Published on: November 25, 2019
Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine
By: Kerry Pipes
October 4, 2019
Tropical Smoothie Cafe® got a shout-out recently when multi-unit owners Glen Johnson and Nick Crouch were featured on the cover and in an article in the Q4 2019 issue of Multi-Unit Franchisee magazine. This ambitious duo serves as a great example of our passion-powered franchise opportunity, with owners who love the brand so much they continue to expand. In fact, 60% of our new agreements have come from current members of our franchise family.
Here are some excerpts from the article featuring Johnson and Crouch as they talk about their professional roles, their business partnership, and why they chose to invest in Tropical Smoothie Cafe®.
Best business decision:
GJ: Partnering with Henry Investment Group and merging with Nick to form DYNE Hospitality Group.
NC: Deciding to get into franchise. I strongly believe in a systematic approach to business and multiplying something that is working. I think the franchise model is going to continue to grow and be a very attractive and healthy investment. Interest from private equity and other successful investment groups in the franchising space is a testament to the model and the success and returns you can achieve.
“Deciding to get into franchising. I strongly believe in a systematic approach to business and multiplying something that is working.”
Are you experiencing economic growth in your market?
NC: Yes! Some of our Cafes are in very strong growth markets and continue to grow by double digits year over year.
Growth meter: How do you measure your growth?
NC: By unit count, comp sales growth, average ticket/transaction growth, AUV growth, etc. Most importantly, we measure our growth by the opportunities we have created for our team. Growth fuels opportunity.
How close are you to operations?
GJ: Nick tends to handle Cafe operations more closely. I work on larger projects with operations, like a new inventory system, labor processes, and long-term planning.
NC: Extremely close. I’m an operator and love all the details of what makes restaurants successful. I am very hands-on. I like to work the food and smoothie line, help with a catering order when I can, knock out a deep clean for the team, etc. I believe I need to stay connected to Cafe operations and continue to perform these roles as often as possible. It gives me real-life experience, which helps me come up with new ideas to improve the work environment for our team and elevate the overall guest experience.
What are you doing to take care of your employees?
GJ: We focus on creating as many opportunities for advancement as possible, having a great culture, and creative benefits. Focusing on promotion from within and investing in our team are priorities for us. We want our team to know if they stick with us there is a career path for them because we will never stop growing.
What are the most important things you rely on from your franchisor?
NC: Menu innovation, great national marketing, and brand presence and support, especially in new and emerging markets we are entering. We also look for the brand to use its buying power and help us improve the bottom line.
Have you changed your marketing strategy in response to the economy? How?
NC: We have not really changed our marketing strategy. We let our franchisor focus on national marketing and brand awareness, while we focus on the local level and stay heavily involved with the local schools and churches. We believe in an old-school, beat-the-pavement approach to building business and host many fundraisers and community events in our Cafes.
If you are looking for a franchise opportunity with incredible growth potential, be like Nick and Glen and join forces with Tropical Smoothie Cafe®. To get started, complete our form.
