Gregg Majewski Details His Journey to Franchise Success
Craveworthy Brands
Growing a diverse portfolio of brands into an unbeatable proposition for consumers and prospective franchisees.
In this repurposed episode of #ClockedIn with Jordan Edwards, Gregg Majewski shares his extraordinary journey of setbacks, bold moves, and ultimate success in the restaurant industry. He opens up about the lessons he’s learned—from taking big risks to building powerhouse franchise teams. He reveals what made Jimmy John’s thrive, including the transition from single-unit to multi-unit operations, the pitfalls of bad advertising advice, and the power of strong franchisee relationships. Plus, hear how he turned a $43 million asset into a $1 deal—proving that smart strategies and the right mindset can lead to incredible opportunities.
Looking ahead, Gregg lays out his vision for transforming the restaurant space by 2025, leveraging technology, real estate, and consumer-packaged goods. Since launching Craveworthy Brands in 2023, he’s grown it to 225 restaurants across 15 brands, driving $225 million in system-wide sales. Through stories of negotiation, leadership, and betting on yourself, Gregg offers insights that every restaurant operator, franchisee, and entrepreneur can learn from.
Fueling Success with a Chip on Your Shoulder
Success isn’t handed to you—it’s earned through grit, determination, and a relentless drive to prove people wrong. For Gregg Majewski, that mindset became the foundation of his career. “You’ve got to have a chip on your shoulder to prove to other people that what you’re doing, you’re gonna be better at,” he says. At just 22, he was determined to become a CFO, despite the skeptics. That same fire fueled his work at Jimmy John’s, where the team set out to become “the number two sandwich concept in America” by doing things differently from competitors like Subway and Blimpie.
But success wasn’t just about strategy—it was about culture. Gregg emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. “Getting rid of the people that are constantly complaining and making sure the team is all bought in and focused—that makes it fun.” When everyone is aligned on a common goal, work doesn’t feel like work. It feels like winning. And when you build that kind of culture, the momentum becomes unstoppable.
The Cardinal Sin of Franchising: Cannibalization
In the franchise world, expansion is exciting—but doing it wrong can kill a business. One of the biggest mistakes brands make is cannibalization: opening too many locations too close together. “Instead of having people drive that extra little bit to get to store one, you get more sales between the two stores, but the top-line volume drops from store one because store two opens,” Gregg explains. That means lower revenues, weaker margins, and struggling franchisees.
For Gregg, protecting franchisees’ profitability is non-negotiable. “Your box has to make 15 to 20% for your franchisee all the time—that’s got to be the goal.” If that margin isn’t met, the franchisor needs to step in and find solutions. Sustainable growth isn’t about saturating a market—it’s about ensuring every location thrives. Smart franchising is about strategy, not speed.
Big Risks, Bigger Rewards: Betting on Yourself
Sometimes, the biggest opportunities look like disasters waiting to happen. Gregg Majewski saw one of those moments when he acquired a struggling $43 million brand for just $1. “The PE group said enough, there’s no more funding for it. And in the 29th hour, I came in and offered them a buck,” he recalls. Taking on all the liabilities was a huge gamble, but Gregg believed in his team’s ability to turn things around.
The risk is already paying off. “We’ve added almost 12.5 points to the bottom line at the restaurant level,” he says. It’s still a work in progress, but the potential is undeniable. And if it doesn’t work? “It’s okay. We shut the doors and move on. Nothing hurts because we bought the stock of that company.” The lesson? Big wins require bold moves. If you have the right infrastructure and vision, betting on yourself can lead to incredible rewards.
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ABOUT JORDAN EDWARDS:
Jordan is the Founder of Edwards Consulting and Host of the #Clockedin Podcast. Jordan strives to create an exciting life through incredible experiences. From Hiking the Inca Trail to Traveling around the world (25 countries thus far). To Interviewing the Founder of Reebok, Joseph Foster and running the NYC Marathon to name a few. Also, Jordan helps businesses lower merchant processing fees through his relationships with experts in the field. Jordan shares these insights with his audience and clients!
ABOUT GREGG MAJEWSKI:
Gregg Majewski has a vast amount of experience as a corporate executive in the restaurant industry. As the former CEO of Jimmy John’s, he played a major role in expanding the franchise from 33 to 300+ stores in just 5 years by surrounding the company’s marketing strategy around the innovative approach of delivering sandwiches and being “freaky fast”. Majewski has worked to develop restaurant concepts over the last two plus decades, before starting Craveworthy Brands in 2023, which currently includes a growing portfolio of restaurant brands.
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Room for Seconds is produced and published by Cali BBQ Media on behalf of Craveworthy Brands
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