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June 2023
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The Brands That Move Us
How Franchises Create an Emotional Connection
Any sports fan knows their favorite team plays a substantial role in their lives, recreation time, and even identity. To my mild surprise, my family has joined the spectators’ ranks and found great
season tickets and take attorneys and clients to games. I hadn’t done anything like that before, but I figured attending a hockey match would be an entertaining way to connect outside work. I also decided to take my family to see the Kraken play — and they had a much better time than I ever expected.
receive a relatively consistent experience. Of course, some teams play better than others, but fans can expect some uniformity across game broadcasts, branded clothing, and team memorabilia. And even when we support different teams, pro sports allow tens of millions of people to enjoy the same overall institution. I wasn’t thinking about this when I took my family to my first Kraken game. The idea that I was introducing them to the magic of franchising came later. Now, I see how closely NHL games mimic the role of other franchises in our lives. Whether they prefer McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A, people feel passionate about the food they eat. Taco Bell has a loyal national following, while Taco Time inspires regional reverence. Franchises are part of the American fabric, and we develop affection and nostalgia for them. Hopefully, my family will continue enjoying Kraken games for years. But the team has already provided a touchstone for us. It’s an experience we can all gather around and enjoy together. The best franchises work their way into many parts of our social, emotional, and cultural existence — from restaurants we visit with our families to teams that can get us all up out of our seats. – Nate Riordan 1 206-903-0401
joy in it. I’m writing this article on the first day of the NHL playoffs, and we’re all rooting for
our hometown Seattle Kraken.
We’re now a group of devout fans, and you’ll find us in the stands for many of the weekend games supporting the NHL’s 32nd franchise. Many
Like most kids who grew up in Wisconsin, I played a lot of hockey. Being tall is a
hindrance in the sport; it’s much harder to change directions quickly when
people don’t think of national sports leagues as franchising operations, but that’s exactly what they are. Of
you have long legs. So, my 6-foot-6-inch frame held me back from being an outstanding player, but I always enjoyed the game. Despite a 20-year gap after college, I started playing again in a men’s over-40 league some years back. Unlike many other sports, ice hockey is easy on your joints, and some of these guys play until they’re 70. It’s a good workout and a lot of fun.
course, they are extraordinarily expensive franchises — opening a new quick-serve restaurant doesn’t cost billions of dollars like many NFL teams do — but they are franchises all the same. Franchising is a concept that allows groups to come together under one brand umbrella to better interact with the public. Every owner pays to play and agrees to uniform rules. As a result, consumers
So, when the Seattle Kraken was founded in 2021, it felt natural for the office to buy
Monkey Around This Summer Check Out Some of America’s Best Zoos
Summer is one of the best times of the year to travel. Kids are out of school and want to do something fun every weekend, which can be difficult to accommodate if you’ve already exhausted your local options. If you’re looking to travel, you can visit a beach, take in the sights and sounds of an amusement park, or
animals you can’t see elsewhere. It has the world’s largest nocturnal exhibit, and one of the major highlights is the Desert Dome, an 84,000-square-foot indoor desert that maintains an authentic desert ecosystem. This is a must-visit for any animal lover in your family. THE BRONX ZOO You don’t usually think about seeing exotic animals when you visit New York City, but the Bronx Zoo is one of the best places to view animals in America. Opened in 1899, the Bronx Zoo is responsible for many of the advancements relating to animal captivity. This was one of the first zoos to ditch cages for natural environments and create an animal hospital. With over 6,000 species, there’s an animal for everyone at the Bronx Zoo. THE LIVING DESERT ZOO AND GARDENS While the San Diego Zoo is often boasted as California’s largest and best zoo, another zoo is worth checking out. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens outside Palm Springs has entertained visitors for decades. There are events at this zoo every day, one of the most popular being the keeper connections and animal encounters, where you get up close and personal with the animals while learning more about their habitats and lifestyles.
spend some time with animals while visiting a
zoo. Nearly every state in our country has a handful of zoos or aquariums, but some stand above the rest.
Here are three of the best zoos you can visit in the U.S.
OMAHA’S HENRY DOORLY ZOO AND AQUARIUM The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska, is consistently ranked as one of the top five zoos in the world. It prides itself on hosting rare, endangered
Menu Hacks Have Changed the Game
HOW DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS HAVE RESPONDED
“Secret menus” at quick-serve restaurants are nothing new. They first went viral a decade ago, spreading hidden knowledge from an insider club of particularly loyal customers to the masses. There were problems from the start, with many employees unfamiliar with “secret” items customers requested. But in the age of TikTok, the stakes have gotten even higher. Since the pandemic revolutionized online ordering and TikTok creators started racking up views with menu “hacks,” restaurants have faced an uphill battle. Highly customized, novel orders are causing buzz and confusion in equal measure, and various brands have taken different approaches to the craze. One particularly well-publicized dust-up occurred at Chipotle when a viral video demonstrated how to order a burrito for only $3. Customers loved the inexpensive option, but workers were not fans of the
extra work it created. Higher-ups were also unhappy with selling the same food for significantly less. They ultimately closed the loophole in their online menu.
with. Despite killing the $3 burrito, even Chipotle has emailed “hack” ideas to customers. Notably, the options where customers could mix new flavors of various dips themselves — no extra work for employees necessary.
McDonald’s took a very different tactic in January 2022 when they added a “menu hacks”
If menu hacks demoralize workers, slow down lines, or
section to their ordering app, temporarily making
cost money, it’s worth talking to your franchiser. They may have tips to reduce the problems or allow you to make adjustments, like charging a small fee for custom orders or restricting them to slower times. Franchises also want to know if they’ve got their own “$3 burrito” predicament on their hands, so keep them in the loop if you notice people gaming the system. Menu hacking isn’t going anywhere, but with all the engagement it creates, that may not be a bad thing. Your best bet is determining how to make it work for your business.
popular “secret” options easily available. The result was a more
straightforward process for workers and positive publicity for the company.
