Scaling a Sandwich Empire: From 1 to 37 Stores (with Chad Huffhines)

This week on P&L, I'm joined by Chad Huffhines, a prolific Jersey Mike's franchisee who has mastered the art of rapid scaling. This episode dives into Chad's transition from the corporate world at Chipotle to building a sandwich empire that grew from a single store in 2010 to 37 locations today. Chad shares his unique perspective on the "economy of scale," explaining why growth actually becomes easier once you move past the initial "wall" of six stores and how a deep pool of internal talent is a business's greatest asset. We also discuss the non-negotiable hierarchy that governs his life - God, family, and then work - and how he is currently navigating the transition of bringing his son into the business as a 50/50 partner.

Tune in this week on P&L to learn how to scale a high-volume operation without losing sight of the values that started it all.

Reach out to Chad at chadehuffhines@gmail.com

"Put God first, put your family next, and then this job comes third... you have to have this job to take care of your family, but don't forget God's right there too." - Chad Huffhines

This week on Priorities & Lifestyle:

• The Leap from Corporate to Entrepreneurship: Transitioning from the "honeymoon" phase of a growing brand to owning the risk yourself.

• Breaking Through the Scaling "Wall": Why the jump from six to nine stores is the hardest period and how to survive it.

• The Power of Internal Promotion: Building a leadership team from the ground up - from 16-year-old crew members to professional area managers.

• Structuring the Family Buyout: Navigating 50/50 partnerships with the next generation and securing financing for legacy stores.

Our Favorite Quotes:

• "Growth creates opportunity... it allows the general manager to give an opportunity to the next person." - Chad Huffhines

• "If you're not growing, you're dying. There's none of this middle ground." - Rob Schulz

• "I take my weaknesses and find somebody who is good at them... you take your leg up and give it to somebody on your team." - Chad Huffhines

About Rob Schulz and P&L Priorities & LIfestyle Podcast

The P&L: Priorities & Lifestyle Podcast is a show for business owners. In each episode, host and financial planner Rob Schulz sits down with business owners and the professionals that serve them to talk about business building, life, money — and the all-important transition out of the business, which inevitably happens to everyone who has ever founded a company.

Email Rob at rob.schulz@schulzwealth.com with questions and comments, or to schedule a one-on-one conversation.

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*You're listening to P&L: Priorities & Lifestyle with your host Rob Schulz. Rob is the Founder and President of Schulz Wealth. All opinions expressed by Rob and his guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinions of Schulz Wealth. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for investment decisions. Please refer to our website for more information: schulzwealth.com.