Ty Wilson and James Tice took different professional routes, but both grew up in restaurants and understand hospitality at its core. Wilson spent his childhood working in his parents’ restaurants before moving into investment banking. Tice started in restaurants too before building a career in payments and technology. Their shared background gives them a deep understanding of the pressures operators face every day.
That experience is what led to Tab Commerce, a finance platform built for restaurants. During COVID, Wilson found himself working remotely from his family’s restaurant and saw the same problems he watched growing up. Paper invoices, handwritten checks, missing receipts, and zero visibility into spending. Operators were expected to manage complex businesses with outdated financial tools.
Sharing The Same Mission
Tice brought the other half of the equation. He had seen how money moved behind the scenes and understood why traditional financial products fell short for hospitality. When the two connected, they realized they shared the same mission: build financial tools that reflect how restaurants actually operate.
Today, Tab’s corporate card gives operators higher limits, flexible payment terms, proactive controls, and real-time visibility. It is designed to reduce stress, eliminate manual work, and support the flow of a hospitality business.
The Restaurant Finance Podcast
At Create in Nashville, Digital Hospitality encouraged Wilson and Tice to share their story more openly. What started as a push to get out of their comfort zone turned into a brand new project. The Restaurant Finance Podcast. A show where operators talk honestly about cash flow, margins, expenses, vendor terms, and the financial decisions that shape their business.
“Finance should help operators thrive,” Tice said. “Not keep them up at night.”
Guests quickly opened up during interviews. Many had never been on a podcast before, and for the first time, they were sharing the real stories behind their numbers. Wilson and Tice realized how many operators were eager for these conversations, not just for answers but for connection.
Clarity, Control, And Trust
Wilson and Tice believe restaurants deserve financial partners who understand the weight operators carry. Their shared background in hospitality keeps them grounded in the realities of the industry and pushes them to build tools that reduce stress instead of adding to it. They know that every financial decision affects real people, real teams, and real families. That is why they obsess over clarity, control, and trust.
For Wilson, it is about honoring the lessons he learned growing up in his parents’ restaurants. For Tice, it is about giving operators the kind of support he wishes he saw more of during his early days in hospitality. Together, they are committed to creating financial solutions that feel human, not transactional.
Tab Commerce Mission
Their mission is simple. Help operators run healthier businesses and create more room for the work they love. Tab Commerce is their way of giving back to the industry that shaped them. And with each conversation, each product improvement, and each operator they serve, Wilson and Tice are proving that finance can feel less like a burden and more like a partnership.
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