1851

Sometimes, work lunches pay off in a big way. For Chris Alford, it was how he was introduced to <a href="http://www.lennysfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchisee-success-lennys-sub-shop-2320" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lenny&#8217;s Sub Shop</a> and subsequently started his journey as a Lenny&#8217;s franchisee. &#8220;We had catering in the office one day and it was <a href="http://lennyssubs.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchisee-success-lennys-sub-shop-2320" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lenny&#8217;s Sub Shop</a>, and I thought, &#8216;Wow, that was a really great sandwich,&#8217;&#8221; said Alford. After that pleasant first impression, Alford took his children to a local Lenny&#8217;s for another test drive. The franchise concept really resonated with him and his family. He was tired of working in corporate America and didn&#8217;t have any direction with franchising until Lenny&#8217;s. As Alford said, &#8220;the shoe fit.&#8221; That next Monday morning, Alford called Lenny&#8217;s and started the process of becoming a franchisee. Now, Alford is the owner of the Lenny&#8217;s Sub Shop in San Antonio. &#8220;It&#8217;s the greatest independence and the responsibility I have ever known,&#8221; said Alford. Alford takes his responsibility as a business owner seriously, and it shows in his franchise. While he enjoys the autonomy of being a franchise owner, he is also aware of the accountability it comes with. &#8220;I&#8217;m responsible for the daily operation of my business and for the 13 to 15 employees I have and for their livelihood and their contribution to their family&#8217;s livelihood,&#8221; said Alford. While that helps motivate Alford to run his business to his fullest efforts and ability, he&#8217;s also found ways to make sure his franchise is a success with the help of his team. &#8220;Trust, but verify everything,&#8221; said Alford. &#8220;You can&#8217;t do it all yourself and at some point you have to put people in trustworthy positions. You have to have the right people who can do it and who you can count on.&#8221; For his location to run smoothly from the time it opens to the time it closes, Alford invests a great deal of trust in his team. Alford says that you have to trust that it will get done, delegate the duty and then verify that it gets done. Right now, Alford is in growth mode with his Lenny&#8217;s location. In the future he would like to open more locations. It&#8217;s passion that keeps Alford going. &#8220;Running one&#8217;s own business is great, but you have to have a passion for it,&#8221; said Alford. &#8220;Is my passion tired? I don&#8217;t know. But I have a passion for good. You need to have passion for what you do, whatever it is.&#8221;

1851 Franchise

Trust and passion helped Chris Alford become successful with his Lenny’s Sub Shop franchise. 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Franchisee Success: Lenny’s Sub Shop 

franchisee-success-lennys-sub-shop

Onigilly Japanese Kitchen

Unlocking the Potential: How Much Can You Earn as an Onigilly Franchisee?

unlocking-the-potential-how-much-can-you-earn-as-an-onigilly-franchisee

Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions

DeWitts Ignite New Chapter for Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions in Reno 

Grease, Grit, and Growth: DeWitts Ignite New Chapter for Filta Environmental Kitchen Solutions in Reno, Nevada

grease-grit-and-growth-dewitts-ignite-new-chapter-for-filta-environmental-kitchen-solutions-in-reno-nevada

Layne's Chicken Fingers

Layne's Chicken Fingers-50 Unit-Wendy's-Franchisee-June-2025

Why This 50 Unit Wendy’s Franchisee Is Betting on Layne’s for His Next Big Move

wendys-franchisee-expands-with-laynes-chicken-fingers-texas

CapitalSpring

CapitalSpring’s Jim Balis Talks Growth, ROI and the Future of Fast Casual on “Rock My Restaurant”

capitalsprings-jim-balis-talks-growth-roi-and-the-future-of-fast-casual-on-rock-my-restaurant

Children's Lighthouse

Children’s Lighthouse Ramps Up Growth in First Half of 2025 With Strategic Expansions, Franchise Signings, and New Headquarters

childrens-lighthouse-ramps-up-growth-in-first-half-of-2025-with-strategic-expansions-franchise-signings-and-new-headquarters

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

Drone Delivery Takes Flight in QSR: The Future of Franchise Operations?

drone-delivery-takes-flight-in-qsr-the-future-of-franchise-operations

Chick-fil-A Tops Customer Satisfaction Rankings for 11th Year as Challenger Brands Gain Ground

chick-fil-a-tops-customer-satisfaction-rankings-for-11th-year-as-challenger-brands-gain-ground

Technomic Releases Annual Ranking of the Top 15 Fast-Food Chains in the U.S.

technomic-releases-annual-ranking-of-the-top-15-fast-food-chains-in-the-us

Rising Jobless Claims Could Signal Challenges — and Opportunities — for Franchising

rising-jobless-claims-affect-franchising

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Carol DeNembo — Chief Marketing Officer, Mountain Mike’s Pizza

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-carol-denembo-chief-marketing-officer-mountain-mikes-pizza

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Kelsey McManemin — Vice President of Marketing, HTeaO

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-kelsey-mcmanemin-vice-president-of-marketing-hteao

Missy Maio - Gong Cha - Top Franchise Marketing Leaders - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Missy Maio — Vice President of Marketing and Global Partnerships, Gong Cha

franchise-marketing-leader-missy-maio-gong-cha

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise

How Vishal Juneja Turned a Family Tradition Into a Paris Baguette Franchise Built on Heart and Community

paris-baguette-franchise-rockaway-new-jersey-vishal-junjea

petbar Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

petbar-franchise-deep-dive

Design with outline of three houses and people working on laptops within them

Top 10 Low-Cost Home-Based or Mobile Franchises for 2025

low-cost-home-based-mobile-franchises

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Juan & Whitney Fernandez & family, BIGGBY COFFEE logo

From Chiropractic to Coffee: These BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchisees Are Brewing Something New in Troy, Ohio 

biggby-coffee-franchise-coming-to-troy-ohio

Franchisee Success: Lenny’s Sub Shop

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS