The Melting Pot Franchisee Featured In Gulf Coast Business Review

Emediawire:

Bob Johnston, franchise owner of The Melting Pot Tampa, was recently profiled in the Gulf Coast Business Review. The weekly newspaper provides business news and resources on the area’s companies, trends, entrepreneurs and CEOs.

The article, titled “Entrepreneurs to watch,” profiled Bob Johnston and how he got into the industry. In 1985, Johnston was 21, a college drop out and moved to Tampa with his wife to run the fondue restaurant, The Melting Pot. “With sales of $217 million, 132 franchisees and 5,000 employees, Johnston’s hunch about the Melting Pot was right,” wrote the paper.

Johnston and his brother Mark and Mike devised a new business plan – from focusing on profits, customers and team-member experience, to a customer-first model, new menu and trainers for employees. “The new strategy worked. In the next 10 years, The

Melting Pot increased its restaurant count from 19 to 100. Average restaurant volume tripled.”

Johnston enjoys life as an entrepreneur because it allows someone to stomach the risks that are involved. The company is in the process of developing a third concept restaurant featuring a wine bar and small plates restaurant.