Army veteran Connor O’Brien had recently left his job in finance and was deciding what he wanted to do next. He was working on starting his own company when a friend told him about an available Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co. territory in Utah.
The idea initially caught him off guard. O’Brien had spent his career in the military and finance, and he had little experience with an event-based business that sold craft soda. His opinion changed after he attended FanX in Salt Lake City and watched the Wild Bill’s team work one of its largest events in Utah.
“I was floored,” O’Brien said. “The operation, how they ran things, the numbers and the team were all great. What really sold me was the team they have working at the franchisor level.”
O’Brien had a connection to Wild Bill’s through a college friend who had previously worked with the company, but he wanted to see how the business worked before deciding. Wild Bill’s operated FanX as a corporate event because the brand did not have a franchise owner in Utah at the time. O’Brien watched the team run the stand and saw firsthand the sales the event could generate. He also got an early look at the people he would work with if he bought the territory.
“The numbers are one thing on a single event, but what really locked it in and sold me on it was the backend support that you get from the franchisor,” O’Brien said. “Wild Bill’s really goes above and beyond at the corporate level to help you be successful, help you transition and start up.”
That support mattered to O’Brien because he was entering a business he had never operated before. He wanted to know that he could call the corporate team with a question about an event or another part of the operation and get help when he needed it.
O’Brien graduated from West Point and was commissioned as a U.S. Army infantry officer in 2010. He completed multiple rotations overseas before leaving the military, attending business school and eventually working for his family’s finance company.
His family’s finances played a role in his decision to buy the Wild Bill’s territory. O’Brien and his wife had a young child and another baby on the way, while his wife was taking time away from work to care for their children. He wanted to limit how much money he put at risk as he started the business.
Wild Bill’s offers qualified veterans a 50% discount on the franchise fee. O’Brien said the discount did not determine his decision, but cutting that expense made the investment easier for his family to handle.
“It was a very big comfort and cushion upfront,” he said. “You can finance the franchise fee, you can take out loans, but the interest rate market right now is not conducive to borrowing money. Little amounts add up and they matter. They matter a lot.”
The Wild Bill’s model itself helps keep another major expense out of the equation. Franchisees operate branded mobile stands at fairs, festivals, conventions and other events rather than opening permanent beverage shops. Owners therefore do not have to take on the real estate and buildout expenses associated with a traditional brick-and-mortar food and beverage concept. The mobile format also puts much of the owner’s attention on preparing for events, managing inventory, staffing the stand and serving customers.
The mobile model gave O’Brien another reason to feel comfortable with the investment. Without a fixed location and its associated expenses, he saw less risk and more freedom to pursue events wherever the opportunities made sense.
“I’m not tied to one fixed location. There’s less of a capital outlay because of that,” O’Brien said. “I think it’s been the best thing ever because I’ve got complete autonomy on where I go and what events I do. If you’re tied to a fixed brick-and-mortar location, you do not have that flexibility. Both from a capital outlay standpoint and from a market standpoint, [it’s] very advantageous.”
As a Utah franchisee, O’Brien can choose events within his market or travel to events in other states, such as Montana.
O’Brien believes veterans considering a franchise should spend time learning about the company behind the business model. Financial projections and available markets matter, but he also recommends finding out how the franchisor works with its franchise owners after they sign.
Prospective owners should also take a close look at the market they plan to enter. O’Brien learned in the Army that a plan can change once someone sees what is actually happening on the ground, and he applies the same thinking to his business.
“There’s the saying from the Army, ‘Don’t fight the plan, fight the fight,’” O’Brien said. “Your plan is one thing, but the situation on the ground in your market is something different. You’ve got to adjust to that.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills.
Wild Bill's Craft Beverage Company
The West Point graduate was looking for his next business opportunity when a friend introduced him to Wild Bill’s and an available territory in Utah.
Army veteran Connor O’Brien had recently left his job in finance and was deciding what he wanted to do next. He was working on starting his own company when a friend told him about an available Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co. territory in Utah.
The idea initially caught him off guard. O’Brien had spent his career in the military and finance, and he had little experience with an event-based business that sold craft soda. His opinion changed after he attended FanX in Salt Lake City and watched the Wild Bill’s team work one of its largest events in Utah.
“I was floored,” O’Brien said. “The operation, how they ran things, the numbers and the team were all great. What really sold me was the team they have working at the franchisor level.”
O’Brien had a connection to Wild Bill’s through a college friend who had previously worked with the company, but he wanted to see how the business worked before deciding. Wild Bill’s operated FanX as a corporate event because the brand did not have a franchise owner in Utah at the time. O’Brien watched the team run the stand and saw firsthand the sales the event could generate. He also got an early look at the people he would work with if he bought the territory.
“The numbers are one thing on a single event, but what really locked it in and sold me on it was the backend support that you get from the franchisor,” O’Brien said. “Wild Bill’s really goes above and beyond at the corporate level to help you be successful, help you transition and start up.”
That support mattered to O’Brien because he was entering a business he had never operated before. He wanted to know that he could call the corporate team with a question about an event or another part of the operation and get help when he needed it.
O’Brien graduated from West Point and was commissioned as a U.S. Army infantry officer in 2010. He completed multiple rotations overseas before leaving the military, attending business school and eventually working for his family’s finance company.
His family’s finances played a role in his decision to buy the Wild Bill’s territory. O’Brien and his wife had a young child and another baby on the way, while his wife was taking time away from work to care for their children. He wanted to limit how much money he put at risk as he started the business.
Wild Bill’s offers qualified veterans a 50% discount on the franchise fee. O’Brien said the discount did not determine his decision, but cutting that expense made the investment easier for his family to handle.
“It was a very big comfort and cushion upfront,” he said. “You can finance the franchise fee, you can take out loans, but the interest rate market right now is not conducive to borrowing money. Little amounts add up and they matter. They matter a lot.”
The Wild Bill’s model itself helps keep another major expense out of the equation. Franchisees operate branded mobile stands at fairs, festivals, conventions and other events rather than opening permanent beverage shops. Owners therefore do not have to take on the real estate and buildout expenses associated with a traditional brick-and-mortar food and beverage concept. The mobile format also puts much of the owner’s attention on preparing for events, managing inventory, staffing the stand and serving customers.
The mobile model gave O’Brien another reason to feel comfortable with the investment. Without a fixed location and its associated expenses, he saw less risk and more freedom to pursue events wherever the opportunities made sense.
“I’m not tied to one fixed location. There’s less of a capital outlay because of that,” O’Brien said. “I think it’s been the best thing ever because I’ve got complete autonomy on where I go and what events I do. If you’re tied to a fixed brick-and-mortar location, you do not have that flexibility. Both from a capital outlay standpoint and from a market standpoint, [it’s] very advantageous.”
As a Utah franchisee, O’Brien can choose events within his market or travel to events in other states, such as Montana.
O’Brien believes veterans considering a franchise should spend time learning about the company behind the business model. Financial projections and available markets matter, but he also recommends finding out how the franchisor works with its franchise owners after they sign.
Prospective owners should also take a close look at the market they plan to enter. O’Brien learned in the Army that a plan can change once someone sees what is actually happening on the ground, and he applies the same thinking to his business.
“There’s the saying from the Army, ‘Don’t fight the plan, fight the fight,’” O’Brien said. “Your plan is one thing, but the situation on the ground in your market is something different. You’ve got to adjust to that.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills.
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