Enterprenuer
Roland Dickey Jr is an award-winning executive based in Dallas, Texas. Roland is the Chief Executive Officer at Dickey’s Capital Group.
Dickey was previously Chief Executive Officer at Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.
He managed to grow the business from a small barbecue restaurant to one of the most popular in the world.
Dickey learned business operations from his parents.
He graduated from Southern Methodist University in Business Administration.
Dickey worked for several other businesses to gain experience outside of the restaurant industry.
He had big ideas when he decided to join his family’s business in 1999.
Dickey’s grandfather Travis Dickey started the restaurant in 1941.
His father, Roland Dickey Sr., purchased the company in 1967 and grew it from one location into a franchise with twenty places in the following 30 years.
Dickey wanted them to grow faster, so he implemented a push for the franchise to go national.
He also challenged fast-casual competitors like Chipotle.
In 2006, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer.
His focus on smart strategic growth and technology led to the expansion of 400 locations, two of which were international, in just five years.
The company was featured by Entrepreneur Magazine, Forbes Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal.
It also received accolades from the industry like “Best Food and Drink Franchise” awarded by Global Franchises and “Best Franchise Deal” by QSR.
Due to the rapid growth, Dickey was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Dickey’s Capital Group in 2016.
This is a parent company that oversees everything under Dickey’s umbrella.
What is the story of Dickey’s Capital Group get its idea?
My grandfather was the first to start the family business.
I am now the third generation. He was always a social butterfly and started a barbecue restaurant to combine his love for talking with his passion for slow-smoked meats.
He and my grandmother ran the restaurant for more than 25 years.
After my grandfather died, my father and uncle took over the company.
Dickey’s was eventually expanded to other locations in Dallas-Fort Worth, and franchising was established in 1994 when there was too much demand.
My vision for the company was to push for national expansion in the fast-casual sector.
When I first joined the family business, barbecue was still a regional dish.
There was much variation from one state to the next, and even within Texas, everyone had their ideas of what good barbecue was.
However, there was a gap in the market for fast-casual barbecue restaurants.
I knew that quality was the key to filling that gap.
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, the world’s largest barbecue restaurant, expands internationally.
How do you stay productive?
Toxic amounts of caffeine in the morning. This continued into the afternoon.
The evening saw wine and melatonin, followed by the second round of coffee.
That’s pretty close. However, if I’m being honest, I usually arrive at work by 7:30 AM.
I start my day with standing quick morning meetings.
Every morning at 8:40 AM, we have a company-wide call.
Then at 9:00 AM, the finance meetings begin.
I ensure that everything runs smoothly and is organized by holding morning meetings.
It is easier to avoid wasting time and unnecessary news by keeping everything on a consistent schedule.
If they know what time they can discuss it, people are better at prioritizing.
My plan is more flexible, but I am still active.
There are operations meetings, energy drinks, and lunch at the desk.
Then it’s a blurring of emails, calls, and more meetings.
After our 5:15 PM revenue conference, I take an hour to think at my desk before heading home for dinner.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Research is an essential source of ideas for me.
Talking about them with my team is what makes them come to life.
I enjoy reading articles and books and sharing them with my executive team.
I gather a few people together to discuss the idea.
I need to hear their opinions on the concept.
Weekly creative meetings are held with the research and development team.
This allows us to work together to create a system-wide implementation plan.
What’s your favorite trend?
The return to subscription services. There was once a market for mail-order purchases.
But today, it is easier and more accessible online.
Brands are now creating more sophisticated and tailored versions of the old idea.
People are rediscovering the ease and convenience of signing up for a product or service.
This is a guaranteed source of revenue and is something that many brands can capitalize on.
What habits make you productive?
Focusing on one task at a time helps me avoid being distracted.
Multitasking is not something your brain does.
It’s just switching between tasks very quickly.
If you try to focus on two things simultaneously, you’re not fully concentrating.
