Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue I, 2015 | Page 20

Orcutt has a unique vantage point about
what it takes to succeed in the Domino’s
system. He was just 16 when he started
delivering pizza in Ann Arbor, where
Domino’s is based. A year later, he was
named store manager, the beginning of
a meteoric rise up the corporate ladder,
which included a stint as Southeast regional vice president in Atlanta, where
he would later return. Orcutt served as
vice president of field marketing and
on the corporate leadership team as
executive vice president of U.S. operations. By 1989, with three children and
a heavy travel schedule, he was primed

for a change.
“Corporate life is great fun and
glamorous on someone else’s dime, but
I really wanted to be in an equity position,” says Orcutt, now 58. “I wanted to
be a business owner and have an ownership stake in what I do. That was always
my ambition.”
These days, Orcutt is hard at work
growing his team and organization, which
is based in Alpharetta, Ga. Cowabunga
is in the midst of a chain-wide initiative to reimage Domino’s with a more
guest-friendly design, open kitchen, and
new technology. He also has plans to

add 10 to 20 stores annually. Although
he never set a goal for a specific number of stores, Orcutt says that when he
realized how close he was to reaching
the century mark, he “got this surge of
energy to make it happen.”
Orcutt also continues to build internally with a corporate culture and
core values focused on customer service, based on the Fish! Philosophy of
Seattle’s famous Pike Place Fish Market.
“We have a laser focus as a company,”
he says. “Our laser focus now is to be
the best in class in the people funnel—
and in the way we handle people.”

PERSONAL
First job: Domino’s Pizza driver at 16.
Formative influences/events: Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino’s,
was a tremendous influence. I was young and worked for him for 18 years.
The biggest thing he taught me was the strength and tenacity to keep trying,
don’t give up, and to think big. The most important thing he taught was to
have character and core values in what you do.
Key accomplishments: I don’t look back; I always look forward. I learn
from my experiences, but I don’t keep a list of accomplishments. My biggest
accomplishment is my kids and where they are today.
Smartest mistake: When I was executive vice president of Domino’s, I had
every store install time-lock safes for the security and safety of our people. It
was a really expensive decision—millions of dollars and requirements for the
franchisees—but it took away store robberies and other things like that.
Decision I wish I could do over: Spend more time with my family. And
spend more time with the people who work for me on my team to get to know
them better.
How do you spend a typical day? Get up, have coffee, and work out. I
review the real-time numbers from the previous day and pick one big priority of
the day. I stick with that priority until it is done.
Favorite fun activities: I love boating. My kids are all over the country—
Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York City—and I love to go see them. Most of
my social time is around the folks I work with, either in the company or in my
franchise network.
Exercise/workout: Cardio, 45 minutes a day, and weight training four
days a week.
Favorite tech toys: I’m stuck on my phone—my iPhone is everything.
What are you reading? The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: Empowering Organizations by Encouraging People by Gary Chapman and
Paul White, and Good Leaders Ask Great Questions by John Maxwell.
Do you have a favorite quote? Bo Schembechler’s quote, “Every day

18

you either get better or you get worse. You never stay the same.” I also love
Calvin Coolidge’s quote that begins with “Nothing in the world can take the
place of persistence...” It is fantastic. We have a Calvin Coolidge award we give
based on that quote.
Best advice you ever got: My dad’s advice to be responsible and take
ownership. Our theme for this year is, “Because that is the way I want it to be,
I own it.” Anything that is in your control, act now. It gives you some sort of
empowerment. We have our strong core values that also came from my dad:
Respect, Responsibility, Trust, Fairness, and Contribution. He was a swim coach
and a teacher.
What gets you out of bed in the morning? I always get up with ambitious visions about how the day could be. I like to get things done. I like to
keep moving. I like projects and I love people.
What’s your passion in business? The people. The network. The
satisfaction. There is pressure and stress in taking responsibility, but there is
also grea t joy in getting things right. I spend a tremendous amount of my time
trying to figure out how we can shape the business model so my folks are
making more money—so as we improve they are sharing in the win. We are
in the execution business, and it takes a lot of moving parts to get the product
to someone and make it a great experience. There is not a computer that can
deliver a pizza to the door and smile. In this business, if you don’t love people
you are probably doing the wrong thing.
How do you balance life and work? My life and work have become
one and the same. My work is my life. I balance, but the list is never going to
be done. Once you learn that, you can have your desk stacked full as long as
you are moving forward. Then everything you look at in the stack is opportunity.
Last vacation: Palm Beach with the kids.
Person I’d most like to have lunch with: Today, probably Nick Saban,
Alabama’s head coach. He reminds me of my dad. He is tough, sharp, and
consistent.

MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE IS S UE I, 2015

MUF15-1_orcutt(16,18,20).indd 18

1/15/15 3:23 PM