Menu hacks can cause many complications. In particular, they slow down lines and frustrate workers. The types of customization people request contradict the entire quick- serve model. But restaurants that refuse to play ball do so at their peril.
Brands have realized that hacks create excitement the menu board can’t compete
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The Secret to Retaining Top Talent Why Your Franchise Should Promote From Within
Do you struggle to find good employees, retain the ones you have, and keep your team happy? Many franchise owners do, but promoting from within your existing staff can help move the needle on all these problems and provide other benefits along the way. Research shows that internal promotions promote higher retention, boost team morale, and improve loyalty. Many people still perceive quick-serve restaurant positions as “dead-end jobs,” and those who think that way are more likely to job hop in search of the highest pay rate. But when your workers can see a future for themselves at your business, it incentivizes them to stick around. Younger workers are especially eager to manage and want to see a career path for themselves at their jobs. Those who feel “stuck” become disillusioned quickly and feel they have no future at the company. So, it’s in your best interest to talk with your staff about their goals and provide leadership training. Even better, internal candidates typically cost less than outside talent and are more likely to stay in the position. Of course, some people aren’t cut out for management roles, so you shouldn’t let people rise in the ranks just for the sake of it. But you should have strategies in place for your employees who express
interest in receiving mentorship and working on skills they’ll need to have a shot at a promotion. Developing your employees makes them feel more fulfilled while improving their work.
Further, you might think outside the box about what constitutes a promotion. Do your employees consider working the drive-thru window a step up from staffing the grill? Their perceptions matter, and allowing more tenured employees to advance to more desirable roles builds morale even when the change doesn’t come with a raise.
Here’s the bottom line: If you don’t provide opportunities to your employees, another company will. And some who think there’s no chance for advancement at your business won’t bother
to apply. Change their perception by developing your talent and proudly advertising your efforts. You’ll likely see higher-quality candidates, great workers who want to stay and grow, and happier teams.
GOAT CHEESE AND THYME STUFFED CHICKEN
TAKE A BREAK
Ingredients: •
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• •
3.5 oz firm goat cheese
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, plus 2–3 sprigs 4 pieces of thin-sliced bacon
Inspired by BBCGoodFood.com
• •
2 zucchinis, thinly sliced
• •
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
Olive oil
Directions: 1.
Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. Split the chicken breasts almost in half along the long side, open them like a book, then flatten the sides out. 3. Put the goat cheese on the “open book” side of the chicken and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Fold the chicken over to enclose the cheese, then wrap each breast in 2 slices of bacon. 4. Lightly oil a shallow gratin or casserole dish, then arrange overlapping rows of zucchini and tomatoes on the bottom. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with
Solution:
salt and pepper, then set chicken on top. Place thyme sprigs on chicken. 5. Bake for 40–45 minutes until the bacon is crisp and golden and the zucchini is tender.
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600 Stewart Street #1300 Seattle, WA 98101
westcoastfranchiselaw.com | 206-903-0401
IN THIS ISSUE 1 What McDonald’s and the NHL Have in Common
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Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! Are Menu Hacks Out of Control? Internal Promotions Are Good for Business Goat Cheese and Thyme Stuffed Chicken The ‘Shark Tank’ Contestant Who Didn’t Give Up
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From ‘Shark Tank’ Reject to Star CEO How Melissa Butler Overcame Failure
Melissa Butler, CEO of skincare and cosmetics company The Lip Bar, had her first brush with fame when she appeared on a 2015 episode of “Shark Tank.” But it was almost her last. The “sharks” not only didn’t like her idea — they mercilessly skewered it. Butler’s journey began in 2012 when she decided the beauty industry needed more diversity and natural ingredients. So, she started mixing her own lipstick shades in her kitchen. But when she presented her bold and beautiful creations on “Shark Tank,” the experts called them “clown makeup.” Kevin O’Leary, also known as “Mr. Wonderful,” was particularly harsh. He told her the cosmetics market was oversaturated and that she should quit while she could. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Butler did no such thing. She knew Black women and other women of color wanted cosmetic options that better suited their skin tones and continued making her vegan, cruelty-free, and affordable lip products. Butler did not find success overnight, and it might have seemed the sharks had a point.
flagship store in Detroit and sits on shelves in over 500 Walmart and 750 Target stores. Butler announced in early 2023 that The Lip Bar is now the largest Black-owned makeup brand on Target shelves. Former first lady Michelle Obama and actress Taraji P. Henson have both worn the company’s shades. As her company continues to expand and roll out new products, Butler doesn’t shy away from her less-successful past — she actively celebrates it. The Lip Bar CEO regularly tells her story and even placed a billboard in her hometown of Detroit, noting how she beat the odds. It read: “‘Shark Tank’ told me to quit. 10 years and 2 million units sold. Thanks, Mr. Wonderful.” These days, even Mr. Wonderful is on board. In a 2022 interview, O’Leary admitted that he got it wrong. “They were facing an almost impossible task,” he said. “They pulled it off, so you gotta applaud them.” Impressed by how she beat the odds, MarthaStewart.com asked Butler last year what advice she had for other entrepreneurs. “Keep working towards your goals,” she responded. “Because your idea will never become reality if you don’t do it.”
But she began to make headway into retail outlets, and in 2022, The Lip Bar closed $6.7 million in seed funding. The company now has a
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