Henry Laporte, better known as Salt Hank, built a massive online following and a business model that shines bright in the Big Apple.
Now, Henry is partnering with TurboTax and their Experts for Business program – specifically designed for small businesses – to give tips to other food entrepreneurs who want to follow in his footsteps.
We spoke to the entrepreneur and gained insight for the tax season.
(Photo by Hector Laporte)
Tell us a little bit more about you and how did you find your way to New York City.
The sandwich shop is what finally brought me to NYC after years of waiting. The same day that we were offered the lease for our current Salt Hank’s location, I texted my landlord to let him know that I was moving, and within a month I had packed up and flown out.
You went from TikTok creator to owning NYC’s buzziest sandwich shop – what was that aha moment when you realized this could be bigger than TikTok?
I don’t think I ever considered TikTok to be an end game for my career but finding the next avenue to splinter off from was the hard part. I tried the merch thing, and still have several products that I built up and love, but working on our supply chain and dealing with manufacturers has nothing to do with cooking or food. I think the aha moment for me was during one of our last big production runs. It got majorly messed up and having to deal with the fallout from that, I realized I don’t care about supply chain management or CPG operations and I knew that if my next big move wasn’t cooking food in a kitchen I wouldn’t be satisfied.
What’s the single smartest entrepreneurial move you’ve made so far – and what’s something you wish you’d known earlier?
The hardest part of starting out was taking the time to assess and find reliable people and tools I could depend on for things I didn’t understand – things that weren’t cooking. Like taxes – I had no idea how to handle them, but once I started using TurboTax, I could breathe easy knowing my taxes were taken care of.
You’ve talked about expansion and even dreams beyond NYC – how do you see Salt Hank’s evolving in the next few years, and how will you manage that growth?
I want to grow Salt Hank’s with care and intention. I think that starts with building a team you can truly trust. People who are by your side, handling specific parts of the business that I might suck at. Take finances, for example – relying on tools like TurboTax Experts for Business, which connects you with an expert in your exact field, and makes sure you’re not figuring everything out alone. That way, I can focus on cooking, creating, and expanding Salt Hank’s.
Lines around the block and sold‑out sandwiches are a good problem to have. How do you manage expectations and resources as your business gains national attention?
Honestly that’s kind of the million dollar question. It’s a beautiful problem to have but something that needs laser focused attention every minute of the day. Beef prices change every day, consumer demand grows and shrinks every week, and balancing food costs, labor costs, rent, inventory management or anything else that could affect your P&L’s takes up more time than there is in a day. Hitting our bottom line is a 24/7 job and I think it’s why restaurants are such a notoriously hard field to profit from and navigate from a managerial standpoint. I am so endlessly grateful for my team and partners who are savants when it comes to things like this. None of what we do would be possible without them and I love them every day for it.
What is advice you would give to other New Yorkers who may want to start a restaurant?
If you aren’t the type of person who wants to be at work 14 hours a day 7 days a week, it’s probably not the right industry for you. Your social life and hobbies will slowly start to disappear but if you love what you are doing it’s truly worth it. Again, I have to give so much of the credit here to our legendary head chef, Daniel Rubenfeld. For the first 6 months I honestly don’t know if he ever left the restaurant other than to briefly nap at home then come right back. All we ate for months was French dips. That being said, we love our jobs. I think you need to be kind of a maniac and have a deep visceral love for cooking if you want to enjoy it as much as we do or stay afloat long enough to ride out your lease before you decide you hate it.
Where do you find creative inspiration these days in NYC – is it a neighborhood block or another chef?
My favorite hobby these days is talking with my chef about what type of food we should cook or what tweaks we should make to the menu. We will be yapping about nothing and randomly have an idea, or food epiphany, and start jumping up and down and giggling like school boys. His cooking abilities and determination/grit are a giant source of inspiration for me, as are countless other legendary chefs around the world.
For those that are self-employed or starting their own business, it can be a confusing time, especially with all the new tax reform laws. Being tax compliant is among small business owners’ top concerns, but it’s often time-consuming and research-intensive to figure out taxes on your own.
TurboTax provides support for small businesses, including:
SAVING YOU MONEY: TurboTax Experts for Business finds every deduction and maximizes tax savings.
ACCESS TO EXPERIENCED TAX EXPERTS: TurboTax Experts for Business matches entrepreneurs and small business owners with tax experts who are experienced and knowledgeable in your These experts – who have an average of 12 years experience – will securely prepare, sign, and file your taxes virtually or in-person.
YEAR ROUND TAX SUPPORT: TurboTax Experts for Business provides unlimited year-round expert support at no extra cost, and provides 100% audit protection. Learn more at TurboTax.com/business