ceoprofile design for the company ’ s stores , featuring a sleeker design and family-friendly atmosphere . “ We want to create a new experience for consumers who want the sports experience , but don ’ t want it in a sports bar ,” he says . “ It ’ s not the traditional sports bar — the dark , masculine , fried food kind of concept .”
Providing great quality food , a unique restaurant atmosphere , building camaraderie in the corporate office , and fully supporting franchisees will remain a focus for Masadeh who says , “ That will continue to be our goal as we push toward reaching 100 units .”
Leadership
What is your role as CEO ? To me , being the CEO is about hiring the right talent and making sure they have all the tools needed to find success both personally and for the brand . I ’ m constantly working to find ways to continue to challenge the team . It ’ s my job and responsibility to make sure that our culture is strong and communicated clearly throughout the system , while maintaining the strong brand attributes that set us apart from our competition . I come into work every day hoping to lead by example , manage the problems that arise , and instill the same passion for the brand that motivates me in all of our team members .
Describe your leadership style . It is very much tied to servant leadership . I make sure that the role of CEO is not a selfserving title . You know how you can tell a bad company from the outside ? When you pull up to the door and the first parking spot has the owner ’ s name on it . I believe in leading by example and by setting your team up for success . It ’ s important to lay out a clear pathway for success , and then to guide your team along that path . My style is more about helping people achieve their goals or objectives . It ’ s working hard to guide my team to wins rather than staying in a bubble and looking out only for myself . I think that ’ s a recipe for success that works in any leadership position within an organization or team .
What has inspired your leadership style ? I try to take pieces from every leader I meet , and find new motivation in those whose leadership I respect and
“ I come into work every day hoping to lead by example , manage the problems that arise , and instill the same passion for the brand that motivates me in all of our team members .”
admire . I ’ ve always been inspired by a variety of different approaches to leadership through reading about innovative ways of guiding companies . I had a mentor when I first took on the CEO role with Buffalo Wings & Rings who was the retired CEO and chairman of LaRosa ’ s Family Pizzeria , a hugely successful legacy brand in our home city of Cincinnati . I learned so much about servant leadership from him , and have been able to adopt much of that style to my role as CEO .
What is your biggest leadership challenge ? Constantly looking for ways to create challenges and opportunities for the people on my team . An effective leader hires great people and then looks for ways to help them continue to develop and improve themselves . So I ’ m constantly looking to create challenging opportunities to give them the chance to shine , and to maintain the passion and excitement to drive the brand forward .
How do you transmit your culture from your office to front-line employees ? That ’ s another one of the biggest challenges we face in leadership . You ’ re only one person , so you just need to take it one person at a time . I have regular face-to-face meetings and check-ins with my executive management staff to maintain a positive relationship and an open line of communication . Beyond the corporate team , I have a variety of ways to maximize the time I can get in front of those who serve throughout the system . Our annual franchise conference is a great way to have great conversations with the franchise owners who are truly the backbone of the brand — and find out what ’ s working , what ’ s not , and how I can use my role and our resources to best lay out a plan for them to achieve the highest level of success . We ’ ve also invested a lot of time and money into technology and the digital space to increase our visibility with franchisees and employees at our locations across the U . S . We have produced videos to communicate the brand message , as well as consistently updating our “ My Buffalo ” platform with news and information to keep all of our restaurants in the loop . Any chance I get to talk about the culture and the brand , I ’ m all over it ! It ’ s one of my favorite elements of being the CEO . I never miss an opportunity to instill the culture and values of Buffalo Wings & Rings , whether it ’ s a multi-unit franchise owner , a cook in one of our restaurants , a vendor , or a supplier . Talk , talk , talk . That ’ s the best way to make sure that the culture reaches every level of the system .
Where is the best place to prepare for leadership : an MBA school or OTJ ? I personally believe that you need a combination of both to be a fully rounded leader . You can ’ t lead with just education , or with just experience . It has to be both . You need the intellectual training and schooling side , but you also need the trial-and-error on the job . After you earn your degree , your experience is going to be vastly different from those you graduate with — different industries , different companies , different goals , different regulations . So you need that experience piece to really thrive . The learning and the education works as your base . I truly believe you should constantly be a student in business and soak in as much new knowledge as you go , but you have to take that learning and adjust it to your own personal style . At the end of the day , they are both equally important .
Are tough decisions best taken by one person ? How do you make tough decisions ? Tough decisions are never best made by one person . Never . One person can never be objective enough to make tough decisions . I meet with the executive team on any decision I feel will have a significant impact on the system , and when we meet , majority rules . If it ’ s evenly divided , then it ’ s up to me to make the decision and
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