", Charles Watson was named CEO in December 2018. The best smoothie in terms of sales actually going on right now is our Mango Berry Cosmo. Jan 2010 - Nov 20155 years 11 months. Right now we have a BLT quesadilla. Here's how CEO Charles Watson did it. Tell us a bit about Camp Sunshine, about the partnership there, what you want people to know about it, and ways people can help support it. Since that time, he has led the company on its quest towards $1billion in sales by 2023. 770-580-2333, Bold Women in the C-Suite: Cheryl Fletcher, Connect with People Who Have More Experience: Interview with Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Tropical Smoothie Cafe Celebrates Spring With The Return Of Superfruit Smoothies. Nobody knew what was going to happen. Knowing that those essential workers are not only in the healthcare fields, weve also extended our giving to grocery store, warehouse and post office employees. In my case, because I already had nearly a decade with Tropical Smoothie Cafe on the franchise development side, I had the unique advantage of personal relationships with our franchise community. . So were a brand thats going to be close to pushing a 3:1 investment ratio. So Ive got to get them in while I can. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. This strategic expansion has reinforced its industry-leading position and set the stage for 2023 and beyond. Tropical Smoothie Cafe's Profile, Revenue and Employees. Mark serves on the board of the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives. Watson has more than 10 years of experience with Tropical Smoothie Cafe and led our franchise development efforts since 2010. Total investment for a new cafe opening ranges between $246,500 and $580,500. Prior to being named CEO in 2018, Charles served as the chief development officer for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. As a brand, we strive for excellence in service and creating a culture of hospitality for our business no matter which location you visit, and this year we're prioritizing them even further by enhancing pillars of our hospitality-centric culture and the technology we use to create convenience for our guests in order to reinforce our position as the leader in our segment. charles watson tropical smoothie net worth And the other misconception, whether you think its uber healthy or not so healthy, is that you, the consumer, the guest have all the choice in the world. For me, its about really making sure that those DMAs [distinct market areas] or those different cities are all well represented and well connected so that our brand can compete in those different cities. The chain plans on opening an astonishing 200 locations this year alone, which will mean its opening its 1000threstaurant. Luckily in my first two years as CEO, we continued to expand the footprint of the brand, and increase brand awareness, drive profitability for our franchisees and drive our comp sales. Thats a smoothie that has pineapple, strawberries, and white chocolate and coconut. The role employees play in setting the customer experience in the restaurant. Based on our fiscal year ending 12/26/2021 and includes 768 Restaurants that were open for at least 12 months as of 12/26/2021. In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of franchise development, real estate, design and construction and franchise administration and helped grow the system from 265 open units to 725 open units. This information appears in Item 19 of our Franchise Disclosure Document. Why The IFA Convention Is A Cant-Miss Event For Anyone In Franchising, The Automated Dumpling Restaurant Franchise That Could Turn Quick Service Dining On Its Head. I started working at a young age and because of my early drive, have been involved in a variety of industries and performed many different jobs. Michael brings 20 years of foundational IT skills and core functions of digital knowledge critical to shaping our journey to reach guests via innovative technologies. While our projected 2020 growth might take a step back due to the coronavirus, I believe our approach to navigating through this will help us emerge quickly once it passes.". 770-580-2333, NRN Editors Discuss Digital Engagement with CMO Deborah von Kutzleben, In Her Own Words: Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisees gain Cheryl Fletchers support, Tropical Smoothie Cafe Opens First Double Drive-Thru Location. So just one shy of 100. I lean into that so that our employees can feel good about what they do.. If you are a resident of or want to locate a franchise in one of these states, we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your state. Right now Im on a Mango Berry Cosmo kick. If your Franchised Business includes a drive-thru, the additional expense (including the cost of leasehold improvements, restaurant fixtures and equipment, and other costs) would be approximately $35,000 to $45,000. What are the brands plans for expansion and are you eyeing an international presence? I may have been, in fact, the person responsible for awarding them a franchise! I and/or my business partner(s) have the following financials, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC CEO Charles Watson, along with his leadership team, will be hosting an informative event at the franchised Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Dallas-Fort Worth, located at 760 Airport Freeway, Suite 400 . At the end of the day, we are a restaurant company and how great our food and smoothies are determines [success]. There is no assurance that you will do as well. Its a fantastic organization that weve enjoyed immensely being part of. