Edible Arrangements was named one of America’s fastest-growing privately held businesses in America by Inc. Magazine and has been ranked first in its category by Entrepreneur Magazine’s Annual “Franchise 500” Ranking for the past seven consecutive years. In 2011, Edible Arrangements was ranked 9th on Forbes.com ‘Top Franchises for the Money” listing. In February of 2009, Tariq was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the International Franchise Association, whose members include more than 1,300 franchise systems, 11,000 franchisees and 500 suppliers. In June 2009 Tariq was awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 Award in the Retail and Consumer Products category in Metro New York.
One of the things I love the most about our franchisees is their dedication and commitment to their communities. Over the years as Edible Arrangements® has grown some people still don’t realize that we have over 1,100 stores –actual storefronts- around the world. Edible Arrangements is much more than just a web-based company. We are a company made up of your neighbors and friends who work hard every day making and delivering arrangements and fresh fruit products by hand. And more importantly your local Edible Arrangements owners take pride in getting involved in and contributing to their communities, not because they have to, but because they want to.
One example is Becky and Bob Killelea, owners of the Ridgeland and Flowood, Mississippi Edible Arrangements stores. After opening their Ridgeland store in 2006, the Killeleas couldn’t stand that the unused fruit went to waste, so they vowed to do something about it. Realizing that fresh fruit is scarce in many homeless shelters and soup kitchens, Becky reached out to the Gleaners, a non-profit organization that helps feed the homeless throughout Mississippi.
Bob and Becky Killelea, and staff
The Gleaners told Becky that she should contact the Salvation Army, and that is exactly what she did. Working with the Salvation Army Captain, Becky and Bob now donate all their stores unused fruit to homeless shelters. The Killeleas are so passionate about giving back to their communities and volunteering that they are encouraging and inspiring their staff to the same. I can tell you one thing –Becky and Bob have inspired me and countless others. Their generosity of spirit is representative of many of our franchisees who seek out causes and programs to support. They care about their communities and through their actions make everyone around them know that Edible Cares.
I am so moved by our franchisees passion for what they do in their communities that I feel honored to highlight them in some of my upcoming blog entries. Although they are not seeking recognition, I feel compelled to tell their stories so that maybe, just maybe, their generosity of spirit can touch and affect others, just like they have touched and affected me.
Have you ever been so moved by a special person that you become so grateful that there are people like them in this world. People whose generosity of spirit and caring for others shines brightly on everyone they touch and come in contact with.
This year at the Edible Arrangements Annual Convention I was so proud to give the award for the North American Franchisee of the Year, and along with it our own soon to be fabled blue jacket, to one of the most amazing franchisees we have in our system, Reva Gartzke of Austin, Texas. What makes Reva so special is not just her business acumen and razor-sharp intellect, but her generosity and caring for others. I’ve always believed that the true mark of person, how that person will be viewed by others and the world, is determined by their unselfish willingness to sacrifice and care for, assist and lead others. I believe Reva embodies these attributes and makes her a giant in our franchise system and in her community.
Reva Gartzke and Tariq Farid at the 2012 Edible Arrangements Convention
In the past 6 or so years I have known Reva, she has opened three very successful stores, two in Austin and one in Round Rock, with a fourth coming soon in Cedar Park. More importantly, she has been instrumentally involved with helping us improve operational efficiencies throughout the system. I, and all of my colleagues at Edible Arrangements and the other franchisees, value her opinion highly. What struck me even more at the convention was a video shown just before the award was given to Reva where three of her employees passionately described what Reva means to them. Their heartfelt testimonials proved to all of us the impact Reva has on their lives, the impact she has on many people’s lives. All of them described her compassion and caring for them and others, interest in their well-being and leadership in helping them build successful lives and careers. She shows the same caring for her guests as she does her employees, friends and strangers. To Reva, it’s not just about business, it’s about people.
In addition, Reva, like many of our franchisees, is active in her community. But I feel her involvement and total commitment in one cause sets her apart. Reva is heavily involved in Big Brothers Big sisters and has been for many years. She is so involved and appreciated that in 2010 she was named the Texas Big sister of the Year. Please watch a video of Reva and her little sister, Nacaya, by clicking Here.
All of us at Edible Arrangements feel privileged to have the opportunity to know Reva, and grateful for having her as franchisee. She is a friend and leader to so many. For Reva understands that when you gave back you get so much more in return.
