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  There’s a smoking trail of success in the Tar Heel State with Owner/Operator Eric Davis, who’s been slow smoking meat since childhood. A North Carolina native, Eric’s barbecue roots run deep as
  he’s turned his passion into purpose with Dickey’s Barbecue Pit four years ago. A pharmaceutical representative for the last 18 years, Eric spends his time balancing his healthcare career and
  overseeing the operations at his two locations in Raleigh and Southern Pines. 
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  With his stores maintaining a 10-15 percent catering sales and increased store visits daily, Eric’s ‘claim-to-fame’ in execution is consistency. “I am relentless in consistently serving the best
  quality product to our guests and delivering a customer experience that’s second to none,” he shares. Taking a customer-centric business approach, Eric credits the training and operations support
  to the high-quality guest experience that his team delivers daily. “The training program is a great blueprint in keeping our in-store staff up to standards. It is also operations staff like Kim
  Juda and Brian Lepera that make a difference by providing the appropriate resources and insights that improves our operations and positively impacts the guest experience.” 
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  When he’s not juggling the healthcare world and in-store operations, Eric also oversees his team’s community marketing efforts. “I tell my team to take a full court press when it comes to current
  and prospective guests. It’s our constant and enthusiastic approach with nearby businesses, schools and churches that has made our stores a top-of-mind dining option to the surrounding
  communities.” Eric adds, “It’s a rewarding experience to be an integral part of the community because our guests recognize the high-quality of our food and first-class guest experience.”
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Eric Davis of Raleigh and Southern Pines, NC

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  It was with a blink of an eye when Owner/Operator Tom Eggerud joined the Dickey’s family. “Before I knew it, I was on a plane to Dallas to meet with Roland Dickey, Jr. to explore an opportunity
  with the Texas barbecue restaurant,” shares Tom. Excited about a proven franchise model with quick growth, it wasn’t long before he was opening his store in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul region.
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  With a heavy focus on catering, much of Tom’s success has been his ability to retain repeat customers. “I place an emphasis on bringing that down home experience from the restaurant to the
  community,” he says. “Whether it’s a delivery buffet for 10, or a full-service catering event for 500, I focus on ensuring perfect execution and complete satisfaction as I interact with guests at
  the store, through catering or the community. It’s a gratifying experience to hear your store is top of mind 
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  for guests as they continue to choose you over the many options offered in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.”
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  Tom enjoys the home office’s marketing support for providing a variety of community marketing efforts that keep his business relevant. “The most beneficial part is getting new ideas from the
  marketing team.  My store’ success and growth has not come from doing any one thing, but a result of many different types of marketing efforts.”
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  And those efforts have not gone unnoticed.  Recently, Tom was nominated to be a candidate for NFAAC, Dickey’s regional governing body of Owner/Operators. “I credit a lot of my store’s success
  to the dedication and commitment I've put toward it.  I plan to continue to grow and develop my store and this market.” 
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Tom Eggerud of Eagan, MN

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  Situated near the ‘Heart of America’ with countless barbecue restaurants, Owner/Operator Ryan Wenrich isn’t sweating the competition in Kansas, a state also known for its style of barbecue. Relying
  on his 15 years of experience as a restaurant owner, Ryan focuses on consistently providing authentic Texas-style barbecue to his guests. “Kansas residents know barbecue and they always return for
  more at our stores. I strive to serve the best slow-smoked meats that keep us ahead of the competition,” shares Ryan.
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  The newly elected Central Region NFAAC representative also makes his community marketing efforts and catering sales a priority. “There’s no substitute for face-to-face interaction when serving
  current or potential guests. Owner/Operators must find an opportunity to be on the frontline and build relationships with key community stakeholders at their nearby businesses, schools and
  chambers.”
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  An Owner/Operator of three stores (soon to be four) throughout Kansas, Ryan credits the ongoing training support in keeping his staff up-to-date with Dickey’s GREAT standards. “My team would agree
  the daily training videos and internal communications systems equip us with the ability to operate and execute service seamlessly,” said Ryan. “From the streamlined communications to a high-quality
  product that hasn’t wavered in consistency for the past75 years, Dickey’s has done a great job in building a solid franchise system that makes it easy to be an Owner/Operator of multiple units.”
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Ryan Wenrich of Topeka, Kansas

