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HOw tHIS COO lEaRnED tO SCalE HIS BuSInESS
FROM SERVING IN THE U.S. ARMY
Dan Murphy comes from a military family and naturally followed the footsteps of his father to become an Army Captain. A graduate of West Point, Murphy is an Army Veteran and a former NCAA athlete.
Eventually leaving his military career behind him, certain elements stuck with him as he became Chief Operating Officer of the gym franchise D1 Training, growing the company from its founding to a 60-plus unit franchise with over 200 facilities in development. The lesson is simple - your business is only as strong as its weakest link. Dan Murphy credits the military’s command control structure in helping him successfully scale D1 Training, a leading fitness concept utilizing the five core tenets of athletic-based training to help people of all ages, from youth athletes to fitness-minded adults, achieve their sport and fitness goals.
Murphy served in the Army from 1996 to 2001 before he moved to Nashville to attend graduate school at Vanderbilt University. After leaving the Army, he realized he missed the sense of accountability and team training it gave him. While in Nashville, Murphy came across D1 and quickly became friends with owner Will Bartholomew, and soon became the COO in 2005, helping to grow the business. As COO, he oversees company partnerships and monitors operational and strategic priorities for the franchise management team. Murphy has played an integral part of the company’s expansion, helping turn D1 into a multi-million-dollar franchise company. Attributing the military to his ongoing success, Murphy shares his greatest lessons learned and how they have transitioned to business growth and development.
Your team is Your greatest Asset
Whether in the Army or in business, you must understand the value of your people - your team. With a strong, accountable team all aligned on the same mission, you become an unstoppable force. Understand this and commit to investing in your team. Amid the pandemic, Murphy invested in team coaching via a partnership with Novus Global, and immediately saw a direct correlation with bottom-line results.
Additionally, you should set a routine process and system in place for your team. Murphy says every solider gets the same training so that if something breaks down, you can easily identify it at the highest level. It’s all about keeping those systems dialed in - from how you identify sites, to hiring staff, to getting members in the door. Without this and a strong team, you will not be able to scale successfully. Murphy understands that he does not have all the answers, and frequently seeks feedback from his employees and franchisees. He utilizes a hand-off approach and trusts his team to show up every day and do well.
eliminate Failure as an option
Whether you’re a military captain or C-suite exec, you must accept that not everything goes your way. Sometimes, our first reaction to a new challenge or obstacle is fear – fear that failure is looming in our future. That’s natural, but don’t fear the challenge itself. The true test becomes perseverance – mental toughness matters. Murphy said learning perseverance taught him to stick to the mission no matter what the jobs is. Having discipline is one of his biggest assets.
Change your perspective and look at challenges as an opportunity to test your ability, grow your resiliency, and even learn something new. Eliminating failure and keeping a positive outlook will go a long way toward making the challenge less daunting.
see the Vision
Identify and communicate your vision with your team. What do you hope to achieve? This will allow you and your team to redirect your energies to a higher purpose and know the work you do each day is making a positive difference toward that vision.
Your employees serve as brand ambassadors and are often the initial point of contact for your members - new and existing. We are always striving to inspire each of our employees to remember the impact they are making. At D1, Murphy says the company espouses the aspirational qualities that Division 1 athletes represent – it’s a lifestyle of character and commitment. Everyone is there to achieve their own goal within that framework and that is not something every company, or gym, has.
The early lessons he learned from his military days still hold true: there is strength in numbers. With 60-plus units open and over 200 in development, Murphy encourages other veterans to use their experience to their advantage by joining the D1 franchise system, as they offer financial discounts on the franchise opportunity. Having the opportunity to serve others in more ways than one is what Murphy loves most about his career – it is truly a part of who he is as a person.
frOm member Of the marine cOrps tO My gREatER aMBItIOn
Wetzel’s Pretzels (Wetzel’s) has been a part of my life for over 15 years. Living in California as a teenager, I knew the brand well and began working at a local store in Rancho Cucamonga. It was a fun, vibrant place to work with a familyoriented atmosphere, so I naturally fell in love with Wetzel’s. Even as a 16-year-old, I always had the greater ambition of owning and managing my own Wetzel’s location one day, and seeing how the franchisee at the Rancho Cucamonga store operated only further enhanced my entrepreneurial spirit.
In 2010, my path drew me to enlisting in the Marine Corps and I packed my bags for Washington D.C. My time in the Marine Corps allowed me to fulfill dreams of travelling all over the world while honoring our country, and I ultimately reenlisted for an additional four years to serve in a scout sniper platoon. Through my service, I was promoted to platoon Sergeant, giving me the responsibility of overseeing the training and operations of 40 marines. My time as a member of the Marine Corps taught me essential skills such as discipline, how to effectively delegate a team and created a certain drive unique to the military, and these skills have further progressed my career as an entrepreneur. The military helped me find a distinctive, strong sense of purpose that is reflected in everything I do, providing a guideline for my future. I credit everything I have today to the lessons I learned in the Marine Corps and was able to seamlessly transition them into the intricate and lucrative world of business management. When returned from my service in 2018, my first priority was to figure out my education. I knew I wanted to pursue higher education, but needed the financial means to do so. While I didn’t intend on rejoining Wetzel’s right away, an assistant management position opened up at Riverside and I seized the opportunity to reach new heights in my career. This rekindled my love for the Wetzel’s brand and solidified my ambition to work towards owning a location myself. At the same time, I enrolled in community college to learn more about the ins-and-outs of business management from an educational perspective, rounding out the skills I would need to be an effective entrepreneur. After four months, I transferred to a corporate location in Ontario Mills, California, seeing the massive market potential there and the ability to stand out and grow quickly within the company. Four months later I was promoted to General Manager after elevating the store’s performance and driving sales, ultimately leading to the store being the highesttraffic location with the exception of Disneyland. While managing this location, I began to explore ownership options to attain the goal I’d set as a teenager and transferred to the University of Southern California, and I accredit this transfer as a big part of where I am today. In 2019, I became the General Manager for three corporate locations including Ontario Mills and built-up strong relationships with the Wetzel’s corporate team through leadership and initiative. Across the three locations, we were able to significantly increase sales volume and overall efficiency to better serve the market. Behind the success was the experience I gained leading a team of 40 in the Marine Corps, giving us the ability to expand our staff to over 50 talented individuals as the traffic at these locations increased.
