Startup Revolution: Peter Yang of Pokeworks On How Their Emerging Startup is Changing the Game
An Interview With Dina Aletras
Be smart about Investing in technology. Leveraging the latest technology can often help you do more with less. However, it’s a double-edged sword in that you don’t want to be constantly chasing the latest trend.
Startups are at the forefront of innovation, driving change across various industries with fresh ideas and cutting-edge technologies. These emerging companies are not only disrupting traditional markets but also creating new opportunities and transforming the way we live and work. What makes these startups successful, and what can we learn from their journeys? As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Peter Yang.
Peter is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry. His extensive expertise encompasses commercial real estate, restaurant operations, engineering, and construction. As Co-founder and Chief Development Officer, Peter led the Pokeworks team to successfully launch 70 restaurants across 20 states in U.S, and in Canada and Taiwan. He also serves on its Board of Directors.
Recognized for his contributions to the industry, he was featured by Fast Casual Magazine as one of the nation’s top 25 executives. In 2018, Forbes honored Peter as a featured honoree in its 30 Under 30 list, highlighting him as one of the youngest and most prolific restaurateurs in the United States. Peter holds a Master of Engineering degree, cum laude, from the University of California, San Diego.
In his free time, Peter enjoys cooking, golfing, pickleball, and spending quality time with his wife and their two young children.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I grew up in a family that loved cooking and dining. In one of my cherished early memories, I recall being surrounded by my family and grandparents at the dining table. It was a moment of love, togetherness, and profound happiness that I often think fondly back on.
My early exposure to happiness and joy was often tied to food, and I think that’s why I find myself dedicated to this industry — I get to do what I love, and I get the opportunity to create environments and experiences for others to feel joy!
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?
Watching your idea evolve into a company and organization and then for it to grow to become bigger than yourself is indeed magical.
We currently operate 70 locations across 20 states and serve about 5 million customers a year. That is hard for me to grasp sometimes, because I still think about the first bowl we ever sold out of our 700 sq ft space in New York City back in 2016.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When we opened our first location, we opted for a quiet “soft opening” instead of investing in marketing and promotions. We hoped this low-key approach would be sufficient, but with a new product like poke, it took much longer than anticipated for people to understand what we offered. We had many customers coming in asking if we sold Pokémon cards.
Fortunately, the quality of our product spoke for itself, and we soon had lines out the door.
This experience underscored the critical importance of effective marketing and grand opening promotions. We learned that properly introducing our restaurant to the community is essential for building awareness and driving a successful restaurant.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
One of the most exciting projects we’re working on is to focus innovation on digital customer engagement. We’re investing in a new tech stack that will position us for AI integrations and the future.
We’re also working on a platform partner to allow us to go beyond traditional apps — in-game, in-entertainment and in-digital communities. This will allow us to connect to a broader audience and future generations.
On the sustainability front, we are partnering with local farmers to minimize our carbon footprint. We’re also working with our vendors to start sourcing straws and bowls from 100% compostable and recycled materials.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Be a servant leader. Regardless of your position, there’s no job too big or too small.
Listen first. A lot of great ideas come from our franchisee partners and crew members. They are the front-line and understand our guests the best. It’s important to listen to your team and consider all perspectives.
Stay true to your core values. The co-founders and I spent a lot of time defining Pokeworks’ core values. We now look to it regularly for all of our decisions, hirings, and franchisee recruitments.
Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. What was the initial inspiration behind your startup, and how did you turn that idea into a reality?
The idea of Pokeworks dates back to 2015, when my co-founders and I met over lunch. We reminisced about the delicious poke in Hawaii and wondered why it’s not a staple on the mainland. We took inspiration from build-your-own fast casuals like Chipotle, and ran with the idea of “Poke Your Way”. We quickly saw the benefits of this concept: it didn’t require a full kitchen, hoods, or heavy infrastructure, which significantly lowered initial costs. This also unlocked many real estate opportunities that were previously limited to coffee shops or dry retail. Additionally, we believed this concept perfectly aligned with current health-conscious trends and lifestyles.
