Industry Leader Brings Wealth of Experience to Popular Pizza Franchise
Pizza Factory has announced Jackie Smith as vice president of marketing. She will use her two decades of restaurant experience to support the pizza franchisor’s marketing strategies.
Smith first heard about the position from a friend who had crossed paths with CEO Mary Jane Riva. After meeting with other executive team members, Smith knew that Pizza Factory was a place where she could truly bring positive change through philanthropic efforts and helping franchise owners succeed.
She looks forward to diving right into the new role because she enjoys identifying opportunities and capitalizing on them. To her, the best time to do this is within the first year of joining a company, which she considers a prime opportunity to make a difference.
Riva released a statement regarding Smith’s new position. “Her background within franchising and marketing makes her a valuable addition to our team. With Jackie on board, Pizza Factory can further its efforts to meet the ever-evolving digital landscape. We look forward to leveraging her knowledge and experience to advance the growth of the brand.”
Restaurant Franchising
Smith got her start in franchising with TOGO’s, a fast-casual sandwich brand. After being introduced to the world of franchising, she realized that working with franchisees is the ultimate honor. She enjoys seeing them succeed, meeting their families and knowing that she’s helping them to pay for their little girl’s dance lessons or son’s baseball tournaments. “They may be within a large chain, but they are truly families just trying to achieve the American Dream of owning a business.” Other brands she’s worked with include McDonald’s and Ike’s Love & Sandwiches.
Smith loves how the industry is ever-changing and every day is a new challenge. Analyzing human behaviors and what makes people act are aspects she focuses on. “Food brings back memories, whether through making mom’s apple pie recipes, or sitting at a pizza restaurant with your children. Restaurants are a distinct thread in the fabric of life, and it’s an honor to have the opportunity to make memories like that with our guests.”
2024 Marketing Trends
Coming into 2024, Smith believes that the biggest discussion in marketing will be around AI and how it fits (or doesn’t fit) into the restaurant space. Since hospitality has always been the name of the game in restaurants, she’s unsure how the tug of war between the consumer and innovation will play out. She notes the mixed reaction from consumers when kiosks launched, and restaurants saw an increase in checkout sales.
“Even at grocery stores, people are pushing back with having to check themselves out, only to get to the door to have someone check their receipt to make sure they checked everything out correctly,” she explains.
While it’s interesting for her to watch, she knows that consumers will always expect great service from restaurants. “And with delivery being such a huge part of the landscape now, where guests aren’t associating their favorite server with their favorite foods as much, the question will be willing that expectation change.”
Buying a Franchise
Smith urges new franchisees to be patient and to understand that success doesn’t come overnight. For example, it takes hard work and understanding of your customer and data to succeed. She adds finding a mentor and being coachable are also very important. “Ego has no place in building a business. You must be willing to identify areas of opportunities within yourself, your business, and your customer base through reading books and the close mentorship of someone you trust within your same business.”
