THE
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F F R A N C H I S E B U S I N E S S S E R V I C E S | 2018 ISSUE 2
Ken
Brown
Talks BWW
in Franchisee
Spotlight page 14
Get to Know
John Bowie
page 18
Four Tips to Help You
Win Big on Game Day
page 22
From all of us at McLane Foodservice, Inc,
to the BUFFALO WILD WINGS franchisees,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP!
©2018 McLane Company, Inc.
All rights reserved.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
FBS Board of Directors
Wray Hutchinson
Chairman
Mark Jones
Vice Chairman
Jenny Beaudoin
Director
James Bitzonis
Director
Brian Carmody
Director
Steve Grube
Director
Roz Mallet
Director
Larry Podlager
Director
Karim Webb
Director
Christy Williams
Executive Director
FBS Editorial Board
Kristi Keith-Hoffman
Editor-in-Chief
kristik@myfbsonline.org
Jessica Loeding
Managing Editor
jessical@myfbsonline.org
Christina Cannon
Associate Editor
christinac@myfbsonline.org
Rachel Jackson
Communications Coordinator
rachelj@myfbsonline.org
Advertising Sales
Jeff Reynolds
Director of Business Partner Relations
jeffr@myfbsonline.org
678-797-5161
Design and Layout
Kristen Thomas
KT Graphic Design
ktgraphicdesign@gmail.com
Headquarters
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Suite 180
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Phone: 678-797-5161
Fax: 678-797-5171
Franchise Business Services publishes The
SCORE. Any reproduction, in whole or in part, of
the contents of this publication is prohibited
without prior written consent of Franchise
Business Services. All Rights Reserved.
In keeping with our commitment to the
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Copyright© 2018
Printed in the U.S.A.
www.myfbsonline.org
ON THE COVER
KATAR Holdings Inc. franchisee Ken Brown talks
about his journey as a Buffalo Wild Wings® operator.
For more, see the Franchisee Spotlight on page 14.
COLUMNS
2
Chairman’s Column
DEPARTMENTS
4
FBS Member News
12 Recognitions
12 Event Calendar
13 Team Up for Kids™
14 Franchisee Spotlight
FEATURES
16 Spotlight on the 115th Congress: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)
17 Three Key Issues to be Mindful of When Applying for EPLI Coverage and
Submitting Claims
contributed by BB&T Insurance Services
18 Get to Know John Bowie
20 Franchisees Score Big With Soccer’s Soaring Popularity
by Jessica Loeding, FBS director of communications
22 Four Tips to Help You Win Big on Game Day
by Christina Cannon, FBS communications manager
24 Capitalizing on Off-Season Opportunities
26 How Does the New Tax Bill Impact Restaurant Franchisees?
by Bret Curtis, Mize Houser & Company P.A.
28 Performance Improvement Plans Are a Valuable Employment Tool
by Doug Duerr, Elarbee Thompson Sapp and Wilson, LLP
30 Implementing Employee Engagement in Your Organization
by Laura Stack, The Productivity Pro®
34 Invisibility
by Dennis Snow, Snow & Associates
36 20 Lessons From 20 Years of Running My Own Business
by Dan Coughlin, The Coughlin Co.
DIRECTORIES
15 Associate Member Listing
40 Advertisers Guide and Editorial Calendar
2018 Issue 2
2018 Issue 2 | THESCORE
Chairman’s Column
For our fans, there’s no place like
Bufalo Wild Wings® for coming together
on game day. With hot food, cold beer
and the best games on display, B-Dubs®
provides the perfect atmosphere for
cheering on a guest’s favorite team no
matter where they are. Perhaps no other
day is more important to BWW® fans
than the big game – Super Bowl, World
Series, Final Four, you name it – and our
customers want their time at B-Dubs to
be as phenomenal as the fnal moments of
the championship series. Inside this issue
of Te SCORE, franchisees share their
best practices for making the big game
remarkable. Whether operations or food
prep, you will hear about how to make
sure your team is ready for the game-day
rush.
