Tina Yu is a multi-site Sushi Sushi franchise owner with three thriving stores in Oakleigh South, Blackburn North, and Eltham.
Episode Timeline
- 0:00 – Introduction
- 0:30 – Tina’s background: growing up in China and moving to Australia for uni
- 1:18 – Why Tina decided to stay in Australia long-term
- 2:36 – Studying marketing and finance (and why finance made more sense to her)
- 3:40 – Working part-time at Sushi Sushi during uni
- 4:53 – Becoming a franchisee: parents support her from China, but she runs it solo
- 7:20 – What the first years of a new Sushi Sushi store looked like
- 8:32 – How Tina went from one store to building a multi-site franchise
- 10:55 – Why Blackburn North became the right second store after stepping back
- 12:06 – What Tina’s day-to-day looks like running three Sushi Sushi stores
- 13:20 – How Tina’s sushi-loving boys influence her future franchise plans
- 14:43 – What Tina thinks truly makes a Sushi Sushi store thrive
- 16:31 – Wrap up
Originally from China, Tina moved to Australia in the early 2000s to study marketing and finance, taking a part-time job at Sushi Sushi during university.
After graduating, she realised the work she truly enjoyed and excelled at was within the Sushi Sushi system. With support from her parents, she purchased her first store in Oakleigh South, quickly building a strong customer base and connection to the community.
As her life evolved, Tina balanced business growth with raising two young boys. She briefly expanded into Fountain Gate with a partner, but made the thoughtful decision to step back to focus on family. Once her children were older, she began growing again, taking on Blackburn North and later Eltham both local, giving her the flexibility she values.
Today, Tina structures her week around school runs and family time while spending one to two days in each store. For her, success comes from Sushi Sushi’s strong systems, supportive head office, and the lifestyle harmony she’s been able to create between family and business.
