Small Business Week Spotlight: 5 Exceptional FranchiseesDon't forget to support your local franchisees during National Small Business Week. Here's how these five franchisees thrive as small business owners and inspire their communities.
A lesser known fact aboutfranchisesis that franchisees function as small business owners, and often thrive independently by bringing their own passions and ideas to the business. In honor ofNational Small Business Week, we're highlighting outstanding franchisees who have gone above and beyond for their businesses, customers and communities.
Salem Najjar, Tropical Smoothie Cafe
At 32 years old, Salem Najjar is the founder and CEO of SERVE Hospitality Group, along with owning and operating 14Tropical Smoothie Cafe在中西部地区。纳贾尔体现热带Smoothie's mission to "inspire better," and takes it to the next level. He puts a positivework environment他的价值观的最前沿,经常表示“状态”ors employees to encourage growth amongst his staff. As an experienced business owner, Najjar understands thefranchising difference, and the value and responsibility in being a franchisee. "We are privileged to have the brand equity and strategic guidance from Tropical Smoothie Cafe as a franchisor, but also to have the flexibility to make business decisions," says Najjar. "Tropical Smoothie Cafe has a great support center to help guide and advisefranchisees, but at the end of the day we are all in charge of our own cafes, responsible for our own employees and ultimately responsible for giving our guests the best possible experiences." While Najjar is proud of both his businesses' growth and success, he says the most rewarding aspect of his job is making an impact on his community, and aiding his employees to grow and achieve theirgoals.
Related:This Family of Tropical Smoothie Cafe Franchisees Is Using Their Business to Build Community
Lisa Chapin, SailTime
A lifelong admirer of sailing herself, Lisa Chapin began her journey withSailTimemore than 15 years ago as a SailTime member in Austin, Texas. "That membership gave me the resources and knowledge to sail around the world for three years," Chapin says. "What I love about sailing is you're never done learning. It's a lifelong adventure." After using the knowledge and skills gained at SailTime, Chapin sailed the world before settling in the Bay Area. When news came that SailTime was looking for afranchiseein San Francisco, she left her job in business development to pursue the position and bring her own passion and experience to the SailTime franchise. More than a decade later, she oversees a fleet of six boats shared by dozens of members, manages an American Sailing Association Sailing School and has a 50 Ton Masters license from the U.S. Coast Guard.
Related:Why This Couple Bought a Franchise After Traveling Around the World
Shane Fay, QC Kinetix
Shane Fay's journey tobusiness ownershipcame with determination and hard work, building his life from the ground up and taking small steps to building his empire. Born and raised in southern California, Fay grew up in a struggling working class family, and got hisstart in franchisingfirsthand by working at local fast food restaurants to support himself. The first in his family to go to college, Fay put himself through a degree at Baylor, then spent 10 years saving and eventually got his MBA at the University of Georgia — where he paid all cash. At 45, Fay left the energy industry and used his savings to become a franchisee forQC Kinetix, a regenerative medicine franchise, where he ultimately developed its largest market to date. He operates 17 clinics throughout North Texas, three of which he opened within his first four months as a franchisee. Fay's story shines light on the power of small business ownership as a franchisee, and has built an empire that impacts lives in a way he'd always dreamed of. "This hit every desire I had," says Fay, "it was in thehealth and wellnessfield which I am passionate about, it was truly helping others and making a positive impact in their lives, it was innovative, yet they already had a proven track record of success with the treatments. And I get to build something from the ground up that will be a legacy for me and my family."
Related:Why People are Rethinking Retirement and Franchising Instead
Jenni Smith, Kolache Factory
Jenni Smith, a 13 year franchisee with theKolache Factoryin St. Louis, is a model of how small businesses can partner with their customers to help care for the community, and as well as autonomy franchisees have to make an impact on the larger system. About three years ago, Smith met with a St. Louis college student who had started a program called Gift-A-Meal, which works with local restaurants to provide meals tofood banks. Store customers take a picture of their purchased meal, post it on the app and the restaurant donates a meal on their behalf. In less than three years, Smith's store has donated 3,974 meals and 4,769 pounds of food to those struggling in her community. After witnessing the success and impact of incorporating Gift-A-Meal, Smith presented the program to her largercommunityat Kolache Factory corporate, and has now expanded the initiative to 10 franchisees within the system. "I'm very grateful for the work that Gift-A-Meal and the local food bank does, which gives our store the opportunity to partner with our customers and give back to our community," says Smith. "That's what we are about, serving our community. And I am beyond thrilled that I have been able to share this program with other franchisees in our system."
Related:Win-Win: This Founder Is Using Extra Restaurant Food to Feed the Needy -- and Save Businesses Money
Kim Johnson, AAMCO
As afemale business ownerin a male dominated industry, Kim Johnson is a role model in her Santa Cruz beach community as the owner of the localAAMCO Transmissions and Total Car Carestore. Johnson's story also demonstrates how one can utilize the opportunity of being a franchisee to bring important and needed businesses to the community, regardless of experience. As a former Jazzercise instructor, Johnson had no automotive experience but knew that the community needed it and trusted thesupportand business model at AAMCO.
Johnson is passionate about serving her community and providing acar repairexperience that's a positive one. As a woman, she wanted to create an approachable and fun experience to car repairs for other women or those who might find the encounter daunting. She often educates customers, and will take them into the shop to show and demonstrate what happened to the vehicle. "Men used to come in and bypass me as if I was just a secretary and didn't have any knowledge of anything," Johnson says. "They would ask to speak to a mechanic and I would tell them, "Well, I'm the owner. Why don't you start by asking me the question, and if I don't know the answer 'll let you talk to one of my mechanics.' Now, men don't challenge me as much. Instead they say, "Wow, I'm impressed!'"
As a small business owner, she is a role model in hercommunity, and serves on the board at a local high school that runs an automotive program to prepare young adults for a future in the auto industry.
Related:After Buying Into AAMCO, This Franchisee Couple Found That Success Drove Itself
