To become an entrepreneur , you need to have the makings of a boss! That’s why the New School Tacos brand ensures that every prospective franchisee is entrepreneurial, before providing them with all the tools they need to develop their project. Profiles ready to embark on multi-franchising are welcome. Case study.
Not just anyone can become an entrepreneur. Or rather, everyone has their own approach to business: between those who dream of a business that covers their financial needs, and those who have more ambitious plans and seek economic performance above all else. The New School Tacos franchise understands this. That’s why, for each candidate who applies to join the network, she first defines his or her entrepreneurial profile.
Yves Gaspard is Development Director. He spends a lot of time with future partners to better understand their backgrounds and aspirations. With a central question: how did they become entrepreneurs? I wonder about their purpose,” he explains. Candidate operators will be looking for pro/perso balanceA candidate investor will want to diversify his risk and work in a multi-site environment. Another will want to develop within his own region, while the opposite is true of those looking for professional mobility. All these elements need to be defined on the basis of a questionnaire, which will enable us to outline the expectations of the future franchisee.
In September, the cursor will be pushed a notch further with the introduction of the “Disc” color test to better understand the personality of the person you’re talking to. It’s a way of defining your capacity to be an entrepreneur, but more than that, it’s also a way of finding out your psychological profile, so you know whether you’re more likely to be picky, proactive or an ambassador, for example,” adds Yves Gaspard. What’s more, it will also form the basis for the post-opening relationship in the way we interact with the candidate. “Because it’s also a question of ensuring that New School Tacos’ values and projects correlate with those of the candidate. “Even in difficult times, the things that bring us together must be more important than the things that separate us,” says Yves Gaspard. The marriage between franchisor and franchisee must be a success, just as the success of the project must be a success!
Transparent exchanges
To give franchisees every chance of success, New School Tacos invites new partners to its headquarters in Toulouse for a discovery day. They spend two hours with co-founders Anthony Mazzone and Selim Jaouadi, chatting live with them. “We’re a family-run business, and we place a great deal of importance on this close, agile relationship,” says Yves Gaspard.
They then learn about the entire organization and methodology of the New School Tacos franchise. They receive invaluable advice on banking plans, market research, location… in other words, all the steps leading up to the opening of the restaurant. Future partners also benefit from a range of services, such as contact with a chartered accountant or recruitment support.
Of course, training is also provided, both operational and theoretical, at the pilot site and at head office. After the establishment’s inauguration, it will be complemented by a dual training program in management techniques and leadership.
Entrepreneurship: supporting large-scale projects
Another key service to help entrepreneurs succeed is communication. “When you open a restaurant, you’re rarely a marketer or a communicator. But in a world where digital technology is in upheaval, you need to be able to understand these issues,” says Anthony Papadimitriu, the company’s marketing director.
That’s why at New School Tacos, a team of five people supports all franchisees in building their reputation and in their day-to-day communications. This involves national communication, particularly digital, but also taking into account local communication needs. For example, if the city where a New School Tacos restaurant is located is hosting a major festival, how can you join in the festivities? What special operations can you put in place? The aim is to raise the restaurant’s profile so that it becomes a benchmark in the region…
Then why not set course for another address? As Yves Gaspard pointed out, this was one of the first points discussed with the candidate: does he plan to open several New School Tacos restaurants? It’s a possibility we look at from the very first discussions with the future franchisee, because the size of their project will also depend on their desires and financial capacities,” confirms the Development Director. When the entrepreneur is ready to renew the operation and open another establishment, we support him in this evolution of his posture, on the management of the business unit for example, so that he has the management tools necessary for this development.”
In other words, New School Tacos rewards candidates ready to launch multi-site operations, with a sliding scale of entry fees and royalties. In fact, half the company’s franchisees own at least two establishments.