Honing in on our ability to provide
an unparalleled customer experience
will continue to be the driving force
behind the brand’s success. So how do
we do that? Simple: We do what Bufalo
Wild Wings does best. We get Wild. By
focusing our eforts on providing the best
quality food, drinks and customer service
in the best environment, we can solidify
our position at the top. Interim President
and Chief Operating Ofcer of Bufalo
Wild Wings John Bowie took some
time to speak with Franchise Business
Services (FBS) for this issue and share
his thoughts on the future and how we
continue to be the industry leader.
What lies ahead for our brand is
important to all of us and impacts the
success of our business. We hope you
will join us for the 2018 FBS Summit
Oct. 10-12 at the JW Marriott Marquis
in Miami for updates on the brand and
the association, along with networking
opportunities with fellow franchisees
and vendor partners. Inspire Brands and
BWW leadership will be joining us for
this year’s event, providing insight into
their plans for the company and taking
time to get to know you, the franchisees,
better.
Te FBS Summit will ofer the
perfect opportunity to hear frsthand
about the topics that impact your bottom
line. Not only is the schedule packed
with informative sessions, but famed
coaching legend Lou Holtz will provide
the keynote and the closing event once
again promises to be one for the ages.
Keep your eyes open for more informa-
tion and make your plans now to join us
in Miami in October.
I encourage each of you to think
about how we continue to make Bufalo
Wild Wings the venue to be at on game
day – or any day. Let’s work together to
share best practices and information that
can carry BWW into the future. Tat
begins with the FBS Summit. I look
forward to seeing you all in Miami! S
he shrines of sports. The Rose Bowl. The
Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field. Fenway Park.
Yankee Stadium. Augusta. Wrigley Field.
Boston Garden. Madison Square Garden. These
are hallowed grounds. They take sports from a game to
an experience.
FEATURING KEYNOTE SPEAKER
LOU HOLTZ
After 26 years as a collegiate head coach, Lou Holtz is considered one of
the most successful college football coaches of all time. Holtz is the only
coach in the history of college football to: 1) Take 6 diferent teams to a
bowl game. 2) Win 5 bowl games with diferent teams. 3) Have 4
diferent college teams ranked in the fnal Top 20 poll. In addition to his
Hall of Fame coaching career, Holtz is a renowned sports analyst, speaker
and author.
More information coming soon!
2018 Issue 2 | THESCORE
MEMBER NEWS
his past March, the Alfond Arena on
the University of Maine’s (UMaine)
campus was packed full of UMaine
hockey fans and BWW® enthusiasts.
Between each period, UMaine fans
were invited onto the ice to participate
in various events for the chance to win
prizes. “Tis was a playof hockey game
against long-standing rivals,” said Becky
Wilson, who owns Pictor Enterprises
with Jason Cole. “Te Alfond was pretty
packed, and there was a ton of energy.”
Pictor Enterprises held a Blazin’
wing-eating contest during the frst
period of the game and asked for three
volunteers from the stadium. Tree fans
were randomly chosen and were invited
onto the ice to see who could eat the
most Blazin’ covered wings in three
minutes. Te three contestants were all
UMaine students and had never tried
BWW’s Blazin’ sauce before. Te winner
of the contest ate roughly seven wings.
“Tey had close-ups of the contes-
tants’ faces on the center screens, and
you could see the crowd really getting
into the reactions of the guys partici-
pating,” said Wilson. “Tey learned
the Blazin’ sauce was nothing to mess
with!” S
Pictor Enterprises Cools Off Blazin’
Wing Contest by Hosting It on Ice
Three University of Maine students found out just how hot BWW’s Blazin’ wing sauce is during the first period of a UMaine hockey game.
n Feb. 19, 100 guests gathered at Franklin’s Management of
Cleveland’s Cleveland, Ohio, BWW® to listen in on a sports
panel hosted by some of Cleveland’s top sports radio talk show
personalities.
Te event started at 7:30 a.m. and was hosted by Les Levine
and the Cleveland Jewish News. Te event consisted of a panel
discussion on various Cleveland sports topics and a Q&A session
about the Cleveland Browns, Cavaliers, Indians and Ohio State
Buckeyes. “Bufalo Wild Wings® has been a sponsor of the event
for several years, and this was the frst year we hosted the event at
the restaurant,” said Colleen Flowers, director of marketing with
Franklin’s Management of Cleveland, owned by Jerry Franklin Jr.
