Junior Mints Are the Iceberg of the Titanic of Concessions | JJMW #477

JJ walks through how he unexpectedly became the concessions mastermind for a high school theater production—and what running a real concession stand actually teaches you about marketing, pricing, psychology, and human behavior.

The conversation breaks down why movie theater popcorn works, how scent and presentation drive impulse purchases, and why simplicity in pricing moves lines faster. JJ explains how he designed a concessions setup that felt intentional, handled cash flow and card payments, optimized inventory night-to-night, and accidentally sparked a turf war with another concessions operation in the same building.

Along the way, the episode touches on advertising psychology, branding instincts, crowd flow, impulse buying, volunteer logistics, and how small operational choices—tablecloths, lighting, smell, signage—change the way people perceive value. It's a practical, funny case study in applied marketing, retail fundamentals, and the unintended consequences of doing something too well.

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