Always Take the Journey: Interview with RJ Krone, President of Extraordinary Brands
I recently went one-on-one with RJ Krone, President of Extraordinary Brands.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
RJ: It started with a conversation with my father-in-law about two job opportunities. I was working for a company called TruGreen and two companies had approached me with job opportunities. At the time, I didn’t speak to him much on the phone but since I had him, I asked what he would do. He said, “Tell me the options,” and I said, “Well, one would be the opportunity to have my own branch in the green industry with a company car, more money, with a company that was growing. The second was a company also in the green industry but it’s in franchising.” He heard me out and quickly said, “Choose franchising because if you don’t, you better like grass a lot because getting into a leadership position in this field will start limiting your options. On the other hand, if you choose franchising, you’ll never know where you will end up.” Boy was he right, as I sit here leading Extraordinary Brands on a vision of growth with 4 brands and almost 100 boutique fitness studios.
Franchising in general is a series of successes and failures, but if you always keep the success of each individual franchisee in mind, you will find the path. Looking back, there are two franchisees in particular that taught me the most. One was Joe, an engineer who always was challenging the system to find a better way; trying to “reinvent the wheel.” By challenging our way of thinking and doing things, Joe helped me realize that I don’t know everything and that it's worth it to “take the walk” and learn from franchisees about opportunities for improvement in the system. The other one was Scott, who would always say it was impossible for one person to realistically do all that this business was asking of him. In some cases, he was correct; but what he really showed me was the importance of slowing down and teaching him, in depth, how to follow the operations system. Both ended up successful in their own ways.
Adam: In your experience, what are the key steps to growing and scaling your business?
RJ: I don’t know if it’s steps exactly, but the two franchise opportunities that I started began with just me or myself and one person. The team is critical, and culture is king. We are an all-remote team at Extraordinary Brands, which means you have the ability to hire people who are scrappy and have ownership in what they do. There’s a cliché that’s so true sometimes: “Hire people smarter than yourself, and then get out of the way.” Be there as a leader and a sounding board, but, through your guidance, let them find their own path to success the way they feel is best.
Scaling a business is the end goal for franchising, and the vision needs to be there, but it cannot be the only thing. We are partnering with companies in which the franchisees need someone to slow down and spend the time to teach them the way to operate the system correctly and efficiently. If you do this correctly with your team, you’ll build successful franchisees one by one, and in doing so building validation for future franchisees. Do what you said you were going to do, and good things will happen to individual franchisees and the brand as a whole.
Adam: What do you believe are the defining qualities of an effective leader?
RJ: An effective leader possesses a combination of vision, empathy, and resilience. Vision is crucial, as it sets the direction and inspires the team towards a common goal. Empathy allows a leader to connect with team members, understand their needs, and uphold a supportive environment. Resilience is essential in navigating challenges and setbacks, ensuring the team stays motivated and focused.
Adam: How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
RJ: Leaders and aspiring leaders can enhance their skills by embracing a culture of constant learning and self-improvement. This involves seeking feedback, investing in professional development opportunities, and promoting adaptability. However, the role of mentorship cannot be overstated. Both receiving guidance from experienced leaders and mentoring others can provide fresh perspectives and foster growth in all leaders.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
RJ:
Do what you are passionate about. The most successful people I have encountered in business are not doing it for money or fame. They are doing it because they like to help people in their own way. For a franchisee, it’s to provide a service they are passionate about, and for me, it’s about helping people push through challenges and succeed.
Don’t lose sight of why you are doing what you are doing. Remind yourself of what you set out to do in 3-5 years and ask if you are achieving those goals. It is, of course, ok to tweak the goals along the way, but not too much or you’ll lose sight of the original vision.
Always be willing to listen. It is too easy to think you know the best way, but if you built your company correctly, as a leader, your team should have the opportunity to challenge your thoughts because you hired them to do just that.
Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading, and managing teams?
RJ: Building, leading, and managing teams begins with a clear vision and shared goals. Cultivating a culture of trust, transparency, and open communication is equally important. However, empowering team members by recognizing their strengths, providing opportunities for growth, and encouraging collaboration is the key to preserving a motivated and high-performing team. Regular feedback and recognition of achievements are also vital for maintaining high morale and addressing issues promptly. Leading by example and demonstrating commitment to the team's success sets the standard for everyone to follow.
Adam: What are your best tips on the topics of sales, marketing, and branding?
RJ: In sales, the key is understanding your customers deeply and building genuine relationships. Listening to their needs and providing tailored solutions creates lasting value. For marketing, it's essential to be authentic and consistent in your messaging. Utilizing data-driven insights to target your audience effectively and leveraging multiple channels ensures your message reaches the right people. Branding is about creating an emotional connection with your audience; it's the story you tell and the experience you deliver. Consistency in brand values, visuals, and customer experience helps build a strong, recognizable brand that resonates with your target market.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
RJ: Fail fast. You can paralyze a company if you don’t make a decision. Do your best to inform yourself and the team of potential outcomes, good or bad, but make the decision and move forward. If you see that you are in error, admit it and change course. Transparency in leadership is important here, if your team understands why you changed course, they will follow.
Adam: Is there anything else you would like to share?
RJ: Life is a series of opportunities; always take the journey. I left a good position with two brands and two support teams of 14 years to take on a position to start a boutique fitness franchise system as “a party of one” in my master bedroom. We started in COVID during challenging times, but we moved on and awarded 40 franchisees. If I did not take the opportunity that was presented to me by the president of that company, I would never have been able to be leading an amazing team of people and phenomenal franchisees who I believe in at Extraordinary Brands.
Adam Mendler is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker, educator, and nationally recognized authority on leadership. Adam is the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one-on-one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal-winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities, and non-profit organizations. Adam has written extensively on leadership and related topics, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. Adam teaches graduate-level courses on leadership at UCLA and is an advisor to numerous companies and leaders. A Los Angeles native, Adam is a lifelong Angels fan and an avid backgammon player.
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