Hard work pays off. This was the experience of two franchisees who were awarded their own franchises after completing a training programme offered by franchise group Hot Dog Café.
The cadet programme provides candidates, many of them from disadvantaged backgrounds, with intensive training, mentoring and, for qualifying candidates, funding of up to 100% through Old Mutual’s Masisizane Fund.
To be considered for the cadet programme, candidates need to have a minimum of matric. Dumisane Nhlapho, owner of the Hot Dog Café at the Builder’s Warehouse in Roodepoort’s Strubens Valley, says he was chosen to become a franchisee because he was one of the top performers in the cadet programme.
He says it was his ability to manage a business while also being able to work in the kitchen that qualified him as a Hot Dog Café franchisee. Nhlapo says he did not know anything about running a business when he became a franchisee.
“I had to learn everything from scratch – all the necessary skills and procedures. The training manager showed me how to run the business on a day-to-day basis. To this day, I still call the training manager if I have a problem,” says Nhlapo.
The business is now in its fifth year as a Hot Dog Café franchise and employs four permanent staff members and one part-time employee.
Deon Mvundla, owner of the Coffee Stop in Durban’s Builder’s Warehouse, says she was chosen as a franchisee after impressing the trainers with a presentation at the end of the training programme.
She was one of the winners. Mvundla says it takes hard work, ambition and dedication to emerge victorious from the cadet programme.
“Hot Dog Café has given me support in everything about the business: back of house, front of house, management, paperwork, as well as assistance with the day-to-day activities associated with being a business owner. I can really see myself growing the business after such a good start,” says Mvundla.
She has run the Coffee Stop franchise since July 2011 and currently employs six people.
Send your CV to [email protected] to be considered for the Hot Dog Café cadet programme.