From Intern to Executive: How Franchising Helps Randy Shacka Live Out His Passion on a Daily Basis

When Randy Shacka applied for a job as an intern at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK*®’s corporate office in Michigan the summer before his senior year of college, he had no idea that it would start him on a career path that would eventually lead to a role as the brand’s president.

Shacka never set out to be in the franchising or marketing industries—he majored in engineering. But when he needed a job and an opportunity with the brand popped up, he figured that it couldn’t hurt to apply. Up until then, the only professional experience that Shacka had was as a Disney intern the summer before. During his time there, he learned the “Disney way,” which includes a culture and environment that’s respected around the world. Today, Shacka says it was that exposure to a professional environment that ultimately led him to TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®.  

“My internship with Disney really set the tone for the rest of my career. That’s where I learned about being in the business of making people happy, and the importance of creating an environment where everyone feels like family,” said Shacka. “As soon as I walked into TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, I got the same feeling that I had while I was working at Disney. Even though I wasn’t familiar with the brand before, I knew that it would be a place where I could grow both personally and professionally.”

Since first walking through TWO MEN AND A TRUCKâ’s doors at the young age of 22, there’s no doubt that Shacka has grown. After his summer internship, he accepted a part-time position with the brand’s corporate team to continue working throughout the school year. And when it was time for graduation, the brand presented him with an opportunity to move to Florida to work alongside a franchisee who was launching a new location. For two years, Shacka learned the ins and outs of the franchising industry first-hand with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®. So when a job opened up back in his home state to work as a franchise consultant for new startups, he jumped at the chance to take it.

Shacka made that move to TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®’s corporate location over a decade ago, and he hasn’t looked back since.

“Before accepting a position with TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, I only associated franchising with fast food. I had no knowledge of the structure, model and relationships that are involved on the back end of the business that ultimately make the engine hum,” said Shacka. “Now that I’m an active member of the franchising community, I know that the industry is all about opportunity. It’s amazing how people can come together with different experiences and backgrounds from all walks of life to build and grow a brand. Franchising opens the door to career advancement and growth for so many people, which is why I love being involved. People like me who come into franchising simply looking for a job often end up finding their passion, which is something that not a lot of industries offer.”

As president of TWO MEN AND A TRUCK®, Shacka makes an active effort to extend those career opportunities to as many people as possible. In addition to finding ways to reach more customers, his role involves talking to franchisees and new hires at the corporate office. Shacka also visits local owners at their own locations to see first-hand how operations are running. And because TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® boasts a strong team environment, he’s consistently bouncing ideas off of other staff members to initiate new programs and develop tools that will help the business grow.

“Every day is different. But every project that we take on as a corporate team is designed to build the brand. Whether it’s working with our network of franchisees or establishing new programs to boost our business, we’re constantly making an effort to take TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® to the next level,” Shacka said.

Backed by nearly 90 months of consecutive growth, Shacka is confident that the TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® brand is headed in the right direction. And as it continues to welcome more franchisees and employees into its system, his goal is to implement new programs and initiatives that will set them up for success in the long run.

“People are at the core of our business. As someone who has risen through the ranks, it’s incredibly rewarding to see people take on more responsibilities and move up in their own careers. We pride ourselves on being an organization that helps people grow, and we’re looking forward to continuing this trend going forward,” said Shacka. “It just goes to show how many opportunities the franchising industry has to offer. I’m excited to play a part in moving the industry forward.”