Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue III, 2014 | Page 32

2014 MVP AWARDS “I love what I’m doing. For me, it’s fun.” treating employees like team members accounts for much of his company’s success. “I’m told I have strong interpersonal skills. I listen to our team and our customers and I respond. Taking action is part of success. I know how to produce top- and bottom-line results. By inverting the triangle and putting myself at the bottom, I’m helping our team do well for our customers.” As he approaches 70, this family man is far from ready to retire again. “I love what I’m doing. For me, it’s fun,” he says. “Our goal is to be the best alternative in each neighborhood throughout Utah, and we’ll be building restaurants where they’re convenient for our customers.” MANAGEMENT Business philosophy: My style is to invert the triangle. I’m at the bottom and the guest is at the top. We assist our team to do well for the guest. We say “Yes” to the guest before they ask the question. Management method or style: We provide an atmosphere where each manager feels they are running their own business as a part of a team. Our atmosphere is “we,” not “I.” We are a team and we help each other succeed. We start with sales, not EBITDA. We want our people to have the best deal in their neighborhood working at Del Taco. I want their neighbors asking them how they got to be part of such a great company. Greatest challenge: Governmental regulations that are not business- or growth-oriented and increasing ingredient costs. How do others describe you? As a listener who’s fair and acts with integrity, someone who’s positive and passionate. How do you hire and fire, train and retain? We hire carefully those with a passion to do well. We have minimum turnover and are continuously sharing best practices. BOTTOM LINE Annual revenue: Prefer not to disclose. 2014 goals: Double-digit sales increase and record-breaking bonuses for our team. Growth meter: How do you measure your growth? Comparable restaurant sales and traffic growth every year. Vision meter: Where do you want to be in 5 years? In 10 years? We want to be the best alternative in each neighborhood throughout Utah. We also will be adding restaurants to be convenient to the guest. What are you doing to take care of your employees? We offer every benefit available to our management. We try to pay above the market and expect productive team members, minimizing the need for turnover. What kind of exit strategy do you have in place? I’ve tried to retire twice and it didn’t work. This is the best annuity and fun for the future. 30 MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE IS S UE III, 2014 PERSONAL Formative influences/events: Growing up in a family with integrity and a strong work ethic and growing up in Chicago, where I worked in retail since age 13, went to a challenging high school (Loyola Academy), and completed my