As HoneyBaked Ham’s 2016 Franchisee of the Year, and a member of our Franchisee Advisory Council, Rhonda True has set a strong example for aspiring HoneyBaked Ham owners. Having opened the doors of her fifth store this past November, Rhonda has become a true leader of the HoneyBaked Ham franchise community. And now, as a seasoned franchisee with over 10 years of experience in the company, Rhonda has shared some of her story and offers valuable wisdom to prospective HoneyBaked Ham franchisees.
Where It All Began
A former teacher with a degree in psychology, Rhonda knew that she liked working with and helping people, and made the decision to franchise with Heavenly Ham, which was under the ownership, and transitioning toward the new branding, of HoneyBaked Ham at the time. Initially, she was faced with the challenge of finding funding. Applying for bank loans as a woman who hadn’t been in the workforce for three years, she was told to stay home with her kids. Eventually, she found a new bank that loaned her the money she needed to open her first HoneyBaked Ham store after she mortgaged her house.
That first store was a real learning experience for Rhonda. In addition to the training she received at the HoneyBaked Ham Customer Support Center in Atlanta, her recently-bought store’s previous owner offered to stay on during the first holiday season to help mitigate the annual holiday rush. With training and guidance, Rhonda was able to see returns on her investment within three years of her initial purchase. Now, each store she opens takes three months to recoup the investment – all of her stores, with the exception of her most recently opened location, are debt-free.
Support from Day One and Beyond
Rhonda says that new franchisees are even better equipped for launch than she was when she began, citing the development and improvement of HoneyBaked Ham’s franchisee training program. Between Discovery Day, six certified stores dedicated to training new recruits and an assigned Franchise Business Leader, new franchisees have everything they need to feel confident launching their stores.
On top of that, Rhonda finds the HoneyBaked Ham corporate team to be supportive and helpful. The leadership team, she says, has a heart for people and really cares about their franchisees and employees. She credits the franchise marketing team with the success of the grand opening of a store in South Carolina in 2015 – their marketing plan and suggestions on postcards, newspaper ads and banners drove business to the store, helping them meet the expected launch numbers handily.
It Takes Trust
Though Rhonda thinks of her current day-to-day as relatively easy, she recalls the hard work it took to get her first store off the ground, spending her first year as a franchisee going into her store every single day, opening up, making sure employees were there with smiling faces. The success of her store depended on being there running things, being the manager – and also following the proven processes established by the company.
Rhonda encourages new franchisees to trust the system. Ultimately, she says, the corporate leadership knows what they’re doing and they want you to succeed. If, at any point in the ownership process, you feel you’re struggling, don’t be afraid to ask for help. The leadership cares, and they’re always available.
An active and philanthropic community member, Rhonda takes pride in employing single mothers, helping them balance their social and professional lives. She takes advantage of the autonomy afforded to her by business ownership, creating incentive initiatives for her employees and management, and donating 10% of her stores’ revenue to local charitable causes.
We thank Rhonda for the inspirational story she’s shared with us, and the wonderful work she’ll certainly do in the years to come.
