“This is the best barbecue I’ve ever had!”

I must have heard that comment over a dozen times during my visit with Meat U Anywhere owner Andy Sedino.  Guests would willingly interrupt our conversation feeling compelled to gush over Andy with their compliments.  It’s amazing that Andy can remain so humble with so much admiration.  After all, I’ve never seen a company with so many positive reviews on Yelp or Facebook.  On Yelp, 281 reviewers have collectively scored Meat U Anywhere an average score of 4.5 stars out of 5.  Their Facebook page yields even more mind-blowing results where 203 of the 207 reviewers have scored it a 5 out of 5.  Needless to say, Meat U Anywhere is what we call a Great Business.  Andy was gracious enough to let me spend some time with him at his restaurant – 5 hours to be exact – where he let me pick his brain on everything.  What I came away with was that Andy truly embodies the American Dream.

Andy comes from West Texas where kindness, family, community, and great barbecue reign supreme.  He shared stories with me about his childhood visiting his grandmother’s house (which served as his inspiration for the Grapevine restaurant) and eating delicious tacos (which he proudly serves all day long – try them, they’re outstanding).  Andy’s drive for a great customer experience led him to great success building the business of a competing barbecue chain.  To all of our benefit, that same drive is what led to their parting, as his views on food quality and service clashed with theirs of taking shortcuts to grow the corporation.

Proud owner Andy Sedino next to his mobile smoker.

Once they parted ways, Andy didn’t miss a beat.  He took the path many of us entrepreneurs take, trying to open a door after one had just closed.  As with any great success story, there is also a story of hardship, one which he shared with me as he fought to get Meat U Anywhere started, first as a catering service.  He encountered late or sleepless nights, battled uncontrollable forces like the weather or dead smokers, tried to balance his beloved family with the new business’s demands, overcame those telling him he wouldn’t make it, and fought to prove himself to every new customer.  Then, came the task of bringing another dream to life, which was to get the store front business going.  They finally opened to an eager fanbase on October 23, 2014.  He put his blood, sweat, and tears into every element of the business from the logo (a Texas Ranger badge with a horseshoe for luck and 4 stars symbolizing the 4 corners of the globe) to getting the dining room built out.  Now he has a business that utilizes synergies between the catering business and the store front to drive the growth of both.  When one succeeds, the other one does too.  It’s an amazing model.

It’s evident the hard work has paid off, but how has he been so successful?  In his words, he had no other choice.  At his age, he thought, this would be his last chance at success.  His family and the pessimists were his motivation.  If you’ve ever set foot in Meat U Anywhere, you’ve likely spoken with Andy.  He has an uncanny ability of connecting with customers, making them feel special and welcome, and going above and beyond to make their experience great.  He’ll shake your hand and quickly make sure you have a sample of their turkey or brisket in it shortly after.  Somehow he’s able to remember customer’s names and what they ordered, which he’ll recall the next time they come to the restaurant to wow them.

It is always a packed house at lunch time.

What it also comes down to is that the food is absolutely incredible.  Many business owners lose sight of their product when wearing so many of the different hats we’re required to wear.  Andy places a laser focus on making sure his barbecue is the hands-down best.  Not the best in DFW, not the best in Texas.  The best anywhere.  Period.  He’s made an investment in his smokers to make sure his product quality remains consistent each and every day.  His laser focus also keeps him from straying away from his strengths to please every comment or suggestion thrown his way.  For instance, when a customer seeks salad, he points them to their baked potato.  They are a meat market after-all.  This doesn’t mean he doesn’t go the extra mile in the name of customer service.  When a customer was disappointed they didn’t have a sweet barbecue sauce, he kindly reminded them they were eating Texas barbecue, not Kansas City.  Then to the customer’s surprise, he quickly mixed a batch of sweet barbecue sauce just for them.  Andy believes strongly in holding true to what you believe in.

So what’s next for Meat U Anywhere?  They’re currently building out their next location in Trophy Club and preparing for the transition of running two locations and a thriving catering business.  Andy’s hope is that the business doesn’t ever lose it’s small town feel so he’s making it a point to engrain his best practices into the culture of the business.  He spoke a lot about culture.  Culture will be at the forefront of his mind especially when hiring the right people to continue growing the reputation developed already.  He’s built a culture of accountability.  He says he hires people who are willing and able to thrive in the grind of the barbecue business.  In all of his employees, he stresses that no matter what, they maintain their composure and keep emotion out of their decision making.  It’s certainly a great motto for them to follow, as exceeding the expectations of their customers is always a goal of theirs.  To maintain this culture through their growth into Trophy Club, Andy will be overseeing operations of the new location and keeping a close eye to ensure that culture remains strong.

If you haven’t been to Meat U Anywhere, run there now.  Don’t be surprised to see the line out the door.  If you really want to impress your boss or co-workers, ask them to cater your next event.  I’ll promise you that you’ll be the next one saying “this is the best barbecue I’ve ever had!”