Years of Preparation Pay Off for Restaurateur
Anthony Mack, 38, received his accounting degree from Morehouse College and worked for years in sales, accounting and consulting. While he and his wife, Teresa, concentrated on getting her through law school, Mack nurtured the dream of owning his own business. Making the most of training programs, research and waiting for the right timing paid off for the couple this year, when they acquired a Denny’s restaurant franchise in Gardena. Mack says his years of preparation and sacrifice have been key to his current success. He was interviewed by freelance writer Karen E. Klein.
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I always admired the entrepreneurial spirit, and I got the bug in my system early on. I knew that someday I wanted to be in the position of owning and operating my own business. I was applying for business school at USC when I got a chance to take the Denny’s Fast Track franchise ownership program, a training program designed to encourage more minority ownership of Denny’s franchises. I declined the opportunity to attend graduate school and wound up taking the course, plus entrepreneurial training through USC’s Business Expansion Network, and further training through the Ron Brown Business Center, sponsored by the Los Angeles Urban League.
The process leading up to my buying the restaurant took nearly four years. It was a hefty chunk of time invested, and one of the greatest risks I’ve ever taken in my life. There was so much at stake it was incredible, since we had thrown all my time and all our family’s savings into this.
With that much at stake, I realized I had to prepare myself thoroughly. Through the 36 months of Denny’s training, I worked as a general manager at their corporate site and got full-fledged training in every job in the restaurant, from busboy to general manager. Then I got additional training from the entrepreneurship courses I took, including completing a business plan. I also started moonlighting at Starbucks to learn what I could from that operation. My wife and I radically adjusted our way of living so we could financially see our way through all this.
Along with the formal training, I consulted a number of entrepreneurs both inside and outside Denny’s. I sought out successful people. I would go to a luncheon or a fund-raiser and introduce myself. Sometimes I called people on the phone. Whenever, I talked to someone, I asked who else they would recommend that I contact and what else I could learn from them.
When I first started taking entrepreneurial training at USC, I was planning to be a sole proprietor. But as I did the research, I decided that owning a franchise was the way to go. I felt that starting in business was challenging enough in itself. In order to increase the likelihood of success--and since I had limited resources--I decided to align myself with a major concept. Denny’s was a no-brainer because of their status within the family restaurant industry, their recognized brand name, their 40-plus years in business and their excellent track record for good food and a wholesome environment. Buying a franchise made a smooth transition for me, and it’s been a natural fit since I love families and kids. My staff and my customer base have become like family to me.
Purchasing the restaurant took eight months of negotiations. My wife and I sweated and saved and borrowed and raised money through strategically realigning our personal finances. We also got financing help from Denny’s. In partnership with them, I purchased an existing franchise from the corporation. I spent a lot of time researching the various locations offered to us. I took a look at the demographics and completed a feasibility study that included a forecast of our financial data.
I found that the makeup of this area, which is nestled between Los Angeles, Gardena and Torrance, was about 60% corporate offices and 40% residential. I liked that diversity because I felt that my customer base would not be dependent on just one major draw. I kicked the tires on this place, talked to the local Chamber of Commerce and the city planning department, and met some key people. I found out that there would be renovation and revitalization taking place in this area, which was good.
All the planning and preparation I did was designed to reduce my risk. So far, things are going well. We’ve been inspected by Denny’s internal auditors and by the public health department, and so far we’ve passed with flying colors. We haven’t scored lower than a 90 on anything. Our last health department inspection earned us a 95. I think taking the time and effort I did, while it was a huge sacrifice, is paying off.
If your business can provide a lesson to other entrepreneurs, contact Karen E. Klein at the Los Angeles Times, 1333 S. Mayflower Ave., Suite 100, Monrovia, CA 91016 or at kklein6349@aol.com. Include your name, address and telephone number.
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At A Glance
Company: Dengard
Owners: Anthony B. Mack and Teresa S. Mack
Nature of business: Denny’s restaurant franchise
Location: 18620 S. Western Ave., Gardena 90248
E-mail address: dengard7@cs.com
Year founded: 1999
Employees: 34
Annual revenue: $900,000
