A Taste Of Entrepreneurship
with Nick Pihakis
Written by Cat Nakos
There is a fine line between Valuable lessons Pihakis says he learned during his tenure include: Entrepreneurs however are great leaders, willing to take calculated risks to grow and take responsibility for their decisions. They learn every aspect of their trade giving them the confidence to be responsible for themselves and others. type of goal is usually synonymous with an entrepreneur. This didn’t happen overnight. In 1985, Nick and his father, the late Jim Pihakis, founded the renowned Jim N Nick’s BBQ, in Birmingham, Alabama. It wasn’t the beginning of his restaurant career nor the end. Most people prefer to work for a paycheck and benefits for security for themselves and their families. As an employee they will do what they’re hired to do even if it means doing mundane jobs. They may be independent thinkers but don’t want to take the risk financially nor be responsible for every decision made. This thinking presents an obstacle to fulfilling their passion and to creating generational wealth.
arrogance and confidence. When you’re arrogant you listen to yourself. When you’re confident you are open to learn from others. Never read your own press…no matter how good you are, you must keep learning Stay confident in your ability and stay HUMBLE People make your success. “I love developing and leading people,” says Pihakis Keep your Investor/bank happy Keep your employees happy…if they’re happy the customer and investor are happy Treat customers right… people who believe in you invest money, time and buy your product
Nick Pihakis is tantamount with Bellwether as defined by dictionary.com, “a person or thing that assumes the leadership or forefront of a profession or industry.” Anyone who has ever eaten at a Nick Pihakis restaurant will agree, the man knows food and knows how to develop and sustain a successful and profitable restaurant. At the age of 15, Nick was passionate about the food business, a risk taker and an independent thinker. That combination led him at 19 to a job with a small but successful Italian restaurant. Determined to learn the business from the bottom up, he did everything from the dishes to mopping the floor. He ultimately became “the world’s best bartender” and managed that bar. He excelled at customer service so when his car was stolen, his regulars tipped him so well he was able to restore his gutted car he found. He spent 8 years learning his trade. His reward was to manage and organize a business he was passionate about no matter the risk. This
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Pihakis lives by a philosophy for all; he calls the ART of the business: Appreciate
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