Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue III, 2015 | Page 28

2015 MVP AWARDS

“Cream rises to the top, and if I present
leadership opportunities, hard-working individuals
will go the extra mile. I make it a point to promote only
from within, so those who excel are rewarded.”
PERSONAL
Formative influences/events: A couple of people really helped and
encouraged me. George Kreiten, a Wienerschnitzel franchisee in San Jose, gave
me a good job and encouraged me, and Wienerschnitzel franchise director Alan
Gallup pushed me all the way to where I am today.
Key accomplishments: My first big accomplishment with Wienerschnitzel
was when I took the steps to become a limited franchise owner only two years
after starting with the company as a part-time janitor. From there I was presented with the highest-performer honor and was rewarded with the opportunity to
open my first brand-new store. That was 40 years ago, and today I own the
most Wienerschnitzel franchised units. I have also been their leading franchisee
for nearly 20 years. My goal was to become the biggest within the company,
and I accomplished that.
Work week: Every day that I’m on the job I do my best to make it to as
many of my stores as I can. I work 6 days a week and at least 10 hours a day.
I check in with all the managers and employees of my stores to make sure

everything is running smoothly and to provide them with positive reinforcement. I oversee all operations and do any sort of problem-solving needed with
customers and employees.
What are you reading? Trade journals, newspapers. Unfortunately, I have
no time to read for pleasure.
Best advice you ever got: Alan Gallup told me, “You need to be on your
own.” I didn’t see that in myself. I was busy busting my tail for the boss. But
Alan recognized that in me and told me I’d be somebody someday. I see him
now and then—he owns National Franchise Sales. When I won the MVP
Award, he heard about it and called to congratulate me. He said, “I knew it
from day one.”
What’s your passion in business? Helping others to achieve their
professional goals and being a valued contributor to the overall growth of the
brands I represent.

MANAGEMENT
Business philosophy: No. 1 is keeping a positive attitude in everything
I do. If sales are down one month, we’re not going to be negative, because
things will roll back up. I lead by example. I don’t go into the stores in my
regular clothes. I go in uniform. It’s important to be disciplined—messing up is
not okay. You reach excellence not by messing up.

Greatest challenge: There have always been challenges. Back in 1988, I
converted a bank building to a Wienerschnitzel and everybody called me crazy
for doing it. They were wrong. And another time, a restaurant had failed five
times before I took it and made it profitable.

Management method or style: When I first began with Wienerschnitzel
in 1975, I worked my way through every position in the restaurant. This is also
what I expect of my employees. I’m confident that the cream rises to the top,
and if I present leadership opportunities, hard-working individuals will go the
extra mile. I make it a point to promote only from within, so those who excel
are rewarded.

How do others describe you? Generous, patient, reliable, kind, and a
family man.
How do you hire and fire, train and retain? Rather than outside hiring, I’ve made it a point to only promote my employees from within. I’m a firm
believer that my team should work from the bottom to the top just as I did.

BOTTOM LINE
Annual revenue: $18 million to $20 million.
2015 goals: I should have 21 Wienerschnitzel units open by the end of the
year. I just opened my first Las Vegas location. It’s a new market for me and
I’m excited.
Growth meter: How do you measure growth? Reaching my goal of
successfully opening two (minimum) new Wienerschnitzel locations every year.
Vision meter: Where do you want to be in 5 years? 10 years?
Since I plan to open at least two stores every year, in 10 years I will have close
to 40 stores.

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MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE IS S UE III, 2015

What are you doing to take care of your employees? As I said, I
feel that it is important for employees to work their way up from the bottom,
no matter how much outside experience they have. Because of this, I promote
from within [