I recently had the amazing opportunity to stop by the NBC Pittsburgh studio with my client, former Pitt Panthers, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders cornerback Shawntae Spencer to discuss his new Wingstop restaurant franchise venture and how he plans on being successful during his post-NFL career.

Here are some of his thoughts:

 

Do your research on any business opportunity

From the moment Shawntae became interested in Wingstop, we worked together to research the idea thoroughly before he decided to take the leap.  This included hiring a franchise consultant to help analyze the opportunity and to create a solid business plan.

 

Build a solid team with experience in the business

Shanwtae recognized he isn’t (yet) a restaurant expert. Nor is he an expert in construction.  He brought in knowledgable employees and consultants to help get the business off the ground.  Simply throwing money at a business, without the knowledge and expertise on how to effectively spend that money is foolish.

Find a great, growing brand to work with

The fact that Wingstop is a rapidly growing fast casual brand, made the opportunity attractive to Shawntae.  He appreciated the fact that Troy Aikman is the brand ambassador and rapper Rick Ross is a notable franchisee, which obviously helps the national recognition of the brand.

Beyond that, however, Shawntae felt comfortable with management, the simple menu and operational requirements, and ultimately decided to pursue the opportunity to build out the entire Pittsburgh market…and beyond!