Alison Satriana: From Doing It All to Building It Right

Name: Alison Satriana
Title: VP of Development Marketing
Company: Teriyaki Madness
Years in franchising: 10
Number of units (as of Dec. 31): 200

Alison Satriana is the vice president of development marketing at Teriyaki Madness (TMAD) and has more than 10 years of industry experience. Her role includes supporting all franchising marketing strategies and initiatives for TMAD while also working with franchisees to ensure alignment across all locations. Alison has proven her franchising chops for a fast-casual restaurant concept that has produced exponential growth with 41 new shop openings in 2025 alone. TMAD has also seen a system-wide sales jump of 22% through Q3 of 2025. Alison is a major contributor to the brand’s success.

Personal & Leadership Journey

What inspired you to pursue leadership in franchising/branding? My franchising journey wasn’t planned, but it quickly became a passion. I was introduced to Teriyaki Madness through a friend and joined as an office manager. I was immediately drawn to the development side of the business. What inspired me most was the ability to help people step into ownership and opportunity. Franchising allows you to change lives at scale. We welcome people into the Madness and support them as they pursue first-time business ownership, build family legacies, or grow multi-unit portfolios. Being part of that journey and helping a brand grow through the success of its franchisees is what ultimately inspired me to step into leadership.

Can you share a defining moment that shaped your leadership style? A defining moment for me came when I realized that saying “yes” to everything (and trying to be everything for everyone) wasn’t sustainable. As the brand grew, it became clear that my role wasn’t to personally solve every challenge but to create the systems, strategies, and clarity that enable growth. That shift reframed my leadership approach, moving from execution to empowerment. I learned that strong leadership isn’t about being the answer but about building frameworks and teams that allow people and the brand to thrive long term.

How has your personal background influenced the way you lead? I’ve always been deeply relationship driven, valuing people, connection, and the communities around me. That perspective naturally shapes how I lead. I genuinely care about the success and happiness of others, and I bring that same energy into my work. One of my greatest motivators is watching people win, whether it’s a franchisee achieving a long-held dream or a team member stepping confidently into growth. Leading with empathy, trust, and support has always felt authentic to who I am.

Who or what has most influenced your philosophy as a leader or changemaker? Throughout the majority of my career at Teriyaki Madness, I’ve had the opportunity to learn directly from exceptional leaders. Working closely with CEO Michael Haith and CMO Jodi Boyce has been especially influential. Each brings a distinct leadership perspective (strategic vision, brand storytelling, and people-first decision-making) that has shaped how I approach leadership. Their guidance reinforced the importance of clarity, consistency, and culture and helped me grow into a more intentional and confident leader.

Driving Change & Innovation

What significant changes or innovations have you led within your brand? I’ve played a key role in leading several foundational shifts that modernized how we operate and scale. One of the most impactful was implementing a multi- faceted CRM early on, moving us away from outdated, manual processes to a fully integrated system for email, text communication, lead tracking, and reporting. This created visibility and consistency across the development funnel.

I also helped guide a strategic shift in our franchisee focus, expanding beyond primarily first-time entrepreneurs to intentionally attract experienced, multi-unit operators while still ensuring we maintained accessible pathways and support for first-time owners.

Additionally, I’ve been a strong advocate for company-wide AI adoption. While we’re still evolving our use cases, I’ve pushed for practical, everyday AI integration within our department to support decision-making, increase efficiency, and make our roles more effective and scalable.

How did you implement those changes, and what results did they bring? Each initiative was approached with intentional planning, cross-functional collaboration, and thorough testing to ensure adoption and long-term success. I worked closely with internal teams and leadership to align on goals, map workflows, and roll out changes in a way that felt supportive rather than disruptive.

As a result, we significantly improved operational efficiency, gained clearer insight into our development pipeline, and refined how we identify and attract the right franchise candidates. These changes strengthened both our internal processes and the overall quality of franchisees entering the brand.

What role have you had in adopting new technologies, including AI? I’ve been directly involved in evaluating, adopting, and implementing new technologies that support franchise development and growth. Most recently, I helped lead our transition to Salesforce, which has allowed us to more effectively engage prospective franchisees and leverage data to better understand our ideal candidates.

Beyond CRM implementation, I’ve championed the practical use of AI tools within our department, encouraging experimentation, education, and adoption to streamline workflows, enhance communication, and support strategic thinking. My focus has been on using technology not just for innovation’s sake, but to create smarter, more sustainable ways of working.

Challenges & Resilience

What obstacles have you encountered while driving change, and how did you overcome them? One of the most common obstacles I encounter is resistance to change, particularly when it involves updating long-standing systems or processes. I’ve learned that resistance usually isn’t about the change itself but about uncertainty or fear of disruption. Rather than pushing through it, I focus on understanding the “why” behind the pushback. When concerns are valid, I’m willing to adapt and pivot so that the solution truly works for the team. That balance of listening first and then refining has helped us implement changes that are both effective and embraced.

