Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue II, 2015

MULTI-BRAND 50 Ewing-Lonetti. “They get pushed because we get pushed. Our city wants our airport to be the very best airport there is, and it is up to Sandy and me to do our part to ensure that everything looks great and is new and fresh.” Time has only enriched their business partnership and deepened a relationship that goes beyond friendship. Since that lunch date 30 years ago, when the idea for Ewing-Dunn was born, they have had each other’s back through thick and thin: the death of Ewing-Lonetti’s first husband, a serious health issue with Dunn’s son, the marriages of their children, EwingLonetti’s remarriage, and grandkids. “I don’t think we would have gone into the venture if we didn’t think we could make it work,” says Dunn. “I think it has succeeded because we both have the same work ethic and vision of what we wanted to accomplish. It didn’t hurt that we were friends before we were business partners.” MANAGEMENT Business philosophy: Sandy: Enjoy what you do and do it the best you can with business integrity. Strive to be the best. Management method or style: Sandy: I train each of our employees individually. I don’t ask any of our employees to do anything I wouldn’t do myself. I work side by side with our employees. Greatest challenge: Sandy: One of our challenges is recruiting and retaining really great employees . We have several employees who have been with us for 10-plus years. How do others describe you? Sandy: We are well respected by the airport community and by franchisors. Judy: Ewing-Dunn has always had a superior relationship with every franchise we have ever had. The ones we have had to give up still think we are terriﬁc. One thing I’m looking to do better: Judy: We are proud of our 30-year tenure at the Charlotte airport. We are always striving to keep up with the competition and new trends, including improving social media skills. How I give my team room to innovate and experiment: Sandy: We like to allow employees to experiment and innovate with their products. Any time you let your employees contribute they take more ownership of the business, which is positive, not only for our company, but also for our brands. regular support to local franchisees with regular promotions and social media outreach. They also helped build buzz locally and nationally through marketing and public relations efforts when we ﬁrst opened their Brioche Dorée location in April 2014. What I need from vendors: Sandy: To make timely deliveries and understand airport security issues when making them. Have you changed your marketing strategy in response to the economy? How? Judy: Being in the Charlotte airport, our market wasn’t affected quite as strongly since our customers are international and national travelers. Sandy: We were fortunate that this airport was not affected by the recession as badly as some of the others. The marketing strategy for all our brands is inﬂuenced more by changes in what customers want: healthier and fresher products and more choices. Cinnabon presented new products and smaller portions to indulge yourself. Brioche Dorée stresses freshly prepared food and brings in “Limited Time Only” products, as well as new products to give people on the go more choices and healthier options. TCBY presented frozen Greek yogurt and Silk frozen yogurt for those allergic to dairy. How close are you to operations? Sandy: We are immersed in operations every day. How is social media affecting your business? Sandy: Social media is very important to business, but it doesn’t affect our business quite as much. Charlotte residents cannot get to our business since it’s past security, but increased name recognition from social media is always important. What are the two most important things you rely on from your franchisor? Sandy: Their industry expertise, strong products, and marketing and promotions support. Brioche Dorée, part of Le Duff America, provides How do you train and retain? Sandy: We put a large focus on training managers and employees before they ever begin working on location. We also like to reward employees by promoting from within the company. BOTTOM LINE Annual revenue: N/A. 2015 goals: Judy: We will open Auntie Anne’s this year. We are always working to keep brands fresh. How do you forecast for your business? Sandy: By following airport forecasts including airline enplanements and new concourse developments. Growth meter: How do you measure your growth? Sandy: By the increase in sales and proﬁts. What are you doing to take care of your employees? Sandy: Being ﬂexible with scheduling and recognizing them for their contributions. Vision meter: Where do you want to be in 5 years? 10 years? Judy: We are looking forward to continued growth and keeping current stores running well. How are you handling rising employee costs (payroll, minimum wage, healthcare, etc.)? Sandy: With wage increases and shopping insurance plans. How is the economy in your region(s) affecting you, your employees, your customers? Sandy: Since our stores are located in the airport, our customers come from all over the world so international economies play a key role. For example, if European markets are not performing well, consumers may cut back on international travel, which affects business at the airport. 38 Are you experiencing economic growth in your market? Sandy: Yes. How do you reward/recognize top-performing employees? Sandy: We like to promote from within. We recognize employees with lunches, gift cards, and time off. What kind of exit strategy do you have in place? Sandy: We plan to continue our business for a long time. We don’t have any intention of giving it up at this time. MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE IS S UE II, 2015 muf2_c_ewing(34,36,38).indd 38 3/16/15 12:47 PM

Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue II, 2015 | Page 40