He moved to the U.S. in 1991. Now, he owns 270 Papa Johns stores

2025-08-27 00:24:24

Nadim Bajua, 58, is the co -founder and executive director of the Bago Group.

As a matter of courtesy Nadim Bajua

In 1991, Nadim Bajua immigrated to the United States from Pakistan. While joining the college in Indiana, he worked in some jobs, including connecting the pizza to the restaurant series Pope JohnWhere he got $ 4.25 per hour.

Today, the 58 -year -old has the fast food empire. Bajwa is now a major franchise owner of Gaba Jones in North America, with more than 270 locations throughout the country.

He is also the CEO Bago Group, Who participated in his founding with his two brothers, and carries a variety of companies that extend to construction, technology, accounting, and Baba Jones wallet and more.

The success of the migrants

Bajwa’s way was not a path. In his early twenties, the first in his family was moving to the United States, where he faced many challenges upon arrival.

“To come to the United States, in fact, this was my first trip [ever.] “I haven’t attended before, it was just a full trip here, it was a full trip here,” said Bajwa. [there was] A lot of anxiety … but I was determined to do this. “

He said that he suffered from some cultural shock and struggled with communication because he was not fluent in English at that time. “Sometimes, when you are far from the family, you are alone … it was very difficult,” said Bajwa.

To help finance his university expenditures, Pajoa picked up some side vehicles.

“The first summer, I made three jobs … washing dishes [during] Breakfast time, then delivering pizza in the afternoon, late at night, working in Tako Bell, ” CNBC made it.

He said: “I used to live in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and … I just started handing over to Gaba John when they came in the city and from there, I just started to love her, and the tips were good, so she helped.”

Nadim Bajoa, with his brothers and founders of the Bago Group, Faisal Bajua and Abdel -Malik Bajwa.

With the permission of the Bago Group.

Soon, Bajoa raised rows in Baba John. By the time he graduated from the university in 1996, he had already moved from a delivery driver to the region director. After graduation, Bajwa applied to some companies’ roles because this is what he always expected to do after studying.

“I applied for some jobs, and in my mind, I was hoping that I wouldn’t get a job for companies, but I wanted to try it because that was one of the verification signs that I had to verify,” he said. “I did not want to get this unfortunately not applied, because life throughout life, I thought I would go to the corporate sector.”

“But when I went to find a [corporate] Ayoub, I couldn’t get [a] The job that would pay me … more than I already did [at Papa John’s]Bajwa said. For this reason, he decided to stay in the field of pizza, and ended up operating multiple pizza stores before he became the owner of the concession.

In July 2002, with the help of family support and bank loans, Pajwa opened his first store in Baba John, East Liverpool, Ohio.

“I bought used equipment at a very low price, and at that time, I built the store for half [of] What will I have [paid]Because I did a lot of [the labor] Myself, added. My whole idea was to open as much money as possible, and spend money towards marketing. “

He said that the cost of building his first store is about 150,000 dollars.

The lessons you achieved hard

Bajoa learned some lessons early, thanks to some major errors.

Before the opening of its first restaurant website, Bajwa focused heavily on getting the word about the large opening of the store.

“I have done a lot of marketing, and on the first day [that the store opened]”Half of the crew went out because it was chaos,” Bajwa said. [opening]”

After that, within six months of the opening of this first site, Bajwa saw that the store’s revenues were before expectations, so he soon went to open some other sites.

“After two stores, I thought, no problem. We opened three immediately after that, and guess what I had [the best people] Around me, and [then we] He said: “He began to fight,” thus, he and his team were to retreat and give it some time before trying to expand again.

“There was a time when we grew up quickly and hit the pump. [In] 2008, [during the] Bajwa said he was grateful for these early failures because they were difficult times.

I never dreamed of this growth … So everything began with the delivery pizza. Do you believe that?

Nadim Bajwa

Participant founder and CEO, Bago Group

Throughout his journey, Pajwa said, he learned the importance of self -reflection. “You should be modest, because the day you start thinking that you got everything, I think your fall will start.”

In 2024, Pago Group An agreement signed with Pope Jones International To develop 50 new restaurants by 2028. Bajwa said his goal is to reach 500 restaurant sites. With the growth of the Baba Jones wallet over the years, Bajoa also built neighboring works.

“We have developed a center of communication, construction arm, external accounting and technology arm to bring it [efficiencies] To the Baba Jones wallet, which is now separate companies and serves many customers inside and outside the Papa Johns brand.

“I never dreamed of this growth. [I just focused on] Bajwa said: “I do my best … and learn from my mistakes … and the rest is just. Do you believe that?”

Do you want to stand out and develop your network and get more job opportunities? Subscribe to Smarter by CNBC, make it a new online course, How to build a prominent personal brand: online, personally, and at work. Learn from three expert coaches how to display your skills, build a wonderful reputation, and create a digital presence that AI cannot repeat. Register today with an early coupon code to get an introductory discount of 30 % of the price of the regular cycle of $ 67 (in addition to the tax). Sari, July 22, 2025, until September 2, 2025.