The Power Couple Pioneering the Teriyaki Madness Franchise in Northern Utah

Noi and Ti Dyphibane, a dynamic husband-and-wife team, are the newest franchisees of Japanese restaurant franchise Teriyaki Madness, ready to introduce the brand's flavorful and healthy dining experience to Northern Utah. 

The Dyphibanes are no strangers to business ventures. Ti has been working as the finance director at the NBA star Karl Malone’s Toyota dealership since 1998, an experience that gave him valuable insights into the franchise model. Alongside this, the duo have been growing their real estate portfolio together over the years. Noi is currently a real estate agent in the area with Realtypath.

As the real estate market escalated in recent years, the Dyphibanes saw an opportunity to diversify their investments and decided to venture into franchising and restaurants. After researching numerous brands, they found Teriyaki Madness, which aligned perfectly with their lifestyle and passion for food. The Dyphibanes were drawn to Teriyaki Madness because of the brand's impressive growth; popularity among the younger, health-conscious generation; and the versatility of its menu. 

Believing in the brand's potential to flourish in their community, the Dyphibanes are excited to introduce more people to this Asian cuisine concept. Having signed for their first three stores, the couple aspires to open 15 to 20 units throughout Northern Utah in the years to come.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Ti Dyphibane: We are a mom-and pop, family-run operation. I’ve worked at the Karl Malone Toyota dealership since 1998, growing that enterprise for the NBA star. I am currently the finance director there.

Noi and I also invest in rental properties. We’ve built a few units every year while keeping our corporate day jobs. As you engage in those things, you start to figure out the most efficient way to acquire and grow. As real estate went up in price, the cost of barriers became higher. In the last year, we decided we needed to diversify and branch out into franchising and restaurants. So, we started doing some Googling and seeing what aligned with our lifestyle. That is how we found TMAD. 

In real estate, if you identify a property, it makes sense and it fits within your performa. You don’t have a lot of time to think about it. Send in an offer. Let's move forward. We are always looking for every reason to close. If it fits, it fits. 

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Ti Dyphibane: We looked at franchising pretty deeply to make sure it was for us. Toyota is a franchise model, but they give us a lot of autonomy. We know that franchising is scalable. The franchise side makes sense because we don’t have to start from scratch. It is a proven model. People have done it already. It is really full-proof. As long as we do our part and put in the work, we have a good recipe to really succeed.  

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Ti Dyphibane: Young people are more health conscious and more aligned with Asian cuisine concepts today. Our timing is perfect. We are also foodies ourselves, so we knew it was a great concept from the moment we tried it. If it fit with us, we knew it would fit everyone else. You can eat this food once, twice, three times a week. The menu is big enough, but it is still healthy and tastes great.

Also, we aren’t joining a complete startup. Teriyaki Madness is on the upswing. The success rate that they have seen in just a short amount of time is really impressive. And there is still a good portion of the population that needs to be introduced to this type of cuisine so they can introduce it into their meal rotation. 

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Ti Dyphibane: Discipline is everything for us — following the process even when you don’t feel like doing it. Once we open these first three stores, my aspirations are to bring this brand to all of Northern Utah, hopefully opening as many as 15 to 20 units. Just like we grew our real estate portfolio, we know that once we’ve built that muscle, it is all about rinse and repeat. But you have to crawl before you walk, so we are focused on proving ourselves as a good community member, earning the respect of consumers here and finding our place in the marketplace.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Ti Dyphibane: We are always looking for opportunities. We are branching off of an industry that we have been with for 24 years, and we want to prove that we can grow this business model while still hanging on to our day jobs. We want to be super active in the business and grow our portfolio. 

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Ti Dyphibane: Do your homework, but make sure it is sustainable for you and your life. They say if you do what you love, you aren’t working. That is kind of true, but it really just makes the work easier if you are also a fan. Then you can practice what you preach. If TMAD is in our backyards, we are going to eat there. That is the same reason I work for Toyota; we have them in the driveway. That makes it easier to do it all with conviction and passion. That is my advice. 

ABOUT TERIYAKI MADNESS

Teriyaki Madness is making big moves. Named the #1 Fastest-Growing Big Restaurant Chain in the U.S. by Restaurant Business, TMAD’s secret sauce lies in creating value for franchisees, guests and employees alike. More than 130 shops across three countries deliver big, heaping bowls of fresh, natural ingredients to their communities, creating a cult-like following with customers, employment opportunities for neighborhoods and profitable margins for the operators. Backed by world-class delivery and loyalty innovations and an all-star executive team, Teriyaki Madness’ focus is on sustainable growth and exceptional experiences. Visit franchise.teriyakimadness.com for single- and multi-unit opportunities. Join the Teriyaki Takeover.