Millennials in Franchising
Pushing Franchising Boundaries Kathryn and John Chayka find early success with 12 Wendy’s franchise locations BY JORDAN WHITEHOUSE
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magine becoming the franchisee of 12 Wendy’s restaurants and not yet hitting your 30th birthday. It makes sense that an outsider might get confused about your role within the company. That kind of success isn’t supposed to happen that early. “There are days when I’m in meetings and people think that my manager is the owner and I’m the manager,” says 25-year-old Kathryn Chayka with a laugh. But no matter, it doesn’t really bother her or husband John, 28. They have bigger things to worry about, like adding two more Wendy’s locations to their roster this year and renovating another. Like leading hundreds of
employees at those 12 locations between Burlington and Fort Erie, Ontario. Like making sure that entire team feels valued. “Any time you take over a business, there’s always some people who are leery about what the future may hold,” says John. Especially when it was only in June 2015 when the Chaykas acquired those 12 locations. But communication is key, he adds. “They don’t want to just come into work and punch the clock. They want to understand what we’re about and how we’re doing things. So the more transparent you can be, the more they’ll want to be a part of what you’re doing.”
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