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Pete served as the Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance/Risk Officer at Popeyes for over 10 years and has extensive experience handling corporate transactions, both in-house and in private practice. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about supporting the franchise systems sustainable growth, the success of its franchisees, and the execution of the brands Inspire Better mission. Day-to-day I would say my favorite is the Avocolada Smoothie. The average tropical smoothie franchise owner s salary/pay is estimated to be $126,000 per year, based on an average net revenue of $1,009,803 and a profit margin of 15%. Richard Key serves as the Chief Operations Officer, responsible for overseeing the operations team and its support and training of the Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise community. Ill start with the fact that I believe that convenience is king. Its not just: We have snacks! We have a full-on robust kitchen thats preparing fresh products. The way [Tropical Smoothie Cafe works in markets], we work the suburbs and the outskirts, and move our way into cities. Communicate deeply. Pete Ward advises Tropical Smoothie Cafe on all legal and business matters, including franchising, real estate, labor and employment, litigation, intellectual property, licensing, and other commercial matters. Tropical Smoothie Caf Income Statement Key Insights-Analysis based off Predecessor 2020-Overall, Tropical Smoothie Caf is a profitable business, with a net income of $7.6 million in 2020. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about . Drain-Net Technologies. And theyre in their communities. *$1,009,803 System Wide Average Net Revenues. So I think theres a misconception with some brands that, for example a Slurpee, its not at all a Slurpee, its absolutely whole real fruit, ice, water, very basic items. Start to Finish: What Inspires Execs | September 14, 2022 | QSR Staff. Sure. And it has also driven franchise development and growth, so more units coming out. Thats why food and smoothie innovation is so important, its to keep things fresh and to make sure that our guests are getting exciting things to be able to see and try. We figured a good person to ask might be the CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Charles Watson. He is directly responsible for selling more than 800 franchises. In July 2018, I was named interim CEO, and then permanent in December 2018.". For more information about owning a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise, complete our form! Watson has been with Tropical Smoothie Cafe for many years now, so he has seen the growth up close. Charles recently joined his team in celebrating the opening of the 1,000th Tropical Smoothie Cafe location. *$1,009,803 System Wide Average Net Revenues. In her role as Chief Development Officer, Cheryl drives the brands franchise development sales, real estate and design and construction. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson Tells Us Everything About The Franchise - Exclusive Interview. The company's goal is to . Based on our fiscal year ending 12/26/2021 and includes 768 Restaurants that were open for at least 12 months as of 12/26/2021. 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200 770-580-2333 Every day is a day to celebrate at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, with all the success were having. And its the high quality food. Watson:"I wanted to further instill a franchisee-first mentality. And so thats one of my favorites. New York State Disclaimer: This advertisement is not an offering. Tropical Smoothie Cafe is rounding out yet another year of impressive growth. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Pete served as the Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance/Risk Officer at Popeyes for over 10 years and has extensive experience handling corporate transactions, both in-house and in private practice. Our relationships are founded on trust and respect for the unique talents of our teams, franchisees, and vendors alike. This is a BETA experience. Richard Key serves as the Chief Operations Officer, responsible for overseeing the operations team and its support and training of the Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise community. We look forward to realizing Charles vision for the company.. Passion and brand vision continue to guide the way. If you don't have a Tropical Smoothie Cafe near your home yet, just wait a bit. Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC, 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200, Atlanta, GA 30338. Im a football lover. What was your plan for the first 90 days? It is the food. From my VP of development officer to today as CEO, Ive been passionate about the brands vision. In todays restaurant industry, consumers are always looking for the next trendy item or the next emerging concept. While we had always involved franchisees, I felt it needed to be formalized and more visible to our franchise system. One of the biggest expenses seen in the income statement is $12 million spent in . Its only here until August. This information is not intended as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy a franchise. Michael Lapid joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe in October of 2019 to the role of Chief Information and Digital Officer. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Pete served as the Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance/Risk Officer at Popeyes for over 10 years and has extensive experience handling corporate transactions, both in-house and in private practice. By Jonathan Maze on Apr. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota (File No. CALIFORNIA DISCLAIMER: THESE FRANCHISES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE FRANCHISE INVESTMENT LAW OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. An offering can only be made by prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Atlanta, GA. Richard Key serves as the Chief Operations Officer, responsible for overseeing the operations team and its support and training of the Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise community. 1117 Perimeter Center West, Suite W200 We have three tenets in how we serve our Franchise Owners. Over the next five years, our goals are to reach 1,500 cafes open across the U.S., with over 18% profitability for our franchisees on average volumes in excess of $1M, all with very high operational satisfaction for our guests. Michael brings 20 years of foundational IT skills and core functions of digital knowledge critical to shaping our journey to reach guests via innovative technologies. The impact of the more formalized committees we have set up, and the close connection I have with TFC has gotten the system more comfortable with my style and thinking, and I believe, since trust is earned, I still have a long way to go, but am off to a good start. Prior to that, he was named Chief Development Officer in 2015 after serving as VP of Franchise Development since 2010. Charles Watson:"Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, I worked for several hotel and hospitality-centric companies, including Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Intercontinental Hotels Group, US Franchise Systems, Inc. and Hospitality Real Estate Counselors. CHARLES WATSON: Sure, absolutely. Youre paying for a premium product. I would say Im absolutely not opposed to being in all 50 states. An offering can only be made by prospectus filed first with the Department of Law of the State of New York. New York State Disclaimer: This advertisement is not an offering. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson admits that his brand isn't always at the leading edge when it comes to technology innovation. I have a lot of people that inspire me daily, but I really do think that my parents inspired me to be the leader I am today. final four 2022 euroleague tickets. In that role, he was responsible for all aspects of franchise development, real estate, design and construction and franchise administration and helped grow the system from 265 open units to 725 open units. Show all. A veteran franchise professional, Charles has worked for several hospitality-related companies including Intercontinental Hotels Group and US Franchise Systems. Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Tropical Smoothie Cafe CEO Charles Watson has been with the company for more than 10 years and is passionate about supporting the franchise system's sustainable growth, the success of its franchisees, and the . So its got a little bit of indulgence to it. Von Kutzleben most recently served as vice president of brand strategy, advertising and menu at Arbys. Its tough. We really call Tropical Smoothie Cafe a street corner business. Early in his career, Mark served the franchise industry as a supplier, delivering innovative technology-enabled marketing strategies to help emerging franchise concepts rapidly scale and grow revenue through local-level marketing and sales. Mark Montini joined Tropical Smoothie Cafe as Chief Marketing Officer in October 2019. As their franchise website states: "Tropical Smoothie Cafes menu boasts bold, flavorful smoothies with a healthy appeal, all made-to-order with quality ingredients. So I think a great franchisee base, and products and innovation that people want. I may have a trick or two up my sleeve I do get to make some decisions occasionally around here. And was one in place already? SUCH REGISTRATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE APPROVAL, RECOMMENDATION OR ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMISSIONER OF CORPORATIONS NOR A FINDING BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HEREIN IS TRUE, COMPLETE AND NOT MISLEADING. In a franchise system, without broad franchisee buy-in, you cannot move as efficiently and effectively as is required in today's business environment.". A presentation for a board is focused on very different things than a franchisee roadshow. And at Tropical Smoothie Cafe, we really focus on the fresh ingredients. If your Franchised Business includes a drive-thru, the additional expense (including the cost of leasehold improvements, restaurant fixtures and equipment, and other costs) would be approximately $35,000 to $45,000. Prior to joining Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Richard was the Vice President of Operations, West Division, for Papa Murphys International where he was responsible for field operations and marketing. Because of our amazing guests, our franchisees, and the communities they serve, including those on the front lines of this pandemic, we will get through this.