I’m jealous of anyone who attended Ohana Festival (or reads this while trying to walk out tonight). Send me pics! Maybe the hangovers explain the light OC tech events activity this week.
Today’s Tech:OC profile is Michael Caito. He and two partners started Restaurants on the Run with $6k before DoorDash existed, scaled it to $40M and 600 people across 10 markets, sold to Grubhub, then bought the coaching firm that helped him get there.
👋 Hi, I’m Taylor, a SaaS founder in Capo Beach. I started Tech:OC to follow the local tech scene after moving here from NYC. Reply with OC tech news, events, or to shout out your fav coffee spot!
👋 Tech:OC Profile: Michael Caito
Michael Caito · CEO, MAP Consulting · former EO Global Chairman
LinkedIn
What do you actually do now, in one sentence a non-tech person would understand?
MAP helps companies scale their people and their organization by implementing accountability. We've also found that 85% of managers are promoted without training. We train those managers how to lead and create high-performance teams through management fundamentals.
What's something you've built, here or before, that you're proud of?
Our first company, Restaurants on the Run, before DoorDash existed. It was a new business model. We had to sell clients on something they weren't used to, and on trusting three college kids.
What would you never hand over to AI?
Gut or instinct. Data can take you so far, but there are times when AI won't see the context of the situation like we do. That's where our gut comes in.
Who/what in OC has been unusually helpful in building the business, and how?
My coach Lee Froschheiser from MAP Consulting. He helped get the company aligned through implementing accountability. That's why I bought MAP after selling ROTR. I believe in the system.
Where do you meet other founders or tech people in OC?
I've found the best place to meet founders, CEOs, and entrepreneurs to be EO and YPO.
What's a great spot in OC for a coffee or happy hour?
Renaissance Clubsport in Aliso Viejo. Great people working on their businesses in a healthy environment.
In partnership with
🗓️ Upcoming OC Tech Events
Wed, Sept 30 · CPG Founders Happy Hour: Primary Funding, Laurel's Coffee, and Kanbar Digital at Chapter One
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm · Chapter One, Santa Ana
Thu, Oct 1 · EcoVG Irvine Investment Summit: Startup Pitches, Family Office Panel, and Investor Deal Flow
12:00 pm - 6:00 pm · The Cove at UCI, Irvine
Thu, Oct 1 · Fun one: Orange County Whiskey (and more!) Festival
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm · Lakeshore Towers, Irvine
Thu, Oct 1 · Orange County DesignConnect 2026: IIDA Designer Networking Night
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm · AV Irvine, Irvine
Thu, Oct 8 · Arduino & Raspberry Pi Meetup: OC Electronics Makers Project Share at Urban Workshop
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm · Urban Workshop, Costa Mesa
Sat, Oct 10 · Inclusive and Neurodiverse Coding Festival 2026: Microsoft CAO Neil Barnett, NASA JPL Accessibility Panel, and Student AI Projects
9:00 am - 5:00 pm · UCI Division of Continuing Education, Irvine
Sat-Sun, Oct 10-11 · Micro Biz Launchpad Weekend: AI & No-Code MVP Build with Mark Tacconelli (EvidaraIQ)
8:30 am - 5:00 pm · Entrepreneur Center, Orange
📡 OC Tech and Fun News
🚗 Worth the Drive
Mon, Sept 28 · 2026 Long Beach Tech Week Kick-Off: SBA Recognition and City CEO Panel
4:30 pm - 7:00 pm · Long Beach Accelerator, Long Beach
Mon, Sept 28 · AI FinTech VC Panel: Alpha Edison, Wedbush Ventures, Innovent Capital, and Fika on the Next $80B
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm · Santa Monica
Mon, Sept 28 · Grok Bot Meetup: LA Founders & Creators Co-Working and Demo Night
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm · Los Angeles
Fri, Oct 2 · Applied AI Hackathon at Law-di-gras: Build AI for Personal Injury Firms ($5K Prize Pool)
8:00 am - 7:30 pm · Rancho Bernardo Inn, San Diego
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Until next week,
Taylor Trusty @ Tech:OC