Strategic Hospitality & Entertainment Consulting and Business Advisory Services
Transform Your Vision into Reality
Since 2016, The 517 Group has been the catalyst for success in a broad range of investment and business groups, focusing primarily on Hospitality and Entertainment ventures across the nation. With over 70 years of combined industry expertise, we transform challenges into economically advantageous opportunities through strategic planning and strategic preparation.
Our Approach
Our experience has proven that success rests on the shoulders of thorough planning and genuine collaborative partnerships. We bring deeply rooted consumer and business-to-business expertise.
We have worked with iconic brands in sectors ranging from public and private restaurant companies, private equity firms, and entertainment organizations. Initiatives surrounding stakeholder alignment, supply chain, crisis management, internal relations, and organizational structure are all solved through communication and planning.
Services That Drive Growth
Intelligence Assessment
- Assess organizational capacity vs. the competitive landscape
- Access industry network
- Connect with industry related decision makers and influencers
- Create actionable pathways
Strengthen Brand Relevance and Resilience
- Create plans to achieve investor/private equity expectations
- Develop, articulate, and communicate crisis management initiatives as necessary
- Leverage supply chain network and optimize product availability, inventory, and pricing
Operational Excellence
- Craft and articulate, clear, crisp, and effective communication as to business mission, objectives, initiatives, timelines, and assignments
- Define roles and responsibilities
- Streamline processes for maximum efficiency
Align Stakeholders
- Create mechanisms to nurture all constituencies
- Manage the natural tension that is inherent in complex organizations such as Franchisor / Franchisee relations.
- Implement brand standards and systems in order to maximize predictable unit-level and corporate economics
Meet Our Leadership
Kori Langford
CEO & Founder
Kori Langford is a transformative leader and has extensive experience in the hospitality and entertainment space with over twenty-five years in the industry. Langford has experience with multiple organizations ranging from independent restaurants, large suppliers supporting national brands, as well as large multi-unit restaurant chains, including franchised organizations, and entertainment brands. Langford is a highly experienced executive with involvement in brand, marketing, hospitality, operations, holistic concept development, as well as leadership development, supply chain oversight, and strategic alignment. She has served as a brand consultant to senior leadership teams in multiple brands. Notable brands include Denny’s, O’Charley’s, Village Inn, Chairmans Foods, and Nolan Ryan Brands. Langford also has extensive experience working with private equity.
Langford holds both her undergraduate degree (BS—Human and Organizational Development) and master’s degree (M.Ed.—Organizational Leadership) from Vanderbilt University. Langford utilizes a strategic approach to address complex brand and turnaround situations. Langford is active on many local boards with experience as chairman, as well as serving as an adjunct professor of organizational leadership for Union University. Langford also founded and operates a fresh fast casual restaurant located in Hendersonville, TN, Myers’ Front Porch.
Education
- Vanderbilt University, BS Human and Organizational Development
- Vanderbilt University, M.Ed. Organizational Leadership
Bob Langford
Senior Advisor
Bob Langford delivers a balance of operational excellence and real world compliance in approaching a competitive and constantly evolving business environment. He inspires others with practical and learned principles such as ‘Exaggerated Repetitive Excellence’ and ‘See The Good’! Langford, an Attorney and Tennessee Rule 31 Listed Mediator, has been active in federal, state and local government law having served as the 5th District Congressional Legal Counsel, the lead Metro Government Legislative Liaison/ Lobbyist and on the board and task forces of the Foodservice and Lodging Institute ( the predecessor to a number of organizations active in the promotion and defense of national hospitality issues).
Langford is a multi-channel entrepreneur and multi-unit restaurant executive having owned and/or operated 12+ different concepts ranging from fine and casual dining to two 1500+ family dining and fast casual seafood chains.
Langford has extensive experience managing public and private corporate governance, addressing franchise systems as franchisor and franchisee. He also has extensive experience in meeting the performance and reporting needs of Private Equity funds. Skilled in crisis management, Langford is often called upon to create strategies in which a cohesive environment can be developed.
Langford is active in his community with his family and serves as advisor to multiple music industry performers and executives as well as working with publicly traded companies and their leadership teams.
Education
- Middle Tennessee State University, BS Economics
- Nashville School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence
WHY PARTNER WITH US
Proven
Expertise
Deep industry knowledge spanning decades
Strategic Focus
Solutions tailored to your specific opportunities and challenges
Connected Network
Access to key industry relationships
Hands-On Experience
Real- world ownership and operational insight
Partner With Experts Who Deliver Results
Ready to take the next step in transforming your business? Our tailored solutions and industry expertise are designed to help you achieve measurable success and sustainable growth.
Let’s discuss how we can work together.
