INTERVIEW | Make Money by Building a Business That Fits Your Life with Sanaa Abourezk

Sanaa Abourezk is a Syrian-born chef, cookbook author, and owner of Sanaa’s Gourmet Mediterranean in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A 2023 James Beard Award finalist, Sanaa has spent more than two decades sharing the food and traditions of her Syrian heritage while championing healthy, plant-forward cooking. She has authored five cookbooks and built a thriving restaurant by staying true to her food, her values, and her community. In this episode, Sanaa shares the lessons she learned from surviving the early years of her restaurant, managing cash flow, retaining great employees, and deliberately choosing a business model that gives her both financial stability and a fulfilling life.

On this episode we talk about:

How Sanaa went from an agricultural engineering degree in Syria to becoming a chef and restaurant owner in South Dakota

Why she refused to compromise her food by adding burgers, fries, or other items just because customers suggested them

The importance of cash flow and why entrepreneurs should build more financial runway than they think they'll need

How Sanaa managed every aspect of her business in the early days, from cooking and accounting to cleaning floors

Why treating employees well and making them feel valued can dramatically improve retention and customer experience

How she self-published cookbooks when traditional publishers told her there wasn't a market for her ideas

Why Sanaa has intentionally chosen not to franchise or open additional restaurants

How to design your business around the lifestyle you actually want

Top 3 Takeaways

Cash flow can make or break a business. Revenue and profitability aren't enough if you don't have enough cash to cover payroll, rent, insurance, supplies, and unexpected disruptions. Build enough runway to survive the slow periods before assuming your business will become cash-flow positive.