Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue I, 2013 | Page 24

MEGA
earned numerous awards, particularly in
sales achievement.
Still, says Copus, his recent Franchisee of the Year honor for best embracing Hungry Howie’s brand concept and
corporate philosophy of helping people
was unexpected and puts him among a
special group of franchisees that he has
long known and respected.
“All of this group, I believe, if cut, will
bleed pizza sauce—I should say Hungry
Howie’s pizza sauce,” says Copus. “It is
this group of franchisees that motivates
other franchisees to do better. They are
Hungry Howie’s ambassadors.”
Copus also believes the returns for
reaching out to his employees and
the communities his stores serve are
abundant. For instance, when River
Rouge, Mich., was slammed by tough
economic times, Copus stuck with his
restaurant, located near Detroit, and

“I do want to make
it clear that I would
not be where I am
today if it weren’t for
the dedication and
commitment of my
management team
and employees. They
are doing all the hard
work. I’m just leading
and delegating with
some success.”

its community. His loyal diners, largely
auto and steel workers, returned the
favor. In 2011, that store boasted an
annual sales increase of more than 70
percent, earning the unit the “Highest Percent of Sales Increase” award in
the Hungry Howie’s system. “Support
your community and the community
will support you,” he says.
Looking ahead, Copus has committed
to adding six Hungry Howie’s in Utah.
He also operates two DJ’s Hotdog Company locations, with plans to add a third
Chicago-style hot dog eatery by the end
of the first quarter.
“I do want to make it clear that I would
not be where I am today if it weren’t
for the dedication and commitment of
my management team and employees,”
says Copus. “They are doing all the hard
work. I’m just leading and delegating
with some success.”

BOTTOM LINE
Annual revenue: My secret.
2013 goals: Always improve our PSI: Product, Service, Image.
Growth meter: How do you measure your growth? By increasing
our customer counts.
Vision meter: Where do you want to be in 5 years? 10 years?
I’m 56 and would like to see myself taking a back seat from the day-to-day
routine, but still be active in the overall business strategies.
How is the economy affecting you, your employees, your customers? The last year and a half has been good, but the previous three to
four years were hard. Customer counts were down, sales were way down, and
costs (food, labor, gas, utilities, and insurance) were way up. Stores that used
to make profits were losing money. I was fortunate to have many stores and
was able to ride out the storm.
Are you experiencing economic growth or recovery in your
market? Yes. The last year and a half has been very positive for customer
counts and sales increases. Pro