Jose had put everything into his four Dallas restaurants. All four locations stayed busy — tables were full most nights and the energy was there. But every time he sat down with his bank statements, the numbers told a different story. Revenue looked fine. Profit didn’t.
“I knew the sales were there. I just couldn’t figure out where the money was going.”
The real problem was the back of house. Food costs varied wildly week to week with no one tracking them. Labor was managed by feel, not data. Each location ran its own informal system, and Jose was personally holding both together — working over 60 hours a week and still ending months wondering why the profit didn’t match the effort.
Step 1
Weeks 1–4
Diagnose the Leak
Mapped every dollar in and out, identified the 3 biggest profit drains, and gave Jose a financial picture he’d never had before. First month was about seeing clearly, not fixing yet.
Step 2
Weeks 5–16
Build the Systems
Designed simple, non-bureaucratic systems for the restaurant’s real rhythm — weekly P&L review, food cost tracker, labor efficiency dashboard, and accountability structure for each location manager.
Step 3
Weeks 17–24
Transfer the Ownership
Coached managers to own their numbers, tied incentives to profitability, and shifted Jose from operator to owner — with time back to think strategically instead of firefighting daily.
Before Coaching
✗High revenue, but profit margins under 5%
✗Food costs inconsistent — no one tracking week to week
✗Owner working 60+ hours, stuck in daily operations
✗No shared KPIs across the four locations
✗No regular financial review — surprises every month-end
After Coaching
✓Profit margins increased to ~12% — top third of industry
✓Daily food cost tracking dashboard across all four locations
✓Owner reclaimed 15 hours/week — focused on growth
✓Standardized KPI scorecard across all four locations
✓Weekly P&L review — no more end-of-month surprises
19%
Margin Increase
Across all four locations
23%
Food Cost Down
Consistent tracking
15 hrs
Owner Time Back
Per week
2×
Manager Accountability
All four locations self-managing KPIs
“
The sales were always there. I just couldn’t figure out where the money was going. Sekhar helped me look at my business like a real operator — not just a cook who owns a restaurant. Now I actually know my numbers, and my managers do too.
Jose Valdez
Owner, 4-Location Restaurant Chain · Dallas, Texas