Couple Hits the Sauce, Finds Barbecue Success

The Sunny Side Of Steak

"Our franchises are small locations that are easy to run. They don't require the labor that real restaurants require," says Ivey. One store can be run with three employees including a cashier, sandwich maker and assistant manager. Unlike larger restaurants that rely on a chef and experienced manager, no skilled labor is required.

Ivey still manages one franchise, which helps keep him attuned to the market. "We use the product every day so we are still connected to sales volume," he says. "Otherwise we would have to rely solely on the franchisees to tell us what is going on."

Meaty Matters

"One of the barriers to BBQ cuisine is how particular it is to regions of the country," says Glenn Drasher, vice president of marketing at Famous Dave'sDAVE.

Ivy advises his franchisees to be flexible and allow for change. High rents at nearly $8,000 per location a month, for example, prompted him to start looking for smaller and more reasonably priced spaces at strip mall centers.

Virginia BBQ franchisee Vince Miller says Ivey is always there if he has questions but he keeps his requests for help realistic. "You have to be able to do work on your own; you can't expect him to do it for you," says Miller.