When I first opened The Sheik restaurant in West Bloomfield, Michigan, I had one simple goal: to bring the flavors and hospitality of my Lebanese heritage to the local community. It wasn’t about building an empire or chasing headlines—it was about food, family, and culture. Over time, though, opportunities came to grow. I moved into the airport food and beverage industry, where I spent over two decades managing large-scale operations. With growth came scale. But with scale came a challenge: how do you expand without losing the heart of what made your business special in the first place?

It’s a question many entrepreneurs face. Scaling up is exciting—but it’s also risky. The bigger you get, the easier it is to drift from your original values. Through my journey, I’ve learned that growth and soul don’t have to be opposites. You can build something bigger without watering it down. But it takes intention.

Remember Why You Started

Every business has a story. Mine started with a love for food and a desire to make people feel welcome. That passion came from my upbringing in Lebanon and Kuwait, where hospitality wasn’t a business tactic—it was a way of life. When I moved to the U.S., I wanted to share that warmth, those flavors, and that experience.

As I expanded into larger operations, I constantly reminded myself of that origin. Why did I start this? What do I want people to feel when they engage with my business? Whether it was a small dining room or a fast-paced airport terminal, my mission stayed the same: to serve with authenticity, to treat customers like family, and to bring people together over good food.

If you lose sight of your “why,” it’s easy to make decisions that compromise your values. But if you keep your purpose front and center, it becomes your compass—especially when things get complex.

Don’t Just Replicate—Translate

One mistake businesses make when scaling is trying to copy and paste their small operation into a bigger format. But that doesn’t always work. A cozy neighborhood restaurant and a high-traffic airport location are two very different environments. What worked in one doesn’t always work in the other.

Instead of replicating, I learned to translate. I asked: How can I bring the spirit of The Sheik—the personal service, the cultural pride, the fresh food—to a larger, faster, more structured space? The answer wasn’t doing everything exactly the same. It was identifying the non-negotiables (like quality, hospitality, and integrity) and finding ways to express them at scale.

Sometimes that meant building stronger systems. Other times it meant empowering team members to carry the torch of our culture. But the goal was always to scale the soul—not just the structure.

Hire People Who Share Your Values

You can’t grow a meaningful business alone. At some point, your success will depend on the people you bring in. That’s why hiring isn’t just about skill—it’s about alignment. I’ve always looked for people who not only do the job well but believe in the mission. People who understand that we’re not just serving food—we’re serving culture, warmth, and respect.

From line cooks to airport supervisors, I’ve found that when you hire with values in mind, your business stays grounded. People who share your heart will carry your message, even when you’re not in the room.

Of course, training is important. But culture starts with who you let in the door.

Stay Hands-On—Even If You’re Not on the Line

As your business grows, you can’t be everywhere at once. That’s just reality. But you can still stay close to the heart of your business. Even when I moved into larger operations, I made time to visit locations, talk to staff, listen to customers, and stay connected to the day-to-day.

There’s a big difference between delegating and disconnecting. Delegating is healthy. Disconnecting is dangerous. When you’re out of touch, things start to drift. But when you show up—physically, emotionally, and intentionally—you keep the culture alive.

Make Decisions Through the Lens of Your Roots

Every growth decision—whether it’s a new location, a new menu item, or a new process—should pass a simple test: Does this reflect who we are?

I’ve had to say no to opportunities that didn’t feel right. Just because something promises profit doesn’t mean it aligns with your principles. And in my experience, long-term success comes not from chasing every shiny object but from building something you’re proud of.

When you make decisions through the lens of your roots, you avoid shortcuts and stay on a path that feels authentic.

Growth Is Not Just Numbers—It’s Impact

Sometimes we measure growth in the wrong ways. More revenue. More locations. More exposure. But real growth is also about impact. Are you serving more people in a meaningful way? Are you creating jobs, opportunities, and community? Are you making people’s lives better—customers and employees alike?

For me, that’s the ultimate success. I’m proud of the scale we’ve achieved in the airport world, but I’m even prouder when I see a staff member thriving, or a customer smiling because they feel cared for. That’s the soul of business. And that’s worth holding on to.

Final Thoughts

Scaling a business is a blessing—but it’s also a responsibility. You’re not just growing revenue. You’re growing a legacy. And that legacy should reflect who you are and where you come from.

For me, every new venture is an opportunity to bring a little more of my heritage, my heart, and my humanity into the world. As long as I stay true to that, I know I’ll never lose what made this journey meaningful in the first place.

You don’t have to choose between growth and soul. With the right mindset, you can build both.