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  Eager to find his next journey post-service, Navy veteran Nate Schott found opportunity knocking when his sister mentioned her local favorite—Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. “Great barbecue was hard to find
  while stationed in San Diego. With the closest Dickey’s an hour away, my wife and I immediately fell in love with the authentic flavor and family history,” says Nate. “Once we learned about the
  growth opportunities with Dickey’s, we decided franchising would be our next mission.”
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  Driven to take the lead with slow-smoked barbecue in ‘The Frontier City’, Nate and his wife have become a barbecue sensation in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Always busy filling people’s hearts and plates,
  the husband and wife team are primarily focused on community engagement. “Cheyenne is the place where everybody knows your name, and that is the approach we’ve taken in our community marketing
  efforts,” shares Nate. And it’s hard not to agree that there is a mutual passion for great barbecue. 
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  Recently, Nate’s store was voted ‘Best Barbecue’ in the city’s newspaper, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. He adds, “From the rib raisers fundraiser events to bounce back offers, the home office’s
  community marketing support has been instrumental in how we interact with our current and potential guests.  When individuals see my wife and me around town, we want them to remember their
  great experiences at Dickey’s.” 
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  Aside from the marketing support, Nate also utilizes the training and operations support to further engage the store’s guests. “The refreshed operations techniques provided through the daily
  training videos have transformed my employees’ perception on how they deliver customer service. It’s a great feeling to know the majority of our repeat business is because of our down home
  approach, and I look forward expanding our Dickey’s business in this area.” 
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Nate Schott of Cheyenne, Wyoming 

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  Growth is the one thing that has been constant for Owner/Operators Brandon and Brandi Kosek. After six years supervising several McDonald’s in Minnesota, Brandon desired more in the world of
  franchising. “We searched long and hard for franchises in the area and found Dickeys Barbecue Pit to be the right fit for us,” shares Brandon. 
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  With the desire to raise a family in their home state of Nebraska, the husband and wife packed their bags and began their journey with Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. In 2014, Brandon and Brandi opened
  their first of two locations in Bellevue, Nebraska.  “From the moment we joined the brand, the Dickey’s home office has been nothing but supportive. As new franchisees, the training,
  operations and marketing team continuously provide effective strategies that produce immediate and successful 
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  results.”
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  The multi-unit owners focus heavily on building a strong community presence in the towns where both stores are based. “Our community loves our food. We give back to the community and schools as
  much as we can. The Rib Raiser program is a great way to do that,” said Brandi. There’s not a day that goes by where the individuals of Bellevue or Council Bluffs, Iowa won’t catch these two
  filling and delivering catering orders, greeting guests at either store, or supporting local events. “We have found that quickly immersing ourselves and placing familiarity in our stores has built
  a trusting relationship and brought new and returning visitors to our stores.” 
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Brandon and Brandi Kosek of Council Bluffs, Iowa and Bellevue, Nebraska

