COLUMBIA, S.C. — Village Idiot, a longtime favorite pizza spot in Columbia, announced they're looking to franchise their business, a unique step for businesses created in the Capital City.
It's the simple goal for Brian and Kelly Glynn. They're the owners of Village Idiot, a pizza shop that was started here in Columbia in the 90s. Since it's creation, the restaurant has expanded to a total of three locations in the city. Now, the couple is looking to take a new step in their business plan - franchising.
"Teaching them, showing them, building a system for them to be able to do it ... really started seeming like this something that we can do and can really benefit a lot of people."
But with the business already having three locations, what's the difference between an expansion and a franchise?
Frank Knapp is the president of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. He says it takes some risk.
"It is a way for an entrepreneur to get into business and buy themselves into a business model that has been successful other places. It increases their odds of being successful."
Knapp says an individual or team will invest an amount of money up front for the licensing of another business, and then are in charge of operating that business on their own, with some help from the franchiser.
"That's believing in your brand so much that you think somebody else in another part of the state or another part of the county can follow the plan for the business and be successful."
It's a business strategy Mike Irons is very familiar with. He owns over 90 Sonic franchises. He says it takes a perfect storm of conditions to finding the right location.
"You're going to look for a couple of key elements. Do you have visibility? Do you have ingress, egress? Which is entry, the ability to get on and off a lot? Do you have retail around you? Do you have the residential?"
Irons adds the most important piece to finding success in the franchise realm is partnering with the right people.
"When it's all said and done, in the franchise business, location is important, but operating it the way that it's intended to be operated is absolutely the key. That's way more critical."
Glynn says it's the same goal for him and his wife - finding those people with a passion. He adds there isn't a plan yet for where the stores would go, but did say their goal is to eventually expand across the state, and potentially into other SEC towns.
"If they are successful, the franchise as a whole is going to be successful. If they make money, the franchise system as a whole is going to make money."