"I always believed that if I worked hard enough, eventually someone would notice and give me an opportunity. But visualizing an opportunity was not enough. I had to put myself in the right position and take action when it appeared."

Long before Greg Markarian became the sole owner of Jack's Surf & Turf, he was a young server at a Lebanese restaurant with a specific vision for his future: that one day, a customer would recognize his work ethic and invite him into a business. 

Eventually, that opportunity walked through the door.

The opportunity: Being noticed for his hard work

One day, two regular customers, Jack and Aline, told him they were planning to open a small coffee shop in Edgewater, NJ and wanted him to become their partner, offering him a 20% ownership stake from the start.

For Greg, it felt like the opportunity he had been visualizing.

But then Jack and Aline told him about another project they were working on nearby—a seafood restaurant still under construction, with wooden pallets on the ceiling. Although the doors hadn't opened and there were no sales to evaluate, Greg immediately felt this project had greater potential.

He made a bold decision: instead of accepting the immediate 20% stake in the coffee shop, he'd help Jack build the seafood concept, even without an ownership stake and no guarantee he'd ever get one.

"I could see that Jack needed help and did not have a full team around him yet,” recalls Greg. “I thought that if I brought my resources, relationships, and hard work to the business, perhaps one day I would earn the opportunity to become a partner and help grow the concept."

The beginning: Learning everything from the ground up

Greg was there when the restaurant, Jack’s Seafood Shack, opened and served its first customer. He recruited a team he trusted, and momentum built quickly. Not long after opening, the restaurant received recognition from The New York Times. Greg kept serving guests, managing the restaurant, and saving as much money as he could.

The next step: Earning a place in the partnership

When Jack found an opportunity to open another location in Montclair, NJ, Greg saw the chance at the partnership he had been working toward. Becoming a partner meant investing his own money. However, Greg hadn't yet saved enough, so he used what cash he had, opened several credit cards, and assembled enough capital to secure a one-third ownership stake in the new location.

At only 23, Greg helped open the doors in Montclair. Jack told him he was on his own to make it work. He learned to lead employees, manage costs, and take full responsibility for the restaurant's performance. 

During the pandemic in the summer of 2020, the partners opened a location in Short Hills, NJ together, and Greg continued leading day-to-day operations and carrying much of the responsibility for its growth.

The turning point: A different vision for the company

As the company grew, Greg and Jack realized they had different visions for its future. They mutually agreed to separate, giving Greg the opportunity to purchase Jack's shares and take full control of the company.

It was the opportunity Greg had worked toward for years, but a partner buyout required far more capital than determination alone could provide.

Greg first learned about RBAC through his bank, ConnectOne. From the earliest conversations, the experience felt different from a traditional lending relationship.

"The process was extremely personal. The RBAC team came to the restaurant, met me in person, and took the time to understand both the business and my story. I met people throughout the organization, and I felt that they were investing in me as a person and not only looking at numbers on a page."

A trusted guide: Financing the transition to sole ownership

With RBAC's guidance and an SBA-backed loan, Greg secured the financing to purchase his partner's shares and become sole owner of Jack's. Our team took the time to understand Greg's history and guide him toward a financing program that matched what he was trying to accomplish.

The transformation: Creating a brand that reflected his vision

Becoming sole owner gave Greg the freedom—and the responsibility—to build the company he had envisioned. The restaurants needed updates, so Greg set out to refresh the brand and strengthen its identity. RBAC again helped him find the right program, this time a microloan that funded the transformation.

The business evolved from Jack's Seafood Shack into Jack's Surf & Turf, with a broader identity and a renewed focus on quality, hospitality, and long-term growth. Today, the company operates three New Jersey locations: Montclair, Short Hills, and Summit.

The partnership: Building the next chapter together

Greg's story is one of visualization, preparation, sacrifice, and consistent action. He earned his first ownership opportunity, risked his own savings to become a partner, learned to lead the company, and ultimately became its sole owner.

But reaching that final stage required the right financial partner. RBAC became the trusted guide that helped Greg turn years of work into full ownership and prepare the Jack’s Surf & Turf brand for continued growth.

"Without RBAC, purchasing my partner's shares and continuing to grow the company would have been extremely difficult. They believed in what I had built and helped me take the next step. I am grateful for the relationship we have developed, and I look forward to accomplishing even more together."

For Greg, the relationship represents a partnership he hopes will continue through future chapters of growth, just as the opportunity he once visualized became the company he leads today.

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