Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue IV, 2016 | Page 16

D OM I N A T O R S
taurant management. After two years of
working in a restaurant, he was ready to
open his own. “I knew little to nothing
about franchising, but I put a business plan
together and, with no equity, walked into
a bank. You can just imagine the looks I
got. It was a nice, short meeting,” he says.
Family friend Mickey Schulman,
whose daughter had married Penn Station founder and CEO Jeff Osterfeld,
was opening a Penn Station restaurant
in Cincinnati and his manager “flaked.”
He sold Chinsky the store, backing him
financially just as a bank would. It was the
seventh store in the new system.
“Mickey, who eventually became my
partner, and his wife Phyllis taught me
everything I needed to know—what taxes
to pay, when they were due, what forms
to use. I knew the restaurant side and
what people wanted, but I had no clue
on the business side. I had to learn it,”
says Chinsky.
“I was very fortunate. I was given a great
opportunity, but I knew I had to make it
work, make it a success. I’m a self-starter,
and my dream was to hit $100,000 by age
30. I did that, and my next goal was seven
figures, and so on. I got my work ethic
from my dad, who never owned his own
business. My ambition came from seeing
how hard he worked for someone else.”
In 1993, Chinsky sold his Cincinnati
stores and moved to Indianapolis at Os-

“If you help enough
people get what they
want, you will get
what you want.”
terfeld’s request to take over the corporate store there. He soon became owner
of that store and area rep for the region.
When he was ready to open a second store,
Schulman again co-signed. When Penn
Station decided to do multi-unit agreements, Chinsky and Schulman partnered
on a 12-unit deal. In 2010, he bought out
his partner and mentor.
In 2002, when Penn Station began its
Franchisee of the Year awards, the first
went to Chinsky. In addition, he’s served 10
years as president of the brand’s Franchise
Advisory Committee, and earlier this year
spent time in Washington, D.C., meeting
with senators and representatives about
franchising and small-business issues. “I’ve
become more interested in politics as I
see how it affects our businesses,” he says.
He and his restaurants are also active
in the community. He served on the board
of directors for the Indiana Restaurant &
Lodging Association, and he continues
to partner on promotions with the Indianapolis Colts.

After he opens his 18th store in 2017,
Chinsky plans to focus on improving all
the stores and continuing to grow sales.
While he still enjoys getting into the
kitchen and working alongside his employees every chance he gets, he doesn’t have
to do that any more unless he wants to.
“I’d like to travel more with my family,
and that may be possible because I have
two great operations directors, both of
whom have been with me for about 20
years,” he says. “I also have multiple GMs
who have been with me for 10 to 15 years,
so we have a great team. We work hard
and play hard.”
His most beloved and stalwart partner
is his wife Linda. “She’s a great partner,”
he says.“I was in business before I met
her and she actually moved with me, gave
up her company-car job, and moved in
with me without a ring. I feel blessed to
have her.”
Chinsky remains committed to Penn
Station. “From day one, when I got involved, I was sold on the overall simplicity
of the menu. It’s all about freshness—everything is made daily fresh on the grill.
I’m a true believer in the food. That’s why
I tell people I’m training and developing
to make it the way it’s supposed to be
made—follow the ops manual,” he says.
“It comes d own to customer service. If
customers have a memorable experience,
the food will be memorable.”

PERSONAL
First job: I worked in a Jewish deli a cousin owned.
Formative influences/events: My mentor is my old business partner,
Mickey Schulman. Without him I wouldn’t have been able to do this because
he backed me and believed in me to get started.
Key accomplishments: From a personal standpoint, marrying the right
person and having two kids. From a business perspective, owning my own
business.
Biggest current challenge: Staffing.
Next big goal: To travel more and open our next store.

What’s your passion in business? I like watching other people grow. I
have such longevity with many of my managers that I’ve been able to watch
them and their families grow up. My passion is helping them build their careers.
How do you balance life and work? I don’t think I had the balance at
the beginning, especially with my first 10 stores. As I built my support system,
one of our big management beliefs became to take care of each other and put
families first. We learned to find that balance together.

First turning point in your career: My mom suggested we look at Penn
Station when they started franchising.

Guilty pleasure: Food.

Best business decision: After 10 years in the business, I started building
a support system in 2000 by hiring my first operations director and a part-time
accountant.

Favorite movie: “The Shawshank Redemption.”

Hardest lesson learned: Life is short and you have to enjoy it.
Work week: Changes weekly, but averages 50 to 60 hours per week—and
I still love it. You love it or you hate it with restaurants. It’s not for everyone.
Exercise/workout: I play hockey twice a week and go to the gym twice
a week.

14

Best advice you ever got: If you help enough people get what they want,
you will get what you want.

Favorite book: Anything by Zig Ziglar.
What do most people not know about you? Not much. I’m a pretty
open book.
Pet peeve: People without a good work ethic.
What did you want to be when you grew up? A police officer.
Last vacation: I spent time in Central Oregon last summer with my family.
Person I’d most like to have lunch with: My wife.

MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE IS S UE IV, 2016

muf4_profile_chinsky(12,14,16).indd 14

10/6/16 4:56 PM