Te Cleveland Jewish News provided baked goods, fruit,
cofee and juice for the attendees, and each guest received a
Bufalo Wild Wings-themed tote bag with a coupon to be used
on their next visit. “Even though the event was held before we
were open, the buzz was out, and we saw several guests come
back that day to dine with us,” said Flowers.
Te main highlight of the event included a special guest
appearance from a retired NBA player. “Brad Sellers, who played
with the Chicago Bulls in the late 1980s, is now the mayor of
Warrensville Heights and spoke on the panel,” said Flowers. “It
was great to see our mayor support another wonderful commu-
nity event.” S
Franklin’s Management of Cleveland Draws
in Crowd With Les Is More Sports Panel
Approximately 100
Cleveland, Ohio,
locals came together
at BWW to hear sports
radio talk show hosts
give their insight on
local teams.
THESCORE | 2018 Issue 2
MEMBER NEWS
n April 19, over 950 Bufalo Wild
Wings® locations across the nation
took part in the Community Day
fundraiser benefting Boys & Girls Clubs
of America (BGCA). Tis year, Four M
Franchising went above and beyond in
creating a memorable day for the Boys &
Girls Club of Coudert, Bronx.
Te youth of the Boys & Girls Club
of Coudert, Bronx were invited to BWW®
Riverdale in Bronx, New York, to enjoy
music, dancing, games, basketball tourna-
ments, delicious food and to celebrate the
partnership between BWW and BGCA.
“It was so heartwarming to give back
to the community and see all the kids
smiling and having fun,” said Gabriel De
Los Santos, kitchen manager with Four
M Franchising’s Riverdale BWW, which is
owned by James Bitzonis.
Tirty kids from the Boys & Girls
Club were in attendance for the Riverdale
BWW Community Day fundraising
event. Employees arrived at work for
their shifts 15-20 minutes early that
day to shoot hoops with the youth and
play on “Te Fast and the Furious”
racing machine. “Te kids had such a
great time,” said Santos. “Tere was a
lot of laughing and joking around, even
dancing. Some of our guests were in awe
of the event and took down my informa-
tion for future events.”
For Santos, this Community Day
fundraising event meant so much more to
him than just celebrating a great partnership
and raising funds. “I grew up in Bronx
and went to Kips Bay, Manhattan, to play
basketball tournaments from the age of
5-17,” said Santos. “My son currently goes
there now, and he felt like the mayor today.
One of his friends said to him, ‘You have
the best dad.’ You can just imagine how I
felt getting behind Community Day. I will
continue to have a relationship with the
Boys & Girls Club and have Eat Wings
Raise Funds events in the near future.”
It was easy to see how touched
the youth of the Boys & Girls Club
of Courdet, Bronx, were during the
Community Day fundraiser. “Tis place
is so much fun,” said Dylan, one of the
kids from BGCA. “I love the ice cream
with caramel!”
BWW Riverdale plans to continue
giving back to the community and strength-
ening its relationship with the local Boys &
Girls Club through Eat Wings Raise Funds
events and other fundraising opportunities.
“Not only are we going to raise revenue, but
we are also going to win the community
back,” said Santos. “We strive to create a
fun, safe, afordable and hospitable culture
for our community. Overall having a
community day was a great experience
at Riverdale. We were able to network
and have a great time! A special thanks to
everyone who helped out from Mike, Jenn,
Abe, Dae, Ruth and Aneidy.” S
Four M Franchising, LLC Ramps Up
Nationwide Community Day
ince 2015, LB Wings, LLC has
partnered with the Maysville girls
basketball program to help put on the Big
Cat Extravaganza.
Every year, the Maysville girls basket-
ball program teams up with the National
Autism Association of Southeastern Ohio,
Chairwoman Shannon Coconis and her
husband to raise money for the organization
and the Maysville Helping Hands charity.
Players from the team generate funds
by selling prizes that are donated from
local businesses. Tis year, LB Wings’
Zanesville, Ohio, BWW®, owned by Bob
Sparks and Amy Walters, participated by
donating 10 percent-of coupons for the
team to sell, as well as a $250 gift card to
give away during the program.
