In a little over a year since its current ownership group acquired it, Baja Fresh has doubled in size and revenue. The Westlake Village-based restaurant company founded about a decade ago has expanded from 49 units in a handful of states to about 100 company-owned and franchise stores in nine states with sales of about $160 million projected for this year. The chain’s success is due largely to its formula, a fast-food restaurant serving freshly prepared, healthful food at modest prices. The job of controlling costs while maintaining high levels of quality and managing the company’s stellar growth falls to its chief executive officer, Greg Dollarhyde. Staff reporter Shelly Garcia talked to Dollarhyde about his philosophy for running the company. “I have a phrase I use: people support what they help create. That is really the mantra. If you go around dictating, do this, do this, and everyone has to say, ‘Yes sir,’ they’ll do it, but they won’t support it. “I use a six-step program that is very successful to manage change. “The first step is to build the knowledge. “The second step is to develop a shared vision. Everyone has to share it, believe it and be willing to commit to it. “Once you do that, you realize that some of the old habits, the old values, the way people were compensated or benefited were outdated, so the third step is you really have to say, ‘If this is our vision, what do we need to change in our benefits and compensation and the way people are valued to align it better with the new vision?’ “Then you have to take those values one of the values is coaching and teamwork and ask, ‘What are we doing in concrete day-to-day behavior to support and execute that value?’ In other words, walk your talk. “Once you’ve figured out what those values are, the fifth step is to redirect power and authority and resources to support those new behaviors. You can’t walk your talk unless you apply mankind, money and materials. “Item six is make sure you are out there looking for and harnessing and executing high-impact management systems. If we say we’re going to put our money where our mouth is, and we’ve hired the people, they have to do something. They have to change what they’re doing day to day and find the best system to do that. “Then sit back and do it every day.”