addressMACONDelivering Components of Success

march/april 05 www.imediagroup.biz/addressmacon

Eric Hefner mortgaged everything to fulfill a dream of owning his own business.His reward for success, a healthy and happy family, is reflected in the photographs at the Hefner’s Richmond Hill home.

Risk &Reward

address 49

dmittedly the phrase, “I’ll have a plate

with extra fries instead of coleslaw and a

Coke” has passed my lips at the drive-thru

on a many Saturday and Sunday morning.

Little did I know that the road to success

was paved with golden fried chicken fin-

gers. Eric Hefner did.

It seems I came to know Eric person-

ally some time after college graduation. He

was working with Stone Container

Corporation as a sales representative. He

was our rep.We often took our social famil-

iarity and turned our discussions towards

business. Eric always seemed to come to

the table with some sort of new idea - a

new business venture usually.You could tell

he was always thinking and was destined to

strike out on his own.

The drive of an entrepreneurial spirit

is rarely quenched by working for others so

it came as no great surprise when Eric left

the packaging industry. Eric admits,“I had a

romance with the idea of owning a restau-

rant”. As luck would have it, his pursuit of

an Athens, Georgia restaurant to franchise

failed. Little did he know at the time this

wasn’t the only chicken finger in Georgia.

During one of Eric’s business travels,

Walter Moody, a friend and local mortgage

broker, suggested he try out a new restau-

rant in Statesboro, Zax’s. Zax’s, known

today as Zaxby’s, was located on the edge

of Georgia Southern University’s campus

and was the hip hang-out for college stu-

dents. Essentially a mobile home with a

deck, the restaurant served chicken fingers,

wings, fries, and beer.As fate would have it,

Eric’s meal was served with a napkin

imprinted with a phone number and the

message “Call for franchise opportunities”.

Within a week Zach McElroy and Tony

Townley,owners of Zax’s,were visiting Eric

in his home and discussing their opportuni-

ties together.

“I bought my first location on North

Davis Drive in Warner Robins at the auction

block. I had to mortgage everything. It was

really scary,” Eric reflects. At the time in

A

50 address blessed“I am blessed to have a wonderful family.My wife of 12 years, Margaret, hassupported me in all of my efforts. I couldnot have accomplished half of what I havewithout her. We have 3 great childrentwo boys Jonathan, 8 and Graham, 3;& a 6 year old daughter, Conner.”

1996, his was the ninth store in the whole

franchise system for Zaxby’s, and Eric was

the third licensee in the company. The

Auburn University graduate knew this was

a risky venture by any standards.

Eric spent much of his first year and a

half behind the kitchen counter.“The key to

a franchise’s success is consistency in a

quality product,” he remarks. “Zaxby’s mis-

sion statement is to consistently create

encore experiences that enrich lives one

person at a time.”Delegation became key to

Eric’s success. “No one knew how to pre-

pare the orders better than me,” he said.

“But in order to grow the business I had to

get out of the kitchen.” Store by store this

pattern continued. It wasn’t until after

Eric’s fifth restaurant was he able to back

away from shift work.

Eric learned the value of hard work at

a young age. He remembers, as a child, his

father leaving for work at 4:00 in the morn-

ing. Interestingly his father worked in the

food service industry. Eric’s father owned

Hefner’s Bakery at Westgate Mall for many

years. Although far from foreign to hard

work, Eric was beginning to realize the

pressures of operating multiple locations.

To grow beyond this point, Eric turned his

efforts towards developing operating part-

ners for his new ventures. Again as if fate

were on his side, his father was interested

in returning to the food service industry.

Over the next several years Eric assembled

nine operating partners including his

father, brother, father-in-law, two brother’s-

in-law and two cousins.Not all of his operat-

ing partners are actual family like the above,

but he values the others just as closely. “My

relationship with my operating partners

has really been the catalyst for my business

growth. To date, we have fourteen operat-

ing stores and three more with openings

planned this year.This includes our fourth

location in Macon and it will be located on

Zebulon Road.”

To keep a perspective on all of this,

Eric opened his first location in 1996. He is

yet to turn forty years old and yet to see the

ten year anniversary of his first store.

Granted forty is approaching quickly for

the April Fools’ baby, but no fool could

match his fast track of successful growth.

His peers in the industry apparently agree.

Eric has been named Chairman of the

Zaxby’s Advisory Council and during his

nine year tenure in the franchise organiza-

tion has helped the company expand to

250 chain locations.

The success of the Zaxby’s chain and

the popularity of the chicken wing in par-

ticular has been a blessing but also one of

the company’s biggest business obstacles.

Eric reports that the cost of chicken has

almost doubled in the past five years.

Unfortunately for the franchise owners, the

52 address

consumer market cannot bear all of the

expense through increased charges at the

register. Eric reports, “The dynamics of

chicken consumption has changed. Wings

used to be discarded. Now they are one of

the most popular requests.” Additionally,

real estate acquisition has become more

expensive.“In addition to the food services

business, I’m also in the real estate business

because I own the property for seven of my

locations.” In the true spirit of an entrepre-

neur, Eric has taken this obstacle and

turned it into a positive for himself. After

dabbling in land acquisition for the restau-

rant, he has now turned his new found

experience and interest towards personal

real estate dealings in Florida.

“My family and I are very fortunate.

Margaret has created a wonderful environ-

ment at home for our children to grow up

in. I still have my ’78 Porsche, although it

still needs some work, and we were able to

acquire a beach house this past year. Sure, I

am pleased with my success,” Eric com-

ments.“I am even prouder of the fact that

through my company, I have been able to

make a difference in the personal financial

success and quality of life for many others

including my operating partners and our

restaurant managers.”

Eric’s star is still rising. From all

appearances he has far from topped out his

potential for success. Eric’s personal philos-

ophy,“If you are going to go for something,

go to the top. If you are going to get

involved, work until you attain the top

level.” He has emulated this philosophy

before he could probably even verbalize it.

High school class president, college student

leader, honored athlete, Eagle Scout, com-

munity volunteer and board member and,

most recently, President of the Macon

Civic Club which raised over $90,000 for

local charities this year with its Civic

theatrical review.

For now Eric’s goals are to continue to

grow and expand his franchise, prepare for

his children’s education and design a plan

for his and Margaret’s retirement. A plan

that leaves plenty of life to enjoy.

David Canady

photography by Ken Krakow

address 53

success

Eric named three of his Zaxby based franchise corporations after his children:Tatergoose for Jonathan, Little C forConner, and Graham Crackas for Graham.

Never underestimate the enduring power of print! Research shows direct mail brings in 78% of donations for non-profits and campaigns combining direct mail and internet yield up to 25% higher response rates than the internet alone.

Not bad for being stuffed and mounted. From direct mail to magazines, brochures, posters and more, let us help you make print pay off.

478-314-2285 | dcanady@imediagroup.biz

JUSTWHENYOUTHOUGHTIT WASDEAD...