Richard Key serves as the Chief Operations Officer, responsible for overseeing the operations team and its support and training of the Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise community. Weve implemented various franchisee support initiatives, including decreased royalties by 50%, ongoing support with PPP loans and real estate deferrals and abatements, rolling out curbside delivery systemwide, deployed hyper-local marketing strategies to drive business within a 12-mile radius of cafes, among many others. He sat down to do an interview with Tim Tang and talked about how his brand is innovating to meet the needs of todays consumers. The fact that nearly 60% of all new Tropical Smoothie Cafe units are opened by existing franchisees underscores the franchise owner's satisfaction with the concept, the company, and it's leadership. We figured a good person to ask might be the CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Charles Watson. Were now seeing a big acceleration in the business in 2021, much of that is attributable to our franchisees, really working hard to stand up digital channels. "Like I said, I was very fortunate to have had already developed relationships with our franchise community prior to becoming CEO. Over the next five years, our goals are to reach 1,500 cafes open across the U.S., with over 18% profitability for our franchisees on average volumes in excess of $1M, all with very high operational satisfaction for our guests. Its getting involved in the local community. When asked about developing people skills with a generation used to communicating online, Its an opportunity for us as managers and Franchise Owners to teach the staff how to greet people, look them in the eye, and ask how may I serve you today? Its our job to teach the next generation. But we want to also have a higher calling of what were doing to be great individuals and great corporate citizens. Mr. Watson was appointed the CEO position of Tropical Smoothie Cafe in December 2018. And theyre in their communities. Its doing more than just being in business to sell food and smoothies. So we managed to get through that. Michael Lapid joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in October of 2019 to the role of Chief Information and Digital Officer. So another boldly flavored product, thats been a number one seller for gosh, probably five, six years at this point. 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200 I think the greatest thing you can do in life is serve others and reap the reward of knowing youve done something good for someone else. If its not run-of-the-mill bland food, we want to bring a little bit of a culinary experience to quick casual, and still provide convenience, and value, and all those kinds of things. So whats your own personal favorite smoothie? Nobody knew what was going to happen. Excludes non-traditional locations and Restaurants that were not open for at least 357 days in 2021. Tropical Smoothie Caf's recent momentum isn't just a snowball rolling downhillit's more like a full-on avalanche. Really trying to understand how to see the world through a different stakeholders' eyes is something I still work on.". Building off this momentum, in 2019, we celebrated the openings of our 750th and 800th locations, but taking over during such a monumental time for our brand certainly brought opportunities to improve. Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. Watson has more than 10 years of experience with Tropical Smoothie Cafe and led our franchise development efforts since 2010. 770-580-2333 Michael brings 20 years of foundational IT skills and core functions of digital knowledge critical to shaping our journey to reach guests via innovative technologies. When our franchisees are successful, the brand is successful. That ultimately is our vision for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. When I became CEO, I launched a formal franchisee advisory council, known in our organization as the Tropical Franchisee Council (TFC). With extensive experience in the food service industry, Paul comes to Tropical Smoothie Cafe from Popeyes, where he served as the Chief Accounting Officer and spent nearly two decades working in the brands financial and accounting departments. Thats our limited-time offer. CEO Charles Watson, who took the reins in 2019, said Tropical Smoothie's goal was to eclipse 1,000 restaurants by 2021 and 1,500 locations with AUVs of $1 million in the next five years. Michael Lapid joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in October of 2019 to the role of Chief Information and Digital Officer. When Charles Watson became the new Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO in 2019, the company claimed that it could be looking at $1 billion in sales in the next five years. The way [Tropical Smoothie Cafe works in markets], we work the suburbs and the outskirts, and move our way into cities. Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. Mark Montini joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe as Chief Marketing Officer in October 2019. The success of our brand is about the talent and drive of our talented executives and Support Center team. The offerings have evolved over the years to include a menu of breakfast and lunch items beyond smoothies. Tropical Smoothie Caf is a Georgia LLC organized on June 25, 2012. Looking ahead to twelve months or two years down the road, Watson had this to say: Tropical Smoothie Cafe is in an incredible growth phase. ", Charles Watson was named CEO in December 2018. In this role, Mark leads brand, marketing, product, and digital innovations core functions of delivering the remarkable guest experience that drives Tropical Smoothie Cafes success. Tropical Smoothie Cafe has deals in place for hundreds more locations in the pipeline and is on track to meet Charles aggressive goal to hit 1,500 locations by the end of 2024. charles watson tropical smoothie net worth Watson will lead us through our next phase of strategic growth. Both of my parents had the entrepreneur bug and they definitely passed that on to me. And they want what they want when they want it, and thats usually right now. And thats like: Whos the bad kid in the family! Weve got everything right from Island Green Detox, with zero sugar, and ginger, and everything. Whats your favorite cuisine outside of Tropical Smoothie? I joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in 2010 as the Vice President of Franchise Development and, in 2016, became the Chief Development Officer, where I was responsible for all aspects of the development of the brand. Occhiogrosso: How do you see the company moving forward? We have three tenets in how we serve our Franchise Owners. Michael brings 20 years of foundational IT skills and core functions of digital knowledge critical to shaping our journey to reach guests via innovative technologies. What challenges, if any, did you face in getting "buy-in" from the existing franchise community once you became CEO? 770-821-1928, and a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise development leader will reach out to you with more information. Well, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, we've got 850 locations in 44 states. Richard Key serves as the Chief Operations Officer, responsible for overseeing the operations team and its support and training of the Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise community. And by the way, thats one way Tropical Smoothie Cafe has grown so big so fast the food. As their franchise website states: "Tropical Smoothie Cafes menu boasts bold, flavorful smoothies with a healthy appeal, all made-to-order with quality ingredients. So