The road to success is one that can take a long time. Many people travel it hoping to see a life they can make their own. Someone who knows this well is world famous entrepreneur Jimmy John Liautaud. What was once a simple idea to create quality sandwiches has grown in some ways beyond his wildest dreams. His life and business venture began with a single idea. In the last decades, he's been delighted to watch it all unfold. At the same time, he's also realized that he cannot rest on his laurels. He knows that he needs to continue to deliver the goods. It is this realization that has led him to continue to look for ways to expand his empire and continue to deliver the quality that is expected of his company. Even as Jimmy John’s is one of the nation's most prominent sandwich shops, he stills shows up to sample the available menu items and provide skilled and thoughtful input.
Showing Up
Liautaud’s vision began when he first showed up. It's been about being there for his clients ever since. Over two decades ago, he opened up a sandwich shop in Illinois. This shop quickly attracted a happy college crowd. He garnered attention in part because of his willingness to go the extra mile. For a single quarter, he promised to bring a sandwich right to the dorms of his clients. This meant his willingness to put in the hours needed to be there at any time. He was willing to deliver even late at night. Hungry college kids quickly found this was one shop that they could count on to bring them something to eat even in the middle of finals. As his hard work became harder, Liautaud started to see the amazing fruit of his success.
Rapid Takeoff
Within a few short years, the sandwich idea he began with a small loan from his father had done so well he was able to pay him back. He was pleased to see that by 1994, there were ten such outlets in the Illinois area. Even at that time, they were extremely profitable ventures. The combined stores grossed over four million. In turn, they provided him with a profit of about a million dollars annually. This meant he could think about the long term and where he wanted to go in life next. It led him to the idea of offering others the chance to participate in his success via the use of the process of franchising. His stores were largely located in the heartland states where he knew the taste for simple, well made food would continue to be a hit.
Keeping It Simple and Delicious
Even as he began to see his ideas take off, it was one idea that he knew needed to remain at the heart of all he did. This was the idea that everything should be easy for his clients. He provided a selection of meats that were carefully chosen. At the same time, they were kept to only a few in each shop. Doing so allowed him to help clients make up their minds quickly and decide exactly what they wanted to eat within a short time after coming to the store. It's an idea that he's continued to remain with even as the number of stores has soared into the thousands. A single concept that focuses on quality and makes it easy to get in and out is at the center of his success. It's one that his diners appreciate.
