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DON & PAT HOAG
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The Ohio couple had been actively pursuing business opportunities when their daughter called to tell them about her visit to a Detroit-area Zoup! That night they made the 175-mile trip to Michigan, where they didn’t just visit one store, they visited all of the locations in the area. “The Zoup! concept really resonated with us,” says Don. “We liked the idea that we could provide good, healthy food for the same price many people pay for a fast-food burger.” “And,” says Pat, “the variety, the pleasant environment and the feel-good qualities of soup were something we could feel proud to offer.”
Today, with their first location – Zoup! Solon – at the five-year mark and a second location in the works, Pat and Don have had plenty of opportunity to figure out what makes a successful husband-wife team. They both agree that “clear lines of authority” are critical. At their store, Pat is in charge of operations and Don handles financial matters and maintenance. “It’s important that we not second-guess each other,” says Don. “We both know what’s going on and have input into all aspects of the business, but only one of us can ‘be in charge’ of a specific area.”
According to Pat, working as a husband-wife team can be a mixed bag, “We have plenty of quality time together and we never run out of things to talk about. But sometimes we have to be extra careful to hold our tongues…or deal with the consequences of hurt feelings.” Pat also points out that because they work together, when they get home they have to start all over, dividing up tasks and tackling them.
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Don thinks flexibility is key to their successful partnership, “Man plans and God laughs,” he says. Pat agrees, “The business evolves and your relationship evolves. There are stresses and there are successes. You have to have to be patient and have faith that everything will work out.”
Whatever challenges they face, the couple is glad they made the decisions they did. They take special pride in their number of repeat customers, and the fact that team members can start preparing their meal, even before they order. “It’s unbelievably fulfilling to realize that you have earned that degree of loyalty,” says Pat. Don and Pat also are happy with the support they have received. “Zoup! is a very good franchisor. Other companies think nothing of putting another franchise right across the street from you. Zoup! understands that franchise owners need to make an honest living.
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