Black MBA - Spring 2008 - (Page 95)

Paul Hubbard – Papa John’s pizza tive training and Captain D’s seafood training. “Franchising is usually a better way of being successful in business, because they have a cookie cutter approach,” he continues, “so, you can get a lot of good guidance and counseling by following the franchise process.” Even with his extensive restaurant experience, establishing a brand presence for Papa John’s in Detroit was no easy task. Michigan is home to the headquarters of two major pizza players, Little Caesars and Domino’s Pizza, and several individually owned restaurants with large followings. The city itself is plagued by industrial decline and housing market woes. Nonetheless, Papa John’s International, Inc. and Hubbard’s Alpha Restaurant Group, LLC saw opportunity in the Motor City, and in April 2007 they formed a joint venture, which calls for a build-out to 30 restaurants over the next six years. So far, two of the planned restaurants are open for business and brightening blighted urban areas with their new buildings, signage and jobs. Detroit is one of Papa John’s enterprise zones; areas that were missed in the company’s rapid expansion to 3,000 stores from the 300 restaurants it first went public with in 1993. Albany, Buffalo, Boston, Chicago and the entire states of California, Connecticut and New Jersey also are among the pizza company’s next target locations. Hubbard says the types of jobs the stores create are a good fit for area residents – precisely because of some of its challenges. When companies bring in skilled jobs, many of the people who need work the most don’t qualify. “We’re able to get people with basic skills and train them in just two or three days… and they become very good employees,” he says. The pizza company’s delivery service is also a good fit for Detroit where transportation can be difficult and gas prices are high. PAUL HUBBARD SERVES up fast food – and encouragement – daily. The restaurant industry veteran takes service to customers, employees and the broader community seriously and relishes the chance to buoy people’s spirits in ways small and large. His voicemail message urges callers to “eat properly, stay healthy and stay focused on getting something accomplished today.” And he defines business success in terms of the people he’s helped – not the money he earns. “I am most proud of our managers who, basically, have been single young ladies that are trying to raise kids,” Hubbard says. “They’ve been able to run the business and implement our policies. You can see with them a sense of pride, and they feel that they have moved up a level in life… and they have.” That community mindedness is part of what attracted Papa John’s International, Inc. to Hubbard when it sought a partner to extend its footprint into the Detroit area and enhance its diversity strategy. Hubbard’s business acumen, restaurant background, Detroit contacts and interest in Papa John’s pizza were other parts of the equation, according to Thomas Flaherty, Vice President of New Business Development at Papa John’s International, Inc. Indeed, Hubbard’s fast food resume extends back 20 years and reads like a culinary tour with stops at Burger King’s Whopper college, Little Caesars pizza training, Church’s Chicken execu- Paul Hubbard’s Site Selection Dos and Don’ts DO look at income levels. It used to be that you could locate a fast food restaurant anywhere and you’d be able to make money. Now that gas is $3 [and more] a gallon, the extra money people used to stop and get something to eat with is now in the gas tank. You can operate in a low-income area but just make sure it’s not too low. DO look at traffic patterns both on the highway and road and also in the neighborhood as far as walk-in traffic. Can people get in and out of the site easily? You also need to be able to look at [traffic times and patterns]. Some areas may be a ghost town after 4 p.m., so you have to make sure you have traffic until at least 9 p.m. DO consider the side of the street you are located. You want to be on the “going home side,” particularly if it’s a busy street, because early in the morning you aren’t going to get too many people. DO assess the security situation. If you don’t feel secure, you may have to hire guards and that kind of thing. DO make sure there are people who you can hire from the area. DON’T overlook buying habits. There are sites that seem like all of the factors are there but they don’t work out because of socioeconomics. For example, the neighborhood may not like chicken or fish for some reason. There may be a lot of young people who don’t buy certain things. There may be too many people who prefer to cook at home. BlackMBA • Spring 2008 95

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Black MBA - Spring 2008

Black MBA - Spring 2008 Passion, Purpose and Power Contents Web Browsing From the President & CEO Up Front Advertising for Change CEO to CEO: Straight Talk with Barbara L. Thomas and Renetta McCann The New Executive Search Wealth Building: A Head Start on Investing and Saving Young Continuing Education: Lifelong Learning is Easier than You Think Making Good: Catching up with some of NBMBAA’s 2007 Scholarship Winners On Campus: Universities Win Grants to Fight Poverty Public Service: Does Your MBA Fit in the Government Sector? Bridge Building: Make a Career of Giving Back Steady Speed: Kim Harris Jones Shares what Drives a Successful Auto Industry Career Financial Planning: A New Way to Work Your MBA Global Focus: Keeping up with the Competition Clock On the Move: Member News, Promotions and More Industry Focus: Biotechnology, Energy, Food & Beverage, Global Media and Entertainment Employer Profiles: Campbell Soup, FINRA Financial Finesse: Denise Hales Harrod and CompuCredit Advocate for the Financially Underserved Creating Lasting Change: GE Impacts Quality of Life in Africa William W. Wells Jr.: Finding Strength in Diversity Leaders of Tomorrow® Community Service Program: NBMBAA® and Wal-Mart Partner to Reward Students Who Give Back Reaching Out: NBMBAA® Chapters Give Back to Their Local Communities How To… Buy a Franchise: Understanding the Basics of Acquiring a Franchise After the Gridiron: Keith Sims – Dunkin’ Donuts Franchise Confidential: Paul Hubbard – Papa John’s pizza Strength Through Adversity: Bob and Hortense Bobbitt – McDonald’s On the Ground Floor: Valerie Daniels-Carter – Pizza Hut, Burger King, Auntie Anne’s Use Your Superstar Status: Black Entrepreneurs Break into Japanese Economy Marketing Maven: Odyssey Media Entrepreneur Linda Spradley Dunn Staying the Course: Black Marathoners Share Lessons from the Race Relationship Forum: Soul-Mate Strategies for the Career-Minded Vacations that Matter: Travel to Make a Difference Advertisers Index

Black MBA - Spring 2008

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