Belinda Smith is experiencing those first few exciting months of franchise ownership. She doesn’t have much time to herself and she is learning just how different owning a business is to managing someone else’s, but with her growing experience and input from other
Pizza Hut franchisees she has been increasing her sales on a weekly basis.
Belinda took a job as a
Pizza delivery franchise driver after she left school. She worked her way up and was managing a corporate store for four years before she decided to buy the Keperra store in Brisbane. She bought in with her partner Douglas Leddy who kept his full-time job elsewhere.
“I was a little apprehensive to start with, having been within the company environment and I guess the security, but now I love it,” said Belinda.
The Keperra store is part of a food precinct in an area experiencing residential growth and Belinda believed, as a company run store, it had not achieved its full potential. She proved it by increasing sales within the first two weeks of taking over and the foyer makeover, which is bringing a fresh, warm feel to all Pizza Hut stores, added to her rapid success.
“It is a warm, modern look and we are getting a lot of positive customer feedback. It’s gone from having three seats in the foyer to nine, plus a couple of outdoor areas and customers have the opportunity to sit and eat or watch the TV.”
Belinda feels a real sense of community from other Pizza Hut franchisees; many have gone out of their way to help her.
“They are all very encouraging. It was a big factor for us and I know it is not just me who thinks that way. The people you are going to have to deal with are a big factor when you are purchasing a business.”
Despite her management experience, ownership of the store has been more challenging and more rewarding than working as an employee.
“As a company manager we are encouraged to run the store like our own and people-wise it is not that different, however the execution is a lot higher in standard because these are my customers now. I have to pay the bills as opposed to someone else paying them and I can’t reach my own personal goals if people don’t come back to my establishment.”
Belinda is already settling in to her new responsibilities and is starting to enjoy a bit more ‘me’ time. One of the main reasons for becoming a franchisee was to enjoy the challenge though, so she is not planning to get complacent. Her plans for the future are: “more stores!”
22-Feb-2008