I think the greatest thing you can do in life is serve others and reap the reward of knowing youve done something good for someone else. Right next to that is our relationship with our Franchise Owners. What is something you wish more people knew about the chain and its products? 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. Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. Interested candidates should have business experience, along with a minimum net worth of $350,000 which includes $125,000 in liquid assets. Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC, 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200, Atlanta, GA 30338. At the end of the day, we are a restaurant company and how great our food and smoothies are determines [success]. 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.". Cheryl Fletcher joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in July of 2017. Because 99% of Tropical Smoothie Cafe's system is franchisee-owned and operated, it was my goal to maintain consistency for them and move the company forward in the right direction, with a lot of reverence and respect for the past. For many, many years, its been the Bahama Mama. Paul Marsden oversees development and execution of financial strategies to support the companys business plans. Skip to main content Call now and speak to a franchise development leader. Mark serves on the board of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives. How is taking the reins of an existing company different than being part of a startup or a founder? Im a football lover. Our annual tactics are focused around delivering those results.". And that really got us down this road of: What is our purpose? Paul Marsden oversees development and execution of financial strategies to support the companys business plans. Our annual tactics are focused around delivering those results.". We figured a good person to ask might be the CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Charles Watson. Michael brings 20 years of foundational IT skills and core functions of digital knowledge critical to shaping our journey to reach guests via innovative technologies. CEO Charles Watson, . Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC, 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200, Atlanta, GA 30338. Gary Occhiogrosso: Tell us a little about your background before joining Tropical Smoothie? Its getting involved in the local community. Charles also serves on the boards of the International Franchise Association (IFA) and the Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) program. SUCH REGISTRATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORPORATIONS NOR A FINDING BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND NOT MISLEADING. See where were looking to grow to meet the incredible demand. With 2011 winding down, how are you leveraging people, budgets, brands, and resources to meet development goals? Watson: "Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national fast-casual cafe concept inspiring healthier lifestyles with more than 850 locations in 44 states. For the fiscal year 2021, these End-Cap and In-Line Tropical Smoothie Cafe Restaurants typically ranged in size from 1,200 to 1,900 square feet. We set company-wide strategic imperatives around these issues immediately.". Every day is a day to celebrate at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, with all the success were having. Charles Watson is Chief Executive Officer at Tropical Smoothie Cafe Corp. See Charles Watson's compensation, career history, education, & memberships. 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. Show all. 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. Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC, 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200, Atlanta, GA 30338. Charles Watson was named CEO in December 2018. The range is based on estimated costs for End-Cap or In-Line Tropical Smoothie Cafe Restaurants, which include those located in or at strip style retail shopping centers but does not include drive-thrus. Yes, it has a brand name on it, but it is Bill and Sally Smith on the corner and theyre entrepreneurs. The offering is by prospectus only. Watson:"As a first time CEO, learning to view the business from a thinking vs. a doing mentality was a challenge I faced. So I would say our Island Green Detox is not my go-to, but I understand that should be my go-to from a health perspective. When I became CEO, I launched a formal franchisee advisory council, known in our organization as the Tropical Franchisee Council (TFC). The number one seller from a limited time offer perspective has always been our summertime Watermelon Mojito, its incredibly popular, 20 to 25 sales per cafe per day, with that Watermelon Mojito, everyone looks forward to it. My predecessor did a great job, so most of the hesitancy candidly was, "will this guy be as good, will we have the same amount of success?" Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC, said, "It's inspiring to be part of the growth that Tropical Smoothie Cafe has . This information appears in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document. So thats always up there. I was lucky enough to work with the founders of the business (and still do as they are board members) as well as work under our first CEO, who did an amazing job. The brands dedication to Inspire Better in all aspects of the business resonated with me from day one. If your Franchised Business includes a drive-thru, the additional expense (including the cost of leasehold improvements, restaurant fixtures and equipment, and other costs) would be approximately $35,000 to $45,000. So since I like it, and since we love Camp Sunshine, we may see that this fall. We have quesadillas, we have flatbread sandwiches, we have sandwiches, we have salads. Now were really taking the lead from our franchisees and building out DMAs organically from outside them. The success of our brand is about the talent and drive of our talented executives and Support Center team. Previously, Cheryl held a 17-year tenure with Popeyes, during which she served as Vice President of Franchise Development, Vice President of Development Strategic Planning, and Director of Investor Relations and Finance. Tropical Smoothie Cafe announces Charles Watson as the new Chief Executive Officer. Looking ahead to twelve months or two years down the road, Watson had this to say: Tropical Smoothie Cafe is in an incredible growth phase. Provide product innovation and innovation in general. Total revenues were $58 million while expenses were only $41 million, indicating a healthy profit margin of around 30%. Today's post focus' on that topic in an interview with Charles Watson, the CEO of Tropical Smoothie Caf. Under his leadership, the Tropical Smoothie Cafe system grew from 265 open units to 725 open units. My experience with the brand up to that point was beneficial because I was already very immersed in the operations and processes that had contributed to its success at that time. I started working at a young age and because of my early drive, have been involved in a variety of industries and performed many different jobs. We find that real fruits, veggies, and juices just taste better.". Tropical Smoothie Caf Income Statement Key Insights-Analysis based off Predecessor 2020-Overall, Tropical Smoothie Caf is a profitable business, with a net income of $7.6 million in 2020. Previously, Cheryl held a 17-year tenure with Popeyes, during which she served as Vice President of Franchise Development, Vice President of Development Strategic Planning, and Director of Investor Relations and Finance. Call now and speak to a franchise development leader. Your results may differ. . Call now and speak to a franchise development leader. CALIFORNIA DISCLAIMER: THESE FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE FRANCHISE INVESTMENT LAW OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. Mark serves on the board of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives. Drain-Net Technologies. Occhiogrosso:What was your plan for the first 90 days? I have a lot of people that inspire me daily, but I really do think that my parents inspired me to be the leader I am today. So we have a broad array of food products that are both healthier and theyre more boldly flavored. A veteran hospitality professional . 