How have you innovated within the confines of the franchise model to drive success in your units?

Welcome to the sixth issue of Multi-Unit Restaurant Franchisee—Paths to Success. Each newsletter features a single question, with responses from different multi-unit restaurant franchisees speaking directly from their experience. It is emailed to subscribers every 2nd & 4th Monday.

A second section, “Franchisee Bytes,” features responses to a more personal question from a different group of multi-unit operators (favorite book, who they’d like to have lunch with, best advice, what do people not know about them, last vacation, etc.).

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JIM BALIS

Company: CEO, Sizzling Platter

Brands: Little Caesars (360 U.S., 103 Mexico), WingStop (150), Jamba (93), Dunkin’ (30), Jersey Mike’s (26), Sizzler (7), Red Robin (5),Cinnabon (2)

Balis also is a partner in the private equity firm CapitalSpring, which has $3.3 billion under management in the restaurant space, where it has invested in more than 70 brands.

Most of our innovation has come through our team members, so we’ve invested a lot in innovation around engaging with them and figuring out ways to really support them at the restaurant level—things like employee sentiment, engagement, and feedback loops so we can understand their experience. How was your first day? Were you greeted with a uniform and a smile? Were you trained properly before you were put in a station by yourself? How was your first week? How was your first month? We are really trying to get feedback on how we’re delivering against our promise in our mission statement, which is delivering a great experience to our team members. It really transcends economic performance.

We put screens in the back of the house that have loops of information. If there’s a new team member, it will have their picture and something about them. It might be their hobbies or a sports team they like, so that when our team members see that it’s a person’s first day they might say, “Oh, you know you’re a fan of Clemson, so maybe we shouldn’t be working in the same restaurant.” You know, the kind of thing that creates a fun environment. So again, most of the innovation we’re doing is around team member engagement and delivering against our mission.

BILL ASEERE

Company: CEO, Space Cowboys Restaurant Group

Brands: Donatos Pizza (17), Guthrie’s Chicken Fingers (3), Whit’s Frozen Custard (2)

Aseere, Donatos’ largest franchisee, also is Vice President of Franchise Development for Whit’s Frozen Custard.

For me, innovation has turned into touching base with the local community. We’ve really taken a forward approach on partnering and building relationships in the community with schools, churches, sports organizations, concert venues—anywhere we know that can get our product into peoples’ hands.

Everything right now on the marketing side is pushing toward digital—that’s the new world, right? And this has created an open space for partnerships. However, as we get innovative in the digital world, I think the thing we’re losing is the one-to-one contact. So for me, it’s getting back to the basics of partnerships—getting our products in front of people by creating relationships with the communities we serve. And that’s really been a success for us. Our Donatos sales were up more than 8% last year, and I believe it was because of our innovative spend on our marketing.

Franchisors say, “Here’s the model, don’t deviate from it.” And even though you’re a cookie-cutter brand, you’re also in different markets. We’ve stayed within the confines of the brand, but went a little outside of the box by really taking that local community approach and making those personal relationships. It’s all about consistency in the franchise replication, but we wanted to make it feel like it was still ours.

Covid changed everything. Everyone says that, but in terms of the relationship factor it has changed people. We don’t know how to converse anymore. So we’ve gotten boots on the ground, gone grassroots again, and it’s working. That’s my number-one answer to the innovation we’ve done.

MICHELE & MATTHEW SAUK

Company: Beans and Brews

Brands: 4 locations with a 5th pending

Years in franchising: 8

My husband Matthew, a former football player and coach, has integrated an innovative and unique approach to running our franchise. He uses coaching techniques and sports analogies that really resonate within the franchise model. Although we stick to the franchise’s training principles, we also infuse our unique personal touch in our management approach.

Staff management, a notorious challenge for franchisees, is where I see Matthew’s quarterbacking and coaching experience shine through. He uses clear, concise communication, like a seasoned coach. I often hear him say things like, “Wow we’re doing great business and it’s just halftime,” referring to the midpoint of our day! Matthew “huddles” the team, emphasizing the importance of balance in employee management, and fosters an environment of trust and responsibility.

We absolutely see the parallel between sports teamwork and business operations. Matthew’s coaching experience gives him a great rapport with our staff. He encourages our employees to see failures as learning opportunities and to regroup efficiently, much like how a football team regroups during a timeout to create a new game plan. “It’s all about making a comeback,” he often reminds the team.

FRANCHISEE BYTES

What do you do for exercise/workout?

If I said I hit the gym regularly, the noise I make when bending over to tie my shoes would beg to differ. The job and my 5-year-old do keep me active every week. I personally can’t work behind a desk all the time. I need to be on my feet and moving.

—Karl Malchow, 35, Renegade Pizza LLC (5 Toppers Pizza)

When time permits.

—Pathik Patel, 36, President, VAAP Management (16 Dunkin’, 1 Buffalo Wild Wings Go, 1 Curry Up Now)

I walk for several miles outside at least six days every week.

—Michael T. Fay, 38, CEO/Franchisee at MTF Companies (25 Subway, 11 Little Medical School, 3 Overtime Athletics, 1 Flex)

Not as much as I should, for sure, but I do play old-man hockey on Thursday nights and coach a bunch of my kids’ teams. For the most part, the job keeps me on my feet and the kids at home keep me running around, so I tend to rely on that for PT.

—Talisin Burton, 44, Managing Member at Burton Foods (14 Dunkin’, 1 Baskin-Robbins, 1 Jimmy John’s)

My weekly routine is typically four days of weightlifting and two days on the Peloton.

—Sam Askar, 45, Askar Brands (75 Dunkin’, 42 Church’s Texas Chicken, 1 Papa Romano’s, 1 Blackjack Pizza). Askar Brands is also the franchisor of Papa Romano’s, Blackjack Pizza, Papa’s Pizza To Go, and Breadeaux Pizza

I really love swimming. Breaststroke is my favorite swimming style. I love being outdoors, so anything outside is what I like doing. I do a lot of landscaping. I enjoy hiking. We actually live on some acreage, so we get to go exploring a bit.

—Jeremy Music, 45, Franchisee at Front Porch Coffee LLC (16 Scooter’s Coffee, 1 Wingstop, 1 Billy Sims BBQ)

I love a long walk or jog after a nice long day at work.

—Sedrick Turner, 53, President/Owner-Operator at Global Midsouth Corp. (8 Checkers, 6 Rally’s)

I play pickleball multiple times a week. I also coach indoor field hockey and referee field hockey.

—Roger Wagner, 59, Chief Operating Officer, BRG, M2R, W2B (20 Burger King, 12 Moe’s Southwest Grill, 5 Tropical Smoothie Cafe)

I play tennis and pickleball and enjoy taking walks.

—Gary Avants, 63, Founder & President of Avants Management Group (35 Zaxby’s)

I have a personal trainer two times a week.

—Steve Leibsohn, 65, Owner (35 Wetzel’s Pretzels, 2 food trucks, 1 Twisted by Wetzel’s)

Three times a week.

—Joe Piro, 65, President/Franchisee, Supreme Greens Franchise Group (21 Salata Salad Kitchen, 3 Face Foundrié)