How did you get into the industry?
We started out in hardwood products industry, but so many of the systems in business are the same. Spudnuts was an iconic donut store originally found in our town. My daughter and I heard it was for sale, so we decided to buy it with the idea of franchising it eventually. Business is business as far as process and procedures, whether it’s hardwood lumber or donuts. Products may be different but the process is the same.
Tell us about some challenges that you’ve faced and/or some successes you have encountered.
Well the success is that we were able to double the business within the first year. That was a good situation. The most difficult thing is hiring people. Trying to find the type of crew that we want to represent our brand. But we now have fantastic employees who take ownership in the product and the process. We are very blessed at this point to have great employees.
Is there anything that you would like to highlight regarding your training and support model?
Our donuts are very hands on. It’s a very particular process and that’s why our donuts are so good. Tadoughs doesn’t have a lot of automation. With that, we will train in the kitchen for 3 weeks with the franchisees, showing them the hands-on methods that make our donuts so delicious. Our franchisees must learn every detail of our process. They need to know and understand exactly what it takes to make the donut, whether they are in the store each day or not. Customer service is just as important as the donut making process. We will spend a lot of time teaching our franchisees what we expect when it comes to dealing with the customer. The third area of training will be understanding business. Not all franchisees have a good grasp on the financials of a business and how to make sure they are profitable.
What does your franchisee do in the business every day?
It will be different for all franchisees. Some will work the night shift in the kitchen making the donuts, some will work the front counter and be the face of the business and yet others may be behind the scenes and do all the bookkeeping for the company. At first, our franchise partners must expect very long days as they learn the process. There is no sugar coating that. Business is hard work to get started.
In your own words, describe the ideal franchisee.
We are looking for someone who is willing to work hard and they must understand that they will need to put in a lot of hard work. They must be very customer service oriented. They must love what they are doing and understand that it takes time and dedication to be successful. There is no easy “get rich quick” scheme. With hard work and dedication our franchisees can make a very nice living owning a Tadoughs franchise.
What are your goals for your company in the future?
We franchised quicker than we anticipated, which was our main goal, and we are excited to have accomplished that goal. Our long- term goal is to expand to more locations and make Tadoughs a household name.
Training and Support
Tadough’s expert support team works with each franchisee to understand and fully grasp how an ideal Tadough franchise should be executed. This will include everything that a franchisee will need, including social media campaigns, network-wide advertising, initial and refresher training, operational support, customer service techniques, and more.
What is the Fee Structure?
Franchise Fee: $35,000
Royalty Fee: 6% of your gross sales
Estimated Initial Investment Range: $213,883 to $378,600 (includes franchise fee)
Exclusive Territory
Each territory will include a defined area and will be documented generally as a population base of 50,000 people.
For more information on the Tadoughs Franchise model, visit the corporate site: www.tadoughsfranchising.com