Social Media for Business: Dean Salomone, Franchise Developer

Having a social media strategy in place is important for all businesses - and it's of particular value when you're involved in the development of franchises.

Dean Salomone of popular Italian food franchise Rozzi's Fresh Kitchen is an authority in the world of Australian franchising. At the helm of a quickly-expanding nationwide franchise, Dean sat down with Iolanthe from Ruby Slipper to discuss the challenges faced by the food industry, ethical franchising and the passion that drives Rozzi's excellence.

Iolanthe: What did you want to be when you grew up?

Dean: That's a good question. I never had a particular path. I wasn't one of those kids that said, "That's me." Although, in high school, I probably wanted to be an actor. I liked doing drama and all that kind of stuff. But I probably didn't have the drive to pursue it at that age. I probably wasn't strong enough when I was a teenager to go, "Screw what my mates think and screw what the girls think. I'm actually going to go off and do this!" But I also had my Mum saying, "You really like cooking. Do you want to open a restaurant? We can do that! I'll cook in the back, and I'll do this, and you'll do that." But I was too much of a self-absorbed teenager to see the opportunities around it at that stage. So I just did what every other boy did - I went to high school. I became a qualified accountant, but I never worked in the industry, 'cause I realised I hated it.

Iolanthe: What traits or strengths from your earlier years inform the business of franchising that you do today?

Dean: Definitely the ability to get up in a group and talk about things. I can take people along for a journey. I was never shy in front of a group, and I still do a little bit of emceeing on the side. In franchising, I've really married my business interests and my personal traits. At the end of the day we're all acting in some shape or form when we're working. So, looking back now, I was using all those skillsets unbeknownst to me at that time. Plus, I like to make people feel good, 'cause I think that's how you break down barriers for people. You make them feel comfortable. I think that's a good place to be, because people realise that, yeah - you're serious - but at the end of the day work's work. You've got to like what you do, but it's really just work. I think as you get older, you start to realise you don't sweat the small stuff. Whenever I'm stressed out at work, I always go, "This is just a function of what's happening right now at this moment in time." I breathe. I go, "Tomorrow will be different." But it took me a bit of time to realise that.

Iolanthe: What do you enjoy most about being a business owner?

Dean: Taking something and making it grow. I've never taken an easy path, ever. That's probably just 'cause I'm a Scorpio, and I have to learn my own way. My own stubbornness has been my downfall many times. I'll go off and do my own thing, and I'll learn from my mistakes. I kind of think that I've always been destined to take the tough road on things.

Iolanthe: Why is that?

Dean: Because I know if I take the easy road, I won't appreciate it. I think that's how I'm hardwired. If someone says, "You can take that now and you can get ten thousand dollars," versus "There's a harder option, yeah, and it's not open to guarantee, but you may get fifty thousand dollars," I'll go the fifty option every time. I've earned the ten plenty times in my life and I've burnt it before. I don't want to take something for granted: my theory is it's never the easy road, but the least-traveled path's always the better path.

Iolanthe: Dean, how do you help your clients, and who do you define as your customer, given that you're in a franchise business?

Dean: Our key stakeholders are the consumers that buy our products. That includes our franchise partners, 'cause they're in business with us - so they're technically customers too. Our suppliers are also stakeholders, as are our landlords. As long as we have a value-add proposition for all those stakeholders. Our suppliers are super-critical to us, as we don't grow our business without their support.

Iolanthe: So you have a complex series of relationships with a variety of customers and stakeholders simultaneously.

Dean: Yes. If we were a one-shop retailer, the equation would be simpler. Customers would be customers, suppliers would be suppliers. Our job as franchise developers is to influence our franchise partners, to make sure that their customers get a great experience every time. We also have a different type of relationship with our franchise partners, because they have a different expectation of us. Everything's got its own challenge. I like it, as it's a mixed bag. I'm dealing with lawyers; I'm buying stuff; I'm dealing with shopping centre managers on issues; I'm dealing with franchisees that are emotional. We deal with everything, and that's just a function of our growth. I think it's really good for us to know all those different parts of the business.

Iolanthe: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the franchising industry?

Read the rest of Dean's interview here.