QSR June 2023

YOUNG LEADERS

Krystina ROMERO HELP DESK MANAGER

Fulton closed an impressive roll-up acqui sition consolidating seven Jimmy John’s units—six in Maryland and one in York, Pennsylvania—from three franchisees. That meant adjusting three separate teams to one set of systems, a challenge for even the most seasoned entrepreneur. The deal also included a development agreement to build five additional locations in the Baltimore area. And he’s not done yet; the young entre preneur plans to have 20 stores under his belt by 2027. As of press time, Fulton had eight open stores, with two locations in development in Eldersburg, Maryland, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with eight more in the pipeline. As Fulton continues on his path to dou ble in size over the next two years through new builds and additional acquisitions, he emphasizes the importance of building a strong company culture to support growth— which for him has meant offering a $15 minimum wage and other industry-leading benefits. “My team is aligned with our goals,” he notes. “Take care of your people, and they’ll work with you to achieve your busi ness goals.” As Fulton grows his portfolio, there’s also the potential to expand outside of Jimmy John’s and become a franchisee of other con cepts; Inspire Brands’ portfolio also includes Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Sonic, Dunkin’, and Baskin-Robbins. “My journey so far as a franchisee within the Inspire Brands system has been noth ing but a great experience,” he says. “With six distinct brands to learn from, the level of innovation and strategic planning from Inspire is incredible. I’m excited about not only my franchise journey with Jimmy John’s, but how the brand will continue to evolve and strengthen to position us for suc cess for years to come.” “I’m excited to continue seeing young restaurant professionals move up in the industry,” Fulton adds. “There is no better experience than having moved up within the industry and proving yourself along the way. Younger talent continues to bring a unique perspective that can position brands for long-term success as the industry faces unforeseen staffing and financial chal lenges.”

JERSEY MIKE’S AGE: 35

JERSEY’S MIKE’S

Within months of arriving at Jersey’s Mike’s in October 2022, Krystina Romero had com pletely revamped the tech help desk, which supports franchise owners and covers nearly 2,500 locations across the country. The sand wich chain’s proprietary POS was created wholly in-house and is supported exclusively by the help desk. Bringing eight years of experience as a cus tomer success trainer and learning specialist at Microsoft, Romero started her position at Jersey Mike’s by learning the day-to-day busi ness and getting her team of two supervisors and 11 techs on the same page. One of her first efforts was shifting the team’s mindset, reminding them of their customers’ perspec tives. The team responded with a renewed commitment to responsiveness and support, felt immediately and appreciated by the fran chisees. Romero also increased the efficiency of the help desk by implementing internal service led agreements and new monitoring metrics. She implemented regular self-assessments and feedback sessions, which bolstered the team’s morale and empowered them to take more ownership of their work. “My proud est achievement as the Jersey Mike’s help desk manager is cultivating a customer-cen tric culture where every interaction is rooted in empathy, understanding, and the genu ine desire to provide exceptional assistance,” Romero says.

FULTON HOLDINGS

Maxwell FULTON PRESIDENT OF FULTON HOLDINGS JIMMY JOHN’S FRANCHISEE AGE: 24

When Maxwell Fulton became a general manager at Taco Bell at 18 years old, he already had his career path mapped out. He knew he wanted to be a franchise owner, and he knew he had to align himself with the right leaders to help get him there. So he learned the ropes at Domino’s as a dis trict manager, then at Burger King’s parent company, Restaurant Brands International, as a franchise operations consultant for the Southeastern U.S. division. Fast forward to November 2022, when

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JUNE 2023 | QSR | www.qsrmagazine.com