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. Start to Finish: What Inspires Execs | September 14, 2022 | QSR Staff. The initial investment ranges from $246,500 to $580,500. And at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, we really focus on the fresh ingredients. I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to lead such an incredible brand that has truly become a part of my DNA over many years, said Watson. Tropical Smoothie Caf currently has over 800 locations nationwide. Our franchisees and their teams are the faces community members see daily, and the dedication from them is truly whats given us so much success in recent years. 26, 2021. Its not just: We have snacks! We have a full-on robust kitchen thats preparing fresh products. "I wanted to further instill a franchisee-first mentality. In my case, because I already had nearly a decade with Tropical Smoothie Cafe on the franchise development side, I had the unique advantage of personal relationships with our franchise community. Occhiogrosso: Please give our readers the "Elevator Pitch" for Tropical Smoothie Cafe? It was not possible for me to get involved in every project so I had to learn to let go and delegate. Prior to that, she spent 22 years at BBDO Worldwide, where she was executive vice president and senior director for the global advertising powerhouse, leading campaign strategy and execution for many large national brands. There is no assurance that you will do as well. The first thing is to be a business partner. Watson:"I wanted to further instill a franchisee-first mentality. Weve been in partnership with them for over 10 years now. 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 recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. My job is to serve them. We did a fantastic job of that during the pandemic, we gave away a quarter million smoothies to healthcare workers and first-responders. Von Kutzleben most recently served as vice president of brand strategy, advertising and menu at Arbys. Richard has served in a franchise operations capacity for more than 20 years with brands such as TCBY, Carvel, and Moes Southwest Grill. The offerings have evolved over the years to include a menu of breakfast and lunch items beyond smoothies. Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. We want to be an escape for our consumers in this hectic world we live, and an incredible business model for our franchise partners It's an exciting time to be a fast-casual concept within this segment, specifically as the market size of the juice and smoothie bars industry is expected to increase by 2.3% in 2020, reaching nearly $3 billion in revenue across the globe. 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. If you are a resident of or want to locate a franchise in one of these states, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your state. Atlanta, GA 30338 It's tropic time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Charles Watson is currently an Atlanta-based correspondent for Fox News Mediacovering the southeastern portion of the United States. Theres an obvious answer for me here, and thats to put your heart into what you do. Mark Montini joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe as Chief Marketing Officer in October 2019. "At Tropical Smoothie Cafe, it's our mission to inspire a healthier lifestyle by serving amazing food and smoothies, with a bit of tropical fun. New York State Disclaimer: This advertisement is not an offering. Excludes non-traditional locations and Restaurants that were not open for at least 357 days in 2021. Players MAY win multiple prizes in a. Complete the form or call 770-821-1928, and a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise development leader will reach out to you with more information. 770-580-2333, Bold Women in the C-Suite: Cheryl Fletcher, Connect with People Who Have More Experience: Interview with Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Tropical Smoothie Cafe Celebrates Spring With The Return Of Superfruit Smoothies. Unresolved: Release in which this issue/RFE will be addressed. If its not run-of-the-mill bland food, we want to bring a little bit of a culinary experience to quick casual, and still provide convenience, and value, and all those kinds of things. And what we were able to do is to take a smaller organization that was scrappy, just like Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and really build their endowment and really serve a lot of families. Watson: "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. Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. 5 free lookups per month. Occhiogrosso: How is taking the reins of an existing company different than being part of a startup or a founder? Von Kutzleben most recently served as vice president of brand strategy, advertising and menu at Arbys. Sometimes youve just got to go with the taste. Charles Watson CEO. Its been quite the adventure since becoming the CEO in 2018, and Ive enjoyed every twist and turn in the road. A presentation for a board is focused on very different things than a franchisee roadshow. 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. This information is not intended as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. There is no assurance that you will do as well. The success of our brand is about the talent and drive of our talented executives and Support Center team. "Relationships Rule" is one of our core values, and because of that, people are at the heart of our company. 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 her role as Chief Development Officer, Cheryl drives the brands franchise development sales, real estate and design and construction. Watson: "Like I said, I was very fortunate to have had already developed relationships with our franchise community prior to becoming CEO. A veteran franchise professional, Charles has worked for several hospitality-related companies including Intercontinental Hotels Group and US Franchise Systems. It is for information purposes only. Charles is a graduate of The Hotel School at Cornell University and holds a Master of Business Administration from The Terry College of Business at The University of Georgia.
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