Scott O'Brien had spent his career working for other companies when he decided he wanted to become his own boss. Although he had a strong management background, he had no restaurant experience. That didn't stop him from pursuing a franchise opportunity with Beef 'O' Brady's.
Seventeen years later, O'Brien owns two successful Beef 'O' Brady's restaurants in Marianna and Chipley, Florida. His experience with the first location ultimately convinced him to expand within the franchise system.
"Probably one of the best decisions I ever made was getting involved with the Beef 'O' Brady's brand as a franchise," O'Brien said. "It's a very strong franchise. They've got tremendous support from our franchisor, which is amazing. They're very innovative, and that really inspired me to seek another location."
O'Brien opened his first restaurant in Marianna with a business partner 17 years ago. The partnership was successful, but O'Brien eventually bought out his partner and began looking for an opportunity to expand.
O'Brien had wanted to open a restaurant in Chipley for years, but the timing never worked out. Between Hurricane Michael in 2018, the COVID-19 pandemic and buying out his business partner, his plans kept getting pushed back. Then a friend told him about some property available in Chipley, and O'Brien was ready to move forward.
The new restaurant exceeded expectations almost immediately. According to O'Brien, its opening sales were approximately 25% higher than the brand's previous opening record.
“We knew it was going to do really well,” O’Brien said. “But when we were preparing to open, everyone was making predictions about our first week’s revenue, and we ended up exceeding all of them. We actually set a record for opening sales.”
O'Brien said his experience operating a high-volume restaurant helped him prepare for the opening. His team made sure the restaurant was fully staffed and stocked, allowing operations to run smoothly despite the unexpectedly strong turnout.
For O'Brien, operating restaurants in smaller communities means being involved in what happens outside their doors. He sees that involvement as part of his responsibility as a local business owner.
“I love people, and I love serving others and my community,” O’Brien said. “If somebody asks for a sponsorship or a donation, we rarely, if ever, say no. We may not be able to do exactly what they’re asking, but we’re going to do something. We support golf tournaments, Little Leagues and other community activities. To me, the joy is in giving back to your community.”
That personal connection extends to his employees. Across the two restaurants, O'Brien employs approximately 140 people. Over the years, he has watched young employees progress through college, begin careers and eventually return as customers with families of their own.
O'Brien believes the support he receives from Beef 'O' Brady's has allowed him to concentrate on running his restaurants rather than managing every aspect of the business independently.
“The thing about Beef 'O' Brady's corporate team is that they want us to succeed just as much as we do, and they're willing to go above and beyond to support us,” O'Brien said. “That's been my personal experience. I've always had the support I've needed, from the president to our regional representatives and purchasing team. They're all there to help you succeed.”
With his Chipley location now in its second year, O'Brien remains enthusiastic about the business and the opportunities the franchise has provided.
"The best decision I ever made in my life was getting into the Beef's franchise," O'Brien said. “It has served me well. It served my community well. It served my family well. And we continue to see that over time.”
To learn more about the costs of opening a Beef 'O' Brady's franchise, visit https://1851franchise.com/beefobradys.
Beef 'O' Brady's
SPONSORED
With two Florida restaurants and a record-setting opening in Chipley, O'Brien reflects on 17 years with Beef 'O' Brady's and the community relationships behind his success.
Scott O'Brien had spent his career working for other companies when he decided he wanted to become his own boss. Although he had a strong management background, he had no restaurant experience. That didn't stop him from pursuing a franchise opportunity with Beef 'O' Brady's.
Seventeen years later, O'Brien owns two successful Beef 'O' Brady's restaurants in Marianna and Chipley, Florida. His experience with the first location ultimately convinced him to expand within the franchise system.
"Probably one of the best decisions I ever made was getting involved with the Beef 'O' Brady's brand as a franchise," O'Brien said. "It's a very strong franchise. They've got tremendous support from our franchisor, which is amazing. They're very innovative, and that really inspired me to seek another location."
O'Brien opened his first restaurant in Marianna with a business partner 17 years ago. The partnership was successful, but O'Brien eventually bought out his partner and began looking for an opportunity to expand.
O'Brien had wanted to open a restaurant in Chipley for years, but the timing never worked out. Between Hurricane Michael in 2018, the COVID-19 pandemic and buying out his business partner, his plans kept getting pushed back. Then a friend told him about some property available in Chipley, and O'Brien was ready to move forward.
The new restaurant exceeded expectations almost immediately. According to O'Brien, its opening sales were approximately 25% higher than the brand's previous opening record.
“We knew it was going to do really well,” O’Brien said. “But when we were preparing to open, everyone was making predictions about our first week’s revenue, and we ended up exceeding all of them. We actually set a record for opening sales.”
O'Brien said his experience operating a high-volume restaurant helped him prepare for the opening. His team made sure the restaurant was fully staffed and stocked, allowing operations to run smoothly despite the unexpectedly strong turnout.
For O'Brien, operating restaurants in smaller communities means being involved in what happens outside their doors. He sees that involvement as part of his responsibility as a local business owner.
“I love people, and I love serving others and my community,” O’Brien said. “If somebody asks for a sponsorship or a donation, we rarely, if ever, say no. We may not be able to do exactly what they’re asking, but we’re going to do something. We support golf tournaments, Little Leagues and other community activities. To me, the joy is in giving back to your community.”
That personal connection extends to his employees. Across the two restaurants, O'Brien employs approximately 140 people. Over the years, he has watched young employees progress through college, begin careers and eventually return as customers with families of their own.
O'Brien believes the support he receives from Beef 'O' Brady's has allowed him to concentrate on running his restaurants rather than managing every aspect of the business independently.
“The thing about Beef 'O' Brady's corporate team is that they want us to succeed just as much as we do, and they're willing to go above and beyond to support us,” O'Brien said. “That's been my personal experience. I've always had the support I've needed, from the president to our regional representatives and purchasing team. They're all there to help you succeed.”
With his Chipley location now in its second year, O'Brien remains enthusiastic about the business and the opportunities the franchise has provided.
"The best decision I ever made in my life was getting into the Beef's franchise," O'Brien said. “It has served me well. It served my community well. It served my family well. And we continue to see that over time.”
To learn more about the costs of opening a Beef 'O' Brady's franchise, visit https://1851franchise.com/beefobradys.
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