How the Right Banking Partner Can Help You Build and Expand Your Business

In 2021, Eddie Reis purchased NaBrasa Brazilian Steakhouse in Horsham, Pennsylvania. It’s there that his partnership with Tomas Zozaya started. Zozaya, who had been working at NaBrasa for over a decade, served as the General Manager of the restaurant before stepping into the role of Director. Together, the two have fine-tuned the Horsham location and, as of March 2024, opened a second location in Philadelphia.

“Horsham has been a success for so long that we have been able to use it as a model for our Philadelphia location,” said Zozaya. “We replaced another Brazilian steakhouse in Philadelphia, so from an operations standpoint we were able to get up and running pretty quickly and bring our fresh menu and high-quality offerings to the City.”

The goal at both of their locations is the same as well: to have guests plan their next trip back before they’ve even left the building.

“Our restaurant model, being a Brazilian steakhouse versus restaurants that prepare individual meals, allows us to focus more on the guest experience and the quality of our food,” said Reis. “With inflation, it’s easy to cut costs in the restaurant industry by buying less expensive ingredients. However, we believe that the quality of our food and our service is why our customers come back – so if I wouldn’t serve it at my house to my family, I’m not serving it at the restaurant.”

Buying the Business

“We started working with WSFS Bank prior to the pandemic to purchase the Horsham location. Through WSFS we were able to secure a loan to purchase both the real estate and the existing business, and finalized the deal in 2021,” said Reis.

They chose WSFS because of the size of the bank, their customer service model and the expertise of the team.

“Unlike a larger bank, where we might just be a number, the WSFS team always takes the time to connect and ensure we are heard and feel confident in our business banking plan,” said Zozaya. “There’s a lot of gray areas when it comes to the restaurant industry, and WSFS has been able to help us navigate not only buying our business, but expanding it due to their expertise and willingness to get to know their customers.”

“WSFS’ focus on relationship-building aims to foster deeper, more genuine connections with Customers rather than just a transactional relationship,” said Don Lee, Vice President, Relationship Manager, WSFS Bank. “By working as if we’re in the same boat as our Customers, we strive to build trust and partnership. As a result, Greg Bula, VP, SBA Relationship Manager, established the initial business relationship with Eddie, and through my partnership, I believe we have deepened that relationship, creating a win-win situation for both parties. I eagerly look forward to continuing honest and constructive conversations, as well as exploring business opportunities with Eddie in the near future.”

Expanding the Business

After working with WSFS to purchase the Horsham location, Reis and Zozaya knew they could trust the same banking partner to secure a loan to expand their business to Philadelphia.

“WSFS has become a true partner to us. Like us, their business is built on customer service and it’s apparent in the care they show for our business and how they keep our best interest in mind,” said Zozaya. “They are willing to speak to us whenever we need them, and have even supported our business by visiting us in-person and sharing about our business with others in their network.”

While expansion is always on the horizon, Reis and Zozaya’s current focus is on the Philadelphia location and ensuring it runs as smoothly as the original location.