Advertisement feature
myself with a brand that’s enjoyed success.” That’s the attraction of McDonald’s.
What should future franchisees do? Talk to people. McDonald’s is very open. They’ll let you go and talk to as many people as you like. Get that feedback, find out what people do day to day, because it is busy – especially at the beginning. In terms of qualities, you’re going to
have to work hard, that’s obvious. Even more important is having people skills. You meet people from all walks of life. You’ve got students, single parents, older people – these are both our employees and our customers. So, if you can get on with people from every background, you’re going to do well here.
I keep hearing that it’s a people business! It really is! Some people think: “Yeah, I’ve got it. I can talk to people” But actually, there’s so much more to it. And it covers so many things. You only need to spend a day in a McDonald’s store to know exactly what I’m talking about. Those people skills? Well, every minute you can be speaking to several different people – how do you get that connection with each one of them? That’s what we’re talking about. And the community aspect – McDonald’s plant themselves in communities. If you do it right, you can have a positive impact on the people who come through the store, as employees and customers. There’s a lot of respect within the company. You need to be interested in people, really, and you can’t fake that. You need to get to know them.
Jonny Nassau is already a veteran of franchising at a relatively young age. Now he’s forging his future long-term plans through franchising with McDonald’s.
Why franchising, and why McDonald’s? I’ve always been in franchising; I started running my own B2B automotive supplies franchise when I was 23. At the time – as now, with McDonald’s – I was the youngest UK franchisee in that network, so I knew the pressure I’d be under, the scrutiny, so I really wanted to push forward and progress. And I was pretty successful! But I really wanted to move
18 | The Franchise Magazine 2020
into something where I would be working with my own team but with the brand power still behind me. And with that in mind, McDonald’s stood out as one of the biggest names to do this with.
How are you finding the recruitment and training process so far? The recruitment process itself is the toughest thing I’ve ever done, and the most enjoyable! You go on an emotional rollercoaster, but you’ve just got to trust McDonald’s and trust you’ll get there in the end if you’re good enough. But you’ve got to be yourself throughout the process as well. Being a people person, I match well with McDonald’s and I believe that’s really what they’re looking for, along with the business acumen required.
What was it like when McDonald’s said “yes” to you becoming a franchisee? At every stage, I became more and more engrossed in the process, increasingly attached to the brand, as well as learning so much all the time about the business. The toughest part was the penultimate
interview. When they rang me afterwards and told me I was going through to the panel, it’s very emotional because of the different feelings I was going through. At that point you’re really wanting to succeed. Oddly, I found the final interview a lot easier than the one before! And when I got that ‘yes’ call I was going through a whole world of emotions, actually. But now, it’s excitement. And just a great sense of achievement, ultimately, because it’s not an easy process. Delighted as well, because while I was confident in my ability, the sheer volume of people that apply is huge. And I got through – there’s no guarantee that you will!
What are your franchise expansion plans for the future? I think McDonald’s would say “you’re not for us” if you were coming into it for just the one restaurant. I wouldn’t want just one and neither would McDonald’s – they want you to have multiple units. I’d like to grow, definitely, and I have a figure in mind! If I’ve got the right people around me, I’d like just to keep growing until I’m happy. If the business won plaudits in the future I would put my people forward
for recognition, not myself, because, ultimately, they are the ones who got you there – they come on the journey with you.
Does the franchise model lend itself to young entrepreneurs? I got an opportunity to come into franchising originally at 23, and I’m a massive advocate for the young, and want to repay the same faith that I was given and have been given by McDonald’s. Young people are great at initiating
and fulfilling new ideas and they think outside the box, they’re not so structured by ‘this is the way it has to be done’. They just think very differently and that’s why I’d love to be an advocate and give them opportunities. And, of course, we might be the ones in a good position to buy the rights to run stores from current operators.
McDonald’s and its people have a really young-at-heart outlook. Bill, for example, can’t see himself ever retiring... The brand just builds and builds and builds that excitement – it captures you and it makes you dream big. They give you the opportunity to do that, which I think is fantastic. McDonald’s takes everyone as a blank
canvas, saying: “Here’s a chance to prove yourself – if you’ve got leadership skills, if we see quality, then there’s a good chance you are going to progress.” Everybody’s unique, nobody’s pre-judged and that’s important. We’ve all been given an opportunity here and it’s one for the taking. And if you want to take it – go after it.
Any advice for anyone considering franchising with McDonald’s? You have to be comfortable putting trust in the brand. There’s no point in buying a franchise if you’re not willing to work. It’s not a case of “I’ve bought a franchise, it’ll run itself” – in reality, that’s not going to happen. It’s about guiding the business in the right direction. Follow the system, it’s proven. It’s very
difficult to be successful just creating your own brand – with a franchise, you’ve got the brand there in front of you. Now use that to drive you forward, but implement the ideas that McDonald’s are giving you and you too may benefit from that track record of success.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196
