CEOs and top executives joined Southern California’s business community at the 13th annual USC Marshall Leadership Summit where guests heard from dynamic thought leaders who are transforming their industries at the Newport Beach Country Club on March 26. The event focused on best leadership practices and featured success stories from Wahoo’s co-founder Wing Lam and other notable brands and companies.
Lam kicked off the lunch hour with his topic “Leading as a Lifestyle” and revealed the leadership practices and business strategies that helped grow Wahoo’s from a single taco stand for surfers to a national brand with over 60 locations in the U.S. and Japan. In addition to a menu with unique flavor offerings and an emphasis on healthy fare, the company has been a consistent leader in business strategies that have built a large and loyal customer base.
“Wahoo’s grew because my brothers Ed, Mingo and I are all college grads; we’ve all studied finance, business, and accounting so we were able to take a business approach to a restaurant,” said Lam. “Most restaurants fail because they don’t know how to run a business. You have to spend time understanding finance, accounting, and management to really be able to grow your business.”
Wahoo’s Fish Taco is a southern California mainstay—is one of many success stories recognized by USC Marshall School of Business for effective leadership practices and business strategies. USC’s deep roots in the Los Angeles and Southern California business communities allow the opportunity to highlight success stories and connect thought leaders with local business members.
Founded by brothers Wing Lam, Ed Lee and Mingo Lee, Wahoo’s Fish Taco, a community mainstay and worldwide pop culture phenomenon, has been serving up its eclectic Mexican-Brazilian-Asian menu since 1988. Celebrated for its fresh food, pro-athlete support and charity involvement, Wahoo’s is recognized across multiple states for its sticker-covered walls. During the past two decades, the restaurant chain has grown to include more than 67 locations throughout California, Colorado, Texas and Hawaii. www.wahoos.com
