At the beginning of MAP on October 10th, 2025, a congregation of students from FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) gathered in the auditorium to listen to Erik DeVriendt, owner of the Westchester Commons Chick-Fil-A, speak about his experience as a business owner. FBLA Officer Greycen Brocato, grade 11, began the meeting by introducing the speaker, Erik DeVriendt, who began talking about his business ventures as the franchise owner of the Westchester Commons Chick-Fil-A since 2011. He has been speaking to the Midlo FBLA community since 2012, and explained the reason behind his participation: “I love the Midlo community, the business department, and just having the opportunity to give and get energy from these young achievers”.
This year, he began by touching on his store’s mission to be “the world’s most caring company” and mentioning some significant statistics regarding his restaurant, such as the multitude of team members, or employees, and guests who interact with his business daily. He then discussed his favorite aspects of owning a business, including being involved in privileged moments, such as weddings, birthdays, and graduations, with customers and team members alike. Additionally, DeVriendt emphasized his enjoyment for having the opportunity to support other organizations, as shown by his business donating all leftover food items to local food banks. However, he also highlighted the negative aspects of owning a business, such as dealing with unpredictable weather and HR complaints. Overall, though, he concluded that the positives far outweigh the negatives of being a business owner as he went on to share some of his restaurant’s measures of success; he cited their achievements regarding food and health safety and their sales quadrupling since 2012.
To emphasize the importance of community in not only running a business, but also in everyday life, DeVriendt shared an anecdote about his admiration for his own neighbor. He explained that in 2024, while suffering from a stroke, his neighbor intubated him before the ambulance arrived, saving his life. This story led to DeVriendt’s closing statement about the importance of community in one’s life, and he shared his hopes that each person in the room would one day become a business owner themselves. Brianna Buchel, grade 11, shared her thoughts on the guest speaker: “I was very impressed by the speaker, and it made me want to learn more about him.”
All in all, the FBLA meeting had a great turnout and response from the students, and it seems that Erik DeVriendt will be likely to return to Midlo again for those who missed out on this year’s meeting.