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  A new Cornell University study has determined that vegetarian diets may make people more susceptible to inflammation, heart disease and colon cancer.
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<p>
  <span style="line-height: 1.42857;">See the full piece below and on</span> <a href="http://www.meatingplace.com/Industry/News/Details/65546" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.42857; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Meatingplace.com</a><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">, then stop in to your local Dickey's to stock up on Omega-3!</span>
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  Cornell University scientists have found evidence that a vegetarian diet has led to a mutation that — if they stray from a balanced omega-6 to omega-3 diet — may make people more susceptible to
  inflammation, and by association, increased risk of heart disease and colon cancer.
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  The discovery, led by Drs. Tom Brenna, Kumar Kothapalli and Alon Keinan provides the first evolutionary detective work that traces a higher frequency of a particular mutation to a primarily
  vegetarian population from Pune, India (about 70 percent), when compared to a traditional meat-eating American population, made up of mostly Kansans (less than 20 percent). It appears in the early
  online edition of the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution.
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  By using reference data from the 1000 Genomes Project, the research team provided evolutionary evidence that the vegetarian diet, over many generations, may have driven the higher frequency of a
  mutation in the Indian population.
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  The insertion mutation may be favored in populations subsisting primarily on vegetarian diets and possibly populations having limited access to diets rich in polyunsaturated fats, especially fatty
  fish. The deletion of the same sequence might have been adaptive in populations that are based on marine diet, such as the Greenlandic Inuit. 
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  The mutation, called rs66698963 and found in the FADS2 gene, is an insertion or deletion of a sequence of DNA that regulates the expression of two genes, FADS1 and FADS2. These genes are key to
  making long chain polyunsaturated fats. Among these, arachidonic acid is a key target of the pharmaceutical industry because it is a central culprit for those at risk for heart disease, colon
  cancer, and many other inflammation-related conditions. Treating individuals according to whether they carry 0, 1, or 2 copies of the insertion, and their influence on fatty acid metabolites, can
  be an important consideration for precision medicine and nutrition. 
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  The authors will follow up the study with additional worldwide populations to better understand the mutations and these genes as a genetic marker for disease risk.
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  "With little animal food in the diet, the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids must be made metabolically from plant PUFA precursors. The physiological demand for arachidonic acid, as well as
  omega-3 EPA and DHA, in vegetarians is likely to have favored genetics that support efficient synthesis of these key metabolites," say Brenna and Kothapalli in a joint comment. "Changes in the
  dietary omega-6 to omega-3 balance may contribute to the increase in chronic disease seen in some developing countries."
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New research shows potential health risk for vegetarians

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  It’s deeper than blood-relation for Owner/Operators Kevin and Randy Daniel. Businessmen by nature, the two have been chasing their dreams of owning a restaurant since the beginning of their
  careers. After working with McDonald’s franchisees for more than 15 years, Kevin and Randy immediately hit reset in the world of franchising after noticing how underrepresented authentic,
  slow-smoked barbecue was in Ohio. “We knew it was time to expand our business portfolio once we learned about Dickey’s explosive growth and franchising model,” says Kevin. 
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  To ensure the success of their store, the brothers proactively utilize Dickey’s marketing department as a support to activate their community marketing initiatives. “This isn’t just about food for
  Randy and me,” shares Kevin. “It’s about the people and our daily interaction with the community from the moment they visit our store to when we are delivering catering orders to nearby
  businesses.” Recently, they experienced the largest month in catering sales after a Dickey’s operations team member, Henry Lara refreshed their local brand ambassador’s strategies. “We appreciate
  how easily accessible Dickey’s training, operations and marketing support is for Owner/Operators.  From the moment an Owner/Operator signs an agreement to the opening of your store, there’s a
  high engagement from the Dickey’s home office that can’t be replicated anywhere else.”
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  South Lebanon guests can easily find the Daniel brothers giving away food samples at local soccer games, festivals and corporate events. “We are always trying to find ways to be proactive and bring
  customers back into the store,” says Kevin. He adds, “This includes pouring back into the very community that supports us.” Focused on becoming the fabric of the community, these brothers truly
  embody South Lebanon’s motto—“Reclaiming the past, embracing the future.”  “Being a part of Dickey’s has grown our perspective in franchising greatly and we look forward to opening 11 more
  stores in greater Cincinnati.”  
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Kevin and Randy Daniel of South Lebanon, OH

