From Tech Sales to Top Franchisee
Tri Nguyen is an entrepreneur at heart. Business is his passion and he graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Master’s degree in business in 2008. Facing one of the worst financial crisis of our times, and like millions of other Americans, Nguyen was unable to find work in his preferred field and expertise. Living in Silicon Valley, he joined Cisco Systems as a sales analyst and has been with the company since. Seven years later, Nguyen found his entrepreneurial calling once again as a Umai Savory Hot Dogs franchisee.
“I was a big fan of the hot dog carts in downtown San Jose and ate them throughout college. So when I found out that Umai began their restaurant locations, I knew I wanted to open one up myself,” says Nguyen. With no restaurant experience and plans to continue working a full-time job at Cisco, Nguyen was initially rejected as a franchisee for his “lack of dedication” to the brand. Nguyen continued to push forward and repeatedly asked the company to reconsider his franchise application. His passion for the brand and products became clear and he opened his first store in Sacramento, California.
“I learned a lot working in sales. Your customers are your top priority and if they’re not happy, your sales will definitely reflect it,” says Nguyen. Nguyen’s dedication to customer service has garnered consistent top reviews at the various social media and food review sites. His store location is among the top grossing locations, often outperforming corporate restaurant locations. Nguyen sits on the Marketing Committee to oversee regional advertising and he has plans to develop additional units in the Silicon Valley Bay Area.
What do you like best about Umai Savory Hot Dogs?
“Definitely the food. Whenever I tell some of my friends that I own a hot dog restaurant, many of them roll their eyes, but then they come in and eat and just love the food. Umai has so much more than just hot dogs though and it’s what keeps customers coming back time and again.”
Tell us your experience as a franchisee?
“I sure hope every franchise can be like Umai. The founder and CEO continually works on new products and is extremely hands-on with every aspect of the operations. Everything from site selection, construction planning, to menu set-up, training, and everything – he’s there. You can tell how passionate they are about the brand and its products and I love that.”
Any tips you wish to share?
“Umai Savory Hot Dogs is a very unique brand. I travel a lot as a sales rep and I never see anything close to Umai. The founder is very passionate and is constantly in communication with you. I didn’t know how much of a blessing that was until I heard from other friends that they have no franchise support from other brands that they work with. The personal touch and hands-on operation and support is what I really like and you definitely get that here. I’ve learned so much with the one-on-one interaction with the franchise support staff. My only tip is that, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to ask because the franchise team is definitely there to help.”
