Salem Najjar is a highly successful, multi-unit Tropical Smoothie Café (TSC) owner/operator at 34 years old.  With 28 TSC locations in his portfolio and 20 more in development, Salem attributes his success to his strong accounting and entrepreneurial background.

Salem began his professional accounting career working for Deloitte as a CPA, but deep down he always knew he was an entrepreneur at heart.  Growing up, he watched his father become a business owner, purchasing several gas stations and convenience stores, and Salem wanted to own a business like his father.  In 2014, combining his accounting background with the desire to be his own boss, he opened a branch office of his family’s public accounting firm in Detroit.

As his accounting practice became more successful, Salem explored other interests.  He considered becoming a passive investor in the restaurant industry and came across Tropical Smoothie Café, an up-and-coming fast casual restaurant with a lot of growth potential.  He recognized that TSC was a dynamic brand aligned with today’s health-conscious trends, and that would appeal to a broader audience.

After meeting Mike Rotondo, the TSC CEO at the time, Salem knew this was the perfect investment for him.  In 2015, he purchased six TSC territories in Michigan.  As business boomed, Salem began to burn the candle at both ends.  He was juggling two careers and he needed to decide whether to continue running his accounting practice or to focus his efforts on being a TSC franchisee.  This wasn’t a difficult choice.  Being a TSC restaurant owner was more aligned with his gregarious personality and his life’s passion.

Within a relatively short time, Salem was poised to buy more TSC territories under SERVE Hospitality Group, a hospitality management company.  Partnering with a trusted family member, he opened restaurants in northern Illinois and Wisconsin.  In 2020, he purchased a TSC in New Berlin, Wisconsin, and was referred to CTM CPAs & Business Advisors for its comprehensive franchisee accounting services.  Salem began working with CTM Partner Todd Coughlan who was very responsive and showed a genuine interest in his future success.  Today, SERVE Hospitality Group dominates the Detroit, Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee markets.