I started at Luby’s when I was 16 years old. I was still in high school, and I did just about everything—expediting, working the counter, washing dishes, cooking. I went on to earn my culinary certificate, but by then I already knew I loved the variety of what we did at Luby’s. At 21, I became an Assistant Manager. At 25, I became a General Manager—the youngest GM in the company at the time. Now I’m 35, and I’ve been a GM for 10 years.

So when people ask me if I like my job, my answer is always the same: No. I love it. Today, I run our Slaughter Lane location in Austin, where Luby’s and Fuddruckers operate together under one roof. It’s a unique restaurant, but to me, it’s one building, one business and one team. And it’s a team I’m incredibly proud of. Many of the people I work with have been with Luby’s for 10, 15, even 20 years. Some of them knew me when I was a teenager. They’ve watched me grow up at Luby’s, and now I have the privilege of leading them. I think that history changes the way you look at leadership. I know what it feels like to be the 16-year-old starting out. I know what it’s like to learn a new station, make mistakes, take on more responsibility and wonder what might come next. People here gave me opportunities. Now I get to do that for someone else.

Outside of work, I love Austin. I go to the gym, enjoy comedy—especially Kill Tony—and spend time with my family. My dad worked in construction, and I grew up watching him work hard and provide for us. That example has stayed with me. When I look back, I’m proud of how far I’ve come, but I don’t spend much time dwelling on it. My life is pretty awesome. I love my life. And I think the best thing I can do is keep learning, keep enjoying it and keep going.