1851

<img src="/Uploads/Tony_Lutfi.jpg" width="312" height="311" alt="" />Tony Lutfi&#8217;s rise from <a href="http://www.jackinthebox.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=founder-to-know-tony-lutfi-marlu-investment-group-1229" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" style=" ">Jack in the Box</a> cook to owner of MarLu Investment Group, one of the largest privately held companies in the U.S., reads like it belongs in a book titled The American Dream. This is especially true when you throw in the fact that Lutfi is a Palestinian-Jordanian immigrant, moving to America in 1976 with the intent to study medicine. Instead, Lutfi took on greater responsibility at the Jack in the Box franchise where he worked following the sudden heart attack of the store&#8217;s manager. He fell in love with the business and left school in the rear view mirror. Lutfi&#8217;s first foray into the franchise world as an owner was in the mid-90s, and the rest, as they say, is history. Those original two franchises have grown into 250, stretching across brands as varied as <a href="http://arbys.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=founder-to-know-tony-lutfi-marlu-investment-group-1229" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arby&#8217;s</a> and <a href="http://www.searsoutlet.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=founder-to-know-tony-lutfi-marlu-investment-group-1229" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sears Outlets &amp; Appliance Stores</a>. While Lutfi&#8217;s rise may seem like a storybook tale, it was far from easy. For instance, when he first took on a managerial role at Jack in the Box, Lutfi had to contend with suddenly becoming the boss of workers who outranked him age-wise. &#8220;At the time, I was young and I had several fellow employees who were older than me,&#8221; Lutfi said. &#8220;I couldn&#8217;t speak with authority. That&#8217;s always a challenge for young individuals growing into business.&#8221; Also, the fact that English was his second language meant Lutfi had to overcome certain communication barriers. However, Lutfi was determined to succeed. While it may be tempting to attribute his work ethic to being an immigrant with a burning desire to thrive in America, Lutfi is quick to avoid any clich&#233; explanations. &#8220;People who feel that they only have one chance to make something work for them, versus others who feel they have multiple chances in life&#8230;people who feel they only have limited chances at something work harder,&#8221; Lutfi said. &#8220;Whether it&#8217;s being a new immigrant, whether you come from a poor environment&#8230;the need to prove yourself and the need to overachieve exists with people who have never been [in an easier position].&#8221; Lutfi and the rest of the team at MarLu Investment Group are currently focused on growth, hoping to take advantage of a desirable lending environment while it lasts. However, finances come second to passion. When asked what advice he would offer to entrepreneurs looking to start their own business today, Lutfi was clear and sincere. &#8220;Be passionate about everything that you do in life, because ultimately you have to love what you do,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think of sleep as a waste of time because I just can&#8217;t wait to get up and do the things I love to do. I don&#8217;t love it for the financial reasons, I love it because I am in the business of mentoring and helping others.&#8221; Lutfi also highlighted the importance of businesses having some kind of governing framework to adhere to. &#8220;Every company has to have some guiding principles and values they live with and abide by,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Establish those very early. Once you know them, the odds of making bad decisions are much lower.&#8221;<div>&nbsp;</div>

1851 Franchise

From fry cook to founder, Tony Lutfi has always been concerned with passion.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Founder to Know: Tony Lutfi, MarLu Investment Group

founder-to-know-tony-lutfi-marlu-investment-group

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Celebrates the Opening of Its 400th Franchise Location

caring-transitions-celebrates-the-opening-of-its-400th-franchise-location

Mathnasium

The Steps To Becoming a Mathnasium Learning Centers Franchisee

the-steps-to-becoming-a-mathnasium-learning-centers-franchisee

Happy Joe’s Franchising

Happy Joe’s: A Proven, Resilient Business Model That Stands the Test of Time

happy-joes-a-proven-resilient-business-model-that-stands-the-test-of-time

Preservan

Preservan Franchisee Stephen Eppling Celebrates One Year of Growth and a Major Preservation Award in Athens, Georgia

preservan-franchisee-stephen-eppling-celebrates-one-year-of-growth-and-a-major-preservation-award-in-athens-georgia

Paris Baguette

Photo of person in Paris Baguette café passing cake over countertop

How Much Does It Cost To Open a Paris Baguette Café?

paris-baguette-franchise-cost-2025

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Rising Jobless Claims Could Signal Challenges — and Opportunities — for Franchising

rising-jobless-claims-affect-franchising

Hardee’s Lawsuit Highlights the Risk of Going Off-Model in Franchising

hardees-franchise-lawsuit-paradigm-investment-group

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Dave’s Hot Chicken Sold to Roark Capital in $1 Billion Deal to Fuel Global Expansion

daves-hot-chicken-sold-to-roark-capital-in-1-billion-deal-to-fuel-global-expansion

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

The Ultimate Guide To Selling Franchises: How to Leverage Franchise Expos

how-franchisors-can-leverage-franchise-expos-to-drive-success

Darshan Gad - CMO - KidStrong - Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Darshan Gad — Chief Marketing Officer, KidStrong

kidstrong-marketing-leader-darshan-gad

Champion: Driving Franchise Growth Through Award-Winning PR and Digital Marketing

champion-franchise-marketing-agency

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise Built on Heart and Community

paris-baguette-franchise-rockaway-new-jersey-vishal-junjea

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ed Holmes and Papa Murphy's logo

Thirty Years of Take ‘n’ Bake: Ed Holmes Reflects on a Lifetime With Papa Murphy’s

papa-murphys-franchise-ed-holmes-30-years

From Personal Care to Purpose-Driven Business: Why This Couple Is Bringing Griswold to Houston

from-personal-care-to-purpose-driven-business-why-this-couple-is-bringing-griswold-to-houston

Design with outline of three houses and people working on laptops within them

Top 10 Low-Cost Home-Based or Mobile Franchises for 2025

low-cost-home-based-mobile-franchises

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Raj Pingili and Paris Baguette logo

How a Family Vacation Inspired Raj Pingili to Bring Paris Baguette to Towson, Maryland

how-a-family-vacation-inspired-raj-pingili-to-bring-paris-baguette-to-towson-maryland

Founder to Know: Tony Lutfi, MarLu Investment Group

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS