Hungry for Info
Matthew Miller and Jeff Watkins
Informera
www.informera.com
Dallas, TX
Founded: 2004
Ages: 25 and 24, respectively
While on "the blind date from hell," Miller came up with the idea for a video screen that updates restaurant patrons on how long their wait will be.
He and Watkins, classmates at Brigham Young University, founded the company just a year ago and are now operating in 20 restaurants, with trial runs also in Outback Steakhouse and Ruby Tuesday.
Their proprietary software lists wait times on flat-screen TVs and also features news updates, trivia, and sports scores. Informera makes its money from third-party advertising displayed on the screens, while the restaurants get a free service for customers that also helps them drive same-store sales, thanks to assorted menu items spotlighted on the screens.
Lesson learned:
"There's no substitute for determination, hard work, and a good idea."
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