Franchise Update Magazine Issue III, 2015 | Page 14

BY KERRY PIPES

ceoprofile

CHIEF VIBE OFFICER

Which Wich’s Jeff Sinelli brings a unique approach to leadership

J

eff Sinelli likes to be called CVO—
as in chief vibe officer. It may
seem slightly irreverent, but the
founder and CEO of Which Wich is not
your ordinary leader. You won’t catch him
wearing a suit at headquarters or when
visiting stores, but instead donning the
brand’s black-and-yellow colors.
His leadership and unique approach

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NAME: Jeff Sinelli
TITLE: Founder, CEO, and Chief Vibe Officer
COMPANY: Which Wich Superior
Sandwiches
UNITS: 400
AGE: 47
FAMILY: Wife, Courtney; 2 daughters, Story,
6 and Sky, 3; yellow Lab, Moonlight

allowed him to enter a busy sandwich
sector and differentiate his way straight
to success. “We took on a crowded market,” says Sinelli. “We took ordinary sandwiches and made them extraordinary. We
did it in two ways: with the unique and
interactive ordering system, and with
the product itself. We also stepped it
up with superior service. We elevated
the sandwich, the experience, and the
environment.”
Success is not new to Sinelli. By the
age of 40 he’d founded three restaurant
concepts. In 1998 he launched Genghis
Grill, a chain of Mongolian barbecue
restaurants, before selling it and creating
Which Wich in 2003. Both brands have
been recognized with the Hot Concepts
award from Nation’s Restaurant News.
Now 47, Sinelli has shown he has a
knack for turning risks into success. He
credits his understanding of the hospitality industry to his father, who owned two
sports bars in the Detroit area. Following college in 1994, he headed to Dallas
and cut his teeth developing a number
of successful independent restaurants,
bars, and nightclubs before deciding to
focus on national concepts.
Now, some 20 years later, he’s the
visionary behind the popular Which
Wich brand, which opened its first store
in 2003 in downtown Dallas. The company has been selling franchises since
2005 and demand remains high. Which
Wich has grown to 400 locations open
or in development in 38 states and 8
countries and has continued to rack up
awards and recognition. In 2014, it was
named a Best Franchise Deal by QSR
and one of the 30 Best Franchises To
Buy from Forbes.
But don’t expect Sinelli to sit back
and enjoy his success. “I don’t consider
this work. I consider this play. And I am
only getting started,” he says.

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