Aslam Khan—from dishwasher to owner of 150 stores

IFC Conference Part II

Report by Bob Rodi
MPC, LLC
Managing Executive

First, a synopsis of Part I: the Actual economic output will be up 5%, across the board, it was predicted, at the International Franchise Association Conference held at the Marriott World Center which concluded on Wednesday in Orlando, Florida. The experts said the big leader in output growth for 2012 would be in personal services franchises, up an impressive 6.2%. Franchise Real Estate is also making an impressive comeback, with anticipated growth in 2012 of 5.8%.

What seems to be slowing things down is the availability of credit. It appears that there will be a lot of progress this year but that will be “cautious progress”. Franchisors do not expect banks and institutional investors to jump in with both feet. Lease financing has a great opportunity here in 2012.

Aslam Khan—from dishwasher to owner of 150 stores

(QSR Photo)

The Ronald E Harrison award is given each year to an industry leader that has done the most for minorities in franchising. This year’s award was given to a gentleman by the name of Aslam Khan. Aslam is the president and CEO of Falcon Holdings which is the largest Church’s Chicken franchisee in the system.

Aslam is an immigrant from rural Pakistan. He came to this country 32 years ago and like many immigrants, started working in a Church’s franchise as a dishwasher making less than $3.00 an hour. His hard work did not escape the notice of the franchisee for which he worked. He moved through the system and made it his business to learn every aspect of running a Church’s franchise. That covered everything from cutting, coating and frying chicken to becoming an area manager. Aslam had the highest producing area in the chain and soon gained a reputation for turning distressed locations into profitable ones.

Church’s Chicken Franchisor sent him all over the country as a troubleshooter. Banks and lenders were asking for him by name to help them save defaulted locations. After being sent on a few of these turnaround jobs a lender asked him to help save a multi- location transaction where the bank was owed $5,000,000. After his assessment of the situation, Aslam went to the bank and told them that he could save their $5 million but that it would take an additional $3 Million to do so.

The bank did not want to put any more money into a failing enterprise, but Aslam saw the potential to own his own business. He was able to raise the money he needed to buy out the bank and turn the operation around. By 1997 Falcon Holdings, LLC owned 97 Church’s franchises. Today Aslam owns over 150 stores in 12 states producing over $100 Million in sales. He received the award because he has made it his personal mission to give other immigrants or disadvantage.

His Full story:
http://www2.qsrmagazine.com/articles/interview/103/aslam_khan-1.phtml