Winging It: CEO Focuses on Unit Economics for Franchisee Success

Winging It: CEO Focuses on Unit Economics for Franchisee Success

By: Kerry Pipes | 2,008 Reads | 3 Shares
Featured in: Franchise Update Magazine: Issue 1, 2025

Winging It: CEO Focuses on Unit Economics for Franchisee Success

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E+Sam+G.+Ballas%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETitle%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E+CEO+and+Founder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E+East+Coast+Wings+%2B+Grill%2C+Sammy%27s+Sliders%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUnits%2FBrands%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E+35%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAge%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E+59%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYears+in+franchising%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E+20+%28actively+franchising+14.5+years%29%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYears+in+current+position%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E+20%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3ESam+Ballas+is+driven+by+unit+economics+and+getting+consistent+results.+He%27s+leaned+on+that+strategy+throughout+his+tenure+at+East+Coast+Wings+%2B+Grill%2C+a+brand+he+founded+and+leads+today.+Heck%2C+the+brand%27s+mantra+is%2C+%22Driven+by+Unit-Level+Economics.%22+Under+his+leadership%2C+ECW%2BG+has+experienced+measured+strategic+growth+while+building+strong+relationships+with+franchisees+and+ensuring+their+profitability.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EAs+CEO%2C+president%2C+and+founder%2C+Ballas+is+proud+of+ECW%2BG%27s+results+from+2024%2C+when+more+than+40%25+of+locations+achieved+record+sales.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EEast+Coast+Wings+%2B+Grill+got+its+start+in+1995+in+Winston-Salem%2C+North+Carolina.+The+brand+now+has+more+than+40+locations+open+or+in+development%2C+and+it+has+been+named+to+top+franchise+lists+by+Entrepreneur+and+Franchise+Business+Review.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EBut+there%27s+more+than+wings+in+Ballas%27+portfolio+these+days.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EIn+2023%2C+he+made+news+by+teaming+up+with+award-winning+chef+Sammy+Gianopoulos+to+introduce+Sammy%27s+Sliders+in+Winston-Salem.+Late+last+year%2C+it+was+announced+that+the+upstart+brand+will+offer+franchises+in+select+markets+across+the+country.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EIf+all+of+that%27s+not+enough%2C+Ballas+is+also+part+of+the+creation+and+leadership+team+of+ZorAbility%2C+Inc.%2C+a+firm+that+coaches+and+invests+in+emerging+brands%2C+guiding+them+through+best+practices+in+scaling+a+franchise.+He+also+carves+out+time+to+serve+as+vice+chair+of+the+International+Franchise+Association+%28IFA%29+board+of+directors+and+sits+on+several+IFA+committees+as+well+as+serving+as+a+member+of+the+advisory+board+for+Franchise+Update+Media%27s+Franchise+Customer+Experience+Conference.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EEast+Coast+Wings+%2B+Grill+is+ready+to+take+on+2025+with+plans+for+expansion+into+new+markets+through+smart+growth%2C+elevated+guest+experiences%2C+and+innovative+menu+items+that+cater+to+ever-changing+consumer+preferences.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3EBallas+says+the+company%27s+long-term+vision+focuses+on+responsible+expansion+and+prioritizing+sustainable+growth+for+franchisees.+The+recipe+is+strategic+growth+into+key+markets+and+maintaining+strong+financial+performance+at+the+unit+level.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%22East+Coast+Wings+%2B+Grill+stands+out+because+of+our+excellent+franchisee+support+system%2C+our+focus+on+unit-level+economics%2C+and+an+adaptable+business+model%2C%22+Ballas+says.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Ch2%3ELeadership%3C%2Fh2%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhat+is+your+role+as+CEO%3F%3C%2Fstrong%3E+Chief+visionary.+It%27s+my+responsibility+to+ensure+that+all+the+brand%27s+strategies+are+met.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EHow+has+Covid-19+affected+the+way+you+have+led+your+brand%3F%3C%2Fstrong%3E+ECW%2BG+has+always+been+a+lifestyle+brand+for+me%3A+It+was+never+designed+to+have+hundreds+of+units+under+my+ownership.+The+pandemic+validated+this+strategy+as+the+brand+performed+well+during+it+and+emerged+strong+post-pandemic.+I+also+transitioned+my+leadership+team+into+an+alignment+structure+where+everyone+has+an+equal+voice+and+accountability+for+brand+strategies.+Our+franchise+owners+have+sustained+ULE+%28unit-level+economics%29+beyond+national+averages.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDescribe+your+leadership+style.%3C%2Fstrong%3E+I+allow+all+my+executive+team+to+have+their+shoulders+against+the+wheel%2C+so+to+speak%2C+along+with+me.+My+style+post-pandemic+has+shifted+to+more+of+a+coaching+style.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhat+has+inspired+your+leadership+style%3F%3C%2Fstrong%3E+I+have+a+passion+for+coaching+and+rooting+for+the+underdog.+I+consider+it+a+victory+when+talented+people+grow+and+take+on+responsibilities+that+they+never+thought+possible.%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWhat+is+your+biggest+leadership+challenge%3F%3C%2Fstrong%3E+Addressing+long-term+team+members+who+need+to+be+restructured+or+coached+out+of+the+company.+It%27s+true+what+they+say%3A+%22Don%27t+let+the+company+outgrow+you.%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0D%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EHow+do+you+transmit+your+culture+from+your+office+to+frontline+employees%3F%3C%2Fstrong%3E+As+far+as+transmitting+our+culture+from+the+corporate+team+to+our+franchisees%2C+we+have+several+tools+to+ensure+the+culture+is+embedded.+However%2C+ECW%2BG+makes+an+effort+to+structure+our+desired+culture+in+a+cooperative+fashion.+You+can%27t+dictate+culture--culture+is+how+everyone+in+the+organization+behaves%2C+so+we+need+to+ensure+that+we%27re+working+toge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Published: May 4th, 2025

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Franchise Update Magazine: Issue 1, 2025
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