Das GreenHaus continues its Entrepreneurial Journeys Speaker Series
Restaurateur Albi Zogaj says he launched his entrepreneurial career by starting small in the food industry but with big dreams — selling candy out of a backpack.
Das GreenHaus, a business incubator linking start-up companies to resources, workspaces and mentorships, continued its Entrepreneurial Journeys Speaker Series Sept. 25 by featuring Zogaj, owner of Albi’s Vite Italian Kitchen and two Sunny’s All-Day Brunch & Bar locations.
Samantha Morganroth, Das Greenhaus executive director, welcomed the attendees to the lunch session and recognized the Phil and Karen Hunke Family Foundation as the event’s sponsor.
Morganroth said Zogaj is an excellent mentor for interns in the Das Green-Haus program.
Always positive and energetic, he inspires others to set goals and gain knowledge to succeed, Morganroth added.
During his talk, Zogaj noted that starting out, failure isn’t as bad as it seems.
“Accepting those (failures) as learning experiences is the key to progressing,” he said.
Zogaj spoke of his background and how he got into the hospitality industry. Born in Kosovo, he lived with his family in Albania, Greece, Italy, Germany and Sweden, moving to the United States in 2006.
A graduate of Health Careers High School in San Antonio, he planned to become a surgeon; however, he really didn’t love working in a hospital. So, he said he “set off on the classic entrepreneurial path” — selling candy out of his backpack earned Zogaj his first dollar.
Thinking business “was fun,” Zogaj applied and was accepted to the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas-Austin in 2018. During his first years at UT, his cousin opened an Italian restaurant and needed help running it.
Zogaj initially agreed to perform administrative tasks and that turned into running the company.
Though at the time he really didn’t want to be in the restaurant business, he spent time learning every aspect of the operations, he told listeners.
During COVID, Zogaj moved back to San Antonio to be with his family, continued taking classes online and ran the restaurant with his mother.
He opened the Albi’s Vite Italian Kitchen in Leon Springs in 2023. He wanted to pursue an Italian concept in another location, however, and his real estate agent showed him the property on River Road in Boerne.
He signed the lease on March 30, 2025, knowing he could not open an Italian restaurant there and needed to come up with a different concept.
Sunny’s was the answer, and the Boerne location opened on June 15 with Sunny’s Rim opening this summer.
Zogaj said he attributes his success to a team of mentors and experts who guide him in pursuing his vision, having worked hard to learn the industry and apply proven business concepts.
Using metrics to determine levels of service and ways to improve, Zogaj said he is “always exploring new ways to promote the business.”
Plans are underway to expand the Sunny’s concept further, with leases on two new locations. By the end of 2027, an additional six are planned.
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