Military Veterans Who Became Great Franchisees: Shane Paul, Jack in the Box

Veteran Franchisee: Shane Paul

Franchise: Jack in the Box

As a first-generation college graduate, successful Army veteran and long-time restaurant industry professional, Shane Paul has consistently taken control of his destiny and charted his own path. Now, as a multi-unit owner with Jack in the Box, the iconic fast-food franchise, Paul serves his community with a brand he loves as he continues to leverage skills developed throughout his versatile career history.

1851 Franchise talked with Paul about his journey in franchising, his accomplishments in the industry, and the advice he has for other veterans interested in venturing into franchising.

The transcript below has been edited for clarity, style and brevity.

1851 Franchise: What is your personal story? How does military service play into your history, and what was the journey from military to entrepreneurship?

Shane Paul: I am a proud retiree. I did 24 years, 11 months and 17 days for the Army National Guard, serving in five different states and supporting efforts in Afghanistan, World Trade Center attack relief and Hurricane Katrina relief. 

I initially joined in 1986 to pay for college as no one in my family had ever been to college. I decided to join ROTC in college and became commissioned as a second lieutenant. I retired as a major and I am looking forward to starting my pension at age 59!

I also worked in the corporate world for nearly three decades in the food service industry. I was able to obtain my undergrad in pre-law from Ohio University and my MBA in finance from Florida A&M. I worked for McDonald’s, Burger King, Cosi and Jack in the Box. At the time I left Jack in the Box, I was overseeing $2 billion of the brand and oversaw over 7,000 employees. I asked Jack in the Box to make me a franchisee and partnered with an existing franchisee to buy seven restaurants from Jack in the Box corporate here in San Diego, California.

1851: How did your time in the military prepare you for success in franchising?

Paul: It helps to this day. I can’t tell you how stressful this job can be or the constant string of issues that you face daily. No matter how bad it gets, I have seen worse in the military and, oddly enough, that keeps me very calm. 

The time planning and organizational skills also are a huge help. If you learn these skills in the military, I would put them up against any similar experience you could gain in corporate America any day of the week. 

Finally, leadership and public speaking. It may not seem like a big deal, but a lot of people don’t like talking in public or to small groups. When you are running a business like a restaurant, you are talking and directing groups of people all the time. Thus, the ability to speak, treat people right and be a good leader are things we all learned in the military and are skills you will need to own a business!

1851: What is your favorite thing about Jack in the Box?

Paul: I own seven Jack in the Box locations in San Diego and just contracted with Jack in the Box to open six more brand new locations in Louisville, Kentucky. Based on that, you can sort of tell I am all in! 

I like our menu the best. We have breakfast all day. We have tacos. We have churros. We have egg rolls. Our menu is very diverse, and it is nice to know that whoever comes to our restaurant can enjoy a wide variety of menu items.  

I also like the brand itself. We shoot to be a cool brand that is different from others. We did one tie in with Snoop Dogg last year and recently did another with Ice Cube! Our mascot is a clown. It’s just a fun brand all around!

We have been around for over 60 years and are still growing and developing. I am so proud to tell everyone I’m with Jack in the Box and listen to how much they love our brand. Wonderful!

1851: Looking at your franchise journey so far, what are you most proud of?

Paul: A couple of things. In the restaurant business, it is normal to have turnover. With seven restaurants, it would be normal to lose two or three restaurant managers a year. We haven’t lost a restaurant manager in over three years. Thus, our team is stable and experienced, and that, in turn, positions us to achieve great results.

I am also proud that our customers love us! We have so many that come in almost every day, and I never get tired of them telling me about this employee or that employee and how good they are doing.

Lastly, I am proud that, in addition to the restaurants I am operating here, my business partners and Jack in the Box as a brand trust me enough to keep expanding and opening new restaurants.  

1851: What advice would you give other veterans considering transitioning to franchising?

Paul: I have three main pieces of advice:

• Financing: I keep referencing my brand, which is a restaurant, and it can cost over $2 million to build and open one. Thus, you have to know how much money you have and look for the opportunity that fits you. Many brands give discounts and preferential consideration if you have a military background; you just have to tell them. You can also get different lending opportunities as a veteran. It is not necessarily about the money you have in your bank account but understanding what you want to do, how much it costs and if you can figure out a way to pay for it.
• Love your brand: There are numerous conferences you can attend where brands show up and have booths. You can use these to interact with all kinds of franchise opportunities — cleaning, fixing cars, hotels, and, of course, restaurants. You have to find something you like and that fits you. I have been mostly upbeat and positive in my responses, but in the end, owning a business is very hard work, and if you mess up, you can lose everything. If you are going to take a risk like this, you better make sure you like the brand because, when things aren’t going well, that may be the only thing you have going for you!
• Make sure you have the expertise: If you were doing a restaurant, for example, you don’t have to be an expert in the restaurant space. However, you still need to have someone in the business who knows how to run it. I am most surprised when I talk to people about opening a business that they think they have to be some kind of expert in the business. You really need to be the expert or be prepared to bring one in who you trust with your investment before you try to open a franchise.  

If you have someone who can do it, you like the brand, and you can get the money, then franchising is just right for you!

Every great franchisee had help buying a franchise. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisees find the right franchise opportunity? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and start your journey.