Development of future leaders

A career at AmRest means tailored growth, challenges, appreciation, and joy! So, it’s not by accident that we want you to meet Joy Gao – blue frog’s Area Coach for Shanghai, China.

Joy’s adventure with AmRest began when she was only 20 years old. She enrolled in one of our educational programs in China - Blue Frog Elite Class. Working in partnership with universities, the program provides students with career development opportunities in the restaurant business. For Joy, it was an opportunity to develop diverse skillsets, acquire professional knowledge, and start to drive her professional growth. She had training sessions on products, company culture, and management. Joy then spent a period of time gaining valuable experience as an intern at one of our restaurants. A year later, she was certified as a Shift Manager.

“Blue Frog sets different growth and development paths for each intern. If there is one thing that makes me successful in addition to having a clear goal it was the support and training from the leadership team. I received a lot of encouragement and recognition during the training. I think my learning from this experience is that everyone has a talent and every person in the restaurant is trained as a high-potential manager of the future”

Joy quickly set her sights higher, having impressed her supervisors and gained the trust of her colleagues. In 2016 she became Assistant Store Manager of blue frog’s restaurant at Disneyland in Shanghai.

“Working in the Disney venue was the biggest recognition and sign of confidence in me and my abilities. The expectations were high –my goal at that time was to set a new monthly sales record from 800 thousand to 2 million yuan for the Disney venue. I guess we passed the test with flying colors, as after one year our team broke a new sales record of 2.2 million RMB. This was also a time of people development – not only did I successfully pass the review board for General Manager, but I also successfully helped two of my team members to develop their careers. The time I spent at Disney was very intense and full of challenges, but undoubtedly those challenges helped me grow.”

Embracing an attitude of hard work and fun, Joy was promoted yet again – becoming General Manager. The position opened up new possibilities of a future career in leadership, leading to Joy’s enrolment on the AmCollege Program.

As a symbol of the journey AmRest can take you on, Joy is now AmRest’s Area Coach for one of the most profitable regions in Shanghai.

"I love what I am doing from the bottom of my heart. In this work, I can not only make customers happy but also help more employees develop and become stronger, which fills me with a sense of accomplishment. That motivates me to grow in our company."

Joy’s story encapsulates our mission to give employees the freedom to choose their own career path, all whilst providing them with the tools to achieve their goals. For that reason, we continue to create new and exciting educational development programs at AmRest. We have no plans of stopping soon!

We spoke with Dora Molnar, a Regional Director of Operations for Starbucks. Dora shared her AmRest journey, noting the opportunities she had been given and how she constantly strives to challenge herself to grow professionally and personally.

I started at AmRest over a decade ago, completely by accident. It was not really a conscious choice for the company, I did not know what exact position I was interviewing for. There was a big secret because, at the time, AmRest was only just opening Starbucks in Hungary and I applied for an Assistant Store Manager position at a ‘leading restaurant operating company’. I had my share of experience in the customer service area before, that is why I found myself fit for the job and I guess my supervisors did too as I am an AmRestee ever since.

I think the best word to describe my path in the company would be GROWTH. Joining AmRest or Starbucks is already powerful enough in this segment of the business, but joining both companies at once promises a great journey. You just have to be open to the challenges and have the courage to take opportunities. I can say that I was brave enough to take some risks and that allowed me to keep growing over the past 10 years – not only professionally, but also as a person.

I have spent six years at Starbucks Hungary, developing from Assistant Store Manager all the way to District Manager. Being a part of an amazing brand opening in a new market is already the professional experience of a lifetime, but then leading your own team and multiple stores in Hungary is another. During those years I have had my fair share of joy, tears and hard work but, most of all, I got to know the amazing people I worked with. Nevertheless, after six years of being in direct customer contact (what we call Operations) I felt ready to take a backseat and understand the work from another angle, in the Restaurant Support Team. Luckily for me, there was a temporary position opening within Starbucks. It was a completely different field, in HR, and located in Poland. I took the opportunity and I relocated because I knew I would gain experience and, whenever I am ready to come back home, it will be possible.

What motivated you? Was it the possibility of living abroad?

Actually, earlier in my career, I lived in many different countries, so I knew what to expect. What really motivated me was the possibility of growth and the challenge that a completely different field would bring me. My supervisor at that time told me that it would be an amazing opportunity and that I would gain experience I would never be able to gain in Hungary; and he was right. I couldn’t possibly know how much it will actually affect my growth. In the interim position of HR Manager, I led the HR operations teams in seven countries, including a new-market, Germany. It has been tough! Having spent six years in Operations I thought I knew all the HR processes connected to it. However, my HR position did not require me to just know the processes but to actually shape them and find ways to improve them. What helped me through was my team’s support, the knowledge of my superiors and peers, and the amazing team spirit.

