The most famous pizza delivery guy in America this week, Edgar Martirosyan, caught a fortunate break when Ellen DeGeneres called in an order Sunday night for some hungry celebrities over at the Academy Awards in Hollywood.
Since then, Edgar has made appearances on CNN, Inside Edition and numerous other media outlets. Perhaps the most valuable praise and support he’s received though, came from his colleagues at Big Mama’s and Papa’s, who were thrilled to congratulate him back at the shop.
Having co-workers who support and celebrate achievements like Edgar’s make all the difference between a successful team and a colossal mess.
Imagine for a moment a different scenario, in which the rest of the crew wondered, “What took you so long to get back here? This is one of our busiest nights of the year and we can’t fall behind on our delivery times!”
Naturally, every business goal involves making money, but not at the expense of selfish, disengaged employees who can’t see past their own insecurities to revel in a company victory. A culture with an “every-man-for-himself” mentality creates an environment that eventually wears on everyone, including, and most importantly, customers.
That’s right — customers notice the difference as well. The exposure from Edgar’s story has sent business for all 20 pizza franchises in the chain through the roof.
It isn’t because Los Angeles-area residents are suddenly head over heels for Big Mama’s and Papa’s; rather, the tale America saw unfold was the public celebration of a small business owner and his team banding together to create a memorable experience for a unique group of patrons.
The next day after the Oscars, there was still just one loop remaining open.
With the likes of Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock and Harvey Weinstein pitching in, what kind of tip (if any) did Edgar receive? A second meeting with Ellen on her daytime talk show definitively answers that question.
This was originally published on the Michael C. Fina blog.
