It’s always fun to get the inside scoop. Here’s what we learned about MOD in five minutes with co-founder, Ally Svenson.
What’s your favorite thing about MOD Pizza?
My favorite thing about MOD has to be the people. Scott and I wanted MOD to be an inspired place to work – where anyone can come to learn, grow and just be themselves. The MOD Squad has taken that mission and run with it. Almost every day, I get a story in my inbox about how one of our Squad members went above and beyond to make someone’s day or help their community out. That’s what it’s all about.
What’s been the most surprising part of your MOD journey?
The most surprising thing is how well people are responding to a different way of doing business. We talk about the “ripple effect of doing the right thing” and it’s so amazing to see in action. A great example is our Spreading MODness campaign. During the week of Thanksgiving, we celebrated our birthday by donating $1 for every pizza sold to local charities. Not only did we raise money for some truly amazing organizations, but when we shared the campaign with others – our vendors, customers and Squad members – they were clamoring to find out how they could add to our efforts.
What advice would you give to a new Squad member?
Success at MOD all comes back to what we call “The 4 Gs” – Grit, Growth, Generosity and Gratitude. Grit means being determined and brave even when things get crazy. Growth means pushing yourself to keep learning and growing as a person and as an employee. Generosity means being big-hearted and non-judgmental and gratitude involves showing respect and being thankful for every opportunity. Those are the characteristics we want our MOD Squad to embody and make their own.
How did you come up with the idea for MOD pizza?
Scott and I have four, active boys and we are always shuttling them around to sports practices and other activities. Like so many busy families, we struggled to find options for fast, affordable and real food while on the go. We saw a need that we were sure was shared by other families like ours, and we were inspired to offer pizza in a way that no one had before. So we took a chance, in the middle of a recession, and started MOD Pizza with our first store in downtown Seattle.
MOD is going to the UK, what does that mean to you?
Taking MOD to the UK is kind of a homecoming for us. Scott and I lived and worked in London after college, so it holds a special place in our hearts. It is also the place where we “cut our teeth” professionally – as we launched our first retail business while living there – Seattle Coffee Company. Much like MOD, the idea was born out of a need that we saw- the lack of a Seattle style coffee bar like Starbucks. We hoped that Starbucks would heed our calls and expand into the UK, but when that didn’t happen, we decided to go for it. We grew to 68 locations in under 2 years, and later sold to Starbucks. We love the Mod culture there too – the music, the clothes, the attitude. It’s a perfect fit for MOD Pizza.
MOD is growing so fast, why?
In 2015, MOD tripled in size and we now have nearly 100 stores. This year, we plan to double that number. We knew that the world probably didn’t need more pizza – but we knew that we do need more places where people can find meaningful work, be themselves and make a living – and that’s why we are inspired to continue to grow the business. It’s not about the next 100 stores, but the next 1,000 MOD Squad members who we want to create opportunities for.