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  In 2014, Owner/Operators Varun Arora and Bobby Desai of Troy, Michigan decided to expand their franchising portfolio and invest in Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. “We were impressed by the fast growth that
  Dickey’s exuded from 2012 to 2014,” shares Arora. “From the praise on the high-quality food to the lack of slow-smoked barbecue options in Michigan, we were immediately sold once we took an
  in-depth look into the Dickey’s brand and rapid expansion plan,” added Desai.
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  Arora and Desai were also impressed by Dickey’s extensive training support, which has led to their store’s great success. The avid entrepreneurs own multiple businesses in a variety of industries
  including Subway franchises. “The ongoing franchisee support and weekly training modules have been instrumental in our success,” Desai shared. “The in-store team learns so much from the marketing
  and training tools provided by Dickey’s home office,” Desai shared. “As owners of multiple businesses, there’s no other franchisee support that can compare and allow for seamless day-to-day
  operations.”
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  The dynamic duo utilizes the marketing team’s support to further expose their store to the surrounding community. With a business park nearby, Arora and Desai take a creative approach in how they
  introduce Texas-style barbecue to the store’s area. Currently, their community marketing efforts include weekly food drops to local businesses, which are positively impacting their catering sales
  and lunch crowd. They hope to inspire other Owners/Operators to get into their community and utilize Dickey’s first-class support if they want a successful franchise.  “We understand that our
  biggest opportunities are right here in our backyard and we are excited to expand the Dickey’s brand with our Ann Arbor location this summer.”
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Varun Arora and Bobby Desai of Troy, MI

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    Ryan McPeek opened his store in December and is already engaging his store’s neighborhood through Community Marketing and great ideas. 
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    Chicago is all about their sports teams and great food. What better way to combine the two than a raffle for Cubs tickets? On March 31 the Rockford store will host the drawing, and three guests
    will win 2 tickets each to the big Cubs vs. Pirates game. To enter, guests will fill out a Big Yellow Cup Club entry, which Ryan uses to drive traffic and check counts.
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    “Community Marketing support has been great in these first few months of business,” Ryan says. “I am excited to attract more guests to the store to experience our amazing barbecue.  With the
    tools Dickey’s offers such as the Big Yellow Cup Club and BMG cards, people in my community are hearing about the new store and coming in to try our authentic, Texas-style barbecue.”
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Ryan McPeek of Rockford, IL

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  Owner/Operator Danessa Williams has the distinction of opening the first Dickey’s Barbecue Pit on a military base. A 16-year quick service industry veteran, she spent her entire career saving money
  to open her own franchise. She searched for the right fit and narrowed her decision down to Dickey’s because of the family owned and family friendly aspect, and because her town didn’t have
  anything like it.
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  D<span style="line-height: 1.42857;">anessa opened her first Dickey’s location in Lebanon, MO on land she had bought previously to fulfill her dream of owning a restaurant. A small town of 14,000,
  Lebanon got a Dickey’s even before bigger cities such as St. Louis or Springfield, a point that Danessa is especially proud of. Six years later she opened her second store on base in Fort Leonard
  Wood, MO.</span>
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  <span style="line-height: 1.42857;">In daily operations of both stores, Danessa works hard to create a culture of respect and hard work. She uses community marketing activities to engage her
  community and Dickey’s ongoing training support to ensure her employees keep their focus on serving their guests the highest quality food and best experience possible. “The daily training videos
  are so helpful for everyone,” says Danessa. “Even after eight years, I still learn something new every time I watch. Dickey’s gives us a lot of great tools that help with daily operations, but the
  learning videos definitely make the biggest difference in my stores.” </span>
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Danesssa Williams of Lebanon, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO

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  Last month one of Will’s stores hosted a Rib Raiser for Make-a-Wish Foundation. They were notified about a blind girl in their community who was suffering from a terminal illness. Her wish was to
  host a party for all her friends and family at Dickey’s.
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  Will’s store arranged the party for her, reserving the space and providing the food. They hosted the party in the store, providing all the delicious barbecue free of cost. “As a local business
  owner I feel a deep responsibility to give back to the local community that supports me as a business,” Will says. Dickey’s has given me the opportunity to own this business and provided excellent
  marketing tools to engage with my community. With Dickey’s Rib Raiser marketing program, we have everything we need to hold these fundraising events so that we can support causes we care about.”
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  The girl’s family and friends all enjoyed a wonderful time together over ribs, brisket and homestyle sides, while celebrating her life and love. She had an ear to ear barbecue sauce smile as she
  enjoyed her wish coming true at Dickey’s.
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Will Carter of Lincoln, NE

