India, Nov. 10 -- Tom Grogan's story sounds like the stuff of entrepreneurial dreams. The British founder went from earning £5 an hour as a construction worker to cofounding the UK arm of Wingstop, the popular American restaurant chain known for its chicken wings and cult following. Alongside his cofounders, Herman Sahota and Saul Lewin, Grogan built the franchise from scratch-sending one cold email to Texas to secure the rights, facing 50 investor rejections, and eventually expanding to 57 restaurants across the country.

In 2023, the team sold a majority stake in the business for a reported £400 million ($532 million) - a massive payday that should have marked the start of an easy, carefree chapter. But for Grogan, it turned o...