Famous for their hot, fresh made-to-order Philly Steak Sandwiches, Charley’s Grilled Subs has more than 400 locations worldwide. Founded in 1986, more than 90 percent of all Charley’s Grilled Subs restaurants are run by franchisees. The Franchise Hound had the opportunity to speak with one of those franchisees – Cornell Irons of the Reno, Nevada location. He shared with us his transition from a military career to a franchise owner and the challenges he has faced along the way.

Franchise Hound: You were in the military for a number of years, what made you transition to a franchise?

Cornell Irons: I always wanted to be an entrepreneur but I didn’t know what type of business I wanted to open. As a teenager I worked in the restaurant business and enjoyed cooking. When I left the military I started looking into franchises. Brand name was important to me. When you start your own company you have branding issues at the beginning and it’s difficult not already being a vested interest in that particular area or industry.

Charley’s offered me several locations. I was living in San Antonio, Texas, and had never been to Reno before I opened the restaurant there. Moving wasn’t an issue for me since I had made 11 moves while in the military. Though I would definitely suggest that any new franchisee do their research and do a market and site survey to get familiar with a new area before moving. You have to make sure that the foot traffic is conducive to business.  

FH: Why did you choose Charley’s over the other franchises that you considered?

CI: I looked at several franchises including one in postal services and another in the nursing industry. Ultimately, I enjoyed the Charley’s product. There are Charley’s locations all around the world, and over the last eight years they have been putting them on military bases. I ran into them while I was in the military and had always enjoyed eating there. I did some comparisons to other Philly cheesesteak organizations and Charley’s just came out on top.

FH: How do you like working with the franchisor?

CI: It’s great – they stay out of your hair. The training process I went through was very valuable. I took two managers that I hired before opening with me for a three-week training. There are three different types of stores that can be opened: a stand alone, in a shopping mall, and part of a strip mall. Of course having a fully-constructed stand alone on the corner is the most expensive route, so I was happy to have mine located in a shopping mall.

FH: What challenges did you face at the beginning?

CI: The financial part was my earliest challenge. I had to come in prepared with the funding to open a restaurant. I needed money for equipment, leasing, the rent and to pay my employees and the taxes. There was a lot to consider. I had a master’s degree in contract management with a B.A. in economics. But for someone who doesn’t have the business experience I would certainly recommend a course in financial management.

Trying to get the right mix of employees has been something that I’ve spent a lot of time on. We receive dozens of applications weekly. We don’t have an issue with getting people hired, just the right people. Nevada leads the nation in unemployment, so everyone is always looking for a job. We’re lucky in the fact that we can be very selective. We just need to make sure that we have the right mix of people working for us.

There is also a learning curve when it comes to working with teenagers. I faced a great deal of pressure while in the military. I participated in the war effort in Afghanistan, so I am used to certain stress levels and having patience. Working with teenagers and getting them trained uses a great deal of patience. I hired two managers to supervise crew so that I didn’t need to spend my time focusing on those issues.

FH: Since you opened where a Charley’s was previously located did you need to do much marketing early on?

CI: The Charley’s that was in my location had closed almost a year before I opened. Most people were familiar with our brand and our products, but the nearest was 26 miles away. They were excited to have another Charley’s back in town, so marketing wasn’t a huge challenge for me.

FH: What are your long-term goals with the company?

CI: Right now I’m focused on getting the Reno shop on track since we’ve only been opened since November. My initial goal was to open multiple units within driving distance, but I really want to concentrate on getting them to run successfully and the way I want before I move on to another. There’s always something that can be tweaked like getting the right mix of personnel.

FH: What advice would you give to someone that was interested in opening a franchise?

CI: Do your research because the selection process is very important. You have to believe in the product that you’re going to sell. It should be something you desire and enjoy yourself. Most franchises have been out there for awhile. They’re not “mom and pop” shops so they have brand name experience. Do a site survey – look at the location. And above all, be certain that you’re financially stable enough to handle all of the expenses.

If you’re going to be a franchise owner you need to learn to work with people. If you’re not a people person and able to work with a wide variety of people there will be conflict.