August 14th 2023.
In 2002, Jerome Johnson Sr. and his son, Jerome Jr., made history by opening the first Dunkin' store in the Pentagon. Little did they know that Jerome Jr. would go on to become a multi-unit franchisee owner with more than 20 locations across the Inspire Brands portfolio, including Dunkin', Baskin-Robbins and Sonic Drive-In.
Jerome Jr. never imagined that he would one day own a Sonic. His father and him had only been Dunkin' franchise owners from 2002 to 2009, and they focused solely on government buildings like the Pentagon and Defense Intelligence Agency. In 2009, they encountered a difficult situation when they took over a store that was in the middle of construction and was facing conflicts with the owners. This caused them to take a few steps back, but it didn't stop them from bouncing back and eventually looking around for other opportunities.
In 2014, Jerome Jr. attended the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference and met a Sonic representative. After two years, he decided to take the plunge and sign a franchise agreement. Finally, in 2019, he opened his first Sonic.
Being part of a franchise family, particularly one with multiple brands, opened up a whole new world of possibilities for Johnson. Inspire Brands, with its portfolio of food brands including Arby's, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Jimmy John's, enabled Johnson to expand his portfolio. Apart from that, the franchise also provided Johnson with an invaluable network of franchise owners, business consultants, and extensive training. Johnson even joked about having graduated from Dunkin' University, an eight week hands-on training program.
However, Johnson was quick to caution people who think that being a franchise owner is an easy way to get rich quick. His father, Jerome Sr. said in a 2016 article that it takes time to build an organization and pay off small business loans. Jerome Jr. echoed the same sentiment and went on to say that he and his father chose to reduce their pay and reinvest the money back into the business to scale it up.
In addition to that, Johnson also emphasized the importance of networking and talking to people. He advised those looking to start a business to attend conferences and not try to do things on their own.
Despite the success Johnson has had, he still experiences fear and risk. He said that he uses this fear to push him forward and that it's how he became a serial entrepreneur. Through his hashtag, 'motiv8', he hopes to motivate others and show that the success he has achieved is possible.
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