Bufalo Wild Wings®, along with
44 other sponsors, donated a total of 28
prizes for the event, and the grand prize
consisted of a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada,
or Cancun, Mexico.
“We are strong believers in
supporting our local schools,” said
Walters. “We are active in all 10 of them
in the area in some way or another, either
through Blazin’ Performer, Eat Wings
Raise Funds or specifc programs such as
the Big Cat Extravaganza.” S
LB Wings, LLC Participates in Big Cat
Extravaganza for the Third Year in a Row
Four M Franchising, LLC’s BWW Riverdale Community Day fundraising event with one of its local Boys & Girls Clubs was a huge success.
2018 Issue 2 | THESCORE
MEMBER NEWS
ver the course of the 2018 BWW
Business Conference March 5-8, fran-
chisees were recognized for their work on
behalf of the Bufalo Wild Wings® brand.
Whether recognizing same-store sales and
low turnover or taking home the event’s
top honors, the franchisee community set
the standard for success.
Founder’s Award and FAC
Excellence Award: Jenny
Beaudoin, S&J Enterprises, LLC
Growing up in the industry, Jenny
Beaudoin is no stranger to the hard
work involved in operating restaurants.
Her parents owned 220 Seafood in
Winchester, Virginia, and put Beaudoin
and her brother, John, to work at a
young age.
“My brother and I were a bit of a
handful, so at some point, my parents
decided it was better to put us to work
than try to fnd another babysitter,” she
said. “We would either work the register,
bus tables or roll forks. I have never
known anything other than the restau-
rant business. It’s in my blood.”
Beaudoin stumbled across Bufalo
Wild Wings in college, introducing the
concept to her father, Bob Ganse. “Dad
was looking at other concepts and would
come visit me at least once a month,”
Beaudoin said. “I told him about a
place called BW-3s and that I thought
we should check it out. He liked it and
called the number on the back of the
menu. My then fancée, Steve, dad and
I were the managers of our frst location
in Harrisonburg, Virginia. We opened
our second location two years later, and
Steve and I became franchisees shortly
after.” And the rest is history.
Nineteen years, four B-Dubs® loca-
tions and four children later, Beaudoin is
being recognized for her dedication and
tireless eforts on behalf of the brand,
earning the FAC Excellence Award and
Founder’s Award. “Te truth is, I work
with an amazing team and these awards
are a refection of the years of hard work
that they have put in,” Beaudoin said.
“Steve works extremely hard to support
me and our amazing managers. Tey are
the ones that make the magic happen so
that I can tell everyone about it. Tey do
the work. I get the credit!”
Connecting with her team and
the guests is the highlight of operating
BWW® locations for Beaudoin, who
enjoys nothing more than being in a
store on a big game day and watching
as staf and guests alike pause and
cheer. “I think that we have the most
loyal guests out there. People love our
brand,” she said. “I was joking with my
sister-in-law, a Secret Service agent, that
when we are at parties and we run out of
things to talk about, we talk about her
and it makes us sound cool. She started
laughing because she said that when she
tells people her brother owns B-Dubs it
makes her the most popular person in
the room!”
Engaging those customers will be
the key for BWW future, according
to Beaudoin. “I think BWW will be a
brand that incorporates technology as
a way to socially engage our guests and
provide the best service possible.”
Franchisee of the Year:
Rick Story, Wingin’ It, LLC
Eight years ago, Rick Story was
a general contractor, specializing in
restaurant construction. Tat path led
to his frst B-Dubs location. “I was on
BWW’s website to learn about possibly
building for them when I saw a link
labeled ‘Franchise Information.’ I clicked
on it, flled out the online application,
and here I am with four stores,” he said.
“Restaurant development and construc-
tion is all I’ve ever done, so owning
restaurants was a natural step.”
Story has built a strong foundation
for Wingin’ It, LLC, bringing home the
Franchisee of the Year honor for fve units
or less and surprising attendees in the
audience by singing a snippet of a song
when accepting his award at the BWW
Business Conference. “I am very honored
to be named Franchisee of the Year,” he
said. “It validates the hard work everyone
does every day.”
