We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Leo Fan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Leo, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear your thoughts about family businesses.

Growing up in a family that’s been in the restaurant industry for over 20 years, I’ve seen both the good and the bad of running a family business. At first, I didn’t really want to be involved since they made me do all the dirty work as a kid. I mean, what 8 year old wants to spend their day bussing tables, cleaning dishes and floors. But as I got older and started taking it seriously, I actually fell in love with it. There’s something really rewarding about seeing people enjoy your food, love your service and knowing you’re building something meaningful.

One of the biggest advantages of a family business is the level of commitment. When it’s something your family has built, you naturally care more. There’s also a level of trust you don’t always get in other businesses. At the end of the day, everyone wants what’s best for it. But that can also be a downside. When business and personal life mix, conflicts can get messy. Disagreements don’t just stay in the workplace, they follow you home. It’s easy for emotions to get involved, which can make decision making harder.

Would I want my kids to join? Only if they actually want to. I would let them know both pros and cons but I wouldn’t push them into it just because it’s the family business. I know from experience that you have to really want to do it, or it won’t work. If they’re passionate about it, great I’d support them 100%. But if they want to do something else, I’d respect that too.

One thing I’ve learned is that a family business still needs to run like a real business. Just because you’re working with family doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be clear roles, expectations, and professionalism. At the end of the day, the goal is to build something successful, and that takes more than just being family, it takes making smart business decisions, even if they’re harsh.

In the end, it was all worth it. My family is the reason I know everything I do today, and they’re the reason I started CHI FAN.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Leo, Im 21 and I’m the owner of CHI FAN, an Asian fusion restaurant in Madison Heights, MI. Growing up in a family that’s been in the restaurant industry for over 20 years, I was around food and business from a young age. At first, I wasn’t too interested. I got stuck with all the dirty work as a kid, cleaning dishes and floors. But over time, as I started taking it seriously, I fell in love with the industry. There’s something special about creating food that people love and building a place that brings people together.

The name CHI FAN, meaning “eat food” in Chinese, reflects what we’re all about: enjoying delicious meals. We serve a mix of Asian flavors with a modern twist. Our menu includes ramen, stir fry, poke bowls, and boba, all made with high quality ingredients sourced locally and a focus on bold flavors. What sets us apart is our commitment to freshness, customization, and efficiency. We want to serve food that’s not only delicious but also fast and convenient without sacrificing quality.

We offer Create Your Own options if you like to start from scratch, and you can even customize any of our signature dishes to fit your taste. Think of us as an Asian Chipotle or a Mongolian BBQ, we give you the freedom to build your meal just the way you like it with also so many gluten free and vegan options, ensuring that everyone can find something they love.

One of the biggest problems we solve for our customers is providing an experience that’s both fast and high quality. A lot of quick service places compromise on freshness, and a lot of sit down restaurants take too long, we bridge that gap. Plus, we keep things fun and engaging, from unique menu items to events like our Car n Boba Meet, where we bring together car enthusiasts over good food and drinks.

At CHI FAN, our passion for creating meals extends far beyond the food itself. We take pride in delivering a cozy, welcoming environment where our customers can truly feel at home. From the carefully chosen ingredients in every dish and drink to the thoughtfully curated music that sets the tone, we prioritize every detail to ensure an unforgettable in store experience.

Our restaurant is more than just a place to eat, it’s a community hub. We love seeing people of all ages and backgrounds coming together at CHI FAN to chat, hang out, study, and work. The connections formed and the memories created here inspire us to continue working hard to provide a unique and relaxing environment for everyone who walks through our doors.

What I’m most proud of is how far we’ve come in such a short amount of time. The support from our customers and the community has been incredible, and it pushes me to keep improving. I love hearing people say, “I can’t wait to come back,” because that’s what it’s all about, creating a spot that people genuinely enjoy.

For anyone who hasn’t checked out CHI FAN yet, I’d say come by, try the food, and experience it for yourself!!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think it’s because we have good food and a good vibe, sounds cheesy, but it’s true. From day one, I focused on consistency, making sure every dish has the right portion sizes and tastes the same every time. That way, when someone comes in, they know they’re getting something fresh and made right, just like the last time they had it. Word of mouth is powerful, and when people try something they love, they naturally want to tell others about it. that’s why being consistent is so important to me. Just put out good food, engaged with customers, and let the hype build naturally.

Customer service is really important to me. It’s not just about serving food, it’s about creating an experience that makes people want to come back. A big part of that is having a great team. Your team is everything, they’re the ones who help make all this happen. From the kitchen to the front counter, I want everyone at CHI FAN to feel valued and motivated because when the team is strong, the customer experience is even better.

Another big factor is social media. We’ve had a lot of growth just from people posting their food and sharing their experiences. Food influencers and local bloggers help bring attention to the restaurant and good reviews online make a huge difference. I also use email and SMS marketing to stay connected with customers. Plus, our loyalty program helps both us and them, it gives customers special discounts and the latest updates!

Being involved in the community has also played a big role. Whether it’s catering local events, attending networking gatherings, or just building connections with customers, I want CHI FAN to be more than just a restaurant. People remember how you make them feel, and creating a welcoming space where they can hang out, study, or grab a quick bite has helped us stand out.

It’s all about giving people a reason to come back. Whether it’s through our food, customer service, or overall experience, I want people to leave thinking, “Yeah, I’ll be back for that.” That’s how we built our reputation, and that’s how we’ll keep growing.

Have you ever had to pivot?

One big lesson I had to unlearn was trying to do everything myself. When I first started CHI FAN, I felt like I had to be involved in every single detail, whether it was in store stuff like taking orders, prepping food, running around trying to do everything or out of store tasks like handling social media, managing finances and so much more. I thought that if I wasn’t overseeing everything, something would go wrong.

But as we got busier, I realized that mindset wasn’t sustainable. I was burning myself out, and honestly, I wasn’t giving my team enough trust. It got so bad that I was losing weight, not getting enough sleep, and my mental strain wasn’t in the best shape, but I stayed strong and pushed through all of it.

The turning point came when I was talking to my family and had a deep conversation with my partners, I finally stepped back and let my team take more responsibility. At first, it was hard because I wanted everything done a certain way, but I started to see that when you hire the right people and train them well, they can handle things just as well, sometimes even better.

I learned that having a strong team isn’t just about delegating tasks, it’s about building a culture where everyone feels valued and takes pride in their work. Now, I focus on making sure my team is set up for success rather than trying to do it all myself. Letting go of that control was tough, but it made a huge difference in how we operate and grow as a business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chifanfoods.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chifanfoods/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chifanfoods/