Franchise Focus
I am a franchisee & this is my McDonald’s
Make the rewarding decision to become a McDonald’s franchisee INVESTMENT LEVEL: FROM £150,000*
restaurants every day and catch up with managers to make sure everything is okay. We’ll discuss issues and ensure the teams are happy. It’s my business and my investment, but I want my team to feel like it’s also their business. Every customer is valuable and everything we do is important, and I need to make sure they understand this.”
Afi a Sirkhot B
ecoming a McDonald’s franchisee is a big investment for many reasons, but it’s an incredibly rewarding one. Of course, the up-front fi nancial funding is a big part of the decision- making process and you should also expect to invest your time. But then there’s the greatest investment of all: the one you’ll put into those around you – your customers, team and local community. Being a McDonald’s franchisee gives you the opportunity to not only invest in people, but to also take a real interest in how your business fi ts into their lives. This people-led approach is something
Afi a Sirkhot, who became a franchisee 13 years ago, discovered on day one. “When I fi rst applied they wanted to know what my personality was like,” explained Afi a. “I really liked that there was a personal element to it – they were interested in my family and my kids. I knew then that it was
the right choice for me.
“After a successful corporate career I felt I’d got to the top and wanted to go it on my own, so I started my own business. After building a successful small business I felt that I needed to move into a bigger arena. I did a lot of research into this move and decided that with McDonald’s I could fulfi l my aspirations and that they would match my ambition.” Since then, Afi a has gone on to manage
six restaurants in the Birmingham area, and building great relationships with the people running each one has been vital to her success. “The best part of my day is being in the restaurants, on the fl oor,” Afi a continued. “I really enjoy working alongside my team and interacting with customers – it’s something I try and do as much as possible. I never want to lose sight of what we do.”
Maintaining those relationships is something that plays a signifi cant part in Afi a’s daily routine. She said: “I visit my
Becoming a franchisee has also enabled her to give something back to the local community, as chair of the board of governors for Ronald McDonald House, Birmingham. “We do things like the family fun day, which is an event I help organise every year in September,” Afi a said. “It gets friends of McDonald’s together and shows people the good work we do to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). It’s a great event for the community and includes everyone.” Being able to use her position within the community to help others is something Afi a really values. “I’m a very active member of my community and go to lots of resident meetings to support the local area and what they’re working on. Members of my community know that they can come and speak to me whenever – a gentleman came to me yesterday wanting to launch a road safety campaign, so we’re now working on that together. People are aware I have the resources to help out, and I think that’s the biggest thing - being there to help. “I had a team member who was unsure of her long-term career aspirations. I saw potential in her and took the decision to mentor her. With her determination and my support she’s now a business manager in my biggest restaurant. It makes me feel extremely proud. She stayed with me because she had the confi dence to believe she could develop under my guidance - and now her brothers, mum and sister-in- law all work for me too! It’s a really great story.”
McDonald’s Quick service restaurant
www.mcdonalds.co.uk/franchising
July/August 2016 |
BusinessFranchise.com | 45
*of which 25 per cent must be in unencumbered funds.
Investment:£100k+
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