Marking its 50th year on the UK high street, McDonald’s celebrates its partnerships with franchisees that are truly the backbone of its nationwide network. Speaking to The Franchise Magazine, a cross-section of franchisees bring their experiences to the table, with a message for anyone thinking of taking the leap into business ownership: “Now’s the time… so go for it!”
Anne-Marie Clarke was an Operations Manager at Amazon before taking the plunge and joining McDonald’s. She now runs her own restaurant in Dudley in the West Midlands.
Tell us about your business ownership journey – and why McDonald’s?
I’ve always wanted to run my own business! My granddad had a business, my uncle too … they’ve always been my greatest supporters: “Go on Anne-Marie, you can do it!” It’s just something that I witnessed growing up!
People think that to be entrepreneurial, you have to come up with an original idea, something new, and they get hung up on it and put off. But I knew that, going into the big wide world of running a business, I’d need support and so I looked at different franchises. That’s what I liked with McDonald’s – those support mechanisms that they have in place.
Their approach to franchisees is very much one of long-term commitment, they’re always innovating, looking at the next level and how to move the brand forward and stay at the top of the game.
Having undergone the training that McDonald’s provides, I understand the business a lot more … what the crew [team members] do, how it all works and where the opportunities are! It’s helped me become a more rounded leader and business owner.
What’s a typical day like for you?
It’s all about the people. So for me, it’s making sure my team are okay and we’ve got the people we need around. Second to that, making sure the equipment is operating efficiently and then it’s checking we have accurate levels of products so we can deliver for our customers. My main objective is to make sure my team have all the tools they need to do their job and can deliver for our customers.
After that, I take a strategic look at, for instance, our community enterprises and an overview of the financial initiatives as well.
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