The Edible Arrangements® 7th annual international convention concluded last week in Orlando and I could not be more pleased as to how it went. I am always amazed at the energy and enthusiasm radiating from all the franchisees, vendors, corporate staff –well, from everyone. It’s electric. This year’s convention was truly inclusive in that our franchisees led the roundtable discussions and spearheaded the conversation. Over the years we learned that franchisees find it much more valuable when they hear from their peers and pick up tips from them on preparing for the holidays, unique marketing and public relations ideas, hiring and so much more. I cannot tell you how impressed I am every year to hear from our franchisees and what they are doing in their businesses and communities.
This year the theme was ‘Be Our Guest’ because it is our franchisees, the ambassadors of the Edible Arrangements brand, who truly strive to treat every person like a guest in their home. Our franchisees are your neighbors and friends in your communities who work hard every day to make sure that you –our guest –receives the highest quality, freshly made fruit arrangements or fruit treats such as our incredible smoothies, fruit salads and dipped fruit every single day. Their passion for what they do is what has made Edible Arrangements so successful and helps make your visit into the wonderful world of Edible Arrangements so memorable. I truly feel blessed to be in the presence of so many dedicated individuals and humbled by the work they do to ensure Edible Arrangements meets your expectations every time.
One of the most pleasurable events for me at the convention is the awards ceremony where we recognize some of our outstanding franchisees. It gets harder and harder every year deciding which franchisees deserve to be recognized for their outstanding achievements in many critical areas. There are so many franchisees who are extraordinary and who deserve recognition. I wish I could recognize them all at the convention as they are all deserving of such accolades. But each year there are a special few who really exemplify and embody the Edible Arrangements spirit, who go above and beyond to deliver an unforgettable Edible Arrangements experience for their guests.
Today I want to publically congratulate the franchisee who I personally chose to receive the President’s award, an award given to a franchisee who is an indefatigable evangelist of the brand on a daily basis. Maurice Welton, who owns four stores in Texas (McAllen, Harlingen, Brownsville and Weslaco) is truly a patriot and unrelenting advocate for Edible Arrangements. Maurice is a man who pulled himself up by his bootstraps by his sheer will and determination and is now building his own Edible Arrangements enterprise. He honorably served his country in the U.S. Army from 1997-2003, and after Katrina forced him and so many others to rethink their plans, Maurice moved to Texas where he opened his first Edible Arrangements store in McAllen in 2007.
Maurice Welton
His positive attitude is infectious and he is an amazing role model for his staff and other franchisees. With Maurice, the glass isn’t only half full, it’s overflowing every single day. I’ve never met a more proud, personable, positive man. He truly makes me smile every time I speak with him and brightens the day for so many in his community. It was such an honor and privilege for me to personally hand Maurice the President’s Award at the convention. I anticipate so many great things in the future from Maurice and I know he will continue making immeasurable contributions to his community. Congratulations Maurice -you deserve it! Keep up the hard work and keep on smiling!
In my next few blog entries I will be highlighting a few more of our incredible franchisees who received an award at the convention. I hope you will find their stories inspiring and pick up a few tips of your own that you can use in your business or in everyday life.
Well, I’m on my way to the 7th Annual Edible Arrangements Convention in Orlando, Florida. This is my favorite event of the year as it is the one time a majority of our franchisees get together to plan for the future and learn new ideas for Wowing our millions of guests around the world. And for me, I simply enjoy seeing and spending time with our franchisees, including our international master franchisees from China, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Italy and other countries, as their passion and excitement re-energizes me year after year.
As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, I believe it is critical for any organization to hold an annual gathering where all its employees, vendors, franchisees (if you are a franchisor like Edible Arrangements) or anyone connected with your business or cause can meet face-to-face in one place. Sure, some may argue that with the technology today including videoconferencing that the need for in-person gatherings has been diminished. However, I have to disagree. I believe that to really connect, or reconnect, with someone you need to look that person in the eye to truly feel engaged. It’s just more personable. Also, you can learn so much more by listening to and bouncing ideas off of a wider variety of people that only an in-person group setting can provide. Don’t get me wrong, videoconferencing has its place and is very useful in day-to-day long distance interactions, but nothing beats the ability to be able to shake someone’s hand, give them a pat on the back and to simply spend some quality time together.
