Anastasia: The RGM Who Found Her Voice and a Family With Summerwood

What started as a way to pay for insurance on a new car, became a lifelong career for Anastasia, a Restaurant General Manager (RGM) for Summerwood Taco Bell. After graduating from high school in 2007, Anastasia got the push to apply for her first job from a friend who was already working for Taco Bell. The first of many nudges that would push her outside of her comfort zone and into a fulfilling life.

“Starting my first job … was really scary for me. But, I grew from that, so it worked out,” she says.

Anastasia is the first to admit she’s always been shy, but having the support of her general manager at Taco Bell helped her grow. “I get lots of support at this company,” she shares. That support helped Anastasia find her voice. She began working as a cashier and was known for being quiet, but her manager, “[Saw] a lot of potential that I couldn’t see in myself,” she says. And that encouragement set her on the path to the RGM role she has today.

Because somebody believed in her, Anastasia dared to believe in herself, and started working her way up the career ladder. Perhaps the bravest thing of all is that Anastasia freely admits to feeling scared when taking on new challenges. But she’s settled into the manager position and is feeling good. “The company believed in me so much,” she says. “It feels really good to have that support to back me up.”

“I stay at Summerwood because I’m happy and because there’s a great family here.” – Anastasia, RGM

As life does, Anastasia was thrown a curveball in 2016 when she was the victim of a hit and run accident while driving her car with her son in tow, who was only one year old at the time. Her first call was to her manager at Taco Bell, who told her not to worry. But Anastasia worked 45 minutes from home and her car was her only means of transportation, so worry she did — until she went back to work and was presented with a check to pay for car repairs. “It felt so good,” she says. “I didn’t even know that they did such thing[s]!” 

As a single mom to two boys, now ages six and 12, Anastasia appreciates the interest Summerwood takes in her life. “They showed a lot of support throughout my whole life, throughout all my journeys outside Taco Bell.”

Anastasia says finding work–life balance isn’t always easy when starting a new position, but the hard work is paying off. “It’s been very challenging, but I grabbed on to that challenge and I’m growing and it’s been wonderful,” she says.

“This is where I’m gonna stay. There’s no reason for me to go anywhere else.” –  Anastasia, RGM

Having grown her family and her career with Summerwood, Anastasia says, “Someone should apply for a job at Summerwood because this is a family. And it’s not just a job, it’s somewhere you can go to feel safe, to feel comfortable, to grow.” (we’ll go ahead and leave the link to apply for jobs right here)

As for Anastasia’s future with Summerwood and Taco Bell, she says, “These people saw me; they heard me and they’re there for me. Why would I go anywhere else?”