Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue III, 2014 | Page 46

2014 MVP AWARDS
tionality, and a sense of ownership for the store managers.
“This has been the driving factor behind our cost controls
and the real engine for our growth,” he says. “No organization can survive without great unit managers, especially in a
multi-unit, multi-brand, multi-state setting.”
A family man and philanthropist, Lutfi, who has added
more than 100 units in the past 5 years, is still not done growing his 160-unit organization. He plans to continue moving
ahead with each of his brands, and is looking forward to a
time when his company will have developed the necessary
experience to buy a brand and become a franchisor. “Our
biggest challenge as we get larger and more spread out is
how to maintain our culture of family atmosphere and enjoy
the collaboration that we’ve enjoyed for so many years.”

MANAGEMENT
Business philosophy: Under promise and over deliver repeatedly.
Management method or style: Tell the truth and encourage others in
the company to do the same.
Greatest challenge: It is difficult for me to give up on people, so I am
often too slow to fire.
How do others describe you? Truthful and caring as a human being,
but hard-working and committed as a businessman.
How do you hire and fire, train and retain? We are committed to
promoting from within and have had great success in maintaining minimum
turnover because of it. I was given opportunities to grow by others who mentored me, and I wish to do the same for the very best of our team members.
Retaining people is easy for us because we are respectful and appreciative of
our extended family members. Best hiring is when someone is recommended
by our best employees.

BOTTOM LINE
Annual revenue: Prefer not to say.
2014 goals: $240 million.
Growth meter: How do you measure your growth? By revenue
dollars, but also how we affect the lives of our employees for the better.
Vision meter: Where do you want to be in 5 years? In 10
years? We certainly wish to grow with each of the brands, but we hope that
we will have developed the necessary experience to buy a brand and become
a franchisor. We also wish to expand our commercial real estate portfolio.
What are you doing to take care of your employees? I have
been fortunate to have had the best employers during my career who have
taken the time to mentor me and teach me along the way. Several of our
past employees have moved into ownership and a couple of them have had
major successes in our space. I believe that an employer can best take care
of employees by providing for growth opportunities and mentoring them to
overcome fears and challenges so they’re prepared for their own story to be
written.
What kind of exit strategy do you have in place? We are most
focused on teaching the next generation to care for and grow our organization. I really do not think of it as an exit strategy since it is a family business
and our obligation is to protect it for future generations.

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MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE IS S UE III, 2014

PERSONAL
Formative influences/events: I have been fortunate enough to have
been mentored by some of the very best in the business, but my parents and
older siblings deserve the credit for their influence and confidence in me.
Key accomplishments: Being happily married for 30 years with a wonderful family.
Work