1851

<div id="pastingspan1" style="">Slim Chickens franchise owner, Mark Smith was exposed to the restaurant industry from a very young age. Mark&#8217;s father started working for McDonald&#8217;s when they launched and watched as his father spent his college tuition savings on a new Burger King location. At the age of 15, Mark got a job as the &#8220;fry guy&#8221; at one of his dad&#8217;s franchise locations. He moved through the system and has only gained a stronger passion and respect for the industry. Mark tells us about his key to success and the excitement of starting a new venture.</div><div style="">&nbsp;</div><div style=""><strong>1851 Franchise</strong>: You transitioned from the &#8220;fry guy,&#8221; to a busser, a bartender and now a franchise owner. What has holding all of these different positions taught you about the industry?</div><div style="">&nbsp;</div><div style=""><strong>Mark Smith</strong>: Everything is interconnected. I learned the process from the inside-out and because of this am capable of understanding any situation. I understand the hourly worker&#8217;s needs, the employer&#8217;s needs and how the requirements from the corporate office intertwine at a franchise level. I know how the decisions are made and how everything works through the chain of command. It&#8217;s really helped me see the whole picture.</div><div style="">&nbsp;</div><div style=""><strong>1851</strong>: What were your initial perceptions of the franchising process?</div><div style="">&nbsp;</div><div style=""><strong>MS</strong>: My perception has always been positive because I&#8217;ve always worked with franchises. I started working with Burger King when I was a kid, transitioned to Subway and then worked at a few fine dining restaurants throughout Cincinnati. I feel like a lot of people who don&#8217;t work in the industry think there&#8217;s a negative stigma attached to franchising. Supporting local businesses has become such a statement. I&#8217;ve always looked at franchising as a positive influence in any community because franchises are proven business models. Local owners can draw off of that experience and work together with other communities to build something stand-alone businesses might not have the opportunity to support. Having all of those voices and the corporate input along with a positive influence from other franchisees helps build a brand perception that can resonate on a local level.</div><div style="">&nbsp;</div><div style=""><strong>1851</strong>: Why did you choose to become a franchisee with Slim Chickens over other fast-casual restaurants?</div><div style="">&nbsp;</div><div style=""><strong>MS</strong>: Cincinnati has a lot of established restaurants but they&#8217;re unoriginal concepts. Restaurants with a sole purpose of serving chicken tenders are new developments in southern Ohio, but the concepts that have broken into the market are doing really well. There are quite a few of our competitors in Lexington and a handful in Columbus but there really isn&#8217;t a lot of competition in Cincinnati. Slim Chickens was a perfect fit because it&#8217;s a marketable strategy in a growing segment. All of the pieces really fell together.</div><div style="">&nbsp;</div><div><strong>1851</strong>: What was it about franchising that kept you interested in the industry?</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><strong>MS</strong>: It wasn&#8217;t franchising in particular, it was restaurants. When I was born, my dad always told me he was going to put money into a savings account for me. Instead, he took that money and opened a Burger King. My entire life I&#8217;ve watched what he&#8217;s done to build a successful business and have been a part of the process first hand. I knew I wanted to be a restaurant owner because I&#8217;ve been exposed to the upsides and the downsides of ownership. Knowing I can handle the challenge makes jumping in less intimidating. As far as franchising, it gives me the opportunity to bring something new and different to Cincinnati without reinventing the wheel. I knew I wanted to find a company with a solid foundation and then build a business around that image. I&#8217;m excited to get started.</div><div id="pastingspan1" style=""></div>

1851 Franchise

Slim Chickens franchisee Mark Smith tells us how growing up in the industry sparked a life-long passion.

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

Young Franchisees to Know: Mark Smith     

young-franchisees-to-know-mark-smith

HomeTeam Inspection Service

Good Day Columbus: Home Insurance Expert Reveals Why Central Ohio Premiums Are Rising and How to Combat Costs

rising-home-insurance-costs-ohio

CapitalSpring

Primetime Fitness Expands Crunch Portfolio With CapitalSpring’s Backing

primetime-fitness-expands-crunch-portfolio-with-capitalsprings-backing

Children's Lighthouse

How Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees Scale to Multiple Locations

how-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees-scale-to-multiple-locations

Express Employment Professionals

Betting on Himself: How Chris Brown Built an Express Employment Professionals Franchise From the Ground Up

betting-on-himself-how-chris-brown-built-an-express-employment-professionals-franchise-from-the-ground-up

Comfort Keepers

Comfort Keepers® Named One of America’s Best Home-Care Providers

comfort-keepers-named-one-of-americas-best-home-care-providers

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

Potbelly to be Acquired by RaceTrac in $566 Million Deal 

racetrac-acquires-potbelly-in-566-million-deal

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities - 1851 Franchise Agg

Health Care Hiring Slowdown Highlights In-Home Care Franchise Opportunities 

health-care-hiring-slowdown-in-home-care-franchise-opportunities

Caribou Coffee Names Scott Kennedy CEO, Eyes Continued Growth

caribou-coffee-names-scott-kennedy-ceo-eyes-continued-growth

McDonald’s Launches New Extra Value Meals as Consumer Demand for Value Continues to Climb

mcdonalds-launches-extra-value-meals

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

DevHub - Meet the Supplier - 1851 Franchise

DevHub: Scalable Digital Marketing for Franchises and Multi-Location Brands

devhub-meet-the-supplier

What It Really Feels Like To Franchise Your Business

what-it-really-feels-like-to-franchise-your-business

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

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

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

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

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

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

1851 Franchise Deep Dive graphic with Sparkle Squad logo

Sparkle Squad Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-sparkle-squad-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

Design with school-aged child standing on pencil with text "Education Franchises" and "<$500K"

Top Education Franchises Under $500K To Explore in 2025

top-education-franchises-under-500k

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

Multi-Unit Wendy’s Operator Signs 12-Unit Deal With Layne’s Chicken Fingers

ricki-oberoi-laynes-chicken-fingers-growth

Young Franchisees to Know: Mark Smith

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS