Carlos Spencer Scores A Franchise
by Simon Lord
last updated 23/09/2011
Carlos Spencer has appeared on plenty of magazine covers in his time, but his appearance on the March 2004 cover of Franchise New Zealand marked the launch of Carlos Spencer – businessman. This article is reproduced from our archives.
The All Black first five-eighth is opening an Esquires Coffee House franchise at Foodtown Quay Street in Auckland City. This will be the sixth Esquires in New Zealand and the third franchised outlet, with more franchises currently in development in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch Queenstown and other key locations. The appointment of such a high-profile franchisee is certain to draw attention to Esquires, which launched its first New Zealand outlet in 2002. 'Right from the start it was my intention to build a team of the best advisors with the best franchisees in the best sites,' says Stuart Deeks, the master franchisee for Esquires in New Zealand. 'The fact that we have attracted someone like Carlos, who is used to achieving at the highest possible level, reflects that focus upon excellence.'
Carlos's move into franchising is paralleled by other sports people from all sorts of codes from cricket to league as they seek to build businesses for after they retire. Greg Dyer of Magnolia Lane, who is business manager for Carlos and numerous other sports stars, says that franchising is an ideal way for professional sportsmen and women to develop the necessary skills. 'Anyone who faces a career change, whether by choice or necessity, looks for some certainty that what they are choosing to do next - and choosing to invest both time and money in - will actually provide the return they seek. A good franchise provides that reassurance and helps to train people in the realities of running a business.'
Business After Rugby
For Carlos Spencer, there hasn't been much time to develop a career outside rugby. Since he first played in the NPC for Horowhenua at the age of 16, his future was clearly in sport. Now, at 29, he is at the peak of his powers and looking to the future. 'I have a contract until 2006 but who knows what will happen after that,' he says. 'It's good to have different options, different challenges.
'For someone like me who has played professional sport all their life, getting involved with Esquires allows me to learn new business skills that will be important to me in my life after rugby. A franchisor offers a 'business in a box', which means I don't have to set everything up from scratch and learn as I go along. The support Esquires provide in implementing IT and point of sale systems, staff recruitment and management techniques, product selection, supply lines and discounted purchasing, marketing and brand awareness is a big help. They have developed systems that have been successful elsewhere and are continually improving all aspects of their operation. As a franchisee, I benefit from all that knowledge, which is great.
Carlos also has a secret weapon in his move into the cafe industry - his partner Jodene. 'Jodene learned the business the hard way, working in cafes and restaurants from the time when she was a student,' says Carlos. 'That background in the hospitality industry has been really valuable when it came to looking at the options.'
The black shirt, the safe pair of hands on the cup, the famous grin… does the man serving your latté look strangely familiar? Meet Carlos Spencer, barrista! The first five-eighth for the All Blacks has joined the ranks of franchisees and will be opening his first Esquires Coffee House in Auckland in early June.
This will be the sixth Esquires in New Zealand and the third franchised outlet, with more franchises currently in development in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch Queenstown and other key locations. The appointment of such a high-profile franchisee is certain to draw attention to Esquires, which launched its first New Zealand outlet in 2002. ‘Right from the start it was my intention to build a team of the best advisors with the best franchisees in the best sites,’ says Stuart Deeks, the master franchisee for Esquires in New Zealand. ‘The fact that we have attracted someone like Carlos, who is used to achieving at the highest possible level, reflects that focus upon excellence.’
Carlos’s move into franchising is paralleled by other sports people from all sorts of codes from cricket to league to bodybuilding as they seek to build businesses for after they retire. Greg Dyer of Magnolia Lane, who is business manager for Carlos and numerous other sports stars, says that franchising is an ideal way for professional sportsmen and women to develop the necessary skills. ‘Anyone who faces a career change, whether by choice or necessity, looks for some certainty that what they are choosing to do next – and choosing to invest both time and money in – will actually provide the return they seek. A good franchise provides that reassurance and helps to train people in the realities of running a business.’
Winning Qualities
Although Carlos has no business experience he believes that, with the support of the franchisor, he has what’s needed for success. ‘The qualities you need in top-level sport are no different from the ones you need in business. My list would include:
- Work hard
- Set your goals
- Monitor your progress
- Know your industry/game well
- Study your competitors
- Do your research
- Be creative
- Work hard on your weaknesses
- Learn from your mistakes
‘I don’t have the knowledge to do that yet, but I like to think I’m a fast learner and Esquires provide a lot of the necessary tools and training for me to put into effect.’
Behind The Counter
Of course, Carlos will not be working in the café on a daily basis – much to the relief of rugby fans everywhere – and with Jodene expecting the couple’s first child in April, the Auckland café will be run under management. ‘That was another thing which appealed to me about the franchise,’ says Carlos. ‘I do want to be more than an investor and ultimately I would like to have several Esquires franchises, but in order to get going and build up my own business skills it was important to me that the system be strong enough to be run by managers. The three company-owned stores in central Auckland are already working extremely well on that basis so I was confident I could do it too.
‘Jo will be undertaking the full training but I intend to be involved in a slightly more condensed version owing to my sporting commitments – there’s just not enough time in the day. Hopefully, Jo will be able to teach me as we go, but having a manager in the café who will also be fully trained by Esquires will be a big help.’
Will customers actually see Carlos Spencer behind the counter? ‘Oh yes, certainly. Every now and then customers will see me in the café although these occasions will have to remain fairly impromptu right now. I’m pretty handy on our espresso machine at home (on short blacks, at least) but I don’t think I’m up to Esquires standards yet so customers might prefer to have their actual coffee made by somebody else!’
Finding the right staff and motivating them is vital in the hospitality industry and being Carlos Spencer is undoubtedly going to prove an advantage here. ‘This is an area where some of my teamwork training is going to be very valuable, I hope,’ he says. ‘Setting goals, both long-term and short-term, will be applicable and I will be giving thought to some sort of incentive programme further down the track. I’ll also want to look at the programmes which Esquires has – it would be silly to change a winning formula.’
Following The System
Carlos Spencer’s experience of franchises to date has been sports franchises which are, as he freely admits, very different from a business format franchise such as Esquires. A sports franchise essentially gives you entry to a competition; a business format franchise, as Stuart Deeks has pointed out, lays down rules and systems to teach franchisees how to do everything in the best possible way – and only that way. How does that level of restriction sit with a man who is constantly referred to as ‘creative’, ‘unpredictable’ and ‘mercurial’?
‘On the footy field you’re constantly trying to throw the opposition off guard,’ he says. ‘Trust me, when it comes to my own business, I follow the book to perfection! I would be the first to acknowledge the huge learning curve ahead of me and I look forward to it, albeit with some trepidation given that this is completely new to me.’
And the Maori Sportsman of the Year says that franchising could play a bigger part in improving business skills among the young. ‘Many people of all races leave school at 16 with no experience of what business means or how it operates. Good franchises can teach all that and encourage people to learn and apply what works. That’s what will give them more options in life.’
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