1851

As a franchise owner who has been with the brand for nearly 25 years, Jeff Rode first became involved with <a href="http://papamurphysfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-day-in-the-life-jeff-rode-papa-murphys-franchisee-2703875" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Papa Murphy&rsquo;s</a> in 1993 after he was suddenly let go from his job of 16 years. While searching for a new opportunity, he made a choice to pursue only the things he truly felt passionate about.

&ldquo;I knew I liked cooking and I liked being around people, but I didn&rsquo;t have the resources to open a full restaurant,&rdquo; Rode said. &ldquo;Like just about everyone in America, I liked pizza, and when I discovered Papa Murphy&rsquo;s for the first time, I knew I&rsquo;d found something great.&rdquo;

Rode did his due diligence and found strong backing, a solid Average Unit Volume (AUV) and an exciting opportunity for future growth. He opened his first store in Yuba City, California in 1993.

&ldquo;To be candid, it was a miserable failure for the first few years,&rdquo; Rode said. &ldquo;But, I believed in the brand, and I stuck with it and created marketing opportunities. We went out every day and pushed <a href="https://papamurphys.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-day-in-the-life-jeff-rode-papa-murphys-franchisee-2703875" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Papa Murphy&rsquo;s</a> to school programs. We pushed local store marketing efforts. We went out every day and put our pizza in peoples&rsquo; mouths. Once the community discovered that taste, momentum started shifting our way.&rdquo;

The second event that truly tied Papa Murphy&rsquo;s to Jeff Rode&rsquo;s life was a big flood in 1994. The flood ended up shuttering many local businesses for weeks, and Rode&rsquo;s location was one of the only places to reopen quickly. Rode redoubled his commitment to his community, holding a fundraiser for the American Red Cross, and earning many new, loyal customers in the process.

&ldquo;The Yuba City location became the top selling store in the system by 2002,&rdquo; Rode said. &ldquo;It was the first $1 million unit in the system, and we were really proud of that. &nbsp;We worked really hard, putting in the time and the sweat equity to make it happen. By then, we had opened three other Papa Murphy&rsquo;s units in Grass Valley and Auburn, and they were all doing well. So, in 2006, we engineered our exit strategy, sold our stores and then retired.&rdquo;

Unfortunately, that retirement didn&rsquo;t last. In 2008, the nation was hit with the biggest economic downturn in a generation as the Great Recession wiped out retirement savings for millions of Americans, including Rode.

&ldquo;So, I got back into the game as a consultant, and I learned that there were some Papa Murphy&rsquo;s locations for sale in Illinois. I said &lsquo;no thanks&rsquo; initially, but the draw was still there. So, we decided to take them over,&rdquo; Rode said of the third critical event.

Rode now owns four Papa Murphy&rsquo;s units, and is as involved as he&rsquo;s ever been. He knows the importance of being a &ldquo;hands-on&rdquo; franchise owner and is still heavily involved in day-to-day decision-making.

&ldquo;I go into the store every day&mdash;the one in Decatur where we live. My wife Maria works daily with all the stores as well from more of an office standpoint. [Our business partner] Ray goes to the other three, and his wife works with them every day handling our LSM calendar. That&rsquo;s important. The face to face needed to get people in to try our products needs to be done at the store level,&rdquo; Rode said.

In fact, Rode believes the owner-operator model is superior across just about every facet of franchising.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s critical for the owner to be involved. The owner involvement is part of our six fundamentals. It wasn&rsquo;t when we started. Now, it&rsquo;s a huge part. When the company began to grow and move east [from its start in the Pacific Northwest], that became one of the major tenants. I can&rsquo;t think of an area developer that&rsquo;s been successful that has been hands off,&rdquo; Rode said.

However, Rode explains that his daily priorities have changed a bit.

&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t open and close anymore. There was a point where I went in and ran the store by myself. That&rsquo;s because there wasn&rsquo;t anybody else. I don&rsquo;t have to do that now, but I do analyze the numbers and I still lend help wherever it&rsquo;s needed,&rdquo; he said.

Rode says some days can still be challenging. But, he believes Papa Murphy&rsquo;s has a unique ability for long-term growth due to positive changes in brand marketing, culture and a focus on what sets the company apart from its competitors: its simple business model, ease of operation and fresh, home-baked product at a low price.

&ldquo;I still totally believe in the brand,&rdquo; Rode said. &ldquo;There are challenges, for sure, but we&rsquo;ve seen how successful we can be when we&rsquo;re running on all cylinders. We&rsquo;re moving in the right direction to be successful again.&rdquo;

And, a little serendipity plus a lot of his signature dedication may even bring more Papa Murphy&rsquo;s stores into Rode&rsquo;s life.

&ldquo;Knowing how the brand grew, what the potential is, and what sets it apart&hellip;the right time could come again,&rdquo; Rode added with a laugh. &ldquo;There are definitely places I&rsquo;d put another store if I thought the investment was a wise one.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Papa Murphy's, growing franchise, pizza franchise, make at home pizza

A Day in the Life: Jeff Rode, Papa Murphy’s Franchisee

1851 Franchise

Through three unexpected events, Papa Murphy’s has been the answer for Jeff Rode.

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

a-day-in-the-life-jeff-rode-papa-murphys-franchisee

Comfort Keepers

Comfort Keepers - Midyear Press Release 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Comfort Keepers® Hits Mid-Year Stride With Strong Franchise Growth and Rising Demand for In-Home Care

comfort-keepers-franchise-midyear-momentum-2025

petbar

petbar - Garrett Dewan - Why I'm Investing - 1851 Franchise

Why Garrett Dewan Is Choosing To Reinvest in petbar

petbar-franchise-austin-garrett-dewan-multi-unit

Paris Baguette

NJBIZ: Paris Baguette Ramps Up Expansion With New Franchises, Facility and 2030 Growth Target

njbiz-paris-baguette-ramps-up-expansion-with-new-franchises-facility-and-2030-growth-target

Busy Bee Jumpers

Top 10 Reasons To Buy a Busy Bee Jumpers Franchise in 2025

top-10-reasons-to-buy-a-busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-in-2025

Home Halo

home-halo-former-athletes-frachisees-image

Why Former College Athletes Can Make Winning Home Halo Franchise Owners

former-college-athletes-home-halo-franchise

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

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Image of Donald Trump pointing with red stripes in the background

August 1 Tariff Deadline Is Said to Have ‘No Extensions’: What This Could Mean for Franchises

august-1-tariff-deadline-franchise-impact

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

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

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

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

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

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

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery 

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery in Overland Park, Kansas

paris-baguette-franchise-overland-park-khandelwal

Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

From Corporate Careers to Community Roots: Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

kansas-couple-opens-childrens-lighthouse-gardner-olathe

Hely and Hiral Patel Bring Their Longtime Dream to Life With The Brass Tap

brass-tap-franchise-pasadena-maryland-hely-hiral-patel

Franchisee spotlight graphic with photo of Ricki Oberoi and Layne's Chicken Fingers logo

A Day in the Life: Jeff Rode, Papa Murphy’s Franchisee

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS