1851

For the past 23 years, Bob Ritter has worked his way up into the role he has today: Vice President of Franchise and Market Development of <a href="http://lennysfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=top-players-in-franchise-development-bob-ritter-5674" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lennys Grill &amp; Subs</a>. Early in his career, Ritter worked on the operations side for Ritter&#8217;s Frozen Custard, where he was responsible for training, purchasing, site selection and all aspects of the brand&#8217;s standards. But prior to becoming the man behind the business&#8217;s franchise development strategies, Ritter spent some time as a franchisee at Ritter&#8217;s Frozen Custard. The experience there prepared him for his roles as the vice president of franchise development and eventually as the president and CEO until Ritter&#8217;s Frozen Custard was sold in 2008. After a brief stint working on the operations side at BrightStar Care, one of the leaders in the home healthcare industry, Ritter joined the Lennys team. He was intrigued at the idea of collaborating with President and CEO Kevin Martin and Chairman and Chief Concept Officer Rick Johnson. Their ambitious visions for the future of the Lennys brand made Ritter a believer. Ritter took it upon himself over the past 15 months to implement a system for franchise candidates to follow. Today, Lennys Grill &amp; Subs is building the momentum necessary to become a huge franchise player, and that is thanks, in part, to Ritter&#8217;s relentless work. What makes your brand&#8217;s franchise development process tick? I think it&#8217;s the ability to follow our system. We are in the business of awarding franchises, not selling them. We are looking for candidates who have a guest-centric mentality and are dedicated to the brand&#8217;s success, as well as their own. We spend a significant amount of time setting the expectations for the process and the brand. We really feel that by the time those candidates get to our &#8216;Join the Team Day,&#8217; there should be no surprises. What have been some of your brand&#8217;s major milestones? As a brand, we really feel like we are now in a position to grow. Rick Johnson and Kevin Martin purchased Lenny&#8217;s Franchise Systems at the end of 2012. Since then, they have established a great team and everyone is heading in the same direction. A clear focus on operational excellence and reducing operational costs, has really allowed us on the development team to have confidence in our offer. We are implementing a new Point of Sale system that will truly allow a franchisee to manage their business. What are you most proud of? I am really excited about how, in just 15 months, we have established a clear process for all new candidates that come through our pipeline. Ken Kanzaki, our franchise development manager, has done a fantastic job in vetting each and every candidate that comes through. Having the confidence that we can let certain candidates know that this may not be a business for them is very reassuring. What specific steps do your most successful franchisees take in order to build and grow their respective businesses? And what do you do to set them up for success? Our franchisees who establish themselves in their community, as well as in their business, generally drive their own success. Their ability to build and lead a team, all while maintaining the brand&#8217;s standards, is key. Finding the best real estate is also a huge driver for a franchisee to succeed. I know it is clich&#233;, but when it comes to successful franchisees: location, location, location. That&#8217;s really a part of the equation. Our relationships with local real estate brokers has really helped us develop in the markets we are expanding in. What are your goals for your brand in the next few years and how do you plan to grow the brand? Our goal in 2016 was to open six new restaurants and we will achieve that. In 2017, we want to get 12 restaurants open. And beginning in 2018, we&#8217;re looking for an annual growth of 20 percent.

1851 Franchise

From franchisee to a vice president of franchise and market development, Bob Ritter has spent over two decades within the franchise industry. 


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

Top Players in Franchise Development: Bob Ritter 

top-players-in-franchise-development-bob-ritter

Caring Transitions

Why Consider a Corporate Career Change? Find Meaningful Work Helping Others With Caring Transitions

why-consider-a-corporate-career-change-find-meaningful-work-helping-others-with-caring-transitions

Comfort Keepers

How This Financial Strategist Built a Flourishing Purpose-Driven Business With Comfort Keepers®

how-this-financial-strategist-built-a-flourishing-purpose-driven-business-with-comfort-keepers

Fitness Premier

Fitness Premier: A Legacy of Excellence, Built on a Foundation of Fitness

fitness-premier-a-legacy-of-excellence-built-on-a-foundation-of-fitness

Busy Bee Jumpers

From Solo Hustle to Franchise Muscle: Why Converting to a Busy Bee Franchise Just Makes Sense

busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-conversion-opportunity

Paris Baguette

Paris Baguette Franchise - Anusha Jonnala and Swapna Varala - 1851 Franchise

Blending Tech, Hospitality and Health Care: How Three Women From Different Worlds Came Together to Build a Paris Baguette Franchise

paris-baguette-franchise-flower-mound-texas

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

Dickey's Franchisee Backlash - Lawsuits - Disputes - 1851 Franchise

Texas-Based Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Grapples with Franchisee Backlash

dickeys-barbecue-pit-franchisee-lawsuits

Design with person in blazer, with laptop, holding sign that reads "LOOKING FOR A JOB"

Uptick in Jobless Claims Points to Continued Instability in Labor Market

jobless-claims-franchise-growth

Extraordinary Brands Acquires CycleBar and Rumble, Shaking Up Boutique Fitness Franchising

extraordinary-brands-cyclebar-rumble-boxing-acquisition

NJCAR v. Ford - New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

new-jersey-franchise-practices-act-njcar-v-ford

Planet Fitness Franchisees Donate $100K to Support Texas Flood Relief - 1851 Franchise

Planet Fitness Franchisees Donate $100K To Support Texas Flood Relief

planet-fitness-texas-flood-relief

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Cathy Chavenet — Chief Marketing Officer, Paris Baguette

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-cathy-chavenet-chief-marketing-officer-paris-baguette

Mike Revak - Chief Business Officer - Sky Zone - Franchise Marketing Leaders - 1851 Franchise

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Mike Revak — President and Chief Business Officer, Sky Zone

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-mike-revak-chief-business-officer-sky-zone

The Ultimate Guide to Franchising Your Business — Phase 2: Creating the Franchise System — Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD)

the-ultimate-guide-to-franchising-your-business-phase-2-creating-the-franchise-system-franchise-disclosure-document-fdd

Top 25 Franchise Marketing Leaders: Lynlea Rudell — Director of Marketing, Pool Scouts

top-25-franchise-marketing-leaders-lynlea-rudell-director-of-marketing-pool-scouts

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

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

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

1851 Keyword - The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

The Secret To Succeeding With a Part-Time Franchise Is Picking the Right Model

part-time-franchises-picking-the-right-model

"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

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

Navy Veteran and Professional Artist Couple Open Caring Transitions in Texas

Top Players in Franchise Development: Bob Ritter

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS