« Scaling Up: From Small Start-up to Full Growth Mode » is a session at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit, which will be held March 42-26 in Kansas City, Missouri.
« Scaling Up: From Small Start-up to Full Growth Mode » is a comprehensive session at the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit for entrepreneurs with promising concepts ready for expansion. The session revolves around the pivotal moments when a startup contemplates the transition to franchising. The session brings together brand leaders and experienced franchisees who will offer their advice and knowledge about franchising.
The Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit will be held March 24-26 at the InterContinental Kansas City at the Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri. The Scaling Up: From Small Start-up to Full Growth Mode session is sponsored by Opus Training, with Rachael Nemeth, CEO and co-founder of Opus Training, as the event’s moderator.
Speakers include:
- Craig Haley, president of Smokey Mo’s TX BBQ.
- Josh Halpern, CEO of Big Chicken.
- Andrew Pudalov, founder and CEO of Rush Bowls.
- Ryan Weaver | CEO | Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken
« We’ve had several requests for a session to help teach operators when and how to grow their concepts, so we are excited how well this panel came together, » said Cherryh Cansler, vice president of events for Networld Media Group, the company hosting the summit and publishers of B2Bfood sites like Fastcasual.com and PizzaMarketplace.com.
Session attendees will be guided through the intricate processes of scaling up, understanding the nuances of transitioning from a small startup to a full-fledged growth model. The collaboration between founders and franchisees proves instrumental in providing practical advice and strategic direction.
« Don’t be afraid to ‘go slow’ earlier on to be able to ‘go fast’ later on, especially as it relates to new franchise development, » Ryan Weaver, a session speaker and Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken’s CEO, said in an email interview. « You want to make sure you have your toolbox fully built out to be able to attack new franchise development effectively: site forecasting capabilities, modern brand and unit prototype design, tech stack and training systems that are effective, and most importantly ‘proof of concept’ that the four-wall unit economics work » whether by virtue of corporate owned units or an initial franchise partner case study.
« You need to have no sacred cows and a maniacal focus on unit level economics, » Josh Halpern, CEO of Big Chicken, said in an email interview. « What worked for you at two units likely won’t work at 20, and what works for you at 20 likely won’t work for you at 200. Focus on your labor model and your supply chain to get your prime costs right and work hard at your cost-to-build to get the best possible cash-on-cash conversion at a unit level. Continuous improvement is key. »
Whether it’s deciphering the legal intricacies of franchising or implementing effective operational strategies, « Scaling Up » serves as a mentorship platform for summit attendees. It equips entrepreneurs with the knowledge and guidance needed to make informed decisions and ensures a smoother transition into full growth mode. This collaborative effort between pioneers in the industry ensures that the reader gains a well-rounded perspective on the challenges and opportunities that come with scaling up a business.
« When scaling your brand, it’s important to set standards and precedents from the beginning and stick to them, » Andrew Pudalov, founder and CEO of Rush Bowls, said in an email interview. « There will always be internal and external influences trying to steer you off course, but if you stick to your brand values and maintain consistency, it will make achieving your growth goals much less challenging. »
The session will be held at 11:45 a.m. on Monday, March 25. Click here to register for the Restaurant Franchising and Innovation Summit.
Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the site editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has more than 20 years’ experience covering food, people and places.
An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings more than 20 years’ experience to Networld Media Group. She has spent nearly two decades covering the pizza industry, from independent pizzerias to multi-unit chains and every size business in between. Mandy has been featured on the Food Network and has won numerous awards for her coverage of the restaurant industry. She has an insatiable appetite for learning, and can tell you where to find the best slices in the country after spending 15 years traveling and eating pizza for a living.
