Terry and Jennifer Pham opened the first Fat Straws in 2002 and, despite a challenging economic climate, grew 15-20% each year. In 2007, Fat Straws launched its second store in north Dallas.
Even the 2008 recession didn't slow Fat Straws' continued growth, due in part to the Pham's focus on quality control, outstanding service, community-based marketing and an emphasis on strong relationships–with customers and employees.
Today, Fat Straws has reached a total store count of 4 locations and is looking to expand across the DFW area to bring "happiness in a cup" to even more thirsty customers.
Check out RestaurantOwner.com as mentioned in today's episode!
Check out Entrepreneur's Organization as mentioned in today's episode
Check out Indistractable by Nir Eyal as mentioned in today's episode!
Show notes…
Calls to ACTION!!!
Favorite success quote or mantra:
- "Failure is not tied to outcome, failure is not even trying."
In today's episode with Terry Pham we will discuss:
- Gaining regulars
- becoming a staple in your customer's day/life
- Go out of your way to show you care
- The importance of sensory details of a restaurant
- Communication and "bedside manner"
- Importance of a smile
- The intricacies of training
- Entrepreneur peer groups
- How to survive a recession
- Constant improvement
- Guerilla marketing
- Quality control
- Expansion and scaling
- Honesty and goodness as inherent in people
Today's sponsor:
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Knowledge bombs
- Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
- 5:30am accountability call Monday-Friday
- What is your biggest weakness?
- What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
- Wanting to know who they really are without trying to impress
- What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
- More competition now than when we started
- Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
- What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
- Having empathy for others
- What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
- What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
- Deep understanding of financials
- Name one service you've hired.
- What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations?
- If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
- Failure is not tied to outcome, failure is not try
- Don't be afraid to be fully-known; vulnerability
- Find peers and get help
Contact info:
terry@fatstraws.net
Instagram: @fatstraws
Facebook: @fatstraws
Thanks for listening!
Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you'd like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!
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Huge thanks to Terry Pham for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!
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