Most people walk into Tropical Smoothie Cafe thinking about what's on the menu.
For our high school scholars this summer, a visit to the Mayfield Heights franchise offered something different: a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful business.
Thanks to franchise owner Gaurav Aggarwal, who partnered with Open Doors Academy to make the visit possible, District Manager Eric Torok and General Manager Kelly welcomed scholars behind the counter to see how every part of the operation works together. They explored online ordering systems, food preparation, inventory, staffing, food safety, budgeting, and the workflow that allows a busy restaurant to serve customers quickly without sacrificing quality.
“One of the greatest investments we can make is giving young people the opportunity to see what’s possible,” said Aggarwal. “A successful business isn’t built only on great products—it’s built on teamwork, accountability, leadership, and people who care about serving others. If even one scholar leaves believing they could lead a team, build a business, or pursue a career they hadn’t considered before, then the visit will be a success.”
During our scholars’ visit, they asked questions, created their own smoothie recipes, and spoke directly with employees about their career paths.
For Shift Lead Indica, who joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe after working in retail, the job has grown far beyond customer service. Today, she’s helping Kelly oversee inventory, food safety, ordering, and daily operations while training to become an assistant general manager.
“A lot of people ask if we're considered fast food,” she said. “I say we're considered fast casual... everything's made to order.”
That behind-the-scenes perspective changed how scholars viewed the business, too.
“It's very different," said high school scholar Jayden. “Where I live, we don’t have Tropical Smoothie. I liked seeing how they made the food and smoothies, and hearing about what goes into to operating this.”
The visit gave scholars a chance to look beyond the menu and discover the planning, communication, leadership, and teamwork required to keep the café running and create a consistent experience for every customer.
For Torok, opening the business to young people is about more than explaining how the restaurant operates.
“I love interviewing people, bringing people on board, seeing people win and succeed,” he said. “This helps grow our future leaders.”
Experiences like this help scholars connect classroom learning with real workplaces, real careers, and the people behind them. Our scholars left Tropical Smoothie Cafe with something even tastier than their smoothies: a firsthand look at the leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving behind a successful business.
To learn more about Tropical Smoothie Cafe.
