“We learned a long time ago, as owners, we have to be here.”– restaurant owner.

–“We learned a long time ago, as owners, we have to be here.”– restaurant owner.

(Watched him work the customers softly, politely and respectfuly. Just complimented him on the fact that I’ve know these people for about five years now and they’re good at what they do.)

When I was young I was in the franchise business, primarily in first tier malls. And I would try to kill any deal where I thought the owner wouldn’t be present, would hide the the back room, or would be tired of or afraid of customers, rather than enjoy serving them. I’m not saying I was always successful in killing the deal. Money talks. But I was always right. And those franchises turned over within two years.