Are there other multi-unit franchisees, inside or outside of the restaurant industry, whom you look up to or learn from?

Having a mentor or being able to go to a peer for advice can be a valuable asset for a business owner. In some cases, it may be a fellow restaurant owner who deals with the same issues of increased food prices or relationships with certain vendors. Other times, it can be having another multi-unit franchisee who is familiar with the challenges of operating several businesses across multiple states.

Franchise Update asked several operators if they had other multi-unit franchisees within or outside of the restaurant industry whom they go to or learn from. They all responded affirmatively with a range of people that included family members, fellow franchisees, experienced operators within the system, or industry contacts with other brands.

In many cases, these restaurant owners have sought the advice of others for their knowledge, experience, and best practices. Other multi-unit franchises may be able to impart valuable advice due to their extensive industry experience and provide guidance for less seasoned operators. They can also simply share the same perspective about business ownership and have a desire to help others in similar situations.

We also asked several restaurant franchisees about their next big goal. Multi-unit franchisees are often a forward-thinking group and expansion is never far from their minds. Not surprisingly, many responses about upcoming goals were about adding restaurants in the next year or a certain period of time.

The 2025 Multi-Unit Franchising Conference is the perfect opportunity for franchisees looking to meet valuable industry contacts or get advice on how to scale their business. The conference is just a week away, March 25-28, in Las Vegas. It will feature more than 2,000 attendees and over 300 brands on display. Make plans now to attend and hear from some of the top executives and multi-unit leaders in franchising.

Wil Harrington

Company: WMLW Holdings

Brands: 7 Huddle House

Years in Franchising: 9

There’s another Huddle House multi-unit franchisee we’ve gotten to know very well, and they’ve been a tremendous source of inspiration for us. They’ve been franchisees for over 30 years and currently operate eight restaurants. We've adopted many of their best practices after seeing how they run their business, knowing that their approach has led to lasting success.

One of the key lessons we’ve taken from them is the importance of taking care of both employees and customers. They prioritize fairness and support for their team, which naturally translates into a great experience for guests. That commitment to people has directly contributed to their sales growth, and we’ve seen firsthand how following that model benefits our own business.

Shane Paul

Company: PGC Foods

Brands: 9 Jack in the Box

Years in Franchising: 7

Absolutely. The key to growth is recognizing that you don’t have all the answers. By staying humble, I’ve learned from everyone, from customers and crew members to single-unit and large-scale franchisees. My greatest mentor is my business partner, Karen Graffius, who has more than 55 years of experience as one of Jack in the Box’s first franchisees in Los Angeles. Her wealth of knowledge and financial backing have been instrumental in my success.

Chris Aslam

Company: Aslam Group LLC, Tribox LLC, West Box LLC, Best of Cluck LLC, Rock Hawaiian LLC

Brands: 64 Jack in the Box, 9 Hawaiian Brothers, 4 Golden Chick

Years in Franchising: 28

When I was first getting started, there were many franchisees in addition to my parents I looked up to. I remember sitting next to Anil Yadav, who is now a massive franchisee, at an event. He had about 30 restaurants at that time. He shared his story and encouraged me. From there, every franchise operator I would meet, from small to giant, good-hearted to ruthless, had something to teach me.

Bryce Bares

Company: QSR Services, LLC

Brands: 30 Dunkin’, one Baskin-Robbins

Years in Franchising: 13

Absolutely. I met so many through the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference. I met one of my early mentors there. He is a Dunkin' franchisee out of Maine who had started as a baker in college, bought a store, and grew to 100 stores across multiple states. He invited me to visit his operation, and he helped me avoid many mistakes and manage the politics of being in a franchise system. A large Popeyes franchisee gave me great advice on how to incentivize my team and to pare unprofitable assets. What I love about my fellow franchisees is that they get it. It doesn't seem to matter if you're in food, health and beauty, shipping, etc. We all face very similar challenges as we scale our networks and grow our businesses. Most are happy to share their advice and experiences.

Yousuf Nabi

Company: Gotham Cookies Inc., DBA Mrs. Fields Cookies

Brands: 12 Sbarros, 10 Mrs. Fields, two TCBYs

Years in Franchising: 5

My biggest influence and person that I look up to most is my father, Gulam Nabi. He started the franchise journey in our family, and I owe a great deal of my knowledge of franchising to him.

FRANCHISEE BYTES

What is your next big goal?

We are marching towards achieving our goal of owning and operating 100 franchise units by 2030.
-Phong Huynh, Founder & Chairman, Fuego Investments, 30 El Pollo Loco

Eclipsing 300 operating units by the end of 2027.
-Mike James, Founder/Managing Partner, Guernsey Holdings, 122 Sonic, 20 Zaxby's, 3 Take 5 Oil Change

Our primary goal is implementing a people-first culture by closing the economic gap. Our organization thrives on the mission of creating social mobility. We want to create opportunities for our staff to reap those benefits, become educated about entrepreneurship, and feel comfortable making that leap on their own.
-Phillip Scotton, COO, Primo Partners, 23 Ben & Jerry's, 2 Starbucks

In 2025, our goal is to remodel three locations and open our fifth Sonic Drive-In in Dumfries, Virginia. We are also looking to identify two locations for expansion.
-Jerome Johnson, Multi-Unit Franchisee, John Cove Management and Jbar Inc., 4 Sonic Drive-In, 10 Dunkin', 4 Baskin-Robbins, 1 Jersey Mike's Subs

My primary goal is to expand the company to 100 units. Reaching this milestone would signify that our operational systems, team culture, and brand strategies are sustainable and scalable. Alternatively, I've considered starting my own franchise. The idea of creating a brand from scratch with a unique identity and operational framework excites me because it would bring together all I've learned over the years in franchising and entrepreneurship.
-Jacob Webb, Franchise Owner, MPUT Holdings LLC, 22 Marco's Pizza, 4 Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Kick-starting the development of our new store locations and seeing them come to life. We are currently in a 20-store development agreement with Qdoba and a 26-store agreement with Captain D's.
-Keith Johnson, COO/Franchisee, Amazing Food Concepts, 20 Qdoba Mexican Eats, 15 Captain D's, 1 Epic Wings

Reaching 500-plus Papa Johns locations.
-Nadeem Bajwa, CEO, Bajco Group, 207 Papa Johns