Craveworthy Interview with Justin Egan about the franchising journey, the appeal of Wing it On!, the biggest challenge for franchisors.
Key Takeaways
The Relentless Journey of Franchising
Justin Egan is the co-founder of Wing It On!. What started as the brainchild of two friends, turned into a franchise opportunity for others. Egan quickly learned that being a franchisor isn't as easy as it appeared, and working with franchisees presented unforeseen challenges.
The Appeal of Wing It On!
People love wings. Period. That is a belief Justin Egan shares with his business partner. Their passion paired with effective branding and great food brings attention to the restaurant. The low fees pose a low risk for potential franchisees, and a proven system helps ensure they are successful.
The Biggest Challenge for Franchisors
Throughout his time in the industry, Justin Egan has learned a litany of lessons, including how to adjust to unplanned changes. Egan also advises franchise hopefuls to build a team that he can trust and build a relationship that allows the team to stay the course during times of inevitable transition.
Interview with Justin Egan
Justin Egan, co-founder of Wing It On! and current Vice President of Marketing at Craveworthy Brands, was a guest on Room for Seconds, a show hosted by restaurant industry titan and Craveworthy Brand founder Gregg Majewski. While there, Egan shared valuable insights into the challenges and triumphs of his journey in the restaurant business.
A significant portion of the episode features Egan's relentless journey into the world of franchising. He discusses the hurdles of being a franchisor, highlighting the need for a robust relationship with franchisees and the constant need to navigate challenges.
As Egan puts it, "Franchising is like this stepping game that you just have to keep navigating and just be relentless."
Egan offers candid insights as a valuable resource for aspiring entrepreneurs and industry professionals looking to understand the complexities of scaling a restaurant concept into a successful franchise.
Egan also sheds light on the appeal of his initial foray into the restaurant industry with Wing It On!, a wing franchise with locations spanning eight states from Texas to Connecticut. According to Egan, the low risk for potential franchisees, coupled with a proven system and a passion for wings, has contributed to the success of Wing It On!
"The demand for this product, the opportunity that people saw, and the systems that my partner Matt (Ensero) built early on to make it manageable and doable is what brought people in." says Egan. These insights into the dynamics of a successful franchise, paired with Egan's experiences, provide a roadmap for those considering venturing into the competitive world of fast-casual dining.
In the concluding moments of the episode, Egan addresses a critical challenge for franchisors—transition. Acknowledging the uncertainties in solving problems and implementing changes, he advises emerging brands to build trust with franchisees and communicate transparently about the evolving landscape. Egan's pragmatic advice paints a realistic picture of the franchising space, making this episode of Room for Seconds a valuable resource for both industry veterans and newcomers seeking actionable insights for success in the restaurant business.
Egan firmly states, “The bottom line is that if you want to be successful and you want to see real change happen, you cannot continue doing the same things you're doing.”
Watch and listen to this episode and be sure to subscribe to the podcast and YouTube channel so you don’t miss out on any of this valuable, dynamic content.
ABOUT JUSTIN EGAN (@wingiton):
As an experienced Marketing Executive and Co-founder of Wing It On!, Justin Egan has established a reputation as a highly regarded creative collaborator. His passion lies in working with other visionaries to achieve relevant outcomes devoid of ego. Serving as the Vice President of Marketing for Craveworthy Brands, Egan is tasked with initiatives essential for company launches in various departments, including Franchise Development, Branding, Business Development, and Investor Relations. Egan is the marketing genius mind behind the “Chicken Like a Champ!” brand strategy.
ABOUT CRAVEWORTHY MEDIA
Gregg Majewski has a vast amount of experience as a corporate executive in the restaurant industry. As the former CEO of Jimmy John’s, he played a major role in expanding the franchise from 33 to 300+ stores in just 5 years by surrounding the company’s marketing strategy around the innovative approach of delivering sandwiches and being “freaky fast”. Majewski has worked to develop restaurant concepts over the last two-plus decades, before starting Craveworthy Brands in 2023, which currently includes a growing portfolio of restaurant brands. Craveworthy Media is Majewski’s gift back to the industry that has given him so much. The goal of Craveworthy is to inspire the up-and-coming industry leaders by providing important information, stories, and insights from titans past and present.
- Gregg Majewski Instagram: www.instagram.com/greggmajewski
- Craveworthy Brands Instagram: www.instagram.com/craveworthybrand
- Craveworthy Online: https://www.craveworthybrands.com/
- Gregg Majewski LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greggmajewski/
- CRAVEWORTHY FRANCHISING: https://www.craveworthybrands.com/franchising
- CRAVEWORTHY BRANDS: https://www.craveworthybrands.com/our-brands
- INVEST IN CRAVEWORTHY: https://invest.profitandsense.com/craveworthy-brands
NOMINATE A GUEST
Do you know someone who would be great on this show? Let us know by emailing us EMAIL or sending a DM on social media @craveworthybrands
SIGN-UP FOR CRAVEWORTHY UPDATES – https://www.craveworthybrands.com/contact-us
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW – https://www.youtube.com/@CraveworthyBrands
Produced by Cali BBQ Media - https://content.calibbq.media
Engage with Cali BBQ Media - https://betheshow.media/
“Every business needs to be a media company”