BUS508 – Contemporary Business
Assignment 1: Entrepreneurial Leadership
Strayer University
May 1, 2013
Entrepreneurial Leadership at Five Guys The Five Guys Burger and Fries Company, hereafter referred to as Five Guys, is a family owned burger carry out restaurant. It was founded in 1986 by Jerry and Janie Murrell in Arlington, Virginia (About Us: The Five Guys Story, 2013). Jerry Murrell realized his sons were not interested in college so he told them, "Start a business or go to college" (About Us: The Five Guys Story, 2013). His four sons opted for business, so Jerry and Janie Murrell along with their sons opened a carry-out burger facility in …show more content…
However, his sons convinced him in 2002 to allow franchising and Murrell finally relented. By late 2011, Five Guys had almost 1,000 stores open around the country and over $1 billion in sales. “They’re growing so fast that the Murrells were racing to hold on to the simple, authentic vibe that made the place so beloved” (Weise, 2011). The pressure to add to their minimalist menu is also great. Jerry Murrell tried a few new things to the menu (e.g., coffee, roast beef sandwiches) in the beginning of Five Guys. However, the changes did not work well for them, so they were dropped. “Franchises nonetheless often ask to add salads, milkshakes, and chicken, but the Murrells refuse, saying that early experiments with chicken and roast beef sandwiches were just distractions” (Weise, 2011). Bottom-line, Murrell is sticking to Five Guys’ core competencies of burgers and fries.
Five Guys’ Ethical and Social Practices Five Guys’ ethical and social practices are ingrained into the organization’s culture. It starts from Jerry Murrell and permeates throughout the entire organization. Jerry Murrell believes if you treat your employees well, they will want to do the best they can for their crew and the company. They will want to put the best product forward to the customer. The Director of Training for Five Guys, Doug McKinney, says the chain is looking for perfection.
We stress that our franchisees, managers and hourly