While his background may be in
construction, Story most loves the guest
interaction he has within his locations. “I
Franchisees Recognized During
BWW Business Conference
Jenny Beaudoin, center, accepts the
Founder’s Award from BWW Chief
Operating Officer and Interim President
John Bowie, left, and Buffalo Wild Wings
Vice President of Franchise Operations
and Relations Dale Gallion.
Jenny Beaudoin celebrates winning the
FAC Excellence Award and Founder’s
Award with her husband, Steve, and team
members.
Rick Story, left, poses for a photo with
BWW Vice President of Franchise Operations
and Relations Dale Gallion after winning
the Franchisee of the Year award.
THESCORE | 2018 Issue 2
MEMBER NEWS
love talking to and getting to know our
guests,” he said. “BWW has put together
a winning combination of quality food
and entertainment at a reasonable price
point that no one has really been able to
duplicate.”
Franchisee of the Year:
Sterling Barbour, Southern
Wings One, LLC
What started as a 12-year-old sports
lover’s dream became reality for Sterling
Barbour in 2002. Growing up, the
Mississippi native dreamed of owning
his own sports bar. After graduating with
a degree in mathematics, he spent some
time as a fnancial consultant before a
family friend remembered Barbour’s
dream and called him up.
“I got a phone call from one of my
younger brother’s best friends; he had
always heard me talking about, when he
was over at the house growing up, me
wanting to own a sports bar. He had
been looking into it a little and talking
to his parents, and they had decided I
would be a good person to call,” Barbour
said. “About a month later, I am sitting
in the Bufalo Wild Wings in Ridgeland,
Mississippi. I call him and I say, ‘Chuck,
I think that I might have an idea on the
sports bar.’ Chuck drives over and walks
in, and a year later, we are opening.
Chuck was my partner the frst 15
years.”
With 16 years and seven locations
under his belt, Barbour gives the credit
to his team for the Franchisee of the Year
honor for more than fve units. “It feels
like after 16 years, you got to eventually
win something, right?” he joked. “I’ve
got to be honest. I would love to take a
huge portion of the credit, but it’s really
about those guys and girls who work for
me. Tey’re just fantastic.”
With the shortest tenure at the
general manager level being fve years,
Barbour has fgured out the formula
for retaining top talent. “If you treat
people fairly and you get them to buy in
because they understand what you are
trying to do – you do have to pay them
well – we don’t lose many people,” he
said. In fact, Southern Wings handed
out raises to all managers following the
Franchisee of the Year nomination in
2017 and this year’s win.
“You have to surround yourself with
good people. You cannot operate seven
stores with 550 employees by yourself.
It’s absolutely impossible,” Barbour
said. “Tat cliché, obviously, is a cliché
because it’s true.”
Other Award Winners
Highest Percentage Same-Store Sales
Increase (1st Comp Month): Clif
Sadowsky and Steve Chappelear, BWW
Hedwig Village, LLC
Highest Same-Store Sales Increase
(Comp Group) and Highest
Percentage Same-Store Sales Increase
(Comp Group): Chris Olexa, R.C.
Group Inc.
Highest Guest Check Count: Tom Cook
and Wray Hutchinson, World Wide
Wings
Marketer of the Year: Joe Janaszek,
World Wide Wings
Franchise Partners in Progress: Chris
Olexa, R.C. Group Inc.
Highest Single Day of Sales: David
Burke and Jason Curtis, Diversifed
Restaurant Holdings S
Southern Wings One Director of
Operations Tim Spencer, left, accepts the
award for Franchisee of the Year from
Vice President of Franchise Operations
and Relations Dale Gallion.
Highest Single Week of Sales
Four M Franchising franchisees Evan Manes, James Bitzonis and
Joe Lichwick accept the award for Highest Single Week of Sales for
the Times Square location from Buffalo Wild Wings Vice President
of Franchise Operations and Relations Dale Gallion, right, at the
BWW Business Conference.
Highest Annual Sales
World Wide Wings’ Rancho Cucamonga, California, location
took top honors for highest annual sales on the franchise side
during the BWW Business Conference. From left are Director
of Operations East Dan Whitesell, Director of Operations West
Brian Adams, Chief Marketing Officer Joe Janaszek, CEO Tom
Cook, Chief Operating Officer Bill McKibbin, President Wray
Hutchinson and Buffalo Wild Wings Vice President of Franchise
Operations and Relations Dale Gallion.