During the first year, I realized that the HR field is not the perfect fit for me. I was longing to come back to Operations. Yet again, the opportunity was there. The brand needed a new support function, someone who understood operations very well, but at the same time had the contacts in head office to make things happen. So I became an Operations Service Manager for all seven countries where AmRest Starbucks operated (and an additional one we were just about to open). My task was to unify operational standards in all those countries. It might sound easy but, in reality, it had its own challenges. As with all successful brands, standards are the key. Starbucks is no exception. For the customers to have the same Starbucks experience, thousands of our partners have to work the same way, deliver the same beverage quality, the same small details that make our brand so special. My task was to bring eight different nations to the same understanding. I had plenty of people supporting me but to achieve what was expected I had to grow personally and acquire a lot of emotional intelligence.

Three years as Operations Services Manager and 10 years into my career with AmRest Starbucks – again I felt there is a need to change. It was not challenging me anymore. As the brand has grown so much over the years, restructuring of the markets was needed. A new region has been created, Hungary and Serbia. I knew this was the perfect opportunity for me and at the beginning of 2020 I took over the role of the Regional Director of Operations position for these markets.

Why have you stayed at AmRest for so long?

When I joined AmRest Starbucks in 2010, one month into my training I knew that one day I would like to be a district manager. I worked hard, I have stood up after failures, I received plenty of positive and constructive feedback and I guess I can say all my wishes came true. I am now in a position that I couldn’t even dream of 10 years ago.

I believe people decide to change companies for multiple reasons. Either they look for new challenges, or they feel that their work is not inspiring enough, or it’s not the work atmosphere they wished for. I didn’t need to change. Challenges, inspiration, a great atmosphere – I have found all of this at AmRest and, on top of that, I am surrounded by amazing people. This is much more than work for me. This is my second family!

“Working with Marek is a pleasure. He is a man who knows everything about working in our restaurant. I have full confidence in Marek and I know that everything he does is for the benefit of our guests and the company. Being able to rely on his knowledge and experience keeps me calm."

– Daniela Buszewicz, General Manager at Pizza Hut, Wroclaw

We spoke with Pizza Hut’s Marek Bączyk about his 25 years of work for AmRest. He mentioned how his work still gives him satisfaction and joy, whilst also building life-long relationships.

Marek, please tell me how your adventure with AmRest started?

It was the mid-90s, 1995 to be exact, and there was a lot of unemployment. My town Leszno is not a big city so at that time the labor market was very poor and I needed a job. One day I came across a job advertisement for a restaurant. I admit that I never thought of myself as a restaurant employee, but as a young man I used to cook a lot at home and I liked it, so I thought ‘why not?’ and decided to take that opportunity. The recruitment day was organized in a very modern recreation center, where several managers interviewed several hundred people in one room. I was terrified! But the conversation went well and a week later I was invited to a second meeting and immediately sent to Wroclaw for training, with other newbies. That was the beginning of my journey.

And what were those first days like? Did you like this job from the beginning?

Those were the times in Pizza Hut when we were still making a lot of appetizers and side dishes ourselves, such as garlic bread. I remember this perfectly because on my first day of training I was taken to one of the busiest Pizza Hut restaurants in Wroclaw – Market Square. I was shown a large pile of sliced ​​bread, a huge pot of butter, and told to start preparing garlic bread. I thought ‘what have I got myself into!?’

But even though I wouldn’t call this my best first day at work, it was a learning experience and it showed me that the success of a restaurant is in teamwork. The rest of the training took place in a different, less busy restaurant, where we had the opportunity to learn from our managers and watch the entire crew at work. After 10 days of learning, we were immediately thrown into deep water –the local crew got time off, and we had the opportunity to prove ourselves and lead the shift., Of course, everything was done with the support of our managers. Once again, it was not easy, but thanks to the teamwork we managed to get to the end of the day. We were ready to go to Leszno to open our first restaurant! At that time there were maybe five restaurants in the whole city, and people only knew Pizza Hut from television. I will never forget the opening day. The moment we opened the door, the restaurant was packed with people and there was a line going right through Market Square. After half an hour I was so tired I forgot my name. But the opening was a great success and, from that moment on, everyone who came to the city, or had some important guests and wanted to show off the best place, was visiting Pizza Hut.

It's great to listen to those stories. I also remember how it was when I was a teenager and there were no international restaurants in my city. Once you go on a trip to Wroclaw, it was always compulsory to go to Pizza Hut in Market Square. But it’s over 25 years later and you still want to come to Pizza Hut every day. Tell me, what motivates you?

Actually, it's not the work itself that motivates me, but the people and the atmosphere. I always say it, and I know it may sound cliché, but that’s just the truth.

We've always had a good team, and it's the people that have kept me here for so many years. I met many people here who influenced my professional and private life, and I would not exchange it for anything else.

