A savvy businessman who knew very little English when he moved to the UK as a student has shared how he managed to familiarise himself with the language through reading Domino's pizza menus.
Alok Yadav first began working at the popular pizza chain as an in-store cleaner 16 years ago, while studying for a year-long university placement.
Nowadays, the now 36-year-old runs his very own franchise, having moved swiftly through the ranks thanks to his hard work and determination.
When Alok first arrived in Britain in 2007, he only knew a handful of basic phrases such as "please" and "thank you". He was keen to climb the ladder at Domino's however, and would spend hours learning how to pronounce ingredient names like "chicken", "anchovies", and "pineapple".
Entrepreneurial Alok also spent plenty of time role-playing with his co-workers until he mastered the phrase "Thank you for choosing Domino's pizza, my name is Alok, how can I help?", meaning he was able to answer the phone and take orders from customers.
Alok, who is originally from Delhi, India, said: "I knew I had to learn the language quickly if I wanted to progress, but it was really hard. It was tricky when someone ordered a 'Meatilicious' pizza because I couldn't say it.
"As I was young, I'd only heard of onions and tomatoes, so I had to learn the names of the other toppings and how to say them. It wasn't easy.
"My colleagues were great in helping me learn and I was determined to do it as I really enjoyed working in Domino's. We spent hours in the flat above the shop going through the phone greeting and working on the toppings."
His dedication soon paid off, and, within the space of just one year, Alok rose from team member to supervisor, to store manager, running the Portsmouth North End Domino’s branch.
Alok even met his now partner, Rachel Yadav, through the company, with the pair falling for each other while working alongside each other in a Domino’s branch in Farnham.
He continued to enjoy success at the company and eventually became an area manager. As of Monday June 5, Alok achieved yet another career dream through Domino's Homegrown Heroes programme, opening up his very own franchise in Swaffham, Norfolk.
By this point, Alok had already become a very successful entrepreneur in his own right, having opened up more than 40 outlets outside of Domino's, including coffee shops and separate pizza stores.
Domino's had always held a place in his heart, however, and he knew he had to seize the opportunity when it arose.
Alok continued: "I was always in contact with my ex-colleagues at Domino's so when I heard that Domino's was onboarding new franchise partners through the Homegrown Heroes programme, I just had to get involved.
"It was special for me. Working at Domino's gave me the business acumen that has served me so well over the years. It's a great place to build a career and provided me with opportunities and valuable skills.
"It was my first love as they gave me my first job, so I have really come full circle now. It's been an incredible journey for me and I couldn't be happier."
Franchise development manager at Domino’s UK & Ireland, Dan Maund, stated: "Alok was one of the first people to apply to the Homegrown Heroes programme, reinforcing his commitment to the brand.
"His entrepreneurial mindset and determination that was developed through his time at Domino's have empowered him to open several successful businesses over the years.
"We're proud to have Alok come the full circle and open his first Domino's store in Swaffham."
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