A Breakdown of Shaquille O'Neal's Franchise VenturesWhat you should know about the former athlete and 2022 IFA convention keynote speaker.

As the2022 International Franchise Associationconventionkicks off in San Diego, attendees may be surprised to see former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal as akeynote speakerfor the conference.

But O'Neal has been in the business game for a long time. The 7′1″ former basketball player actually studiedbusinesswhen he was a college student and has been able to put his knowledge to use with business ventures that include being Carnival Cruise Ship's "chief fun officer" and acelebrity spokespersonfor a variety of brands endorsements. Many of his business experiences come from the franchising world, and his reported net worth of$400 millionspeaks to his success in the industry.

Here's what you should know about Shaquille O'Neal, franchisee and franchisor extraordinaire.

Shaquille O'Neal the franchisee

Franchises seem to have a special place in the 49-year-old's heart. When theWall Street Journalasked O'Neal why he found franchising so attractive, the entrepreneur said, "It's just partnering up with another reliable, excellent brand. Being in business with people, and just owning stuff." At one point, it wasreportedhe owned40 24-Hour Fitness gymsand 150 car washes.

But O'Neal also has experience franchising for several famous restaurant brands. He has owned and sold155 Five Guys Burgersrestaurants — which totaled 10% of the company's entire franchise portfolio. He also owns 17Auntie Anne's Pretzelsrestaurants andnine Papa John's franchise units. In fact, O'Neal is a brand ambassador forPapa John'sand has been on the pizza company's board of directors since 2019.

Time for a pizza party! I'm excited to join@PapaJohnsas a member of the Board of Directors and investor in 9 stores in#Atlanta. Excited to work with Papa John's team members and customers - more here:https://t.co/PRXG7ORtFkpic.twitter.com/c5uj5BRuQ1

— SHAQ.ETH (@SHAQ)March 22, 2019

Out of O'Neal's franchise ventures,Krispy Kreme似乎是他目前最喜欢的。根据他的WSJ interview, the celebrity was introduced to the donut in college and wants to be a large part of the business. The celebrity says he owns a few Krispy Kreme franchises and is on the lookout for more.

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Shaquille O'Neal the franchisor

O'Neal also knows what it's like to be on the other side of the franchising relationship as a franchisor of his own food brand. In 2018, O'Neal founded chicken sandwich brand Big Chicken. The Las Vegas-based chain has10 locations, with partnerships that include Toronto-based Ghost Kitchen Brands andCarnival Cruise Ships. Big Chicken started franchising in 2021 and is looking to expand in cities like奥斯丁andPhoenix.

LET'S GO ISLANDERS! Wishing our friends the@NY_Islandersgood luck on their first home game at@UBSArena!pic.twitter.com/T4VL0tFETN

— Big Chicken (@BigChickenShaq)November 21, 2021

While a startling60% of former NBA playersgo broke within five years of leaving, O'Neal's desire to diversify his career portfolio seems to have helped him steer in the other direction. So no matter whether IFA conference attendees identify him with his former athletic pursuits, franchise ventures or even his DJ career (yes,he's a DJ), it's clear O'Neal can't be defined by any success metric other than his own.

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