Word On The Street
Though we had been graciously supported by our guests for about 4 years, Flatbread Company's enduring success really began when Chester offered to help us. He had been where we wanted to be. Along with high level skills and input, Chester shared his template of systems and controls that laid the foundation for our operational success. How do you have your restaurant or restaurants run the way you want them to, when you aren't there? Chester has those answers. Some of those answers Chester came to Flatbread Company equipped with; others he helped us find in our restaurants, in our people, and around our executive roundtable. I'm happy and proud to say that we would not be the company we are today, respected by our staff and our guests, without Chester's help. And thankfully for us, that helping hand continues. Thank you Chester!
We hired COS Consultants when we first considered making an intra-family purchase and transfer of a longstanding restaurant business. Our goal was to come up with a business plan that reimagined an iconic but outdated brand. It was Chester who advised us from the start to think of it as a Revitalization Plan. From that moment on, his perspective and counsel has been invaluable. He generated financial documents and a business plan that we could present to lenders. He actually accompanied us to the banks to provide additional support as needed. He is knowledgeable on every aspect of the business — from choosing technology solutions, to operations in both the FOH and BOH, to hiring key stakeholders — all while refining our mission and vision. The bottom line is that our sales have grown 10X, in no small part due to keeping COS Consultants on board as a valued long-term advisor. Over the past decade, Chester has saved us countless hours and dollars with relevant, real-world recommendations and consistently reliable advice. We have gone back to Chester and his team many times over as our business has grown. Hiring COS Consultants was the single most important, operationally sound, and money-saving investment we made.
I've worked with Chester & COS Consultants for 12 years, and in that time, they have become one of the most trusted voices in our business. Their insight into the restaurant industry is exceptional. They are able to see the operational, financial and strategic picture simultaneously, in a way that few consultants do. Best of all, they can consistently translate that into guidance we can actually put to work. What has kept us coming back year after year isn't just the expertise; it's their reliability. Through every stage of our growth, they have been a steady partner, asking the right questions, challenging our assumptions, and leading us to make better decisions. Twelve years is a long relationship and it speaks to the value they bring to our organization.