In this exclusive Q&A, we get to learn more about Beerhead Bar & Eatery from one of its franchisees, Krupal Patel.
Franchise Chatter (FC): Tell us about your professional background. What inspired you to go from customer to franchisee of Beerhead?
Krupal Patel (KP): My professional background consists of six years in public accounting. In my spare time while working for a public accounting firm, I picked up the hobby of homebrewing. I have been homebrewing for little over five years now. I have always wanted to open a brewery, but with the number of breweries opening in Illinois, my wife and I decided to go a different route and join Beerhead Bar & Eatery.
With the connections I made while homebrewing and with talking to different breweries, I knew this was a great opportunity to pursue. At Beerhead, I am able to support local breweries and bring on some great beer options. To me, Beerhead was always my go to stop when I was a customer. I loved everything about the concept and the people that worked there.
FC: How long did it take you to immerse yourself fully in the world of beer?
KP: It took me about one to two years before I fully understood craft beer and what goes into it. After I tasted my first craft beer, I started to dig deeper and see how this delicious liquid was made and started to homebrew. After that, it turned out to be a dangerous hobby, as my wife likes to say. The house was full of brewing equipment. My wife and I would both take tours over the weekend to see what was new and what other breweries were opening.
FC: How did you hear about the Beerhead franchise opportunity? How did you know it was the right concept for you?
KP: I found out about Beerhead when I was searching the web. I went on their site, put in a request, and was contacted a couple days later! I had reached out to multiple franchises, but the connection with the franchisors (Greg, Pat, and Tracy) assured me that this was the group I wanted to be a part of. To me, the other options seemed like it was just for making money and was strictly business. With Beerhead, it is a mutual partnership where both sides want to grow and succeed.
FC: Are there parallels or transferable skills that you learned in auditing that you can apply to being a franchisee in the beer industry?
KP: Absolutely! I believe my skills in auditing/accounting have helped me successfully run the day-to-day operations such as the store’s accounting needs, keeping track of inventory, and managing my overall costs in each department.
FC: Explain the challenges and the benefits of becoming a first-time business owner in an industry you’re passionate about.
KP: Some of the challenges I encountered were learning how to staff properly and how to manage my costs better. The benefits of being a business owner is you get to go to work for something you’re passionate about. Building connections and interacting with customers that come to your place and love to talk about what you do makes everything worthwhile. At the end of the day, this is your passion and you should have fun with it. Beerhead has been a great franchise that has allowed me to have fun and make money in the process.
FC: How has the Beerhead leadership team helped you shift your industry passion to business ownership?
KP: The Beerhead leadership has been supportive since day one. They have assisted me in every step possible. The franchisors have been there to answer any questions before and after owning a Beerhead franchise, no matter what time of the day it is.
FC: Why is the franchise system a great route for those pursing first-time business ownership?
KP: I believe the franchise system is great for first-time business owners because you can consider them as your partner rather than just a corporate office. They have been there for me throughout the entire process to ensure that I succeed. Rather than going all in by yourself, they help you because they have the knowledge and experience too.
FC: How many locations do you currently operate?
KP: I currently own and operate one location, with the hopes of opening a couple more in the future.
FC: Your location is booming, can you share some tips that have contributed to it?
KP: One of the main reasons I believe my location is booming is because of my passion and hard work. Having a passion for what you’re about to go into definitely helps a lot. Secondly, building a solid team around you is always beneficial.
FC: How can someone learn more about franchise opportunities with Beerhead?
KP: I would highly recommend reaching out to the franchisors and other active franchisees, they will be your best resource. You can also find out more information at http://beerheadbar.com/franchising/.
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