Pivoting a BBQ Business | Kell Phelps | Barbecue News Magazine

The Smoking Hot Confessions BBQ Podcast

In the world of competition barbecue, Kell Phelps of the Barbecue News Magazine is a man who’s seen it all. Since 1990, Kell and his family have been documenting the competition BBQ scene in their magazine. From their HQ in Georgia, there is nary a BBQ contest that they haven’t been to, including Memphis in May and the American Royal BBQ Competition. They not only report on the barbecue competition, they also have articles on who’s who in the BBQ scene, trends in the BBQ industry, product reviews and of course many a delicious recipe to satisfy any meat eater. There is even a regular column which features a different BBQ podcast every month!

In the 31 years that the magazine has been in print, Kell and his staff have seen every rise and fall in competition BBQ and and every trend come and go in the wider BBQ business industry. He’s also seen many things that he’s had to overcome in his own BBQ business, such as the so-called ‘death’ of print media, and the rise of digital media. But Kell is not the kind of man to shrink from facing adversity. Rather, he sees opportunity in every challenge, pivoting his business to ensure he stays up to date, current and relevant in the BBQ industry, despite the print media vs digital media battle.

In this full episode of the Smoking Hot Confessions BBQ Podcast, Kell and I get into:

• Why not even a tornado can keep Kell from a BBQ competition (3:58)
• What the hell is going on with the McRib? (7:53)
• How he got into BBQ (11:53)
• The origin of the Barbecue News Magazine (24:45)
• Pivoting in the face of the ‘death of print media’ (33:08)
• Kell’s 5 Tips for Better BBQ (44:16)

This episode of the Smoking Hot Confessions BBQ Podcast is proudly brought to you by our Podcast Partner, JAGRD Woodfired Smoker Ovens. If you’re looking for your next Barbeque, smoker or grill, be sure to check them out. They have a wide range of well-performing units available, and love doing custom work and commercial kit outs as well. Check out:

https://jagrdwoodfired.com.au

If you would like to become a Podcast Partner we’d love to hear from you. Send Ben an email at [e-mail] and let’s get that conversation started!

To get your free copy of 'The Beginners Guide to Real BBQ', including some smoked meat recipes, head to:

https://smokinghotconfessions.com