Hey, I’m Carl Poppa. I don’t usually spill my guts like this, but I figure if you’re here, you deserve to know why you should care about “F&B Tools” and what I’m all about. I’ve spent years tinkering with digital stuff - building websites, testing tools, and figuring out what actually works. I’m not some polished tech bro who loves networking events or Zoom calls. Nope. I’m an introvert who’d rather dig into a problem alone than clap for myself in public. And honestly, I’ve never been great at bragging - until now, I guess.

From 2006, I owned and ran a restaurant for 13 years. Concurrently, from 2012, I owned and ran a bakery for 7 years. I sold both to new owners in 2019, to pursue my other passion: software development. I’ve also launched and run a handful of projects that quietly made waves. Nothing billion-dollar flashy, but enough to know what small businesses - especially restaurants - need to survive the chaos.

We’re talking sites and systems that pulled in steady traffic and real revenue, usually with me as the one-man band and maybe a freelancer or two. I’ve probably saved more hours and headaches than I can count, mostly because I hate wasting time on crap that doesn’t deliver. That’s where “F&B Tools” comes from. It’s not just a directory - it’s my way of handing over the keys to the best digital tools I’ve found for small restaurants, so you don’t have to slog through the junk yourself.

You won’t find much about me out there because I don’t chase the spotlight. I’ve never been on a podcast circuit or begged for LinkedIn likes. But I’ve been in the game long enough to know what’s gold and what’s garbage. I’ve seen restaurant owners drown in bad software or get burned by overpriced “solutions” that solve nothing. My biggest win? Probably cutting through that noise to find the stuff that actually helps - the content schedulers, the ordering systems, the marketing hacks that don’t cost an arm and a leg. I’ve made a living doing this for myself, and now I’m here to share it.

Why restaurants? Because they’re the underdogs I root for. Small F&B spots are scrappy, chaotic, and usually run by people who care more about their food than their tech stack. I get that. I’m not here to sell you a dream - I’m here to give you tools that work, plain and simple. No fluff, no hype, just results. I’ve probably tested more platforms than you’ve had hot meals, and I’ve narrowed it down to the ones that won’t let you down.

This isn’t about me getting famous. It’s about you succeeding. If “F&B Tools” helps one restaurant owner sleep better at night - or better yet, make more money without losing their mind - I’m good. Stick around, poke through the directory, and let’s get your place running smarter. I’ll be over here, quietly cheering you on.