S9 E1: How Adam Saxton Turned McAlister’s Deli Into an Unstoppable Franchise Beast

You’ll never be able to operate 90+ franchises if your first franchise isn’t golden to begin with. Take it from Adam Saxton, operator of over 90+ McAlister’s Delis and co-CEO/Owner of the Saxton Group. With territories in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, Adam chats with the Wolf about his unusual philosophy for franchise expansion, including a unique organic unit model development approach entailing zero acquisitions. With over 20 years in the fast-casual space, Adam reveals why he remains optimistic about the ROI potential in this industry and explains how his family's background in restaurant franchising influenced his decision to join McAlister's Deli. How has he managed to maintain slow and steady growth since his first bought unit in 1999? Discover the importance of building a strong culture and brand within your organization, and how investing in internal development leads to long-term success. Adam discusses the growth opportunities that come with expanding your franchise and the value of promoting from within. Plus, what are Adam’s perspectives on investment levels and the potential return on capital for first-time franchisees? Tune in now to find out!    00:00:00 - Locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas 00:00:30 - Adam Joins Family Restaurant Business 00:08:17 - Organic Growth Strategy of the Saxton Group 00:11:46 - Community Outreach Boosts McAlister's Brand 00:13:34 - Fostering Growth and Opportunity at McAlister’s 00:17:13 - Franchisees Expand with New Brands 00:18:45 - Saxton Group Acquires Jaggers 00:22:29 - Staying Optimistic in the Fast Casual Industry 00:26:49 - Investment Returns for New Franchisees 00:32:54 - Room to Grow for McAlister’s   Follow Adam:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgsaxton/   Follow The Wolf:  Newsletter: https://workweek.com/brand/the-wolf-of-franchises/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewolfoffranchises Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf Website: https://www.krokit.com   And for exclusive insider content, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel.   Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com.   And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!

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Most startups are doomed to fail. But there’s an alternative route to financial freedom for hungry entrepreneurs. One that involves far less risk, far more work-life balance, and just as much profit. Franchises. Franchise Empires gives aspiring franchise owners the playbook to build a multi-unit franchise empire of their own. Every episode we hear from guests who are building their franchise empire: Franchisees who started with one unit and aren’t stopping until they get to dozens, hundreds, or even thousands more locations. Hosted by The Wolf, you’ll hear exactly how to turn your ambition into tangible actions and take your first steps up the franchise ladder. We’ll break down the steps you need to take open your first franchise, your second location and beyond, along with the many pitfalls to avoid. Wolf answers all your questions about owning and running your franchise, and interviews guests with first hand experience like Greg Flynn, the multi-billion dollar restaurant franchisee, Jamie Weeks, the largest OrangeTheory franchisee in the world who’s launching his own fitness franchise SweatHouz, and Jason McGowan, Co-founder and CEO of Crumbl cookies. Want to get started on your franchise owning journey? Tune in every Tuesday for a new episode. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Interested in participating as a guest at Franchise Empires? Submit your request here!