Franchise Owners Offer Tips At Forum

Wichita Eagle:

Success as a franchise owner requires a strong work ethic and a fat checkbook, four Wichita businessmen told a Wichita State University forum Thursday afternoon.

Present at the forum to describe their business challenges were David and Jon Rolph, owners of the Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe chain and franchisees for Applebee’s; Sport Clips and Hoop Mountain franchisee Roger Haynes-Robertson; and Planet Sub franchisee Eric Burrus.

Two big keys to success, all four said, are the willingness to work and starting with adequate business capital.

“We just bought out a franchisee in Aggieville in Manhattan who had all the support and the training possible,” said Burrus, who runs three Planet Sub stores in Wichita with his partners.

“The problem was he thought it would run itself. The guy didn’t manage his resources. You have to put in the time and effort. Your business won’t grow itself.”

David Rolph, who runs almost 75 restaurants, agreed.

“If you’re not in to work, you’re in for the wrong reasons,” he said. “You’re going to put in more 70-hour weeks than 30.”

Financing is also essential, both to ride out the costly startup period and to build the business, David Rolph said.