2017 MVP AWARDS Mega Growth Leadership Award
2017 MVP AWARDS
brand ’ s highest honor for lifetime achievement .
While Rodriguez aims to be the biggest and best Wendy ’ s franchisee he can be , he takes the most pride on a value that goes beyond the numbers . “ What really drives me is being able to provide people in my company with the opportunity to grow within the company .”
2017 MVP AWARDS Mega Growth Leadership Award
Why do you think you were recognized with this award ? Because of my leadership as a multi-unit operator and dedication to brand success .
How have you raised the bar in your own company ? We raise the bar every day . I preach that when we are feeling good about our results we should go back to basics and see if we have new challenges . Being a consistent “ B-plus ” or “ A ” operator takes persistence .
What innovations have you created and used to build your company ? “ The Machine .” We know all operational measures daily with the click of one email . Also , growth through community involvement and owning our trade area one restaurant at a time is a huge part of our success .
What core values do you think helped you win this award ? Strong DNA , tremendous culture , and superior management teams at all levels of the organization .
How important is community involvement to you and your company ? The mission of JAE Restaurant Group is to be “ A Cut Above ” to our stakeholders , while remaining true to our values . We demonstrate Dave Thomas ’ s motto in everything that we do . Not only does JAE carry on with fresh , quality ingredients , we also operate quality restaurants with high-quality people . The founders have created a company that values the contributions of its employees . We promote a positive working environment where team members learn from one another from the cumulative years of Wendy ’ s experience we have under one roof . We require every restaurant to support at least one local organization such as Little League , the Chamber of Commerce , or the Boys & Girls Club .
What leadership qualities are most important to you and your team ? The executive leadership team , with over 300 years of restaurant and multi-unit operations experience , shares the values of Wendy ’ s founder , valuing people and the critical role they play in making a company successful . Our mission statement clearly articulates our “ people first ” philosophy and drives employee engagement . The company has created a family culture that celebrates employees ’ life events through celebrations , on its Facebook page , and through the company ’ s newsletter .
Annual revenue : $ 280 million .
BOTTOM LINE
2017 goals : To grow the company organically with 10 new restaurants per year .
Growth meter : How do you measure your growth ? One restaurant at a time .
Vision meter : Where do you want to be in 5 years ? 10 years ? In 5 years , I want to be retired and on executive boards to help build better companies . In 10 years , I want to be traveling , watching the next generation grow the business , and making sure the DNA of the company stays true to its values .
How is the economy in your regions affecting you , your employees , and your customers ? Most of our market is a gateway to Latin America , so it ’ s healthy and robust with lots of opportunities .
Are you experiencing economic growth in your market ? Absolutely . Miami and Fort Lauderdale have so much to offer in terms of growth from Latin America .
How do changes in the economy affect the way you do business ? We do more research on customers and employees in order to be effective and have more flexibility .
How do you forecast for your business ? We monitor the business daily , weekly , and monthly . Although we have a budget , we monitor it daily .
What are the best sources for capital expansion ? Internal cash flow ; 30 to 40 percent of cash flow should be used for capital reinvestment .
Experience with private equity , local banks , national banks , other institutions ? Why / why not ? Absolutely . In today ’ s business environment , you need to have relationships with a number of financial institutions . You also must have a great management team and not just invest for today , but invest for tomorrow . It ’ s not about what you want , it ’ s about where the company is going to go .
What are you doing to take care of your employees ? We host a big holiday party every year in every market . We ’ ve increased vacation time ( four weeks after 10 years ) and we ’ ve tried to create an environment that enforces happiness by giving lots of recognition for hard work .
How are you handling rising employee costs ( payroll , minimum wage , healthcare , etc .)? We look at it as the cost of doing business . While it does have an impact on the bottom line , we don ’ t short-term any of these costs and try to be on the leading edge .
How do you reward / recognize top-performing employees ? We give monthly recognition of the employee of the month at the office , parking spots , holiday parties , GM rallies twice a year where we bring all the GMs together , and give rewards based on performance , sales profiles , and people development .
What kind of exit strategy do you have in place ? I plan on turning the business over to the family by creating value and creating demand for the business . If you have a successful business , you will always have an exit strategy , and never have to worry about it .
38 MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE ISSUE III , 2017