Amanda Walker Koronczyk, Head of Operations and Founding Partner at Lord of the Fries
On improving and evolving, and loving what you do.
QSR Media: What makes you excited about your position?
Amanda Walker Koronczyk: I love what I am doing for a number of reasons. First, its a great brand - full of fantastic people and amazing food . Second - I find the challenge of striving to always improve and evolve, very exciting. I love creating ways to make our business better. It's satisfying seeing the great results when systems click.
QSR Media: What 3 goals are you focused on?
Koronczyk: Make it 4: Compliance, Consistency, Cleanliness and Customer Service.
QSR Media: What long-term changes are you planning on?
Koronczyk: We are planning on raising and enhancing the level, quality and methods of in-store training so that the goals mentioned above are continually achieved with glowing results.
QSR Media: What are your key business philosophies?
Koronczyk: Love what you do. Don't accept less than the best. Follow through, follow up.
QSR Media: What previous positions prepared you for this one and how?
Koronczyk: I have been working in and on this business for almost ten years without much practical high-level operations experience beforehand. However, I have had other experiences in life that I can say prepared me for this position. Completing a University degree helped foster the organisational skills needed for this job, as well as gained a great respect for meeting deadlines and putting in long hours. Being an ESL teacher helped hone communication skills and enliven my interest in other cultures which is reflected in our food and our team. During Uni I worked in the commercial film business in a bunch of roles over the 5 years and that helped teach me to work smart – time is money! Also to do things to the best of my ability and perhaps see things from the perspective of the audience - or customers .
As a teen I worked in many food outlets and have used that experience to develop our training plans and finally I draw from my experience as a customer, and try to employ common sense.
