The Great Franchisees: Haresh and Nikky Prithyani, Teriyaki Madness, Indiana

Two of the newest franchisees with Teriyaki Madness, the 75-plus-unit Seattle-style teriyaki shop, Haresh and Nikky Prithyani are no strangers to entrepreneurship. The married couple owns the Chesterton Montessori School in Indiana, and Haresh also works as an ??enterprise account executive at T-Mobile. 

Haresh admits he was pessimistic about franchising before he joined the industry, but learning about Teriyaki Madness made him “forget about my misconceptions about franchising.”

The Prithyanis opened their first Teriyaki Madness location in Valparaiso, Indiana earlier this summer. We spoke to Haresh to learn more about his journey to the franchise world and his experience with Teriyaki Madness.

1851 Franchise: Tell us your story – what did you do before franchising?

Haresh Prithyani: My wife, Nikky, and I are entrepreneurs by nature. We own the Chesterton Montessori School, and I am also a full-time enterprise account executive at T-Mobile.

1851: How did you initially find out about franchising and what was your perception of franchising before becoming a franchise owner?

Prithyani: I never owned a franchise in the past, and my knowledge about the industry was minimal. I thought it would take a lot more money to invest and that franchisees didn’t get a large enough cut of the profits. I can confidently say now that is not the case. With the backing of a corporate team, franchisees are more likely to succeed and double their profits versus someone who decided to start their own business from scratch. 

1851: How did you decide you wanted to be a franchisee?

Prithyani: My brother-in-law who lives in Nashville told me about Teriyaki Madness. I loved the food, concept and branding, and it made me forget about my misconceptions about franchising. This opportunity helped my wife and I diversify our business portfolio and will allow us to provide the community with a new concept of delicious, made-to-order food. Nikky will be leading the day-to-day operations of the business.

1851: How did you perform your research?

Prithyani: We did research on other restaurant brands to compare the opportunity. At the end of the day, Teriyaki Madness checked all of our boxes.

1851: Why did you pick Teriyaki Madness? What excited you most about the potential?

Prithyani: Not only did we love the concept and food, but Teriyaki Madness is one of the fastest-growing franchises. When we signed on with the brand in February of 2020, the brand had 56 locations. Today, they’ve doubled that number and projections are looking strong for next year. We’re excited to be a part of that growth. 

1851: What are your dreams with the business? What does the future look like?

Prithyani: We want to first understand who our client is. Then, the plan is to open more locations.

1851: What advice would you have for others looking at buying a franchise?

Prithyani: You can’t do everything by yourself. You need guidance and a path. I didn’t know much about restaurants, but if you have the right franchise partner, you will be set up for success.

1851: What do you do in your personal time?

Prithyani: I enjoy spending time with my family, watching movies and traveling.

ABOUT TERIYAKI MADNESS

Fast-casual teriyaki shop franchise Teriyaki Madness is committed to unconditionally satisfying guests by offering delicious, made-to-order, healthy (or not) bowls, apps and sides, prepared with fresh, all-natural ingredients served quickly and at a reasonable price. Guests can enjoy their bowls in the shop, or order through the mobile app for delivery or curbside pickup. Teriyaki Madness has been ranked on Entrepreneur’s Top Food Franchises, FastCasual’s Movers and Shakers in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, the Inc. 5000 list for three straight years, and was named the fastest-growing restaurant chain in the United States by Restaurant Business in 2021. Founded in 2003, the brand currently has more than 100 shops open, with franchising opportunities nationwide for qualified single and multi-unit candidates. For more information, visit www.franchise.teriyakimadness.com.