How do you maintain momentum when new ideas face resistance? Perseverance plays a big role, and so does credibility. I prioritize showing proof of concept as quickly as possible, whether through a pilot, early data, or real-world examples so that the team can see the impact for themselves. When people understand how a new idea directly supports our goals, especially around attracting and awarding the right franchisees, momentum builds naturally and resistance tends to fade.

What lessons have you learned from an initiative that didn’t go as planned? One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that overplanning can sometimes slow progress. Early in my career, I believed every detail had to be perfect before launching. I’ve since learned that too much up-front work can actually limit agility. Often, it’s more effective to start, learn quickly, and evolve in real time. Building as you go allows for faster results, better feedback, and smarter adjustments.

How do you balance short-term pressures with long-term vision? In a fast-paced environment, it’s easy to get caught up in everything that needs immediate attention. I stay grounded by asking myself and my team whether what we’re prioritizing will support the long-term health of the brand. If an initiative doesn’t move us closer to sustainable growth and attracting the right franchisees, it needs to get reevaluated. That constant alignment between daily actions and future goals helps us stay focused even amid short-term pressure.

Culture & People

How do you build and motivate high-performing teams? I build high-performing teams by creating an environment of trust, clarity, and accountability. I give people the space to execute their roles confidently while making it clear that support is always available when they need it. Strong systems and processes are also essential. They remove friction, set expectations, and allow the team to focus on doing their best work rather than navigating ambiguity. When people feel supported and set up for success, motivation follows naturally.

What practices help you connect with employees and franchisees at every level? At my core, I’m a relationship builder, and that drives how I connect with both employees and franchisees. I want people to genuinely know that I care, personally and professionally. Regular one-on-one conversations are a priority for me not just to discuss work, but to check in on how things are going and how I can help them grow or remove obstacles. With franchisees, I stay connected through thoughtful, direct communication, whether it’s a quick text or email to recognize a win, congratulate them on a milestone, or let them know something made me think of them. Those small, consistent touchpoints help build trust and long-term relationships.

How do you build buy-in and bring others along when pushing for change? I focus first on listening. By asking questions and understanding frustrations or concerns, I can address what’s really holding people back. From there, I work collaboratively to find solutions that align with both the goal and the team’s reality. When people feel heard and see their input reflected in the outcome, buy-in becomes a shared commitment rather than a mandate.

How do you mentor or empower the next generation of leaders or changemakers? I believe empowerment starts with access to tools, knowledge, and opportunity. I make a point to equip team members with resources that help them learn and grow while also encouraging them to bring forward their own ideas. Everyone has the potential to contribute meaningfully, and it’s important to create space for employees to test ideas that can help move the brand forward, especially when it comes to finding the right franchisees for Teriyaki Madness. That combination of trust and accountability helps develop confident, capable future leaders.

Future & Vision

What excites you most about the future of your brand or the industry? What excites me most is seeing how far Teriyaki Madness has come and knowing how much opportunity still lies ahead. When I started, the brand had fewer than 25 open locations. Today, we’ve surpassed 200! Across every department, we’ve intentionally built systems, support, and culture that truly meet franchisees where they are. The future excites me because we’re no longer just growing in numbers; we’re growing in sophistication, alignment, and impact. That positions both the brand and our franchisees for long-term success.

How do you stay true to a brand’s core while still adapting for the future? At its core, Teriyaki Madness is about creating opportunity for franchisees, corporate team members, and shop-level employees. That mission acts as our filter for change. As we evolve, we continually ask whether a decision supports shared growth and long-term opportunity. I truly believe that a rising tide raises all ships, and staying grounded in that belief allows us to adapt, innovate, and grow without losing who we are.

Where do you see the greatest opportunities for women in franchising? One of the greatest opportunities for women in franchising is the ability to lead at every level from ownership and operations to brand leadership and strategy. Franchising creates pathways for women to build businesses, scale impact, and balance entrepreneurship with collaboration and support. As the industry continues to evolve, there’s real momentum behind elevating women’s voices, creating mentorship opportunities, and opening doors for women to step into leadership roles with confidence and credibility.

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be? You don’t have to be everything to everyone. Focus on what you do best, lean into your strengths, and trust that clarity will lead to growth. The more you own your lane, the more impactful and fulfilled you’ll be.

What advice would you give to leaders who want to create lasting impact? Listen to your team. The people closest to the work often see opportunities for improvement that leadership may overlook. Fresh perspectives can challenge long-standing norms and elevate programs, processes, and systems to the next level. Leaders who create space for those voices (and act on them) build stronger teams, better brands, and lasting impact.