Franchisee Success: MOOYAH

Success isn’t always defined by business metrics. In fact, Jeff Kullman defines his success by one of the most important things in life: family.

Jeff spent 30 years in residential homebuilding, starting with selling new construction homes and working his way up to the director of sales and marketing manager, and ultimately the division president for Lennar Homes.

He and his wife, Kathy, and his two sons, Jason, now 36, and Josh, 31, have always been a tight-knit family. But after his sons graduated from Texas Tech, the Kullmans ventured into something that brought them even closer.

Both Jason and Josh majored in restaurant hotel hospitality management program, and after graduating they both took positions in the restaurant industry.

“My sons had the knowledge in the restaurant management business, and I had the business background under my belt, so we joined forces at the perfect time when home building took a turn for the worse with the recession,” said Jeff. “In 2008, we became serious about the next chapter for my family.”

“Team Kullman,” as Jeff says, began looking for the perfect concept to become the family business. After much research and many family board meetings, they decided that MOOYAH was the perfect fit.

In May of 2010, they opened their first location in Flower Mound, Texas, and their son, Jason took the reigns as the general manager. Within that same year, they opened the second location in Southlake, Texas, which Josh managed. In March 2013, the third family restaurant was opened in Plano, Texas. Shortly after, the family had the opportunity to explore development in Austin, exas, and in July 2014 they opened in Round Rock, Texas and are currently preparing to start construction for the second Austin location.

“We are a small family business operator and MOOYAH is our business of choice,” Jeff added. “After studying many business models, MOOYAH was it. The concept is efficient, it’s unique and the appeal is there for everyone from kids and parents to work associates and more.”

While a proven concept and business model are all fine and good, Jeff knows that the true success is driven by it being a family business.

“Our success is born out of the core values and foundation of our family as a ‘team of teams’,” said Jeff. “Our family makes this business not only more interesting and productive, but completely rewarding. We are now seeing our four granddaughters starting to get involved and love the brand like we do. It’s priceless for Kathy and I, and not a day goes by that we don’t feel extremely blessed and fortunate to be around family and a business we believe in.”

Team Kullman was named the brand’s national franchise operator of the year in 2012 and again in 2014.

“That’s not me winning that award, that’s a family award. That’s Team Kullman, including our four granddaughters,” Jeff added.