By Seema Govil
Journalist, Consultant, Franchise Consulting Company
The South Asian diaspora comprises knowledgeable and entrepreneurial individuals with the business acumen and drive to become successful franchise owners. The success of numerous South Asian franchise owner’s evidences this across the nation. Such as Sanjeev Khanna (founder and chairman of GS Dallas Group), along with his partners, Govind Agrawal, Rahul Agrawal, Ambika Khanna Cheruvu, and Shivam Khanna, are involved in various franchises, including Subway, Wing Stop, European Wax Center, Massage Envy, Great American Cookies, and Aloft Hotels.
The group, which has offices in Dallas and Houston, owns and operates over 200 locations across seven states and Ruchika, Prashant Nagrath, Ruchika, and Prashant’s remarkable growth from 3 to 102 franchise locations in less than 30 months, even during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrates the potential for franchising to be a safe and scalable path to achieve financial and time freedom.
And many others from Dallas. Similarly, Houston is home to numerous successful South Asian franchise owners.
South Asian parents often place a strong emphasis on education, which plays a significant role in the success of many of these entrepreneurs.
Education helps young people develop critical thinking skills and provides them with the knowledge they need to succeed academically and professionally.
South Asians are also passionate about learning new skills, which can be beneficial when starting a business or managing one successfully.
In addition to having access to educational opportunities, South Asians have access to numerous resources that help them gain insight into franchising.
These include online forums where people can ask questions about franchises, research conducted on franchising opportunities, seminars held by franchisors or industry experts on topics such as legal issues related to franchising, or financial management tips for franchisees; all these resources give potential franchisees invaluable information they need before making any decisions regarding franchising.
For many South Asians, franchising offers an attractive option, as it is a proven business model with lower risks and higher chances of success than independent startups.
Franchising allows an individual to get into business with an established brand name with its own loyal customers and employees.
It also reduces the time required for market research & development, marketing & promotion, customer service & loyalty building activities when starting an independent venture.
Furthermore, franchisors provide support services such as business training & consultations, which help franchisees run their businesses efficiently and effectively.
In Houston alone, several successful South Asian franchise owners are making a mark for themselves in various industries such as hospitality, retail, food service, etc.
These include restaurateur Kumar Daulatramani whose chain Café Bombay has been serving delicious Indian food since 1999; Rajesh Bhavnani, who owns several Subway outlets; Sachin Kakkar, who runs a chain of Burger King restaurants Ricky Oberoi, who runs numerous Wendys in Texas and Florida and Anwar Siddiqui who owns multiple Papa John’s Pizza outlets across the city.
“Franchising success for South Asians is on the rise! With an ever-increasing number of South Asian business owners setting their sights on franchising, the opportunities and rewards are vast.
From service industry franchises like restaurant chains to retail ones like clothing stores, South Asians are increasingly finding success in the franchising world. The trend has been reflected in current franchise ownership statistics, showing that 5-8% of all U.S. franchisees are now of South Asian descent.
At the same time, the cultural influence and economic impact of these businesses is undeniable, having become valued and trusted members of their local communities. With this trend continuing to grow, it is clear that South Asians are poised to make a powerful impact within the franchising world!” Or you can reach out to Seema Govil for any questions regarding the expo or Franchising opportunities.
Seema@thefranchiseconsultingcompany.com
