Franchise Update Magazine Issue II, 2015 | Page 12

ceoprofile

Do you want to be liked or respected?
Respected, without hesitation. If you are
earning respect in the right way, being
liked often follows.
Advice to CEO wannabes: I would offer three points of advice. Don’t try to be
somebody else. Do become a student of
leadership. Wherever you are, get and
maintain absolute clarity about how you
can make a difference.

Management
Describe your management style:
Fact-based and detail-oriented. I want
to know you, know what you are talking
about, and be passionate about making a
positive impact.
What does your management team
look like? CFO, EVP of franchise brands,
CIO, EVP of franchise development, VP
of marketing, VP of national accounts, VP
of company stores, VP of international
operations, general counsel.
How does your management team
help you lead? I frequently ask them.
They tell me when I could have done
something better. They are really important for arriving at good decisions. I also
watch them and learn from them. They
often inspire me.
Favorite management gurus: Do you
read management books? Sure. I really don’t have a clear favorite, but two of
my favorite resources are Executive Book
Summaries and Trends Magazine, both
audio to optimize drive time.
What makes you say, “Yes, now that’s
why I do what I do!”? When I see
people appreciably develop and achieve
success.

Personal
What time do you like to be at your
desk? 7 a.m.
Exercise in the morning? I prefer a midafternoon workout in our fitness center,
often with one of my execs.

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Wine with lunch? No wine at lunch, usually just a quick piece of fruit at my desk.

have somehow distinguished themselves.
I’m not one to send clearly trivial notes.

Do you socialize with your team after
work/outside the office? Yes, from time
to time. I really enjoy their company in a
social setting. I think it helps build deeper
connections with people.

Bottom Line

Last two books read: The Making of the
Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes, and 41: A
Portrait of My Father by George W. Bush.
What technology do you take on the
road? iPhone 6 and PC Ultrabook.
How do you relax/balance life and
work? During the week, I often enjoy a
glass of wine and dinner with my wife before doing a bit more work or research. I
also exercise almost every day. Weekends,
I enjoy projects around the house, fixing
something with my hands; watching college
football; and dinner or party with friends.
Our neighborhood group is fairly social.
Favorite vacation destination: Grand
Cayman Islands.
Favorite occasions to send employees
notes: When they achieve their targets or

What are your long-term goals for the
company? $2 billion in system-wide sales.
We just reached $1 billion.
How has the economy changed your
goals for your company? It hasn’t changed
our goals. The Great Recession delayed
us a bit, but it is now behind us.
Where can capital be found these days?
While traditional sources are coming back,
non-traditional sources have sprung up
over the last few years. We also offer financing for the franchise fee, which helps
to mitigate this issue to some extent as a
service franchisor.
How do you measure success? Through
the positive difference we make in those
we have an impact on—a positive customer
review on a front-line technician, a positive note or comment from a franchisee,
an associate who is thankful for their role.
What has been your greatest success?
While I can’t particularly claim it as “my”
success, I’m very proud of how all three
of my children have turned out. They all
completed university, have a strong work
ethic, and a disposition I’m proud of, each
a bit different of course.
Any regrets? Oh sure. There are so many
little ones I would love to have a do-over
on. Most have to do with trying to be
efficient with people. I’ve become a bit
smoother over the years, but it’s still a
work in process. Probably the biggest one
is moving away from my ill mother late in
her life with the grandchildren she was so
fond of. I moved to take my first role as a
brand president at age 37. Although my
mother was very supportive, that’s the one
I’ve second-guessed myself on occasion.
What can we expect from your company in the next 12 to 18 months? Very
good franchisee count growth, strong same
store sales growth, and more acquisitions
complementary to our existing space. n

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