27/11/2025
Twenty years passed. The projects ended. The relationship didn’t. 👇
Twenty-plus years ago, I was running JR Advertising in Illinois. One of my biggest blessings back then was working with Mike P Dumelle.
Mike was Director at SBARRO at the time and became Sr. VP of SBARRO – Corporate and Franchise Operations, North America and Canada. My brother Dany was part of his team, working as a location manager, and he was the one who first connected us.
Mike trusted me with marketing material and brand work for Sbarro.
We started with stores in Illinois - Chicago region.
That work grew.
At one point, I was supporting 400+ Sbarro stores across the USA.
For a young marketer and designer, that was a dream come true.
> Big brand.
> High pace.
> Real responsibility.
Then life shifted.
I moved to Australia in 2009.
I emailed Mike and asked for a recommendation to help me start again.
He said yes.
He wrote it.
That letter helped me land my first job in a new country.
I never forgot it.
Fast forward to this week.
I walked into Jexal’s, the restaurant Mike has owned for about nine years now. This time, I brought my son Jonathan with me.
I wanted him to see what appreciation looks like in real life – and how you treat customers, partners, and people who walk with you on your journey.
We sat down like no time had passed.
We talked about:
– Family, kids, and how fast they grow
– COVID, rising costs, and how tough restaurants have it
– Staff, loyalty, and how the right people can make or break a business
– Takeaway vs dine-in, small footprints, and staying profitable
Different decade.
Different roles.
Same Mike.
Same heart for people.
Same straightforward, hard-working operator I knew back in the Sbarro days.
Walking out, a few things hit me:
1️⃣ Titles change. Character doesn’t.
Sr. VP or small business owner – who you are is what people remember.
2️⃣ Relationships outlast projects.
The campaigns ended.
The invoices were paid.
But the relationship is still here 20+ years later.
3️⃣ One act of support can change a whole journey.
That recommendation in 2009 helped me restart my life in Australia.
It cost Mike a few minutes.
It gave me a new beginning.
I’m deeply grateful for this visit.
For the work we did.
And for the reminder that business is still, and always will be, about people.
If you’ve had a client, manager, or partner who opened a door for you…
Send them a message today.
Say thank you.
And if you have a story like this, share it in the comments.
Someone in your network might need the reminder that relationships are the real ROI. 🙏
