How long have you been with Portillo's and what made you come work for us?
I have been with Portillo's for over 12 years now. Time has flown with all the different challenges and roles I have occupied! I came to Portillo's in 2012 when they happened to advertise there was an open manager position. They never had positions available back then in Chicago, as people came to work for us and stayed put! I had always admired the company while working for other brands and thought this might be the right time to give it a shot! I ended up getting the position and haven't looked back!
What do you love about Portillo's?
At the time I made the move to Portillo's, I had been working for larger companies that were extremely hard to be heard in. Individual voices didn't register, and the operational field wasn't consulted for input. At the time I came, Mr. Portillo still owned the company and always had a great interest into asking his leaders what would improve operations, what did our guests want and how did we take care of our teams? I knew this was something special as I had never encountered this elsewhere! I am a big believer in asking for input from the people decisions affect, so this methodology was in line with my way of thinking. The great news is that even after Mr. Portillo sold the company and we have had some evolution to the way we conduct our business, the leaders are still being polled for what works, what our guests want and how do we take care of our teams! This attentiveness to the field is a greater gift than can be described!
What was your first position here and what position did you get promoted to?
I have had a different career arc than most management; I trained in Chicago between Willowbrook and Bolingbrook as a Restaurant Manager. One month out of training, I signed on to assist with the new restaurant opening in New Lenox, Il. After that, 4 months later I asked to be transferred to Arizona to do the first restaurant opening in the state. I was promoted to Assistant General Manager of the Scottsdale location and was the first on the ground in the state to set up our hiring and training center. 6 months after Scottsdale opened, I moved over to open the Tempe, AZ location as the Assistant General Manager. I stayed at Tempe, eventually getting promoted to General Manager when we opened the Avondale, AZ location in 2019. From Tempe, I worked with the team at Avondale a year after it opened until 2023 when I left there to open the Gilbert, AZ location which is my current home.
What do you love about your position?
My position within the company I have always regarded as a privilege. The people who come to work with my team are part of my Family while I have them and they teach me as much as I try to teach them. I truly hope that when people move on from my restaurant, they feel they gained some life lessons from their time with me. It's a position that requires me to wear many hats throughout the day and I find it feeds my competitive drive to be the one to plan our course to greatness.
What advice would you give to someone at Portillo's looking to move up?
I would tell them never chase a title. A title is just a name tag; be all-in at your restaurant regardless of if you are a Crew Chief or the Assistant GM. I always took the same care and pride in my job as well as my restaurants regardless of my role. I passed up being promoted to GM earlier than I was because I didn't feel it was right for me at the time, and wanted to put my best foot forward when I walked in those new shoes! Take your time, learn as much as you can while you have a support system above you and ask for regular feedback that you are prepared to digest and learn from. You won't always hear what you want, but you will hear what you need to grow. The people I have seen that do these things are very successful and in the positions they want to be in!
Where do you see yourself growing in this company?
The great news about Portillo's is it is doing nothing BUT growing! There are so many avenues available that didn't exist as recently as 5 years ago. I have completed our Ignite Advanced training program and feel my next step would be as a Market Manager in the Arizona Market. I love the Leaders I work with; I have a very supportive boss who gives me the development I need to grow. I have been invested in almost every team in the state and want to help further their career paths as much as I am able to!