How I Built a 14-Unit Zaxby's Franchise Doing $50M in Revenue | Ben Little Interview

Ben Little runs the #1 Zaxby’s franchise in the U.S. His company owns 14 locations, employs over 800 people, and generates more than $50M in annual revenue.Ben didn’t just buy into a franchise—he built a powerhouse.In this episode, we dive into what makes a top-performing franchisee, Ben’s approach to scaling, and how he structures deals and financing. We also cover the challenges of managing a large team, the importance of strong leadership, and why he believes that “people don’t quit jobs, they quit managers.”Please enjoy this conversation with Ben Little.----------------------------------------------Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:29 - What am I good at, what am I bad at and why franchising?00:06:59 - Early days: work as a cook and cashier00:14:23 - Going from being independently successful all the way to starting again from the bottom00:24:32 - Finding the best operators with the highest standards00:27:41 - The daily pressure of proving to others that he is the best at what he does00:29:42 - Where does his drive come from?00:32:11 - Competitors visit their stores and leave feeling very disappointed00:35:37 - 4 stores hit $100,000 in weekly sales for the first time00:40:42 - Expanding the business while owning 100% of the real estate00:47:31 - People and companies fail because of undercapitalization00:50:06 - The biggest challenges Ben is facing today while running 14 locations00:56:39 - Going all-in to the operating partner model has been the best decision01:04:40 - "Don't go to zero"-----------------------------------------------Follow Mikk/PrivatEquityGuy on Twitter: https://x.com/PrivatEquityGuyBen on Twitter: https://x.com/TRUmavThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.