After founding and selling two successful businesses in the U.K. — Seattle Coffee Company and Carluccio’s Ltd. — Scott and Ally Svenson returned to their hometown of Seattle to raise their family. They saw a need for family-friendly dining that is fast, healthy and affordable, and soon their entrepreneurial spirit kicked in with the opening of the first MOD Pizza location in 2008 in downtown Seattle.
The fast-casual concept is now one of the hottest in the country, with more than 300 locations, and it recently raised another $73 million in funding for further expansion. The Svensons attribute much of MOD’s success to a people-first mission, starting with employee pay, benefits and hiring practices. Scott will speak about the culture and business philosophy behind this fast-casual pizza leader.