We were lucky to catch up with Arsalan Ali recently and have shared our conversation below.

Arsalan , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I am sure you all have heard the saying – ‘The journey of thousand miles begin with a single step’. Its all about taking the first step. Was opening a restaurant during Covid era easy? Big NO. Did everyone around call me senseless? Big YES. Did I Listen to anyone? Well, you know the answer to this because we are sitting here.

It all starts with self-belief. The way I view myself and goals determine everything. During the peak of Covid era when the whole world was shut down, I was on the road all around the Dallas metroplex and looking for a location for my restaurant. So, almost a year after I locked down this spot after instantly falling in love with it. It seemed like this location was destined for me. The reason i say so is because the owner of the complex turned down a big national coffee shop chain over my startup by believing in me and business model.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi, my name is Arsalan Ali and I am 35 years old. I completed my bachelors and masters in Accounting. Someone who was very excited to be part of big corporations only lasted just little over a year in corporate America culture and never looked back. Been in business industry for over a decade now. I am involved in various industries actively but today we will talk mainly on BK Khan’s BBQ. I started the journey of being a restaurant operator 4 years ago and covid delayed various matters but that dint stop my determination and motivation to get to the finish line. As a matter of fact, I get one question all the time ‘You are too young to be running this restaurant on your own’. I always tell them the same thing that age is not a relevant factor for any work. Its the drive, mindset, passion and love for food and people that keeps me going.

I built this restaurant from ground up and it took me almost a year to get from first generation space to finished product. I am very proud to provide South Asian community (our core clientele) HALAL Pakistani BBQ. What sets us apart is the quality of meat which is carefully chosen. We only use natural meat free of all antibiotics, 100% grass fed, hormone free, and responsibly raised. Our marinations are precisely timed and never served beyond their expiration timeframe to keep our quality standards in place. I am the sole chef here and thats the secret recipe for consistency. Each kind of meat marination is personally monitored on daily basis by me. Each and every order is grilled upon ordering. The way I have designed my kitchen and operations guarantees something that we are lacking the most in our Asian community; that is freshness and consistency. This is what sets us apart. This is my key to success. It is hard work but there is no shortcut or work around for running a successful operation. Customers see and feel our love and we become family in no time.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word of mouth. My restaurant sets a high standard for its ingredients/food quality and ensures that guests receive the same quality with every meal. Serving quality food can earn your restaurant a good reputation and compel your guests to return for repeat visits. Along those lines, I am promising clean establishment, amazing vibe, helpful staff, humble management. The relation we have built with our customers and their families is just amazing. They have put their trust in us and we don’t break it any cost.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Making great and long lasting relationships with your clientele. Its just an amazing feeling. We are very social community and word of mouth goes a long way for us.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bkkhanbbq/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BkkhanBBQ/