A HoneyBaked franchisee since 2018, Tom Whiting and his wife Lizzy have dedicated the last three years to launching, operating and growing their Leesburg, VA Honey Baked Ham food retail franchise store. When we last heard from Tom, the Whitings—along with their close friends and business partners the Kettermans—were excitedly awaiting their HoneyBaked location’s grand opening.
We got back in touch with Tom to catch up and learn how his experience has been, especially during the challenges of 2020. Read on to learn about the support he’s received from HoneyBaked corporate, other franchisees and his community.
HoneyBaked: Things are very different now than they were when we last caught up with you. How has your approach to business changed from what you were expecting back then?
Tom Whiting: Like so many small businesses now, things have slowed down. We are into a new year and anticipate it still being slow for the time being. The pandemic has forced us to halt some of our food retail services but has not completely crippled us.
With each day that we open our doors, it puts us that much closer to our dream. Currently, catering is our number one goal. Schools are slowly opening back up and we have already started receiving several catering orders for teachers, athletics and clubs. My main focus is to continue to provide exceptional service to the awesome community that supports our store. We see a very bright future here.
HBH: Over the last three years, what are the ways HBH corporate makes you feel like you and your business have their support?
TW: I participate with corporate weekly through our Franchise Business Leader (FBL). HoneyBaked FBLs are top-notch and, in my opinion, the backbone of the HoneyBaked franchise system. They’re crucial to making sure we as food retail franchise owners continue our growth. We could not do this without them and their tireless, dedicated support.
We had some challenges during our store’s buildout. If I could do it again, I would be more hands-on from the beginning of the construction phase. My FBL is truly exceptional and helped keep us positive, focused and on-track. Without the daily communication and insight from my FBL, my store would not be here. Patience and an open mindset were—and still are—key contributors to the success we’ve had.
HBH: Have you developed any impactful relationships with other HBH franchisees or corporate team members?
TW: Being a new store, we have relied on corporate (FBL) and surrounding HoneyBaked franchisees for help and support with products, operations and marketing questions and more. We are very pleased to be able to trust and, in return, gain the trust and support of other nearby HoneyBaked franchisees. Establishing and building those relationships has opened pathways to key food retail insights and product exchange and is a major key to our success.
Interested in learning more about the exceptional support you receive as a HoneyBaked franchise owner? Chat with our team today!
