No Need to Go It Alone

At any stage in one’s life, when the opportunity arises to make a difference, do something good for humanity, or create a solution to improve enterprise, it’s a huge undertaking and burden for one person to take on one’s own. In the fictional sense, that is why Batman had Robin, the Lone Ranger had Tonto, and even why Forest Gump had Lieutenant Dan. In fact, the special life bond and friendship formed between Forest Gump and Lieutenant Dan in the film, “Forest Gump,” became not just pop culture, but a relationship people still connect with almost two decades after the movie’s release. But, what happened just two years after the movie opened to critical acclaim and industry awards probably even shocked actors Tom Hanks and Gary Sinise, who portrayed these characters respectively. As homage to the character’s relationship, a restaurant named the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant and Market opened in 1996 on Cannery Row in Monterey, California. The idea played off the name of the shrimp boat business Forest and Lieutenant Dan started in the movie in memory of their friend Bubba, whose dream before being killed in the movie was to open this business with his friends. Since this first restaurant location opened, the brand began franchising and has grown throughout the United States and internationally. So, if two fictional friends can be the inspiration for starting and growing a franchise brand, then the opportunity for real-life friends, who have formed a life bond, to start their own franchise business should prove to be just as exciting, if not more so. Wing Zone During their college days at the University of Florida in 1991, buddies Matt Friedman and Adam Scott had a bright idea that solved a campus dilemma. With no alternative to pizza delivery, students studying late had limited options for late night munchies. In an effort to fill this void and become campus legends, Matt and Adam developed a delivery wing concept that would become Wing Zone, and made ordering authentic Buffalo Wings available to the more than 40,000 hungry students on campus. To create a working wing factory, they took over the kitchen of their fraternity house after hours and tried out special sauce recipes and techniques for preparing the wings until they developed the perfect wings that the campus body craved. After their first two nights in business, they sold out. Both men knew at that time they had uncovered a business they could call their own, eventually opening two storefront locations in Gainesville after they outgrew their fraternity kitchen. Today, after more than 20 years, both men are still together running the business. “We have been very fortunate to not only be great friends, but to have a mutual respect for each other’s talents and work ethic,” Adam Scott, CFO & Co-Founder, said. “While we may not always agree at the beginning of a conversation, we always leave with a united position. Since the beginning, we’ve each brought a different focus to the business, which lets us challenge each other and work through business frustrations. I’m not sure I could be business partners with a lot of my other friends so I feel lucky to have met Matt and built this company with him. We look forward to continued Wing Zone growth and expect to enjoy many more years of success together driving the business.”  Toast Café After receiving an Associate’s Degree from the famed American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, Brian Burchill tried to make it as an actor while working on the floor and in the kitchen at restaurants, bars and night clubs in Manhattan and the Hamptons. His more than 25 years of extensive experience in the restaurant industry also includes working in Blues clubs and booking bands, but Burchill found his true passion and niche in the high-end, brunch-type concepts. By implementing both his experience in restaurants and theater, he created a restaurant concept and thriving culture with Toast Café. “Service should be treated as a performance and all who work at Toast play a major role in the execution of the service,” Burchill, Co-Founder of Toast Cafe said. “When the sign is flipped to open, the curtains go up. But, I knew having the best concept in the world would not be enough to build a strong restaurant business foundation. I needed to partner with someone I could trust who would bring in additional experience needed to help this concept take off.” So, with the brunch concept built, Burchill went back to his roots to seek a friendly partner to take Toast Café to another level. Burchill asked childhood friend Robert Maynard, who grew up with him on the same block in New York City, to help start the business and be its co-founder. Maynard, whose background in Wall Street finance gave him a financial eye for business and a wealth of knowledge and experience, helped the two men embark on the entrepreneurial adventure. “With knowing the financial side of business, I left the financial world and started purchasing investment properties to set up our business for long-term success,” Maynard said. “Some time after that, we opened Toast Café in North Carolina and have grown the business to three restaurants. This year, we made a decision to expand our concept throughout the country through franchising. In our business, Brian handles the front of the room and I handle the back of the room decisions. We are a great one-two punch and expect to take this concept to new heights together.”