From franchisee to franchisor: MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes Ardag Tachian Understands Franchising Inside and Out

Ardag Tachian’s path to director of franchise development for MOOYAH Burgers, Fries & Shakes wasn’t exactly what you’d call a straight line.

“I have a background in healthcare,” Tachian said. “I got my graduate degree and opened a private practice as a licensed psychotherapist in Southern California.”

After branching out with a management company, Tachian realized he wanted to do something more entrepreneurial.

“I went to a franchise trade show and ran into Quiznos,” he said. “They only had five or six restaurants in L.A. at the time. So I got involved as a franchisee while still being involved in the healthcare business.”

Over time, Tachian moved into a development agent role, a position designed to help brands expand in different regions of the country. Three years ago, at another franchise conference, he discovered MOOYAH. It wasn’t long before he had acquired development rights for the Midwest.

Interestingly, Tachian said making the jump from therapist to franchisee to development agent to director of development hasn’t been terribly difficult for him.

“To me, it all boils down to relationships,” he said. “It’s how you conduct yourself in the context of the relationship. Even when I was a therapist, it was a relationship between myself and my client, wanting to be the best advisor, counselor and sounding board I could be.”

While he may have traded in the therapist’s couch for the burger counter, Tachian’s focus on relationships remains just as vital. Additionally, his past experience as a franchisee provides him with unique insight into what MOOYAH’s brand ambassadors face on a daily basis.

“My personal experience as a franchisee absolutely helps me understand where MOOYAH franchisees are coming from,” Tachian said. “It’s why I cultivate relationships with corporate to make sure they can best support our franchisees, and try to make sure I’m available to all our franchise partners. I provide guidance when they need it, as well as improved systems and tools that help to set them up for business success.”

Tachian went on to say the greatest compliment a franchisee can give a brand is writing a check and buying a franchise. Not only is it a financial investment, it shows they want to be a part of the team.

“By hitching their wagon to the company, they’re saying, ‘I like what you’re doing,’” Tachian said. “That type of person deserves my respect and my admiration, and I certainly try to do whatever I can to help them to be successful.”

In that regard, Tachian is succeeding. The new MOOYAH location in Madison, Wis., which opened up several weeks ago, is already the No. 1 store in the system. Tachian is also about to help open the brand’s first restaurant in Ohio. This is in addition to construction getting underway on a location in Indianapolis and a Milwaukee franchise set to open in either late summer or early fall.

“There are lots of opportunities for people to join the MOOYAH family,” Tachian said. “None of the markets are sold out and the brand continues to look for vibrant, passionate business people who really want to enter the restaurant business, who have that gene for hospitality and understand the importance of guest service.”

Among the markets where opportunities are ripe are Minneapolis, St. Paul, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Louisville, Lexington and more. And best of all, prospective franchisees in these regions can count on a helping hand from a man who knows exactly what they need, because he needed it first.