Fast forward to 2021, an opportunity to acquire a store at Alderwood Mall in Washington arose and it was the perfect time to make my dream into a reality in a market with untapped potential. Between expanding my skills through managing the corporate stores and my military background, I knew I was well prepared for ownership and made the decision to take over in March of 2022. The state of Washington has huge retail growth potential with many individuals and families relocating there, and I have my sights set on a second store in the near future.
A significant influence in taking the leap into franchising was Wetzel’s program for veterans and first responders. It was such an honor to serve my country, but the transition back home was certainly challenging to navigate at first. I knew I wanted to own a Wetzel’s, so when I learned about its VetFran initiative that really sealed the deal. Their dedication to service members and understanding that military skills are highly transferrable to business ownership meant that I could feel confident in their franchisee support. The lower initial franchising cost also provided a massive benefit, allowing me to get my feet back on the ground much quicker and solidifying the knowledge that Wetzel’s was a brand I wanted to be a part of. While I credit the Marine Corps for so much of who I am today, I invested in Wetzel’s due to their ease of operations, ongoing corporate support for franchisees, and the world of opportunity the brand offers. I’ve seen them progress immensely throughout the years, always growing to further support franchisees in generating new revenue streams and strengthening their skills. These ongoing developments create a brand that will withstand the test of time, which is the ultimate challenge for all retail concepts. Looking ahead, I cannot wait to continue expanding both my corporate and franchisee roles within Wetzel’s alongside such a hands-on, passionate team. Their guidance and family-oriented approach that celebrates franchisees’ successes motivates me to instill the same drive in the employees I manage. My mission is to be an approachable leader like those who inspired me to become an entrepreneur myself, hopefully empowering them to grow as I have. Wetzel’s felt like home to me when I returned from my service, and that still rings true to this day. It’s such a privilege to be a part of.
unItED StatES naVy VEtERan anD MultI-BRanD fRanCHISEE tO OPEn fIRSt 810 BIllIaRDS & BOwlIng In gREEnVIllE
Rylan Miller built an impressive career for himself in the military, serving first in the Navy where he took on the roles of mission commander and UAV pitlot before taking a job in defense contracting. He always had an entrepreneurial drive and during his time as a defense contractor, he was introduced to Tropical Smoothie Cafe.
Miller found that Tropical Smoothie Cafe, which was his first introduction into the franchising industry, was aligned with his goals and vision. He now owns 29 locations throughout Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Virginia.
“Franchising provides veterans with the best model for success. Veterans makeup 14% of all franchisees and see a great deal of success due to their skills learned in the military,” Miller said. “You’re able to get up and running with less capital than starting your own business and are set up in a proven growth vehicle.”
Miller’s good fortune with Tropical Smoothie cade inspired him to branch out into other franchise concepts, which eventually led him to 810 Billiards & Bowling, the fast-growing restaurant and entertainment franchise launched just over five years ago in Myrtle Beach.
“I first became interested in 810 Billiards & Bowling as a consumer. My family
and I were looking for things to do in our hometown of Myrtle Beach, which is where the brand was founded and has three locations. I thought it was such a fun concept,” Miller said. “I was impressed. It was wholesome fun where the local community would gather, and parents don’t have to worry about it being an inappropriate environment for their children. We got to experience live music, bowling and arcade games in addition to a full-service restaurant and bar.”
810 Billiards & Bowling is the emerging “eatertainment” franchise out of South Carolina that started out with the goal of creating a fun and casual atmosphere where anyone can feel welcomed and relaxed. What sets the concept apart from similar brands is the combination of a fullservice dining-and-bar model with a range of entertainment options that appeal to all demographics. Miller’s interaction with the 810 Billiards & Bowling team started before the COVID-19 pandemic. He believes as the world embraces a regained sense of normalcy, the interest in the 810 brand will grow with resounding success. “810 Billiards & Bowling is completely different from anything I’ve ever done, which excites me,” Miller said. “I’m looking forward to bringing a new concept to Greenville as people are getting more comfortable with getting back out there after COVID. I feel like this is a renewed sense of entertainment.”
“We think it is a huge advantage to have someone like Rylan on our team who has so much franchising experience,” said Michael Siniscalchi, the president of 810 Billiards & Bowling.He’s a great ambassador for our brand, he has built his organization through a focus on putting his people first, a philosophy shared by 810, and we’re thrilled to have someone on our team equipped to speak to how 810 differentiates ourselves from the rest of the franchise world.” three new locations and securing several other franchise agreements.
Siniscalchi says the brand’s growth is due largely to the franchise’s “innovative model.
“We want to bring our premium entertainment experience, traditionally only available in large metro markets, and make it available nationwide. 810 has a broad demographic appeal offering a strong value proposition for guests by providing myriad of entertainment options and competitive pricing,” he said.
810 Billiards and Bowling has locations in South Carolina, Arizona and Texas.
