HOW TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY - Our guest today is Andrew Robbins

Andrew Robbins is the CEO of Paytronix Systems, Inc. A product visionary and team leader, he’s spent the last 20 years at the company in various leadership roles and transforming the restaurant customer experience. A formally trained engineer, Andrew is bullish on design and innovation as a means of business success.

Andrew graduated from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and received a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and a Master’s in Business from Harvard University.

Contact Gary: [email protected] 

Contact Andrew: https://www.paytronix.com/ 

Visit www.frangrow.com

MASTERMIND MINUTES - -ONE GUEST - ONE QUESTION - ONE EXPERT ANSWER in Minutes not Hours

Today our Guest is FRED KIRVAN - FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF KIRVAN CONSULTING.

Fred started in the franchise business in 1991. Working with the founder of Desert Moon Fresh Mexican Grille, he developed the operating systems and grew the company from a single unit into a multi-state franchised brand. In 2008 he became President of Desert Moon remaining in that role until 2013. Mr. Kirvan was then recruited as the Chief Operating Officer for TRUFOODS, LLC. A 100+ unit multi-brand franchisor. Additionally, he was VP of Operations for Energy Kitchen, an NYC based fast-casual chain that pioneered the "healthy alternative" space. Mr. Kirvan's experience in system development, writing manuals, brand connectivity, purchasing, and construction project management has proven to be an invaluable asset to startup & emerging brands.

Contact Fred at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-kirvan-restaurant-consultant-franchising-operations-manuals-business-expansion-b9581242/

Contact gary at [email protected]

Visit www.frangrow.com

Visit www.franchisemoneymaker.com

MASTERMIND MINUTES - -ONE GUEST - ONE QUESTION - ONE EXPERT ANSWER in Minutes not Hours

Today our Guest is Beegees Hebert Senior Account Manager

Beegees came to Guidant in 2011, and since then, she’s become a small business financing aficionado. Every day, she puts her superior listening skills to good use to become a true advocate for her clients. As an Account Manager, she’s committed to helping individuals identify and deploy the financing solution(s) that will help them reach their short- and long-term goals, making the process to funding as smooth as possible.

Beegees also has firsthand knowledge of what it takes to run a small business or franchise. Prior to joining Guidant, she served as the General Manager for a chain of tanning salon franchises, and before that, she was the Sales & Marketing Director for an independent health and fitness business. Today, she uses that experience to relate to clients and provide firsthand advice.

Contact Beegees at. https://www.guidantfinancial.com/about-us/contact-us/

Contact Gary at: [email protected]

Visit www.franchisegrowthsolutions.com

Visit: www.franchisemoneymaker.com 

Our guest today is John Ramsay of  Noodles & Company.  With over 28 years of experience in restaurant franchise sales and development, John Ramsay joined Noodles & Company in November of 2020 as the vice president of franchise sales. Prior to Noodles, John most recently held positions in franchise and restaurant growth efforts for Bruxie International and Marco’s Pizza Franchising. John’s successful career includes the growth of over 900 restaurants across all 50 states and 12 different countries. Having graduated from Virginia Tech University with an architecture degree, his vast skill set came through during his early career positions in design, construction and real estate for brands such as T.G.I. Friday’s and Jack in the Box. A resident of southern California, John and his wife love traveling and spending time with their two kids in their free time.  Contact John at www.noodles.com Contact gary at: [email protected], Visit:www.frangrow.com    Visit: www.franhisemoneymaker.com

MasterMind Minutes - One Guest, One Question, One Answer in Minutes not Hours.  

I had a great discussion with Bob Ray, COO of Margarita's- We talked about Supply chain, Labor and other issues impacting not only the Margarita's brand but the restaurant industry in general.

Bob Ray, who has been with Margaritas since 1992 in a wide variety of positions, became an owner and board member assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer. The brand also expanded its leadership team to include a star-studded mix of owners and board members with decades of experience managing and growing successful restaurants.  Alongside founding brothers John and Dave Pelletier, the Margaritas leadership team includes Larry Cates, who served as President of Applebee’s International; Anthony Ackil, the founder of B.GOOD, a trendsetting, healthy fast-casual restaurant chain; Hexagon Hospitality LLC founder Mitch Kahn; and Paul Twohig, the former president of Dunkin Donuts and former president of MOD Super-Fast Pizza Holdings LLC.  During the pandemic, Margaritas re-engineered its business model focusing more on high-profit dayparts like dinner and late-night, reducing labor and food costs and simplifying operations without sacrificing fun or quality. “By removing lunch and opening later in the day for dinner and evening bar, we significantly increased efficiency and improved economics of the restaurants,” said Margaritas COO Bob Ray. “It’s resulted in happier team members, which all together contributes to a better guest experience. We did all of this without compromising our scratch kitchen cooking or our craft margaritas. We’ve got the successful formula down to a science.” The renewed franchising efforts, being led by Vice President of Franchise Development Tom Radomski, will focus on expanding Margaritas beyond the Northeast. “Ideal candidates would be highly experienced, multi-unit operators that have the infrastructure in place to support high-volume, full-service restaurants in markets throughout Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Georgia and Florida,” Radomski said, noting the total investment for a full-service Margaritas Mexican restaurant ranges from $1.5 to $2.5 million, depending on location on square footage. Margaritas Mexican Restaurants has delighted guests since 1986 with colorful, authentic décor and atmosphere, delicious Mexican recipes, 20+ hand shaken, made-to-order margaritas, and an inviting, fun experience for any occasion. In order to keep the brand special, founder John Pelletier made countless adventures to Mexico to seek out and purchase carved chairs, furnishings, artwork, and colorful tile from local artisans, ultimately using this décor to highlight Mexican culture in the restaurants. Today, that spirit lives on with managers and staff taking organized trips to central Mexico to visit artist communities and manufacturing towns to immerse themselves in the food and culture. ABOUT MARGARITAS MEXICAN RESTAURANTS Founded in 1986 by John Pelletier, Margaritas Mexican Restaurant Group has 25 locations throughout Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. From colorful and authentic décor to a commitment to community relations through field trips and visiting artist demonstrations, Margaritas provides an atmosphere rich with the culture and flavors of Mexico. Margaritas Mexican Restaurants have earned numerous awards and honors, including being named the Best Mexican Restaurant in both New Hampshire and Connecticut. For more information about Margaritas’ franchise opportunities, visit www.margs.com/franchising/overview. Contact Bob at: https://www.margs.com/Contact Gary at: inforwww.frangrow.com Visit: www.frangrow.com Visit www.franchisemoneymaker.com

