No Free Lunch
Hard work is a key ingredient for the owners of four Togo's stores.
After 18 years of working for AT&T doing various technical
jobs, Chris Lindner witnessed a company shake-up, which led to the
breakup of the AT&T offices and made him realize it was time
for a career change. The good news: With some of the money he got
from his voluntary retirement package, he was able to pursue his
childhood dream of business ownership. In 1987, Chris, 53, and his
wife, Joan, 51, purchased a Togo's franchise in Fountain
Valley, California, for $125,000.
Over the years, the couple opened three more locations in
Southern California, including two co-branded Togo's and Baskin
Robbins franchises in Corona and Huntington Beach, and a
stand-alone Togo's in Corona.
It's a family affair at their Fountain Valley location. Joan
takes care of administrative work, while Chris heads up operations,
including training employees, handling the cash, doing repairs-even
making sandwiches. Their two sons also sometimes help run the
shop.
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Although the Lindners manage a smooth operation, with 2004 sales
projections of $2.5 million for their four locations combined,
Chris points out that success as a franchisee doesn't come
without hard work. In fact, he believes that's one of the major
misconceptions about owning a franchise. "Most people think
you must be making a lot of money and don't have to work very
hard," he says. "If you're successful, the financial
reward will be there, but it's well earned. It's no free
ride."
For people considering buying a franchise, Chris suggests,
"Do your homework. Go out and investigate. Talk to other
franchisees who are in that particular company you want to [join]
so you can totally understand what you are getting into."