Former pizza king Tom Potter is watching the growing corporatisation of the franchise sector with great interest.
Renowned for setting up Eagle Boys Pizza as a jobless 20-something and turning it into a multimillion-dollar business, it could be argued that Potter’s passion was equally important ingredient to his success as the pizza itself.
So what does he think of the advent of private equity companies and venture capitalists into the burgeoning franchise space, snapping up successful brands and placing them under the umbrella of one corporate structure?
The key is getting the right venture capitalist at the right time, says Potter. Three years ago, Potter settled a buyout of Eagle Boys with private equity group NBC Capital. Continue reading …