---
title: "FSR Interviews Jim Balis, Managing Director of CapitalSpring’s Strategic Operation Group"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/20ac00ad-a479-4af0-9b06-cf0ae0f838a4
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/capitalspring/fsr-interviews-jim-balis-managing-director-of-capitalsprings-strategic-operation-group-2718098
category: "Restaurants"
industry: "Restaurants"
published: 2022-03-01T16:11:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:12:33.079Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/bfdb719b3ccc6136b066bfa1cf3bbf972848.jpg
---

# FSR Interviews Jim Balis, Managing Director of CapitalSpring’s Strategic Operation Group

**TL;DR:** Jim Balis, managing director of CapitalSpring's strategic operation group, discusses the challenges the restaurant industry is facing, including staffing issues and rising prices. CapitalSpring is a private investment firm that has invested $2 billion in over 60 brands across North America.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2022-03-01. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/capitalspring/fsr-interviews-jim-balis-managing-director-of-capitalsprings-strategic-operation-group-2718098).*

## Story

In a recent interview with FSR, Jim Balis, managing director of CapitalSpring’s strategic operation group, discussed how the restaurant industry is still facing its fair share of pandemic-related challenges. Both producers and consumers have seen prices for food, rent, gasoline and a bevy of other goods increase steadily over the last year, and even more so in the last few months. Staffing issues continue to plague operators of franchise and independent restaurants as well.

“If somebody said to me last year that 2021 would be harder than 2020, I would have laughed in their face,” said Balis. “But here we are. Who knew operating in a post-pandemic setting would be harder than operating in a pandemic?”

The easiest way for restaurants to offset inflation and protect margins is through pricing, says Balis.

“At some point the consumer is going to say enough is enough,” he said. “But today, grocery costs are going up as well. The consumer is looking at the alternative and realizing going out to eat isn’t much more than cooking at home, and in some cases dining out is potentially less expensive.”

With many companies increasing wages, offering better benefits and enticing potential hires with incentives like free childcare, those looking to fill open positions are forced to get creative when it comes to attracting new talent.

While there isn’t a panacea for the issues surrounding staffing shortages and supply chain hold ups, Balis says morale in the industry isn’t waning.

CapitalSpring is a private investment firm that focuses specifically on investing in the restaurant industry. The firm has invested $2 billion in more than 60 brands across North America.

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Restaurants (sector)
- restaurant industry (topic)
- Capital Spring (investor)
- Jim Balis (person)
- private investment (topic)
- staffing issues (topic)
- rising prices (topic)

---
Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/capitalspring/fsr-interviews-jim-balis-managing-director-of-capitalsprings-strategic-operation-group-2718098). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/20ac00ad-a479-4af0-9b06-cf0ae0f838a4).