However, it does take a lot of hard work to hold a successful convention or large scale gathering, but it is well worth it. I have to thank our amazing Edible Arrangements staff and franchisees for their dedication in making each convention better than the last, and for spending the time to decide on a meaningful theme for which all of us can rally around and work towards. The theme for our convention this year is ‘Be Our Guest’ because at Edible Arrangements we are committed to treating our customers (our guests), employees, and vendors as you would treat a guest in your home. All businesses need to take a step back to objectively analyze the service it provides, and take a long look into their DNA and culture to figure out what it is and does that is special. Our convention forces all of us, employees and franchisees, to really look into what Edible Arrangements stands for and strives to be. It also enables us to make sure we are doing all we can to Wow our guests every single time and truly welcome them into the wonderful world of Edible Arrangements.
Next week after I return I’ll let you know some of the new initiatives we discussed at the convention, and let you know if we were truly successful in making our franchisees and vendors feel like guests in our homes.
What does it mean to be a beloved brand, and why is it important? What is it that makes some brands almost iconic in your eyes and earns your undivided loyalty?For quite some time I’ve been thinking about this question and working with my management team, and our franchisees, at Edible Arrangements to define what makes some brands beloved, and determine how we can help make Edible Arrangements obtain this lofty status.
To me, a beloved brand is not simply a brand you love. It’s much more than that. It’s an experience you want to have over and over again because of how special that brand makes you feel. It’s the little extra things that brand does every single time you visit their store or make a purchase. You leave feeling ‘I am special’ and at that moment in time you are convinced you are the only person that matters to that brand. The service you get screams that they want you, they need you and cannot survive without you. That to me is what makes a brand beloved.
One of my favorite brands, and one I always use as an example, is Nordstrom’s. Nordstrom’s is renowned for their service, and has become a beloved brand by many, especially by me. Why? No matter when I go, I am always inspired by what they say and their attention to detail. I’m always greeted by my first name, they always know what I like and what looks best on me, they always make suggestions and they are not just after my money. Anthony, if you read this, you are the best my friend! No matter what I always feel amazing when I leave. I always feel better than when I came in. They have my loyalty –they earned and deserved my loyalty.
That is the kind of experience our franchisees are trying to create at Edible Arrangements. We want our customers to feel amazing when they leave, to feel special and appreciated. How? By always going above and beyond and focusing on the little things, one customer at a time. Things such as always offering a customer a sampling of our dipped fruit when they walk into a store; greeting customers by name; truly listening to customers and making suggestions based on that conversation; ensuring all deliveries are made with a smile; carrying an arrangement to a customer’s car when needed; and simply sharing in someone’s joy. Those are just a few ways Edible Arrangements is striving to earn your loyalty.
A great example of two Edible Arrangements franchisees who are inspiring their customers and making them feel special is Lisa Odai and Retha Parsley, multi-unit owners in the Atlanta, Georgia and Indianapolis, Indiana area respectively. Lisa, who opened one of Edible Arrangements first stores in the nation in Atlanta, GA in 2002, and will be opening her third store in Atlanta (her other store is in Decatur) by the end of the year, and Retha, who opened her first store in Fishers, IN in 2006 and two more stores in Indianapolis shortly thereafter, understands people and service. What has made them so successful is their devotion and passion for their customers, and the shared experiences and memories they create every day between Edible Arrangements and their customers. We are so proud of them, and hundreds of other Edible Arrangements franchisees, who work hard to make our customers feel special.
Are we there yet –is Edible Arrangements a beloved brand? No –not yet! I wish it was as simple as snapping your fingers or flipping a switch to make a brand a beloved brand. But I can tell you that is our ultimate goal, as it should be for all of you who work for or own a company, and I feel we are moving in the right direction. At Edible Arrangements we will continue to innovate and refine to earn our customers’ business, to earn their loyalty, and we will only be able to do that by always going above and beyond and making customers feel special, wanted, needed, and showing that our survival depends on them. It does!
Is there a brand you find beloved? If so, I would love to hear what that brand is and what makes them beloved. The more we share our stories that more we can learn on making our employers, or if you are a business owner, your company, a beloved brand. It’s all about earning customers’ loyalty, a loyalty that will last for years and one customers feel comfortable sharing with dozens of their friends, as that is the ultimate testament of someone’s loyalty
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