Jeff Fenster is the epitome of an entrepreneur. The Everbowl founder lived many lives before he started the acai bowl concept in 2016, launching and selling multiple companies. Then, like a true entrepreneur, he saw an opportunity in healthy eating. Fenster was passionate about acai bowls, and when he discovered that his local Smoothie King franchise was closing, he picked up the phone and called the landlord, signing the lease before he even had a brand name or menu.
Since then, Fenster has guided Everbowl's growth by creatively solving every challenge that has presented itself along the way. Case in point: When he grew frustrated with the cost and cumbersome pace of new unit construction, Fenster launched his own construction company, WeBuild, to help streamline the build-out of new Everbowl units.
Today, Everbowl has 100 locations open and counts current and former professional athletes like Jayson Tatum, Drew Brees, and Shaquille O'Neal among its investors.
Fenster joined the latest episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches to talk about how he's rethinking the standard way restaurateurs scale their businesses and why there's no replacement for hard work, determination, and love for what you do for a living.
In this conversation, you'll learn more about why:
As a restaurant leader, you should be a problem solver, not a problem seeker.
Your competition isn't necessarily in your category.
Streamlining your construction process could help you grow faster.
Every restaurant you open will teach you something about location and real estate.
The opportunities right in front of you are the catalysts for brand change.
If you love what you do and work hard toward your goals, you can be unstoppable.