I actually see myself very much like our consumer who wants to make better choices, but you know what? Charles also serves on the boards of the International Franchise Association (IFA) and the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) program. Without our franchisees, committees, and council, I simply could not do this job. During the current COVID-19 crisis, what steps have you taken to ensure that Tropical Smoothie Cafe supports the local community? Right next to that is our relationship with our Franchise Owners. This information is not intended as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. We had a high level of mutual trust and respect for each other that existed before I assumed the role of CEO. cincinnati fence company llc SERVICE. A veteran franchise professional, Charles has worked for several hospitality-related companies including Intercontinental Hotels Group and US Franchise Systems. And its been a heck of a ride, lots of growth, and I just really enjoying being able to scale this brand and bring healthier food and smoothies to the United States.. Really trying to understand how to see the world through a different stakeholders' eyes is something I still work on.". Call now and speak to a franchise development leader. Were any of the franchisees reluctant to follow the system or embrace a new direction? Jul. In her role as Chief Development Officer, Cheryl drives the brands franchise development sales, real estate and design and construction. I think the world would be a little bit of a better place if we all kept that in mind. For more information about owning a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise, complete our form! This process only helps our individual franchisees and their bottom line, respectively.". We did a fantastic job of that during the pandemic, we gave away a quarter million smoothies to healthcare workers and first-responders. In a highly competitive segment, we're one of the fastest-growing quick-casual brands, opening 124 new locations in 2019 alone and singing 213 development agreements to open hundreds of businesses over the next few years.". Yes, I am putting my mark on the brand and culture, but I have been around long enough not to stray too far from the DNA of the brand.". Mark Montini joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe as Chief Marketing Officer in October 2019. I was born with a strong work ethic. Right now Im on a Mango Berry Cosmo kick. Charles Watson, the CEO of Tropical Smoothie Care, was thrilled with his company's performance so far this year . SUCH REGISTRATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORPORATIONS NOR A FINDING BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND NOT MISLEADING. He is survived by his children Kayla (Jason), Kelsey (Billy), John (Stephanie), Kincaid (Cecilia), his siblings Orville Dallier (Angela), Sue Dorey (Tom), Donna What was your plan for the first 90 days? Successfully taking the reins on an existing franchise company can be a daunting task, but in the case of Charles Watson, he continues, as their franchise website claims, to create waves for a brand that started on the beach. Each year, franchisees complete the Franchise Business Review to essentially grade us here at the Support Center on how we're serving them. Because sure, the smoothies sell well and all, but did you know about the Chipotle Chicken Club flatbread sandwich? Our consumers really like our food. As a brand, we strive for excellence in service and creating a culture of hospitality for our business no matter which location you visit, and this year we're prioritizing them even further by enhancing pillars of our hospitality-centric culture and the technology we use to create convenience for our guests in order to reinforce our position as the leader in our segment. A minimum net worth of $350,000, which includes $125,000 in liquid assets; Investment and Fee Structure: Start-up fees: A new Cafe investment is between $198,500 and $543,500. He is a general assignment reporter and has covered a range . So I think theres a misconception with some brands that, for example a Slurpee, its not at all a Slurpee, its absolutely whole real fruit, ice, water, very basic items. In this role, he is responsible for the brand's strategic vision and overall franchise performance. It's almost all you need to know about the results of Mr. Watsons work and commitment to the franchisees. And was one in place already? The initial investment ranges from $246,500 to $580,500. I love those states, [but] those are not really key states for us at this point, our big bastions out west are Las Vegas and Phoenix. Occhiogrosso: What is the mission and goal of the company over the next few years? If you dont have a Tropical Smoothie Cafe near your home yet, just wait a bit. He's no stranger to franchise development, nor is Charles Watson an outsider, having served four years as the company's Chief Development Officer in addition to his prior role as VP of Franchise Development. And if you do that well, then your top-sellers, sometimes you beat them. The impact of the more formalized committees we have set up, and the close connection I have with TFC has gotten the system more comfortable with my style and thinking, and I believe, since trust is earned, I still have a long way to go, but am off to a good start. And it has also driven franchise development and growth, so more units coming out. Today's post focus' on that topic in an interview with Charles Watson, the CEO of Tropical Smoothie Caf. Yes, I am putting my mark on the brand and culture, but I have been around long enough not to stray too far from the DNA of the brand.". CHARLES WATSON: Sure, absolutely. In a franchise system, without broad franchisee buy-in, you cannot move as efficiently and effectively as is required in today's business environment.". Watson: "I think when taking over any brand where you worked alongside your predecessor, there's a certain level of pressure to continue carrying the torch, but also to make necessary changes to the brand to evolve with the changing economy and consumer trends. . Occhiogrosso: What challenges, if any, did you face in getting "buy-in" from the existing franchise community once you became CEO? I think the biggest shift will take place for those restaurants that can't be open right now. Call now and speak to a franchise development leader. *$1,009,803 System Wide Average Net Revenues. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota (File No. Prior to Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Mark served as Chief Marketing Officer with Floor Coverings International where he was responsible for driving the brands digital transformation and leadership position in service-based franchising. And theyve been able to do that, which is increased our average unit volume many, many times over the years. Complete the form or call. NJ. Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC, said, "We were humbled by the incredible response to the 200,000 smoothies our franchisees donated to frontline heroes nationwide. My experience with the brand up to that point was beneficial because I was already very immersed in the operations and processes that had contributed to its success at that time. Occhiogrosso:What was your plan for the first 90 days? Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. So just one shy of 100. 26, 2021. I have a little bit sweeter palate. Pete Ward advises Tropical Smoothie Cafe on all legal and business matters, including franchising, real estate, labor and employment, litigation, intellectual property, licensing, and other commercial matters.
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