We are meeting with Zach W. McLeroy, President and C.E.O., Zaxby’s Franchising, Inc. and we are going to talk to Zach about the Zaxbys franchise and how the chain is flourishing and poised to grow from a regional brand into a household name.
Zach McLeroy is not only the President and C.E.O. Zaxby’s Franchising, Inc., he is also a co-founder of the Zaxby’s concept.  Zach started Zaxby’s (then called “Zax”) in 1990, when he put his burgeoning music career on hold, selling his beloved drum set to open the first store.  It was in that first Zax location that he perfected the recipes that remain the core items of the Zaxby’s menu today, including the formulation of the original selection of Zaxby’s sauces.
Now, more than 20 years and 570 locations later, the chain is flourishing and poised to grow from a regional brand into a household name.  Zach remains active in the day to day operations of Zaxby’s Franchising, overseeing and directing brand development strategies and setting the vision for its continued growth.  He’s a Zaxby’s licensee himself, holding an ownership in over 95 Zaxby’s franchise locations.
 
In part 2, Marty discusses franchising with CBS radio host Lynn Johnson.