achieved remarkable success as an entrepreneur. Graduating from the University of Houston with an accounting degree, she drew inspiration from her mother's entrepreneurial spirit to forge her own path. After successfully managing her initial restaurant startups for over a decade, Sandy redirected her focus toward scaling quick-service restaurants. In 2019, she co-founded Ordinary Concepts and introduced Saigon Hustle, Sunday Press, and Ginger Kale, all-day cafes that proudly showcase her Vietnamese heritage. Sandy firmly believes that food possesses the extraordinary ability to unite people. Her goal is to achieve a space where relationships can flourish, mirroring the bonds and friendships she has built throughout her years in the food and beverage industry. Her goal was to create a welcoming environment where people could experience meaningful connections and create lasting memories.
Zack Oates | Founder & CEO | Ovation
Zack Oates is an author, husband, father, entrepreneur, and hot tub aficionado (but not in that order, necessarily). He grew up in restaurants before getting into startups. He was voted Top 100 Entrepreneurs, rang the NASDAQ bell, won the world’s biggest business competition, has been to 50 countries, and started 3 companies. He went on over 1,000 dates before he got married and wrote a book, “Dating Never Works…Until it Does.” He currently is Founder and CEO of Ovation, the no. 1 restaurant feedback platform in America, voted Top 50 Most Influential Supplier by Nation’s Restaurant News, and host of “Give an Ovation: A Podcast for Restaurants.”
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