Malnati Shares Family Recipe for Success at TBN
Chicagoans love their pizza. And Lou Malnati鈥檚 Pizzeria is a Chicagoland favorite.
With the anticipated summer opening of a new carry-out location in Palos Heights, Trinity welcomed company president Marc Malnati to the April 30 event.
Local business people, Trinity faculty, and business students heard Malnati鈥檚 personal story of the early days of working with his father Lou who passed away in 1978. Over the years, Malnati has expanded the business to include 37 locations, including one established in the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago with the help of his brother Rick and at the prompting of Lawndale pastor Rev. Wayne Gordon, who explained the need for a good place for families to gather.
That effort won Malnati the Chicagoan of the Year award in 1995, and the fruits of that business decision have been many, especially in the number of stories of lives changed through the job opportunities and relationships formed because of the restaurant鈥檚 presence.
Giving back to the community is one example of Malnati鈥檚 values, based on his Christian faith but inherent in any good business, he said. 鈥淭he ROI isn鈥檛 just money but answering 鈥榟ow can we help?鈥欌��
Adding to the list of values integrity, honesty, and helping employees, Malnati鈥檚 list of successes also didn鈥檛 focus on profit. He sees success as 35 years of marriage to wife Jeannie, three children who embrace their faith, and building a team that includes people who are achieving more 鈥渢han they ever thought they could.鈥�
For the students attending the event, Malnati offered this advice: Have a strong work ethic, be a team player, and be willing to grow鈥攕omething he doesn鈥檛 simply preach.
鈥淯nderstand that you have a lot to learn,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 not reinventing myself in my 50s, I won鈥檛 do well in my 60s. Ask for feedback. Ask to be rated on a scale of 1-10. Ask how to get to a 10.鈥�
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