Interview on Franchise Secrets with Erik Van Horn about the Craveworthy difference, collaborating with competitors, and building a winning culture.
Winning Franchises - Gregge Majewski is a leader in the restaurant industry. Unlike the majority, however, he is not in it strictly to see himself profit. For Majewski, everybody winning is the ultimate goal and the folks at Craveworthy make decisions that align with their philosophy of franchisees coming out on top.
The restaurant industry comes with a unique set of challenges. With that in mind, there is no better resource for solutions than other people in the industry. For Gregg Majewski, it doesn’t matter if those people are competitors. He finds value in collaboration and exposing secrets to help everyone succeed.
Gregg Majewski has a number of restaurants under the Craveworthy umbrella. With so many franchises, it is imperative to build a culture of positivity. Majewski advances that further by allowing his general managers to tangibly benefit from being successful and being a consistent advertising for the business.
Craveworthy founder Gregg Majewski's philosophy stands out in the competitive restaurant industry. Unlike many, his focus is not solely on personal profit; rather, he prioritizes the success of franchisees within the Craveworthy brand. With a unique perspective derived from his experiences as both a franchisee and a corporate entity, Majewski understands the challenges faced by franchisees and emphasizes the importance of decisions that contribute to their profitability.
In an interview on the Franchise Secrets podcast with Erik Van Horn, Majewski articulates the significance of franchisee success, stating, "The healthier your franchisees are, the healthier you're going to be as a company."
Collaboration is at the heart of Majewski's approach. Recognizing the common challenges within the industry, he values open discussions with competitors to share insights and strategies. Majewski believes that this collaboration is particularly crucial in the unique landscape of franchising, where each business grapples with its set of problems. By fostering a community that supports and mentors each other, Majewski envisions collective success for all.
"The fact that you realize that they have great ideas they're going through the same issues you go through. And franchising is such a unique industry, and has a unique set of problems, that to be able to have an open discussion,” said Majewski. “It's so cool to be able to have those [conversations]."
That idea of collaboration aligns with the strong emphasis that Majewski places on cultivating a positive culture within Craveworthy Brands. This extends to encouraging general managers to actively promote the brand, showcasing their dedication through consistent advertising. By allowing these managers to tangibly benefit from the success of their establishments and participate in profit-sharing, Majewski creates a powerful incentive for them to invest in the growth of the business. This commitment to fostering a positive culture is deeply rooted in Majewski's belief that leading by example and living the brand's values is essential to building a successful and thriving franchise.
“This is how we build what we do every day. So, if you live it, you preach it, you do it, they’ll start to do it,” expressed Majewski. “You've got to make that interesting and want them to win. That's how you build a culture.”
Erik Van Horn is a franchise veteran in every sense of the word. He has been everything from franchisee to investor. Now serving also as a consultant, Van Horn has set out to help spread his knowledge through coaching and the Franchise Secrets Podcast while remaining actively involved in franchising.
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.
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