Jim Mizes, left, sitting with co-founders Rick and Elise Wetzel.
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Blaze Pizza announced Jim Mizes, who led the company for just over two years, retired as president and CEO.
“Instead of worrying, take all that energy and put it into becoming the best version of yourself.” — Otto Othman, co-founder and CMO, Pincho
Who would play you in the biopic about your life? Probably Leonardo DiCaprio, for sure. I don't know why. I love him in ‘Wolf of Wall Street' and his hustle as an entrepreneur.
“They were great at creating a concept. They weren't so great at running a restaurant,” says Pincho franchisee Ned Scherer with a chuckle. He's referring to the fast-casual concept's co-founders, Nedal Ahmad and Otto Othman. Scherer, meanwhile, has agreed to open 10 units in and around Washington, D.C.
Jim Mizes and co-founders Rick and Elise Wetzel
Recognizing a "gaping hole" in the market when they saw one, Rick and Elise Wetzel co-founded Blaze Pizza and with CEO Jim Mizes have grown it…
Hungry for a quick pizza lunch, the dynamic duo who had already co-founded and sold Wetzel's Pretzels couldn't find a restaurant that served it. Rick and Elise Wetzel visited Chipotle instead. “That was the gaping hole,” says Elise. “I looked at Rick and said, ‘We're going to open a pizza restaurant aren't we?' He said, ‘Yes we are.'” Now at 300 units and after a three-year growth spurt of 176 percent in sales and 121 percent in locations, they're looking toward a cool thousand—eventually.
Top (l to r): Rick and Elise Wetzel, Blaze Pizza co-founders, and CEO Jim Mizes made finding the right partner a priority to bring the concept…