What do Mongolian barbecue, Ford Motor Company, and Ironman triathlons all have in common? For Billy Downs, they’ve each played a role in shaping his unique journey as a leader in franchising.

Billy “BD” Downs co-founded BD’s Mongolian Grill at just 26 years old, growing it into an international brand before selling and moving into consulting, nonprofit work, and ultimately becoming the first franchisee in the state of Michigan, and now President, of Ford’s Garage, a brand with 32 locations across 8 states. Along the way, he earned the Presidential Friendship Medal from the president of Mongolia, launched community-impact initiatives through World Vision, and helped advise Goldfish Swim School as it scaled from one location to more than 200.

In this conversation, Billy opens up about the challenges of starting a restaurant brand from scratch, the critical role of building the right team, and why humility and coachability are non-negotiables in successful franchising. He shares how wearing the hats of both franchisor and franchisee shaped his leadership style, why he believes in surrounding yourself with a board of advisors sooner rather than later, and how “one team” is more than just a slogan at Ford’s Garage.

Whether you’re an emerging franchisor, a franchisee, or simply a leader looking for wisdom, Billy’s story is packed with insights on growth, resilience, and building businesses that make an impact far beyond the bottom line.

Connect with Billy

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billydowns/

Email: [email protected]

Episode Highlights:

• Growing BD’s Mongolian Grill into an international brand
  
  
  
• Lessons learned from selling a franchise and starting over
  
  
  
• Consulting, nonprofit work, and the path to Ford’s Garage
  
  
  
• Why humility, coachability, and teamwork are essential in franchising
  
  
  
• Advising Goldfish Swim School on their path to 200+ units
  
  
  
• Building community impact into a brand from the start
  
  
  
• Balancing the dual role of franchisor and franchisee

Connect with Tracy

Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-panase/

JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale

JBF Franchise System - https://jbfsalefranchise.com/

Email: [email protected]

Connect with Shannon

Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/

JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale

Website - https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/

Email - [email protected]