Portillo’s is a growing brand, and it’s important to us that our Team Members grow with us. That means we arm them with the skills and knowledge to foster their growth and have practices in place to help them develop in their careers. Please take a moment to read about Julia’s growth and what she’s learned along the way as she progressed from Front Expo to General Manager!
How long have you been with Portillo’s and what made you come to work for us?
I have been with Portillos for 10 years this June. What made me come to Portillos was my mother who used to work at Portillo’s, and I wanted to be able to help support my family.
What do you love about Portillo’s?
I was recently asked this and the answer for me is quite simple. I LOVE the people. We have teams of individuals that truly care about us on a day-to-day basis whether that is our CEO, VPs, our Restaurant Support Center, Peers, and Team Members. The amount of support that goes into the restaurants is unbelievable.
What was your first position here and what position did you get promoted to?
I started as a Front Expo team member and am currently a General Manager.
What do you love about your position?
What I love about being a General Manager is being able to bring both People and Processes to life within the restaurants. Being able to build a team of individuals to lead the restaurant in the right direction. I love being given the opportunity to make an impact on someone’s life through development, coaching and love.
What advice would you give to someone at Portillo’s looking to move up?
The only person that will get in your way is YOU! Continue to push yourself through the good times and the rough times. Although Portillos is very complex and has a lot of moving parts, there is no better organization to work for out there! Always keep your head up, be open to learning everyday and put your all into what you do. As much as you put into your career, Portillos will put back into you.
Where do see yourself growing in this company?
I am the kind of person who is always looking for new challenges, opportunities, and growth. When I think about Portillos, I think about the sky is the limit and wherever the wind takes me, I will be there.