The big interview: Papa Johns

Mandy Kaur has been a franchisee with Papa Johns since 2008 and now runs eight stores in the north of England with her husband. We spoke to Mandy about how they’ve built the business up over the years...

What was your background before joining Papa Johns?
I attended a good college in India but was persuaded a brighter future lay in the UK. It was tough moving to a new country at the time, but those challenges have shaped me and have helped turn me into the strong businesswoman I am today. When I look in the mirror each day, I know those times made me stronger to face whatever lies ahead.

I had hoped to go to university in the UK, but life and circumstances took over. I used to run a children’s day nursery which I managed with our young family. My daughter was just three weeks old when I set up the nursery! Meanwhile, my husband Chan managed a small department in a cotton mill. However, we had ambitions to work in a business together where we were equal partners.

We researched various business franchises, including a rival pizza firm, but we chose Papa Johns because there were more opportunities. The brand was also new to the UK market and had a great product, which was exciting. In 2008 we became some of the first Papa Johns franchisees in the UK, opening our first store in Liverpool.

What was it like running a Papa Johns with a young family?
Family must come first. This inevitably meant I missed some opportunities to go to the conferences in the USA, for example. However, I worked quietly in the background, managing the daily running of the franchise as we grew, while Chan managed front of house. Initially I was part-time and, as our children grew up, they joined me in-store and even helped out when they were old enough.

It was hard work but enabled me to learn the business from the inside out. These days I feel like I finally earned my degree in business, but through a different route! My grown-up children now tell me, ‘Mama, you’ve done well’ and that makes me feel proud of our achievements.

How has your business expanded in recent years?
We’ve taken the time to expand our franchised business gradually. Now our children have left home and have their own careers, we felt the time was right to expand. We love the Papa Johns brand and thought let’s go for it! We opened successfully in Timperley, Manchester, Castleford, Pontefract and Wakefield last year, and we now run eight Papa Johns.

What is your recipe for success?
It is all about hard work and commitment, but it’s also our people. We have a manager for each store and try our best to offer a tempting career path for all our team members.

In fact, many of our people started out as delivery drivers and have progressed their careers, with several now managing our stores. For example. our Castleford store manager, Aden Salim, began as a delivery driver a few years ago and is now responsible for the outlet. It’s the same story with our Brighouse store in Yorkshire. Our manager there started out as a delivery driver and now he’s in charge of the store.

Over the years, we have been excited to expand our Papa Johns family by welcoming more new team members to help us deliver to the communities around stores, so more customers can enjoy the shared experience of Papa Johns pizza with their own family and friends. It’s this drive that has fuelled our success.

We also try and create a fun atmosphere; it sounds cheesy, but we want it to be an enjoyable place to work. I mean, it’s pizza, so it’s got to be fun!

How has Papa Johns supported you as a franchisor?
The head office team has been super-supportive over the years and they are willing to listen. At the end of the day, we are one big Papa Johns family. Working for the company has certainly changed our lives, and it’s been a particularly positive experience that makes us hungry for more.

How do you encourage other women within your franchise?
As a woman, I feel proud to have a voice now, to empower women to grow and thrive in a male-dominated industry. We still have more work to do, but it’s moving in the right direction.

Many of our team are students, so there is an opportunity to influence their views and experiences on working life right at the start of their careers, which is valuable. I want all of our team – men and women – to have the very best work experience in our stores. Then, if or when they move on, they will think, ‘I learned that at Papa Johns’.

I also try to coach and support our younger team members where I can. I’m always approachable if they are facing any challenges. I also try and lead by example, and this ensures there is no difference between the roles men and women play in our stores.

As a mother, I can relate to a parent’s concern about letting their 16-year-old daughter come to work for the first time, so I’ve even chatted to young students’ parents to put their minds at rest. I reassure them that every member of our team is always treated with respect and looked after – that’s the Papa Johns way.

What advice would you offer other Women considering a career in the quick-service restaurant industry?
I have a strong personality, so have no hesitation in speaking out. Women must not be afraid to be honest and communicate their views, lived experiences and ideas.

I would also suggest saying yes when presented with new opportunities, as you never know where they may lead. We said yes to the Papa Johns franchise all those years ago and it was a winning decision.

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