2018 Issue 2 | THESCORE
MEMBER NEWS
A
Lancaster, Ohio, B-Dubs® location showed support for its
local fre department by hosting a month-long Eat Wings
Raise Funds event. Te Lancaster Fire Department is raising
funds to purchase a $14,145 utility task vehicle and other
specialized equipment, and every Monday for four weeks they
received 10 percent of sales at their local BWW® from 5-10 p.m.
Te new vehicle would allow the frst responders to better
access areas such as bike paths and gatherings with large crowds
that have limited or no access to typical emergency vehicles, and
thanks to Lancaster Wings, the fre department is $1,500 closer
to their goal.
“Te vehicle and specialized equipment we are trying to
purchase will bring a new level of fre safety to the Lancaster
area,” said Lancaster Fire Chief David Ward. “We are excited to
be partnering with Bufalo Wild Wings® and hope the commu-
nity will support this great cause.”
On top of the 10 percent of sales that was donated to the
fre department, every Monday during the event frefghters
would come into the restaurant and serve patrons themselves.
“Supporting the community is a key value of our business,
and we are excited to have helped raise money for the fre depart-
ment,” said franchisee Larry Tipton. “Hosting the Eat Wings
Raise Funds event is both relevant and benefcial to Lancaster,
and we are so glad the community came out to help support this
great cause.” S
Lancaster Wings Helps Local
Fire Department Raise $1,500
for Utility Task Vehicle
Franchisee Larry Tipton, right, presents Lt. Slade Schultz with
the Lancaster Fire Department a check for $1,500.
Wings, Beer and Opera on
Menu at Topsham, Maine, BWW
ince frst joining the BWW® team in July 2017, Markis
Larrivee has been a server that many guests request.
A month after Larrivee started working at Pictor
Enterprises’ BWW in Topsham, Maine, one of Larrivee’s friends
came to visit him at work and asked Larrivee to show the
restaurant his talent. Tere were only a couple of tables present
at the time, so Larrivee’s manager said it was alright if Larrivee
sang opera to the patrons of BWW. Even though the crowd was
small, Larrivee’s powerful voice gained a huge following.
“He would sing to his tables when they asked him to,”
said Ross Arsenault with Pictor Enterprises, owned by Becky
Wilson and Jason Cole. “Larrivee is personable, and his
singing would come up in conversation with them.”
Cole describes Larrivee as bubbly and having an energetic
personality, all traits that shine while Larrivee is singing
to customers or waiting on tables. According to the Times
Record, the local newspaper, Larrivee estimates that he sings
around four times per shift and has even sang the national
anthem in the restaurant before a New England Patriots
playof game.
Since his frst impromptu Bufalo Wild Wings® perfor-
mance, Larrivee has gained a reputation and has drawn in
many guests to BWW. Larrivee continues to wow his audience,
serve his guests and sing his heart out. S
JK&T Wings Chosen for Retail
Business of the Year Award by
Local Chamber of Commerce
arly this year, JK&T Wings’ Wyoming, Michigan, BWW®
location was nominated for the Retail Business of the Year
award by their Chamber of Commerce peers.
By creating partnerships with local businesses and neighbors
through the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce,
BWW made an incredible impact in their surrounding commu-
nity. Whether it be through raising funds for the local Boys &
Girls Club, hosting fundraisers, or participating and partnering
with local businesses and organizations, JK&T Wings is out and
about in its community helping as many residents as possible.
“Being a member of the chamber creates a chance to spread
the word of events we can host, as well as other services our
restaurant is useful for,” said Alyssa Groth, marketing manager for
JK&T Wings, which is owned by Kent Ward and Jim Carmody.
Te award was presented during a ceremony by the
Chamber of Commerce. “We strive to be a great experience for
all of our guests within these four walls and to be supportive of
any of the groups in our community by being a good partner for
them,” said General Manager Eric Garrison in a video interview
the chamber released.
“I think we are an institution now for this area and will
hopefully continue to be,” said Garrison. “Anything we can do to
extend our partnerships we want to do, and we look forward to
2018.” S