“The New Normal is the New Era in Business, with unprecedented opportunities.”
Steve Karfaridis
San Juan Capistrano, CA92675
Contact Cell# 949-***-****
Email ***********@*****.***
HIGHLIGHTS
*Took a business from 2 locations to 50 nationally and internationally, achieving top line annual revenue of nearly $80MM.
*Achieved positive comps and profitability, for nearly 3 consecutive decades
*Developed, Motivated and Retained management teams for decades
*Reduced labor and production costs by double digits
*Created entire Ops and Franchising Training Documentation
*Introduced technology with a ROI of 6 months
*Instrumental is Real Estate site and location selection
*Successfully negotiated several contracts with vendors, resulting in multi-thousands in savings. SUMMARY
Experienced C Level Officer/Director with demonstrated history of success in the hospitality space for over 3 decades.
Proven strong leadership, winning team building and strategic planning skills resulting in decades of positive comp sales growth and profitability.
Instrumental in helping create a successful Brand and Franchise enterprise nationally. Very extensive technology knowledge and the ability to leverage it to achieve efficiencies in labor, consistence, and profitability.
Deep Operations experience with thorough understanding of critical operating metrics and KPIs. Instrumental in designing Powerful Management Systems and processes resulting in consistent long-term growth and bottom-line success.
Deeply involved in the ideation and creation of uber effective, highly focuses and successful Branding and Marketing strategies.
Strong Franchise development skills and ability to connect deeply with owners/operators, communicate effectively and maintain superb relationships with them and their teams. Passionate and deeply knowledgeable about Product Development, have been personally involved in the conception, design and roll out of dozens of successful and highly profitable products. Available to collaborate, consult or be employed in your end to end operational and business development needs. Let me do the difficult and tedious work for you and lead your team to even greater success. EXPERIENCE
Food tech and production lead at Amazon Fresh
February 2022 to presently
As a member of Amazon Fresh’s launch team I have successfully built a team that has executed flawlessly in one of Amazon’s most daring, advanced and highest tech ventures, the first JWO store in Orange county. We deployed the latest tech in all aspects of the business, which allows guests to digitally enter a store and Just Walk Out, thus skipping the check out line. To date, I have been instrumental in helping shape processes and procedures (SOPs), in all aspects of the business, including food production and presentation, store organization, associate training, development and retention, guest service excellence and product/inventory management for an operation that will surpass $10MM annually.
Consulting CEO/Board Director at Meatheads Burgers and Fries February 2019 to December 2021.
Successfully led a group of 12 restaurants through the most challenging part of the pandemic, increasing sales by 12% and profitability by 80%. Transitioned business to a successful sale. Through hands on Ops, HR, Marketing, and team building, managed to reduce costs and improve performance after a decade of challenging performance for the business. Introduced tech that increased sales and cut costs and improved guest service and relationships multifold. COO/Managing Partner/Franchise Development Officer at Wahoo’s. March 1990 to November 2021 (still a shareholder). Wahoo’s is a 31+ year iconic brand, that pioneered the fast casual concept in Southern California, in 1988, with now over 50 stores nationally and internationally. Was instrumental in establishing Wahoo’s as a super successful brand with cult following that continues to be so in Southern California, Nevada, Colorado and New Jersey. EDUCATION
Bachelor’s of Science, Business Management and Biological Sciences. 1980. Xerox sales course certified.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Guest Presenter for the U of Phoenix MBA program: Small Business survival in the 21st century course. Panelist on Nation’s Restaurant News Operational Excellence Forum.