Why must marketers revisit the fundamental, assumptions they make about their customers?  MasterMind Minutes - One Guest - One Question - One Expert Answer in Minutes Not Hours   - -  Our Guest today is Dr. Michael R. Solomon, Ph.D.  Michael “wrote the book” on understanding consumers.  Literally. Hundreds of thousands of business students have learned about Marketing from his books including Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having, and Being -- the most widely used book on the subject in the world.    Michael’s mantra:  We don’t buy products because of what they do.  We buy them because of what they mean. He advises global clients on marketing strategies to make them more consumer-centric, and he is currently directing Nielsen’s revamp of its global Brand Health Model.   As a Professor of Marketing (in the Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, U.S.A.), a sought-after keynote speaker, and an industry consultant, Michael combines cutting-edge academic theory with actionable real-world strategies.  He helps managers get inside the heads of their customers so they can anticipate and satisfy their deepest and most pressing needs – today and tomorrow.  An executive at Subaru said it best: “The man is a scholar who is current and street-wise.”    Question: In your latest book, you say that most businesspeople today think of their customers like diners in a traditional restaurant that specializes in one cuisine.  But the reality is that many customers today are more like diners at an international buffet, who want to “graze” and select a wide range of menu items from many different cuisines.  You say this important change, along with others, makes it essential for marketers to revisit some of the fundamental, unquestionable assumptions they make about their customers and how they need to relate to them.  Can you tell us what you mean?  Reach Michael at: [email protected] https://www.michaelsolomon.com/

HOW CAN TECH COMPANIES HELP CUSTOMERS CONNECT WITH THE RETAIL EXPERIENCE. MasterMind Minutes - One Guest - One Question - One Expert answer in Minutes Not Hours - - - Our guest today is Chris Clarke  Chris is the CEO of Poppin Video He’s a successful entrepreneur and software developer who works with small business to leverage new technologies into reduced costs and greater profits. He’s developed apps for many businesses and most recently he’s been occupied with the development of a new service that allows small business affected by the pandemic to offer their customers an in-store experience right from their website for a price that’s easily within their budgets. 

Contact Chris at: https://poppinvideo.com/contact/

Visit: www.poppinvideo.com 

Contact Gary at: [email protected]  

Visit: franchisegrowthsolutions.com

  Today my guest is Kelsey Stuart the CEO of Bloomin’ Blinds, a national window treatment franchise serving over 50 markets in the U.S. Kelsey Stuart has been laser-focused on growing Bloomin’ Blinds for nearly a decade. Having been involved with the company since its launch, there isn’t a part of the Bloomin’ business model Kelsey isn’t intimately familiar with. Maintaining day-to-day contact with our franchise owners, Kelsey one of the go-to people for most of the questions that they have. When he isn’t at the office alongside his two brothers, Kris and Kevin, Kelsey looks forward to spending time with his two daughters, wife and his dog Sunny, or planning for future travels.  Contact Kelsey at: https://www.bloominblinds.com/franchising/Contact gary at: [email protected] Visit: www.franchisegrowthsolutions.com Visit: www.franchisemoneymaker.com

My Guest today is Mike Bausch.       Mike is an industry leader whose restaurant, Andolini's Pizzeria, is a top ten pizzeria in the US, as named by TripAdvisor, BuzzFeed, CNN, and USA Today. Andolini's began in 2005 and has grown to five pizzerias, two gelaterias, two food hall concepts, a food truck, and a fine dining restaurant by 2019. Mike is a World Pizza Champion, a Guinness Book world record holder, and a writer for Pizza Today.

Contact Mike at: https://unslicedbook.com/

Contact Gary at [email protected]

Visit: https://www.franchisegrowthsolutions.com/ 

Today's Guest is David Whalen.   He is the Founder &  President of HOTS an emerging concept in the fast casual franchise space He was born and raised in Binghamton, NY. and a grad of 2005 Binghamton University.    After holding a several "corporate" jobs, IE: Ad sales, Project Management,  David realized he needed to control his own destiny.    David says that he’s always had Entrepreneurial ambitions, which led to founding HOTS in 2010, coinciding with downtown Binghamton’s student driven revitalization. CONTACT DAVID AT : https://binghamtonhots.com/CONTACT GARY AT:  [email protected] #Binghamton, #universitystudents #University #college #franchising #restaurant #diner, #franchise #restaurantbusiness #entrepreneur #franchisegrowthsolutions #sales, #innovation, #motivation