Founderology Forum

How Red Chickz founder went from dishwasher to national brand builder

What if your next breakthrough idea came from a dishwasher-turned-Founder or a tech innovator who transformed chaos into a scalable business? Hear from Shawn Lalehzarian, Founder of Red Chickz, and John Dorer, Founder of EB3.Work, on how they built their companies by relying on grit and smart strategies.

Founderology

May 6, 2025

What if your next breakthrough idea came from a dishwasher-turned-Founder or a tech innovator who transformed chaos into a scalable business? Those are the stories shared on this episode of "Founderology – Built to Breakthrough." Shawn Lalehzarian, Founder of Red Chickz, and John Dorer, Founder of EB3.Work, reveal how they built their companies by relying on grit and smart strategies.

Inspiring paths for making your dream a reality

From Dishwasher to National Brand Builder: Lalehzarian came to the U.S. from Iran, not knowing English. He started in the dish pit and never left the restaurant industry. Today, he's leading Red Chickz with over 1 million TikTok followers, multiple locations and a growing franchise system.

His ability to transform setbacks — like a one-star Yelp review — into fuel for growth is a strategy every Founder can learn and be inspired by as they grow they transform their dream to reality, said Founderology host Kathleen Wood.

Workforce Solutions that Fuel Growth: Dorer discusses how the labor crisis in the restaurant industry inspired him to launch EB3.Work, which helps multi-unit restaurant operators overcome high turnover and chronic staffing shortages by connecting them with qualified international workers through the EB-3 visa program.

These are vetted, committed team members who want to build long-term careers in hospitality — providing operators with the stability and reliability they've been struggling to find, Dorer said.

Founder insights from Lalehzarian and Dorer

Your past is preparation:From early jobs to hard lessons, every experience is equipping you for what's next.

Use adversity as a catalyst: That one-star review? Lalehzarian turned it into his blueprint for franchising. Your criticism could be your next great idea.

There is no one path to success: Dorer develops the paths for highly qualified international workers to connect with multi-unit operators so they both can achieve their vision and goals.

Solve real problems with real systems: From TikTok marketing to immigration support, these Founders built solutions that deliver results.

Focus on solutions, not setbacks: "Spend 30 seconds on the problem and three minutes on the solution." That mindset alone can transform your leadership.