D OM I N A T O R S By Debbie Selinsky
B-Different!
Building success by trusting his instincts
O
ne of Charles Haney’s favorite things about his new Burger 21 restaurant in Voorhees, N.J., is a wall sign that he believes lists all the best ways to succeed. One, he says, defines who he is: “B-different.” “When I was thinking about franchising, I’d looked at several systems, but when I went into a Melting Pot restaurant in California, everything—the food and nonfood features—felt right. It was different from anything else out there. It spoke to me,” he says. “When I went down to see the franchisor in Florida, that felt right too, because we shared the same passion and enthusiasm for the brand.” In 2007, Haney, a Boston native who sold his RainSoft water treatment company in Rhode Island after 10 years, opened a Melting Pot fondue restaurant in Atlantic City—and, along with his wife Wendy and their children, moved to New Jersey, her home state. Haney, who describes himself as a people person who believes that human capital is the key to success in business, was not deterred by the economic downturn that hit just as he was starting his new venture. Combining his energy and natural salesName: Charles Haney Title: President Company: ABL Brands Inc. No. of units: 1 The Melting Pot, 1 Burger 21, 1 Rodizio Grill Age: 35 Family: Wife Wendy; children
Adam, Brandon, and Leah (as in ABL Brands)
Years in franchising: 6 Years in current position: 6
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Multi-Unit Franchisee Is s ue IV, 2013