Peter Wynn Thompson for The New York Times Nick Sarillo thinks his back problems had something to do with the stress of trying to keep the doors open.Nick Sarillo's dad always warned him about the dangers of trying to manage more than one restaurant location.
In a Conversation we've just published, Mr. Sarillo talks about his efforts to build a small chain of Nick's Pizza and Pubs near Chicago. Unfortunately, while Mr. Sarillo focused on creating an innovative, community-minded culture for his restaurants, he lost track of his company's financials. He overborrowed and overbuilt, and when the economy turned he almost lost ev erything. Only an impassioned online plea to his customers kept the doors open.
The restaurants have survived, but the ordeal has taken a toll on Mr. Sarillo. “I've never been in this kind of situation,†he told Ian Mount, who interviewed him. “I've always made my payments, ever since I was 16 years old. So the responsibility at a personal level weighed heavily on me. So much so that - while I'm very athletic, I work out, I swim a lot - at the end of this, right around Labor Day, my back tightened up. I'd blown two disks in my back. I totally believe that had something to do with the stress I was holding.â€
Despite the stress, Mr. Sarillo said he still hopes to build more restaurants. He knows, however, that it's not going to happen soon.
Are you trying to grow your business? Have you asked yourself why?
