In the first blog post of this two-part series, we provided examples of how Smoothie King franchisees have gone above and beyond to exemplify our core values of Purpose-driven, Health, and Respect & Support in their day-to-day operations.
In this second post, we share additional living proof of franchisees who demonstrate the remaining four core values:
- Pride & Enjoyment
- Balance
- Knowledge
- Honesty
Our continued success is in large part due to the fact that our franchisees are made up of ambassadors that truly believe in our brand’s mission and product. In order to consistently deliver on our promise to inspire people to live healthy and active lifestyles, it is essential that every Smoothie King franchisee be committed to our brand philosophy.
Pride & Enjoyment
Sanden Andrews is a former gymnast turned multi-unit Smoothie King franchisee who has a special connection with the brand from a young age.
As a child-athlete, Sanden would often frequent Smoothie King as part of her post-training regimen, and it left a lasting impression. When Sanden decided to pursue business ownership as a career, there was no doubt in her mind that she would open a Smoothie King.
Sanden enjoyed her experience as a Smoothie King franchisee so much that she ultimately decided to open several more locations in the north metro area of Atlanta, Georgia.
“It was an easy decision to stay within the brand and expand,” said Sanden. “I’m very competitive. I want to be the best of the best. I want successful stores and to give back to these communities. I feel I can give back more by owning something that I have a great passion for than to find something else that I’m not certain I will enjoy as much.”
Balance
Balance is important in diet, exercise and especially work and life. Everything needs to be done in moderation and that is particularly true when it comes to balancing your business and spending time with your loved ones. According to an article featured on The Alternative Board, 49 percent of small business owners are working over 50 hours a week. If almost half of business owners are working late nights and weekends, it’s only a matter of time before they burn out. That’s why we encourage all our franchisees to balance their time between work and pursuing their other passions.
“My husband, son and business are all equally important to me,” said Sanden. “Depending on the day, my business allows me to juggle things differently. Whether that means helping my son with school, spending quality time with my husband or managing my business and staff, I make sure everyone understands that I’m here if they need me. But I’ve realized spending more time with my family helps me stay balanced.”
Knowledge
Although knowledge is something that is accumulated over time, we want to do everything possible to give Smoothie King franchisees the information they need to become experts right out of the gate. The training we provide to franchisees, through manuals, in-person meetings, and videos, helps ensure each one of our franchisees has the opportunity to become as knowledgeable about the smoothie business as we are.
“Smoothie King’s training videos were especially helpful,” said Indianapolis franchisee Chris Sgroi. “When you first begin doing anything, it’s hard to tell if you’re doing it right. That’s where the training videos come in to help you learn by following along.”
We find our method of franchisee education has paid dividends in the long run. In fact, when Chris decided to make the career switch from payroll to business ownership, he cited our thoughtful and helpful staff as the main factor influencing his decision.
“When I first became a customer, the Smoothie King staff was very nice and knowledgeable, taking time explaining the differences between the varieties of smoothies to me,” said Chris. “About three months later, I signed on in the Indianapolis market.”
Honesty
Smoothie King CEO Wan Kim understands the importance of honesty and transparency, and that is a core value that shines through our franchisees as well as our product. Since becoming CEO, Wan has made it his mission to foster stronger relationships and improve communication channels with Smoothie King franchisees. He has instituted regular, standing town hall-style meetings where he and other company leaders have conversations with franchisees, listening to any feedback they have to offer.
By doing these meetings, there’s more honesty and transparency,” Wan said. “We’re showing exactly what we’re doing for our franchisees and why it matters.”
Our franchisees feel the trust and honesty from the moment they sign on. They know that if they ever need any help or guidance, they are never on their own.
From a franchisee’s perspective, Chris Sgroi says the honesty piece is not just a core value paper – he has seen it lived out since he became a franchise owner.
“Smoothie King never leaves you hanging after you’ve paid the franchise fee,” added Chris. “I’ve been pleased. They do good market research and a good job assisting franchisees. Smoothie King is very involved, and I like that.”