Several months later, we opened the doors to our first location in midtown Manhattan — a tiny 750-square-foot space. It was a cold December, and most of the city had left for the holidays — it was quiet… and our sales were bleak. Besides correcting our guests on the pronunciation of “poke”, I had to turn away several guests with “Sorry, no, we do not sell Pokemon cards.” Educating the market was definitely an early challenge we had to overcome.
The new year rolled around and our lines got progressively longer day after day. As business grew, we kept our heads down and continued to focus on operational excellence — great products and great guest service. Word quickly spread, and we became the popular kids on the block.
Fast forward 8 years and a pandemic later, we’re 70 locations proud across the U.S., Canada, and Taiwan.
Can you describe a significant challenge your startup faced and how your team overcame it?
One significant challenge we faced early on was scaling our operations while maintaining consistent quality and customer experience. Ensuring each new franchise meeting our high standards became increasingly complex as we scaled from a few to 70 locations.
Our solution was to implement a robust support and training system for our franchisees. We developed comprehensive training programs and detailed operations manuals on platforms that were easy to access for all store managers. Additionally, we invested in a team of Franchise Business Coaches that travels to each and every location to support our franchisees. We leverage technology to streamline our processes, checklists, reporting, and audits.
We will continue to invest in franchisee support tools as we believe it is the key to a successful and sustainable franchise business.
What strategies have you found most effective in scaling your startup and reaching a wider audience?
Early on, we defined our core values. With those in mind during our hiring process, we’ve been fortunate to attract a special group of people who are laser aligned on how things should be done. The team we have is truly exceptional, and I believe it’s only when everyone on the team is in sync that the engine fires on all cylinders, allowing the magic of scaling to unfold. In short, invest time in understand your “Why”,, and then build a strong team around it.
How do you foster innovation within your company to stay ahead of the competition?
Firstly, we encourage and foster a culture of curiosity. “Innovation” is one of our six core values. We urge our team to “Learn, Improve, and Create”. This ethos is reflected across all departments–from our culinary team developing innovative products and LTO’s (Limited Time Offerings), to our IT team exploring the latest tech, to our Development team adopting the latest advancements in real estate intelligence. We are a group of people who constantly ask, “Is there a better and more efficient way of doing what we do?”
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful And Innovative Startup” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)
1. Define your Purpose, Vision, and Core Values. Without them, you will lack culture and a sense of “Why”.
2. Do more with less. Thinking in these terms forces you to stay innovative and lean. It keeps you nimble and adaptive during the dynamic early years of start ups.
3. Hire a team that aligns with your values and vision. Technical skills can always be taught, so it is important to bring on a team that aligns with your vision and culture. In doing so, it will lead to a culture of collaboration and passion.
4. Be smart about Investing in technology. Leveraging the latest technology can often help you do more with less. However, it’s a double-edged sword in that you don’t want to be constantly chasing the latest trend.
5. Customer first mindset. It’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day and think about the future, but don’t forget who your customers are today.
More than four out of five startups fail. What have you done to break out from that pattern, and be successful when so many others have not?
Having a robust dashboard with all your KPIs is key. Leverage tools to help you stay on top of your organization’s vitals and then have weekly team meetings to identify issues and discuss solutions. It helps everyone in the organization to stay aware, focused, and aligned.
Because of the role you play, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
Try a new cuisine every month. You can learn a lot about different cultures through their food. Be open to new flavors and experiences, and embrace differences. Connect with people through food. It’s hard not to be happy and feel love when your belly is full.
This was really meaningful! Thank you so much for your time.
About the Interviewer: Dina Aletras boasts over 20 years of expertise in the corporate media industry. She possesses an in-depth understanding of growth, strategy, and leadership, having held significant roles at some of the UK’s largest media organizations. At Reach PLC, the UK’s largest tabloid publisher, she served in various director capacities. Additionally, she held leadership roles at The Independent Magazine Group and DMGT. Her extensive knowledge spans editorial, digital, revenue, sales, and advertising. Upon relocating to Switzerland, Dina took on the responsibility of managing and promoting the international section of Corriere del Ticino — CdT.ch pioneering the English page “onthespot.” She also was the Co-Editor of Southern Switzerland’s first official Italian and English bilingual magazine.