Another equally important issue for me is work-life balance. I am a person who has many interests and hobbies, so I always appreciated the fact that I can adapt my work schedule to my needs. Thanks to the flexibility of the company and the people I work with, I had the opportunity to develop my interests and work at the same time. I am not sure this would be possible everywhere.

So, can you share with us what you do when you are not in the restaurant?

My main hobby is that I belong to a knight's brotherhood and I participate in reconstructions, including the annual reconstruction of the Battle of Grunwald.

Wow! It’s quite an unusual passion. Can you tell me a bit more about those battles? How are they organized?

First of all, to be able to take part in such an event at all, you must belong to the banners, have the appropriate outfit, armor, etc. Everything is checked for compliance with the era. You also need a medieval tent to be able to participate in camp life. To take part in battles and in the reconstruction itself, you need to be trained in the use of weapons. It is all a bit of preparation but, in the end, it’s great fun and an opportunity to meet many interesting people. It may be a surprise for you, but knights from the whole world come to take part in such events!

Coming back to work, please tell me a little about what has changed in your career since you started working at AmRest?

Well, I never wanted to be a manager and it was my conscious decision not to become one. Even though the company gave me such opportunities, I knew managing people was not my cup of tea. The great thing about AmRest is that no one tried to force it, instead, I was led in a different direction. I became an expert in what I do and now I am an instructor, training employees on their first weeks at Pizza Hut, and it gives me a lot of satisfaction. I also support the whole team in the restaurant with my knowledge and experience whenever I can.

The knowledge collected over so many years of work is priceless, so I have no doubt that everyone is happy to use your advice and tips. What is your training like?

I deliver training for new starters. Since I took on this role, I have trained several hundred people. I introduce new employees to everything necessary for work and what is very important is that I try not to get them discouraged at the very beginning. I say this because the amount of information and standards that need to be understood can be overwhelming. Therefore, I show them that it is OK not to know everything from the beginning and to make mistakes. I prefer teaching through practice rather than handing over a book of standards and asking questions about learned rules. Knowledge comes to mind after a few weeks of work and employees don’t even notice when they start to do everything almost automatically. The second very important moment when I am needed for a new employee is when training is completed. The employees start working on independent shifts and then comes the shock and stress associated with taking responsibility for their work. Panic is the worst because mistakes begin. My role is to always be close to support them and encourage them so that they believe that they can perfectly handle everything on their own.

It’s worth remembering that our corporate culture is different than in many other companies. It’s not so easy for outsiders to get used to not knowing something, that they can ask the manager for help, and that they can speak to managers using their names rather than their titles. And then I am also needed – they know me, feel comfortable with me, and are willing to ask me questions, before they realize it’s not just me who has their backs, it’s the whole team.

Marek, you are an amazing person and team member! Last question – what is your favorite memory from your career at AmRest?

It would be impossible to choose just one memory. But I would say that I remember being incredibly exhausted and happy at the same time on days like Valentine’s Day. I remember all the great training back in the days when I could learn about wines, coffees, and other products that I knew nothing about before. Most of all I remember employee parties. We had great parties on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, Halloween, birthdays, and other wonderful occasions when we spent time together. As I said at the beginning – the best part of this work is people and if you are open to people then you will feel at home at AmRest.

When Judy started her professional career 23 years ago she was convinced finance is what she wants to do. She graduated from Shanghai University of Finance & Economics, started her career as an accountant and very quickly moved up to the position of Assistant Finance Manager with broader responsibilities. Then in 2002 she joined AmRest where she developed her team, build key business processes and systematization around the company’s Operating Principles. As a person who watched and experienced Blue Frog development over the years at some point she realized, that financial perspective is no longer her only interest. She came to the conclusion that being a part of this business is so much more, and in 2019 that thought led her to become one of Armrest’s Brand Presidents.

What inspired you to become brand president in AmRest and what were the main challenges you faced?              

The love to the Brand and faith in its possibilities. I am the person who watched and experienced how Blue Frog has been growing almost from scratch to the current scale of over 70 restaurants. During this process, the company has provided me huge development opportunities. At some point, I decided it is time to return the favor and give my best to the company. As for the challenges? I think leading a brand comes with many. And when you are devoted to the same company for as long as I am it doesn’t really get harder or easier, it’s just different every time. As soon as you overcome one challenge, there’s another just around the corner, that you have to deal with. But the main challenge for me was probably changing the perspective. My whole career up till then was connected to Finance and suddenly I needed to think about marketing, operations, food supply chains, human resources, etc. However, many years of experience in the company equipped me with rich knowledge and understanding of how the company works. I could use my expertise to encourage the data-driven culture, guide the team on how to trace the final results back to the real business, and look for opportunities to introduce improvements.

What are you most proud of doing in the company?

