Dispelling the Myths of Franchise Ownership with Aicha Bascaro
Ever wonder how brands like McDonald’s and Dominos have so many locations? It’s all thanks to franchising. Franchising is a great way to enter the food service industry, but many people don’t understand how it works. Aicha Bascaro is the founder and CEO of American Franchise Academy and stopped by A Seat at the Table to discuss how franchising works, how you can run a successful franchise, and how minorities and people of color can become franchise owners.
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Full Show Notes:
“I think that the one thing that is constant in our lives is food. We all eat. The way that we bring culture to us is by sharing a meal. I absolutely believe that franchising and owning restaurants are a great way to go.” – Aicha Bascaro
Business ownership is one of the ideals of the American Dream. Franchising offers a great entry into business because you are buying into a tried and true brand. However, even if a brand is popular, there is no guarantee that you will be successful. Aicha Bascaro is the founder and CEO of American Franchise Academy. After working her way up from a pizza delivery driver at Dominos, Aicha has decades of experience working with franchises.
She joined Gerry on A Seat at the Table for a candid discussion on what it takes to make it as a franchise owner. She discussed how minorities and people of color can find programs to assist in getting capital and business education so that they too can experience this American Dream.
Listen to the episode for an explanation on how franchising works, what it takes to succeed, and why you should take the leap.
- (00:58) – Failing first
- (04:33) – How franchising is different
- (06:41) – Misconceptions about franchising
- (09:38) – Learning at the American Franchise Academy
- (15:37) – The impact of COVID-19
- (19:08) – Protecting the American dream
- (20:48) – Multi-Unit Franchise Masterclass
- (23:16) – Overcoming obstacles
- (26:23) – Access to capital
- (29:47) – Mentor support
- (32:03) – Successful behavior
Aicha Bascaro is a 30+ year veteran in the franchise industry and the founder and CEO of the American Franchise Academy. She is the bestselling author of the books “The Franchise Fix” and “Multi-Unit Franchise Mastery.”
Aicha’s journey started at the restaurant level and through the years she was promoted through the ranks in brands like Domino’s Pizza, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, and Olive Garden. She has worked in Operations and Management in the Corporate and Franchise side, Domestic and International. She has been assisting franchisees and independent business owners improve their operations, reduce costs, increase their profits, and grow their organization.
A Seat at the Table is hosted by Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez, the founder and President of the MFHA, an educational non-profit organization that makes the business case for developing cultural intelligence in the workplace. Gerry has been recognized for his decades of work in educating and advocating for the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the foodservice & hospitality industry. Gerry was honored in the Nation’s Restaurant News 2018 Power List among “the definitive list of industry leaders who are not only setting trends today but also shaping them for tomorrow.”
You can find more information about the MFHA on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
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