5 Questions With Marc Tell, of The Sam Tell Cos.

1. What made you decide to join your dad, Neil Tell, in the family business?
Like most young people, I wanted to do my own thing. I started out as a history teacher, and I not only found the subject fascinating, but I loved teaching. But then my father told me he was thinking of selling the business, which he started with my grandfather in 1956. I knew the business meant a lot to my family, and I was at a point where I was exploring some other career options, so I asked him to give me a year to try things out and then we’d make a decision on whether to sell. And here I am, 40 years later. What I learned was that I loved working with people in the restaurant business. It’s a world full of people with so much passion for what they do. They love food, they love serving people and they love creating memorable experiences.

2 . What did you learn from your dad that impacts your work today?
I would never trade the experience of working with my dad for anything. He gave me respect, and that meant a lot, especially as a young person who didn’t know much about the industry. Working alongside my dad I learned the value of personal discipline and hard work. He said when people depend on you, it’s important to be there for them, to be on time and keep your word. He also was very aware of everything going on within our business, and knew how important it was to know the people you work with on a daily basis. One way I have made that my own is through our monthly dinners. I invite eight of our associates to join me, a group that could include someone who has worked with us just one week to our executive vice president. I come with a few conversation starters and we spend the night talking and getting to know each other.

3. What advice would you give someone starting out in this industry?
The biggest thing is just to be present. When you come to work, take off your home hat, turn your phone to silent and be aware of your surroundings. You’ll learn by observing your coworkers and the operations, and you’ll be more aware of opportunities that surround you.

4. What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I’m really excited that we are projecting growth of about 60% for this coming year. When I started I was the seventh employee, and now we’ve grown to 230, with three warehouses and a design showroom, and clients across the United States. I credit the culture of The Sam Tell Cos., where we focus on connections and mentorship. I’ve been able to apply my passion for teaching to help strengthen our culture, creating pathways for leadership. We have a process where new employees are matched with tenured employees to serve as sounding boards and help show them the ropes. It all helps us be more united as a team, and with our go-to-market strategy.

5. What excites you most about the future of the industry?
I’m really interested in how technology and AI can help streamline our processes and improve our offerings. For example, we’re using AI to assist in our kitchen design, to optimize space and make a more efficient work area for operators. We’re a high-touch company that is dependent on relationships, so I would never use technology to replace that, only to help us better serve our clients.