A Little Bit of Everything. A Lot About People.

Hi, I'm Joann Jen. I'm a founder, former CMO, and global restaurant executive who's spent more than 20 years helping businesses grow, understanding what makes customers come back, and bringing good people and ideas together.

My career has taken me across food, hospitality, technology, and investment, from some of the world's largest restaurant brands to founders building something from scratch. I've always been curious about how businesses work, why people make the choices they do, and what we can learn when we look beyond our own industries.

Along the way, I've worked at PwC, led global customer experience and digital initiatives across Burger King, Tim Hortons, and Popeyes at Restaurant Brands International, and served as Chief Marketing Officer at inKind, helping scale a business connecting restaurants with capital and customers. Those experiences taught me that growth isn't just about marketing or technology. It's about understanding the customer, making the economics work, and knowing how to turn a good idea into something sustainable.

Today, through Topi Ventures, I work with founders, operators, and leadership teams on growth strategy, customer experience, partnerships, and new opportunities. I also created Topi Topics to bring chefs, restaurateurs, founders, investors, and technologists together to share ideas, challenge assumptions, and learn from one another. Some of my favorite conversations happen when people who see the world differently find themselves at the same table.

I've always been the person who says, “You two need to meet.” Sometimes I know exactly why; other times, I just have a feeling they'll hit it off. I genuinely enjoy learning what people are building, what they're excited about, and what they're figuring out along the way. Some of the most meaningful relationships and opportunities in my life started with conversations that had no particular agenda.

I'm also a 2026 Tory Burch Foundation Fellow, an advisor, and someone who's just as happy talking restaurant economics and emerging technology as I am discovering a great neighborhood restaurant. I'm based in Seattle, spend plenty of time in New York, and rarely turn down an opportunity to explore somewhere new.

This site is a collection of what I'm thinking about, what I'm learning, and the people, places, and ideas that keep me curious. Glad you're here.