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  Having grown up in his family restaurant, Tom Emmons knows great food and knows how to run a restaurant. He played every part in the family’s Kansas City hometown diner, from washing dishes to
  waiting tables. Now, as a restaurant owner himself he remembers what his mom used to say: “If the police are your regulars, you’re doing it right.”
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  Now with over four years under his belt as a Dickey’s Owner/Operator and another store in the works, Tom has plenty of first responders who have become loyal guests. He regularly takes food to
  police stations and sponsors charity activities for them and other organizations such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
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  “My favorite part of working at Dickey’s is the people,” Tom says. “Because of community marketing activities, I have made many relationships with people in local businesses who have become loyal
  catering clients. It’s been a great benefit to have the resources that are there to guide where to go next.”
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Tom Emmons of Mesa, AZ

<p>
  Shinder Singh has a long history as a business owner, having owned gas stations, hotels and restaurants. He’s also currently a Firehouse Subs franchisee.. He chose to invest in a Dickey’s franchise
  because of the uniqueness of the concept and high quality of food.
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  In the beautiful desert community of Palm Springs, California, there is no other Fast Casual barbecue option, so the community flocks to Shinder’s store to get their fill of authentic, Texas-style
  barbecue. Since it is a fairly small community, Shinder has many loyal guests who have become friends and Shinder’s store has become a great local hangout.
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  “I partnered with Dickey’s because of the ongoing support that is provided from the home office,” Shinder says. “Community marketing enables me to increase my catering percentage and connect with
  the community. My store has also benefitted from Mr. Dickey’s visit and cooking segment on our local NBC station.”
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  Shinder is proud of his team of Pit Bosses, Pit Masters and Pit Crew, and gives credit to his team-spirited and enthusiastic team for the store’s success.
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Real Talk with Real Owners - Shinder Singh of Palm Springs, CA

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  In the Puget Sound area of Washington State, Dr. Thomas Driver is well known. Having spent 27 years as a Navy commander running military hospitals, he is commonly called “Doc” by friends and
  family. After retiring from the military he knew he wanted to be a franchise owner, which led him to Dickey’s.
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  Thomas had always loved barbecue, but didn’t have many options available in his area. Dickey’s was a perfect opportunity because of the quality, slow-smoked flavor and its rapid growth nationwide.
  Now a three-store owner, Thomas has a new nickname: “Doctor Barbecue”. Using his contacts from the military, churches and local clubs such as Rotary, he has become a pillar of the community that
  people love and trust. There are two naval bases in the area, and Thomas offers a military discount. He also has a banquet room in his store in Port Orchard, where he regularly hosts church groups,
  families and local sports teams.
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  “What I love best about the business is the ribs,” Thomas says. “But after that, I love all the support I get as a franchisee. I have made great relationships with the people in marketing and
  training. They are always willing to help me out in any way. My marketing manager even came to visit me not too long ago to see how I was doing. That just exemplifies how Dickey’s is all about
  great service.”
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  The doctor is in, and he prescribes more barbecue!
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Real Talk with Real Owners: Dr. Thomas Driver from Port Orchard, Poulsbo and Gig Harbor, WA

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  Marc Cohen started his career as a chef in restaurants, hotels and even catering for NASCAR races. He worked in high-end venues in Las Vegas and fed people on racetracks all over the country. His
  first taste of barbecue came from third party vendors on the track, and he was hooked. He loved all the different flavor combinations available to make a truly special and unique barbecue, while
  staying authentic.
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  He first learned of Dickey’s through his cousin, now business partner. Having lived in the San Antonio area for 40 years, he knew all about great Texas-style barbecue. The two went into business
  together and spent time researching different concepts. “We chose Dickey’s because it was well situated for growth, and we saw that there was a clear strategy in place,” Marc says.
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Now, as an Owner/Operator, Marc attributes his success to the community marketing tools that Dickey’s offers all its franchisees. His favorite community marketing activity is dropping off family
packs at local businesses. “I will spend the cost of one family pack to get two new customers every time,” he says. “It shows we are going the extra mile.” He knows that the business doesn’t survive
without loyal customers, so he focuses on consistency and quality of all his products. That’s what makes Marc this week’s Brand Champion!
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