A veteran hospitality professional, Charles has worked for several hospitality-related companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Intercontinental Hotels Group, US Franchise Systems, Inc., and Hospitality Real Estate Counselors. Occhiogrosso:What was your plan for the first 90 days? Were in 44 states, and Tropical Smoothie Cafe does not currently have an international presence. Nobody knew what was going to happen. wills o' nats last of the summer wine. 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. There is no assurance that you will do as well. "When COVID-19 struck the restaurant landscape in mid-March, we closed all dining rooms and shifted our focus to drive-thru, curbside pickup, and delivery where available. In short, franchisees needed to know that there was a formal mechanism of their peers that was constantly feeding back to us at the Support Center. Weve done different promotions and summertime promotions to raise dollars for Camp Sunshine and have one more coming up this fall for them. Charles Watson CEO. 770-580-2333, NRN Editors Discuss Digital Engagement with CMO Deborah von Kutzleben, In Her Own Words: Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisees gain Cheryl Fletchers support, Tropical Smoothie Cafe Opens First Double Drive-Thru Location. So its got a little bit of indulgence to it. We want to capture both the head and the heart of our consumers. Now were really taking the lead from our franchisees and building out DMAs organically from outside them. What sets your smoothies apart from smoothies from competitors? When Charles Watson became the new Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO in 2019, . The TFC works hand-in-hand with Tropical Smoothie on all facets of the business from operations, IT, marketing, construction, and beyond, and their genuine feedback continues to establish the open communication we strive for, helping us to enhance our business model on an ongoing basis. Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. So since I like it, and since we love Camp Sunshine, we may see that this fall. Our consumers really like our food. He is directly responsible for selling more than 800 franchises. Charles Watson is Chief Executive Officer at Tropical Smoothie Cafe Corp. See Charles Watson's compensation, career history, education, & memberships. final four 2022 euroleague tickets. Our annual tactics are focused around delivering those results.". Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about supporting the franchise system's sustainable growth, the success of its franchisees, and the . John Joseph Dallier, 61, passed away suddenly at home after severe health complications. Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about supporting the franchise systems sustainable growth, the success of its franchisees, and the execution of the brands Inspire Better mission. "We were in a good place! Since that time, he has led the company on its quest towards $1billion in sales by 2023. Were working on it. Based on our fiscal year ending 12/26/2021 and includes 768 Restaurants that were open for at least 12 months as of 12/26/2021. So we have a broad array of food products that are both healthier and theyre more boldly flavored. Watson: "Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national fast-casual cafe concept inspiring healthier lifestyles with more than 850 locations in 44 states. We consider ourselves to be an approachable, healthier option for the average American, and our customer loyalty system-wide continues to climb. Chief Development Officer since 2016, after serving as VP of Franchise Development since 2010. Fixed: Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed.The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release. My mentality and passion for what I do has remained consistent at every stage of my career, carrying over to when I first started with Tropical Smoothie Cafe in 2010, as the brands first vice president of franchise development. So well get to 50, but Im not focused on about five or six of them right now. So I was compelled to ask Mr. Watson his thoughts on the pandemic and the company's response. And so thats one of my favorites. Atlanta, GA 30338 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200 Right next to that is our relationship with our Franchise Owners. This information appears in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document. Gary Occhiogrosso: Tell us a little about your background before joining Tropical Smoothie? Because we want to help with your meal and your food, etc. Jan 2010 - Nov 20155 years 11 months. He has been instrumental in developing the culture of Tropical Smoothie Cafe and earning the trust of our franchisees. Always number one, what I am focused on, is unit-level economics for our Franchise Owners. Beyond just smoothies, we serve better-for-you wraps, sandwiches, and flatbreads, and pride ourselves on living at the "intersection of taste, convenience, and hospitality." Right now Im on a Mango Berry Cosmo kick. shin numbness after acl surgery; first friday phoenix vendor application; benton high school baseball roster; surprise message link for boyfriend I wont lie, it was a blow to the ego at first, but it taught me what being a role player means and how important every role is to the bigger picture. So thats what we call Inspiring Better. By Jonathan Maze on Jan. 24, 2019. This information appears in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document. charles watson tropical smoothie net worth Were proud to report that as of today, weve donated more than 200,000 smoothies to these hometown heroes, and were not done yet! We can go to camp, we can be counselors. So that was helpful! . Are there misconceptions about smoothies you want cleared up? So whats your own personal favorite smoothie? "I'm a huge advocate for franchise advisory councils, specifically when nearly 60% of all franchise agreements at Tropical Smoothie Cafe come from existing franchisees. 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. Each year, franchisees complete the Franchise Business Review to essentially grade us here at the Support Center on how we're serving them. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Pete served as the Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance/Risk Officer at Popeyes for over 10 years and has extensive experience handling corporate transactions, both in-house and in private practice. . Paul Marsden oversees development and execution of financial strategies to support the companys business plans. However, I ended up a punter at Cornell. Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. Occhiogrosso: What was the condition of the company before you were named CEO? We must be able to service the guests who want to be on demand.. New York State Disclaimer: This advertisement is not an offering. Occhiogrosso: How is taking the reins of an existing company different than being part of a startup or a founder? Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about supporting the franchise system's . "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. Tropical Smoothie Cafe's Profile, Revenue and Employees. Its been quite the adventure since becoming the CEO in 2018, and Ive enjoyed every twist and turn in the road. Charles Watson, CEO Corporate Address . In my experience, making franchisee success and profitability the priority is the key to the longevity of any franchised brand. So again, I mentioned earlier menu innovation. Well, we just talked about Camp Sunshine and we have a smoothie called the Sunshine Smoothie that is orange and mango based. Amid all the pandemic news and stories of how the foodservice business is coping with the crisis, I thought I'd attempt to redirect our attention today, even if only for a short while. So that would be my thoughts. 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.". Watson:"As a first time CEO, learning to view the business from a thinking vs. a doing mentality was a challenge I faced. 770-821-1928, and a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise development leader will reach out to you with more information. CALIFORNIA DISCLAIMER: THESE FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE FRANCHISE INVESTMENT LAW OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. So more knowledge about our great food offerings is something that I would change a little bit. Well see, I may have to bring that one back. We set company-wide strategic imperatives around these issues immediately.". TropicalSmoothie.com. Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC, 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200, Atlanta, GA 30338. Not the Charles Watson you were looking for? Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson admits that his brand isn't always at the leading edge when it comes to technology innovation. Charles Watson serves as CEO for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. The Version table provides details related to the release that this issue/RFE will be addressed. charles watson tropical smoothie cafe. By year-end 2018 we opened 110 cafes and signed 191 new franchise agreements. Here's how CEO Charles Watson did it. Its in Casco, Maine, Camp Sunshine. For me, my entrepreneurial passion really came from my parents. At the start of his career, Michaels ambitious spirit led him to develop a point of sale system, Hot Sauce. See where were looking to grow to meet the incredible demand. "Tropical Smoothie Cafe is in a perfect position for the future. You know, this is terrible, but Ive never gone through a pandemic before obviously, and I would have to say Im pretty pleased I think we did a very nice job during 2020, we opened 99 new restaurants. *$1,009,803 System Wide Average Net Revenues. He was previously. Today's post focus' on that topic in an interview with Charles Watson, the CEO of Tropical Smoothie Caf. And theyve been able to do that, which is increased our average unit volume many, many times over the years. Watson:"When COVID-19 struck the restaurant landscape in mid-March, we closed all dining rooms and shifted our focus to drive-thru, curbside pickup, and delivery where available. Prior to being named CEO in 2018, Charles served as the chief development officer for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Early in his career, Mark served the franchise industry as a supplier, delivering innovative technology-enabled marketing strategies to help emerging franchise concepts rapidly scale and grow revenue through local-level marketing and sales. I have a little bit sweeter palate. This information is not intended as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. For me, its about really making sure that those DMAs [distinct market areas] or those different cities are all well represented and well connected so that our brand can compete in those different cities. 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. 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. Then we determined two focus areas, giving back to the community and prioritizing support for our franchisees. "Relationships Rule" is one of our core values, and because of that, people are at the heart of our company. Charles is directly responsible for selling more than 800 franchises during his tenure. ATLANTA, July 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tropical Smoothie Cafe, a leading national fast-casual cafe franchise known for both its better-for-you smoothies and food with a . Were any of the franchisees reluctant to follow the system or embrace a new direction? 770-580-2333 in December 2018. It is, however, still a hefty financial investment. Charles Watson is currently an Atlanta-based correspondent for Fox News Mediacovering the southeastern portion of the United States. 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. And that really got us down this road of: What is our purpose? Early in his career, Mark served the franchise industry as a supplier, delivering innovative technology-enabled marketing strategies to help emerging franchise concepts rapidly scale and grow revenue through local-level marketing and sales. Charles also serves on the boards of the International Franchise Association (IFA) and the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) program. Although I did not want to focus on COVID-19 in this interview, it is difficult to ignore its impact on the restaurant community as well as franchisees in general. 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. The Tropical Franchisee Council (TFC) was established in 2018 and has been invaluable for our growth. I would say that understanding the viewpoints and drivers of the different stakeholders I was serving was important. Atlanta, GA 30338 Call now and speak to a franchise development leader. So I think a great franchisee base, and products and innovation that people want. 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. In 2018, when I was named CEO, we had more than 720 locations open nationwide. 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. I think the biggest shift will take place for those restaurants that can't be open right now. But its the freshness. While our projected 2020 growth might take a step back due to the coronavirus, I believe our approach to navigating through this will help us emerge quickly once it passes.". CEO Charles Watson says that the company is "99.9 percent franchise," which means that most of the locations are owned independently. Please give our readers the "Elevator Pitch" for Tropical Smoothie Cafe? What is something you wish more people knew about the chain and its products? . TikTok user Fuhlex left her followers stunned after revealing the cost of the bagThe social media user, from LA, said she was 'too embarrassed to put it back'But people likened it to a 'potato sack' and begged her to return it to the store As a 35 year veteran of the restaurant and franchise industry, I have always been fascinated by the challenges, risks, rewards, and day to day "work" a CEO faces when first taking the helm of an ongoing franchise organization. Previously with Papa Johns International as the Vice President, Global Digital Technology, Michael is a seasoned technology executive with vast engineering and operations expertise, leadership, and a deep understanding of digital technology and guest experiences. All of this information may look daunting, yet . Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. 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.

Mitch Rowland And Sarah Jones, Scott Helvenston Wife, Bbc Bargain Hunt Presenters, Articles C