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Melbourne, Australia

Time to do something different

An Australian Franchisee Case Study

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Jim Albanakis
Crust Gourmet Pizza
Pyrmont, Sydney

Why did you go down the franchise route? And why did you choose Crust Gourmet Pizza franchise?
Crust Gourmet Pizza had a proven track record, expanse and ongoing opportunities which I wanted to jump right on board with. I was confident in the strong brand and knew that I wanted to be part of it.

Before owning the franchise I worked in the automotive industry for leading break down service NRMA NSW but it was time to do something different. Owning my own business meant that I had the freedom of working for myself. With some financial assistance I was well on my way to owning what’s now a very successful business.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?
When I began I received an immense amount of training that was more sufficient to get started. It was exactly what I needed and from there I knew the skills and information to run a successful business.

What is a typical day for you as a Crust Gourmet Pizza franchisee?
A typical day for me is following my routines and set patterns. These can be from checking emails to making sure that the store is functioning properly. My staff and Manager really exceed my expectations and help with the day-to-day needs of the store.

What challenges have you faced?
There have been days where we’ve had an overload of orders to get through. There was one day in particular where we had to work in the dark and it was our busiest day of the year. There’s always things that happen but the key is to prioritize and know that there is always a solution.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of buying their first franchise?
Becoming a franchisee has absolutely changed my life. I’ve learnt how to prioritize in a different format and react to emergencies. The challenges will never go away but I’ve never looked back. My advice to people who are looking at buying their first franchise would be to have a “can-do” attitude and know that things aren’t impossible to achieve. Even in the hardest times there is always an opportunity in disguise.

Any plans for the future?
Our goal is to keep growing the business and chase the targets and dreams that we have in mind. We want to have 10 successful stores by the end of the year where we can grow and meet new people. We’ve only been owners for 5 years and we believe that there are plenty more to come!

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