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Happy Friday! Meet Anthony "Spags" Spagnola, our Sales Director from our New York team. Read on to hear all about his experience with martial arts, selling copiers and thinking outside of the box.
What are some of your favorite things about working at FranFunnel?
The autonomy. We have the freedom to do what we do best here, and everyone is open to each other's unique styles. Also the teamwork. Even though everyone kind of runs their own department and executes on their own ideas, we still have the support of all the other teams behind us.
Another top benefit of working here is how we think outside the box. Bringing fresh new ideas to an older, outdated industry is a regular practice for us. This ethos is reflected in our culture, from our team building activities to employee shout outs to access to everyone virtually. FranFunnel is full of interesting and smart people to learn from and interact with every day.
How has your experience as a franchise owner informed your work here?
In addition to working at FranFunnel, I’m a Partner and VP of Franchise Development for Sweetberry Bowls. This role helped me to put everything into perspective and understand the end consumer (prospective franchisee) in franchise marketing and franchise development.
Being a franchisee myself, I know what's important and which value proposition I would want to hear if I were looking to buy into another brand. It also helped me understand how candidates want to be engaged. Via text! Entrepreneurs are busy and get a lot of phone calls and emails. Texting gives them an easier platform to open and respond whenever they get the chance.
Lastly, owning my own franchise makes me more compassionate about the level of hard work and responsibility the job requires. It helped me to appreciate being an employee, getting a steady income and helping to achieve a bigger goal beyond just serving smoothies to customers. I think about that every time I get on the phone with a potential owner.
What was the first thing you ever sold to someone?
I’ve been selling my ideas to my family and friends since I was a small child, i.e, what we should eat for dinner, where we should go, what game we should play, etc. I got my way, most of the time. The first product I ever sold for money was probably fruit and veggies from Big Ed’s Produce at the Jersey Shore. It was my first summer job when I was a kid, selling corn on the cob, jersey tomatoes and more. Later, the first real sales job I held was selling Sharp copy machines to businesses. Way less exciting than delicious produce.
Which television show has been your favorite binge watch this year?
As far as a new 2020 series, I would probably have to say Cobra Kai. I was a black belt in tae kwon do and was a big karate kid fan when I was a child, so this show hit home. It's corny, but so good. Just like the produce I once sold.
What’s your favorite new routine or habit you’ve developed in quarantine?
I started jogging around my neighborhood and doing HIIT workouts at home to get in shape during quarantine. I never thought I would actually enjoy going for runs, but when you’re stuck inside all day, it's a great excuse to get out for 20-30 minutes to get some fresh air and a little sweat going.
I also make my bed every morning now! It's funny, I never had time to do it before, but now it's a daily routine that fires me up to get out there and tackle the day.
That's all for this week! Thanks for learning more about the FranFunnel team.
