Gregg Majewski’s interview with CEO of Bite Brandon Barton about the O’Neal Family Secret Menu, small chain essential investments, and AI in third party delivery.
In his appearance on the Making It Podcast with host Jon Davids, Gregg Majewski, CEO of Craveworthy Brands and a former key player in Jimmy John’s growth, shared insights into his franchise philosophy, Craveworthy's mission, and what it takes to be a successful partner.
Majewski firmly believes that franchisees’ success is the foundation of a thriving brand. He explained that while many businesses focus on the bottom line, his approach is to ensure franchisees have the tools to succeed.
“The best franchisors constantly remind themselves that we have to make sure every decision we make helps their bottom line. My franchisees are more important to me than my bottom line," Majewski said, adding that his personal and professional success is intrinsically tied to theirs.
Drawing from his experience with Jimmy John’s, Majewski founded Craveworthy Brands with the goal of helping smaller, emerging restaurant brands scale up. He sees this as a way to give back to the industry and create new opportunities. Majewski's passion is to help smaller brands grow before larger companies take over.
"I wanted to give emerging brands the opportunity I had at Jimmy John’s. I’m really, really good at building brands up to that 300-unit number," he shared.
When it comes to partnering with franchisees, Majewski values passion and an entrepreneurial spirit above all.
"I don't need the experience of multi-unit guys to run my brands. I need somebody who believes and is willing to bet on themselves," Majewski explained.
For him, successful franchisees are those who work tirelessly and have a hunger for growth, traits that are essential for any budding business.
In this insightful episode, Majewski highlighted the importance of supporting franchisees, fostering emerging brands, and valuing passion in business. His dedication to building a successful, people-first franchise ecosystem sets Craveworthy Brands apart in a competitive industry.
According to Jon Davids, he made $300K in college by mastering one key skill: hijacking demand on the internet, a talent that would change his life. It all started in 2004 when he built an online magazine and monetized it through digital ads. Running it while still a student, he sold the magazine to a large publisher in 2009. By 2011, Jon discovered the power of YouTube influencers and leveraged the platform to drive millions in revenue for brands. That was just the beginning. In 2015, he founded Influicity, an influencer marketing agency. Though the early days were tough, the company eventually found its footing, landing major clients like Toyota, Walmart, and Bank of America. By 2019, Influicity expanded its services to include podcasts, social media, and content marketing, now serving brands in seven countries. A passionate entrepreneur, Jon shares his insights with an audience of 2 million people each month.
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.
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
Room for Seconds is produced and published by Cali BBQ Media on behalf of Craveworthy Brands