Staffing

Why Dillas Quesadillas CEO's employees have his back

Kyle Gordon, founder of Dillas Quesadillas, reveals how taking care of his employees, not just financially, inspires their loyalty.

Kyle Gordon, founder of Dillas Quesadillas, Provided.

August 31, 2021

By Kyle Gordon, Dillas Quesadillas, founder

When I founded Dillas Quesadillas, I wanted to ensure my team members were rewarded for their hard work and leadership at world-class levels. Not just financially, but with autonomy and with opportunities for growth in both their personal lives and careers. I wanted to create a path for great leaders to make the most of their talents and passions.

I continue to set these intentions today, even through the last year and a half of uncertainty. Especially now, I always want my team to know that they are the heart and soul of the business. With the market for hiring and retaining top talent more challenging than ever, I have devoted my time mastering team training down to a science. Now I've refined those training tactics into my top tips for making them stick.

1. First things first... Create a culture that is conducive to training.
2. Day one is Orientation Day. Have your recruits ready when they arrive. They should get a uniform, a formal tour, an introduction to other team members and a proper orientation from the GM on the restaurant's vision, mission, core values, culture and history. Have cookies, and put up a sign welcoming the new team member. This is also the time to walk them through expectations, schedule, trainer, rules, uniform expectations and training manual.
3. Training is an investment. The more attention in the acquisition, the better it will perform and the faster the ROI. If training isn't done correctly, you can expect inconsistent results and upset customers. Consistency is key. If it is done properly, you fill your pipeline with enthusiastic brand advocates that will end up staying and therefore saving the company thousands of dollars in the long term (far exceeding the cost of training them).

With that being said, The National Federation of Independent Businesses has recently released that 46% of small businesses have reported job openings. I am continuing to find the most innovative ways for how my restaurants can combat the labor shortage, which include:

• Fair base pay; typically 10-$12.
• Alignment and education on the mission, core values and vision.
• Community impact that the team can see and feel.
• A friend at work, allow for moments of connection amongst the team.
• Good music in workspaces.
• Tips; dine-in and take out.
• An operating partner program for GM's that puts pay potential over $100,000.
• A-player referral programs — internal recruiting and a culture of inclusion.
• $5 food vouchers to apply to anything they want before or after their shift.
• Flexible schedules that allow team to trade shifts amongst themselves.
• Schedules 3 weeks out.

Even through the more challenging times, I also know each day is a new day to provide other aspiring leaders with the opportunities that I didn't receive. That is why I decided to create the Dillas Operating Partner program. Our goal is to make every Dillas Quesadillas location an Operating Partner restaurant. We are committed to fostering an entrepreneurial spirit in our restaurant teams. Eligible candidates for the program will be surrounded by like-minded, next-level, leaders who are dedicated to cultivating personal and business development in all areas of life.

The Dillas Operating Partner program combines the best of the opportunities I have encountered in the restaurant business. It's a well-rounded program that allows candidates to work for an established brand while having the freedom to innovate and grow as leaders. The intention is to reward the partner's high-level leadership and accountability with less micro-management, feeling closer to "owning" their location.

My company's vision is to be the brand for Primo Quesadilla meals, so we are still striving to get to that point. I envision that the brand will have over 50 locations throughout Texas and Louisiana and revenues north of $100 million in the coming years, with the hardest working team members having my back.