International Women's Day

Amsterdam Falafelshop CEO: 'Always see the human side'

Arianne Bennett and her husband created Amsterdam Falafelshop 10 years ago and have developed it into a successful franchise.

March 9, 2017 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

Editor's note: In honor of International Women's Day and Women's History Month, FastCasual interviewed several female leaders in the restaurant industry to learn about their success and how they feel about leading in a male-dominated industry. To read the entire series, click here.

Arianne Bennett, founder and CEO Amsterdam Falafelshop,started in the restaurant industry as a server to make ends meet while going to college and later returned to the service industry when her husband asked her to help him open a little sandwich shop in the neighborhood. They took the plunge, opening first in Washington D.C., but have since expanded to the greater Boston area and Dallas. Bennett, who plans to have 100 units open in the next five years, believes that women should be true to themselves.

"Be free to be you. Don't let anyone define you. Be bold. Be creative. Be you," she said.

On why women make great leaders
"Communication is the key to keeping good people in your company, and women are great communicators. Grooming a great team is the core of a solid company and your ability to move forward. If you have a solid base in your company, your growth potential increases, and the satisfaction that people have with their job increases."

Advice to women looking to lead
"Leadership means working as a team and having a team that will follow you into battle. Don't forget that the human, connected approach will always win you a loyal team. Caring about how your employees' lives outside of work, what their worries are, the challenges they face, and helping them on that front will connect you in a very special way. You can be great assets to each other. It is not a one-way relationship. Always see the human side."

Operations

About Cherryh Cansler

Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

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