Although it might seem like you’re doing multiple things simultaneously, your brain is not entirely focusing on one task at a time.
This makes you more likely to make errors and develop creative solutions.
This means that I don’t check my phone, emails, or other distractions so that my attention is on what’s happening.
To give me time to think creatively, I walk for at least an hour every day.
What’s your advice for the Noob?
Enjoy the show and not be the show. You have a strong desire to be heard and seen when you are young.
However, I have learned that it is better to learn from others than to take all the risks and make mistakes.
The second is to arrive early and stay up late.
It allows you to prepare for whatever task you face, such as a meeting, an event, or just your average day.
You often have the opportunity to meet more people and spend more time observing than acting when you stay up late.
My final tip is never to ask your wife for a haircut.
What is one thing we can all agree on?
I am an excellent driver and should have pursued NASCAR.
What do you recommend as an entrepreneur?
Don’t be afraid to take risks. While some risks may not be profitable, they can provide an opportunity for you to grow and improve your business.
My mantra is that your business will not grow if it doesn’t expand.
You can invent and be more competitive than there by taking risks only.
Also, read as much information and exercise your mind.
No matter what format you prefer, whether audiobooks, articles, or books, you should never stop learning.
Because the day you stop learning is the day your business (and you) stop growing.
What’s your rich strategy?
ACT stands for acknowledgment, communication, and completion. Our business is prominent.
We are quick to identify and address any challenges or needs. We share solutions.
We then make sure that we implement them well.
We encourage people to take risks, even if they fail.
However, we also believe that honesty, sincerity, and a willingness to learn are essential.
We had a shortage of sausage during the pandemic.
So we decided to make our sausage. We are now.
How do you overcome Failure?
My career began when I promoted our best waiter into a new management position.
Although he wanted more, he was not a good fit.
He eventually left the company, which was a massive loss to everyone.
It’s essential to ensure that the new role is correct before moving to someone successful.
This was something I learned over the years. Your business is only as strong as its people.
While you hear a lot about how to hire the wrong people, I believe it’s just as essential to ensure you don’t lose the great ones by placing them in the wrong job.
It is necessary to match their skills, expectations, and desires.
Can you share a business idea?
Nonprofit water.
I would create a bottled water business that assists nonprofits in getting their water into restaurants to raise funds—win/win.
A more general business idea is that you should never lose money.
This is not something you should take literally.
As I mentioned earlier, sometimes taking risks can lead to losing money.
Be sensible. Do not take chances with a rash attitude.
Before making any decision, be thoughtful and informed.
What’s your recent best buy?
Tennis shoes by New Balance It was amazing how much a good pair of shoes can make.
It is essential to take good care of your body, both mentally and physically.
I am looking forward to getting these in.
What are your favorite Softwares or Apps?
Amazon Web Services has been an invaluable resource.
However, as a company, we have emphasized building everything in-house.
Data is a crucial component of informed decision-making.
I have tried to ensure that we have as much control and access as possible.
We have our data platform, the consumer app, which we use to implement information technology into almost all aspects of our business, including restaurant operations.
Which book would you recommend?
I am working backward with Colin Bryar and Bill Carr.
This is an insider’s look at Amazon’s culture, leadership, and best practices.
Two long-standing executives wrote it.
The detail they provide is remarkable and can be applied to any business.
We’ve seen success with many of the Amazon practices.
One example is single thread owners.
They are the leaders of one valuable deliverable.
This concept allows our team to remain focused on creating results and not get distracted by other aspects.
It is well worth the effort to read.
What’s your favorite quote?
My dad is my most significant business influence.
Even as a youngster, my dad was always there for me and never made me feel excluded.
He taught me valuable lessons like ‘never negotiate against yourself, and what gets measured gets managed.’
These books have profoundly influenced my business view, particularly the flywheel concept and looking backward.
TL;DR by Roland Dickey Jr
Don’t be afraid to take chances.
Focus solely on the task at hand.
Read. Learning is the best way for you to grow.
