Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue I, 2015 | Page 30

expanding, and I really loved the business right away.”
The folks at Subway noticed. Subway
founder Fred DeLuca tapped the young
entrepreneur to become a development
agent to own and build the brand in a
struggling territory in Northern New
Jersey. He sold his rights in 1997 and
moved back to Florida to launch an
aggressive development plan for Subway at home.
From 1999 to 2011, the University
of Florida graduate opened 135 stores,
almost doubled average unit sales, and
seized on a pricing idea backed by a
catchy jingle that became a marketing
darling. When a Subway with weak sales
was returned to Sager’s portfolio, he adopted and expanded on a $5 footlong
idea that a Miami franchisee had used to
boost sagging weekend sales. Sager still
has the banner in his garage that touts
$5 footlongs, all day, every day. Sales
doubled the first day and then doubled
again the first week of the promotion.

Sager implemented the idea throughout his 220 stores, boosting sales as
much as 35 percent, compared with
flat growth chain-wide. Within three
months, the sandwich bargain was winning customers nationwide. “When
something works like that and happens
by synergy, it doesn’t take much to make
it go forward,” Sager says.
In 2003, he had another idea to add
to Subway’s winning sales strategy when
he spotted a giant oven promising hot
pizza cooked in 1 minute being installed
in a restaurant next to a Subway in a
mall location. A year later, the TurboChef technology was adapted to deliver
oven-toasted sandwiches in seconds
in Sager’s restaurants, and eventually
throughout the Subway system.
“People literally have been in the
room and said, ‘Steve, our sales are flat.
What is our next idea?’” he says laughing. “I would like to think that I am good
at what I do because I enjoy it—and I
under stand operations and marketing.

But if you have something that is so
good, a lot of that is timing and luck.”
Sager now hopes to turn his luck and
knack for development and innovation
to personalized pizza. In addition to
opening stores in Florida, he plans to
add Persona locations in the Chicago
area. He is also working closely with
founders Baumel and fellow master
pizza chef Glenn Cybulski to develop
and enhance operational systems for
franchisees. The company hopes to open
250 restaurants nationwide in the next
5 years. “My goal would be to never
change the integrity of that product,
never shortcut it,” says Sager.
No matter where Sager’s journey
takes him, you can bet he will always
be looking to change things up for the
better. “We do things every day in our
own stores that move the needle to create a better experience for our customers,” Sager says. “In this business, it is
never done. To be relevant you always
have to be willing to adapt.”

PERSONAL
First job: Stringing tennis rackets.
Formative influences/events: My mom for unconditional love. My dad
for teaching me the importance of loyalty and “your word is your bond.”
Key accomplishments: My daughter, considering I had her at 50!
Biggest mistake: Too many to mention—no one bats 1,000. The key is
that the good decisions outweigh the bad ones.
Smartest mistake: Missing an important meeting I should have attended—it led me to meeting my wife.
Decision I wish I could do over: Being a better student. I should have
taken college more seriously.
Work week: It varies. Good or bad, I am always in touch and available 24
hours a day to my staff and franchisees. With that said, I always make time to
unwind and spend quality time with my family and friends.
How do you spend a typical day? It is never the same. I visit stores,
meet with landlords, work on R&D. Put out fires. Check lots of emails!
Favorite fun activities: Traveling, golf, flag football, skiing. Watching Sunday football. I am a long-suffering Miami Dolphins fan.
Exercise/workout: I run 4 to 5 miles four days a week and lift weights
twice a week. Just starting to do yoga.
Favorite tech toys: I really like technology, but mostly it is just getting the
newest iPhone when it comes out.
What are you reading? I like current events, so I read three morning pa-

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pers and assorted magazines.
Do you have a favorite quote? “The devil is in the details.” In the restaurant business the small stuff can make the biggest difference.
Best advice you ever got: “You can will it to happen.” My father said
that to me many years ago. The way I take that advice is, you better work hard
and believe in yourself, because if you don’t no one else will.
What gets you out of bed in the morning? My daughter. She comes
in the room and pulls on my arm and says, “Get out, Daddy.”
What’s your passion in business? To stay relevant. It is exciting to
work hard and adapt to changing business environments. It keeps you on your
toes.
How do you balance life and work? It is always a struggle, because of
the unknown, but you do the best you can. Always make time for your family.
Otherwise, all the success in the world is meaningless.
Last vacation: Does Disney World count? My wife and I went to London in
the fall.
Person I’d most like to have lunch with: My grandmother. She died
when I was young, and I did not get to appreciate the amazing woman she
was. I would love to hear her story about life in the 1930s. She moved from
New York to Miami as a widow, with two young boys and no resources, but
somehow bought real estate, became a singer, and provided for my dad and
uncle.

MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE IS S UE I, 2015

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