Being AmRest leader in China, and staying in this position till now. I became Brand President in the Fall of 2019, so shortly before the pandemic outbreak. It was a hard time for everybody but what makes me extremely proud, is that with tons of efforts of the team and great support for each other, we not only survived last year, we also achieved really good results. That gave us hope and confidence to develop the business in China in the future.

Have you ever been in a situation when you felt underestimated?

Many people still fall under the false impression, that when it comes to being a leader women are not as strong as men. But by patience and perseverance, we prove them wrong! Lucky for me I never had to worry about that. I was always surrounded by supportive people who gave me a lot of confidence in what I do. I am very thankful for that.

Do you consider yourself to be an influential woman? What does the idea of influence mean to you?

I do. And it is very important when it comes to me and my team. Because we share the same values and beliefs, have the same working attitude we are able to influence each other in the good sense of this word. Then what makes a team strong, we are aligned and pursue the same goal. Influence for me is also about the ability to lead the brand to set up the high bar in the F&B sector. Making the brand a benchmark to others. Finally, influence also refers to the relationship with other stakeholders like the vendors, aggregators, etc. How you can obtain sustainable collaboration with them, ensures achieving the company goal.

What advice do you have for young women who are at the beginning of their path to become leaders? 

Sometimes, people will judge you and give you labels - too emotional, too sensitive, too fragile. Ignore them and always tell yourself, only efforts make the difference. Be confident, positive and focused on your goal.

Ewelina's life has always been somehow connected to food. She graduated from Biotechnology from the University, ran her restaurant for almost ten years, and finally joined AmRest. Her career in the organization was very dynamic; she started as a KFC General Manager and quickly got promoted for Area Coach, responsible for the whole region. For a person who had already managed her own business in the past, becoming a manager of 5 restaurants seemed like a dream job. However, it turned out it was not Ewelina's career path; only she didn't know it at the time. Today, she works as a CSR Manager, finally doing what she was made to do, and for her it's a job she would never change for anything else. 

What inspired you to build CSR initiatives in AmRest and what were the main challenges you faced?

In 2018, companies listed in Poland got obliged for the first time to produce non-financial reports for each year. So in a way, CSR was not something I chose. In the beginning, it was my duty to collect and analyze all the data connected with sustainability.  There were many challenges – how to manage the information, how to build a network of people willing to work with me in each country we were operating, how to create reporting processes etc., but I think the biggest challenge was how to explain to our employees what sustainability actually meant. For most people, it meant volunteering or doing charity work. My job was to make them start thinking about it in terms of responsible sourcing, food safety, recycling, energy efficiency, food waste prevention, cultural awareness, etc. In the beginning, I wanted people to know and understand everything instantly, so I was flooding them with information. That helped to some extent, but in CSR nothing happens just like that.

It takes time, patience, wisdom and sensitivity. This was something I had to understand and something that helped me turn my job into my passion.

How has CSR evolved at the company, and what did it mean for your career?

For me it was a constant education. I even enrolled in CSR studies to have a better understanding of how to manage and implement sustainability. What has definitely changed in AmRest over the years is the approach to food loss and wasting. I don't like taking credit for myself but expanding and introducing food waste prevention initiatives was something I insisted on, and I succeeded. This is because I am such a food saver freak. I never understood how people could throw away so much when there was so much inequality in the world. Right now, AmRest participates in two main food saving initiatives: Harvest and Too Good To Go. Thanks to them we save approximately 160 tons of food each year. What is really amazing is that our Burger King restaurants are the only ones in the world that donate food to Food Bank thanks to Harvest. What is even better is that AmRest has already reached an EU Food Directive's target to reduce food losses by 30% by 2025. Until now we have managed to reduce it by 37%, and we are not planning to stop.

What are you most proud of doing?

Apart from the obvious, which is contributing to sustainability in the world and achieving measurable goals like reducing food loss or limiting carbon dioxide emission, I am personally proud of building relations with people. Today I can honestly say that I have CSR Ambassadors in each department and every country at AmRest. How people can get involved and prove that good comes back truly inspires me to do what I do. I am happy to be surrounded by so many people who think and act like that.

Would you refer to yourself as an influential woman?

Yes, but I don't like to think I am making people do something they don't believe in. I also think people should be judged by their actions. If my actions are seen and recognized by others and convince people to ask for my opinions, share their ideas with me, look for solutions together – that is when I feel influential.

What do you think is the most important challenge that women face today?

I think it unfortunately is still the same challenge – fighting the stereotype that we are not strong enough to be at certain positions, that becoming a mother makes us more vulnerable and less focused. When it comes to my job, people often think that all those "feminine" personality traits like being gentle, empathetic, and forgiving are the only requirements. The truth is that you also have to be firm, determined, goal-oriented and demanding because, like any other manager or leader, you are responsible for the effects of your work.