Winging It: CEO Focuses on Unit Economics for Franchisee Success

Name: Sam G. Ballas
Title: CEO and Founder
Company: East Coast Wings + Grill, Sammy's Sliders
Units/Brands: 35
Age: 59
Years in franchising: 20 (actively franchising 14.5 years)
Years in current position: 20

Sam Ballas is driven by unit economics and getting consistent results. He's leaned on that strategy throughout his tenure at East Coast Wings + Grill, a brand he founded and leads today. Heck, the brand's mantra is, "Driven by Unit-Level Economics." Under his leadership, ECW+G has experienced measured strategic growth while building strong relationships with franchisees and ensuring their profitability.

As CEO, president, and founder, Ballas is proud of ECW+G's results from 2024, when more than 40% of locations achieved record sales.

East Coast Wings + Grill got its start in 1995 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The brand now has more than 40 locations open or in development, and it has been named to top franchise lists by Entrepreneur and Franchise Business Review.

But there's more than wings in Ballas' portfolio these days.

In 2023, he made news by teaming up with award-winning chef Sammy Gianopoulos to introduce Sammy's Sliders in Winston-Salem. Late last year, it was announced that the upstart brand will offer franchises in select markets across the country.

If all of that's not enough, Ballas is also part of the creation and leadership team of ZorAbility, Inc., a firm that coaches and invests in emerging brands, guiding them through best practices in scaling a franchise. He also carves out time to serve as vice chair of the International Franchise Association (IFA) board of directors and sits on several IFA committees as well as serving as a member of the advisory board for Franchise Update Media's Franchise Customer Experience Conference.

East Coast Wings + Grill is ready to take on 2025 with plans for expansion into new markets through smart growth, elevated guest experiences, and innovative menu items that cater to ever-changing consumer preferences.

Ballas says the company's long-term vision focuses on responsible expansion and prioritizing sustainable growth for franchisees. The recipe is strategic growth into key markets and maintaining strong financial performance at the unit level.

"East Coast Wings + Grill stands out because of our excellent franchisee support system, our focus on unit-level economics, and an adaptable business model," Ballas says.

Leadership

What is your role as CEO? Chief visionary. It's my responsibility to ensure that all the brand's strategies are met.

How has Covid-19 affected the way you have led your brand? ECW+G has always been a lifestyle brand for me: It was never designed to have hundreds of units under my ownership. The pandemic validated this strategy as the brand performed well during it and emerged strong post-pandemic. I also transitioned my leadership team into an alignment structure where everyone has an equal voice and accountability for brand strategies. Our franchise owners have sustained ULE (unit-level economics) beyond national averages.

Describe your leadership style. I allow all my executive team to have their shoulders against the wheel, so to speak, along with me. My style post-pandemic has shifted to more of a coaching style.

What has inspired your leadership style? I have a passion for coaching and rooting for the underdog. I consider it a victory when talented people grow and take on responsibilities that they never thought possible.

What is your biggest leadership challenge? Addressing long-term team members who need to be restructured or coached out of the company. It's true what they say: "Don't let the company outgrow you."

How do you transmit your culture from your office to frontline employees? As far as transmitting our culture from the corporate team to our franchisees, we have several tools to ensure the culture is embedded. However, ECW+G makes an effort to structure our desired culture in a cooperative fashion. You can't dictate culture--culture is how everyone in the organization behaves, so we need to ensure that we're working together to build and maintain a culture we all believe in.

How can a CEO help their CMO develop and grow? Every company has its secret sauce. CMOs often stick to their lane of expertise, but as a CEO, I encourage them to explore beyond that. I guide them to the edge, intervening before they overreach. This approach creates coaching opportunities and ensures alignment with our company's culture and strategic plans.

Where is the best place to prepare for leadership: an MBA school or OTJ? I firmly believe the real world provides the best education. I would hire experienced talent over someone with a postgraduate degree every time.

Are tough decisions best taken by one person? How do you make tough decisions? While I ultimately make the final call on hard decisions, I encourage my executive alignment team to weigh in first. Having more shoulders against the wheel often leads to improved outcomes.

Do you want to be liked or respected? Respected.

Advice to CEO wannabes: Hire smart people as soon as you can afford it.

Management

Describe your management style: Coaching oriented.

What does your management team look like? In early 2024, I realigned my team. All my executives hold equal leadership roles and report to me. This team includes heads of marketing, franchise system operations, corporate operations, and franchise development--my "Fab 4."

How does your management team help you lead? With an aligned executive team, we share the same agenda while taking responsibility for different parts of the company.

Favorite management gurus: Do you read management books? I enjoy autobiographies, like those of Jack Welch and Howard Schultz. I'm also a fan of Patrick Lencioni's books, which provide great real-life insights.

What makes you say, "Yes, now that's why I do what I do!"? When we outperform ULE strategies, and franchise owners express gratitude.

Operations

What trends are you seeing with consumer spending habits in your stores? Traffic has decreased, but our ambassadors are spending more per visit than usual.

How is the economy driving consumer behavior in your system? Guests are consolidating visits, focusing more on weekends rather than weekdays, which has reduced overall visit frequency.

What are you expecting from your market in the next 12 months? In 2024, we experienced same-store sales growth, and we've set a higher target for 2025. We also forecast 18% new unit growth in 2025.

Are your franchisees bullish or bearish about growth and adding additional units? Half of our 2025 new unit growth will come from existing franchise owners.

Are commodity/supply costs any cause for concern in your system? While supply costs are always a concern, the past few years haven't been significantly different from previous challenges.

In what ways are political/global issues impacting the market and your brand? Since the 2024 election, most impacts have been positive.

Technology

How much influence does your IT department have on your brand? Our IT department primarily supports unit-level operations. It acts as an extension of and support system for all our departments. We let business needs take the lead and then determine how technology can fulfill those needs.

How have your company's tech tools changed over the past five years? We've implemented many tech stacks and now operate with an outsourced IT department. Our tools are constantly evolving, so it's critical to evaluate them regularly to ensure they remain relevant as technology advances. At the same time, we balance this with franchisees' tolerance for change. It's essential to stay ahead in technology while avoiding change fatigue and minimizing the operational impact of new tools.

How does technology influence your decisions? Technology is now a top-of-mind consideration in our quarterly discussions. It plays a significant role in shaping our strategies and solutions.

Are you using AI? How? Yes, we use AI within specific platform integrations as well as tools like ChatGPT across departments.

How do you measure your ROI on technology investments? At the corporate level, ROI is measured by improved departmental efficiencies. At the unit level, we track benchmark performance.

How did/do you create a culture where use of technology advancements is welcome and used? We are continuously evolving this aspect by identifying specific tech stack needs and researching solutions that deliver value. I take a patient approach, ensuring that every piece--expense models, tech deliverables, and implementation processes--is effective and efficient before adoption.

Personal

What time do you like to be at your desk? With Zoom as the new normal, I sometimes start my day at home and arrive at the office mid to late morning. On a regular day, I'm in the office by 8 a.m.

Exercise in the morning? No.

Wine with lunch? Rarely--just a few times a year.

Do you socialize with your team after work/outside the office? Occasionally.

Last two books read: Around the Corner to Around the World by Robert Rosenberg and Stop the Shift Show by Scott Greenberg.

What technology do you take on the road? Grammarly.

How do you relax/balance life and work? Golf and spending time with family.

Favorite vacation destination(s): The Bahamas and Greece.

Favorite occasions to send employees notes: When they outperform within a brand strategy.

Bottom Line

What are your long-term goals for the company? For ECW+G, 50 operating units or $100 million in sales. For Sammy's Sliders, 60 locations within three to four years.

How has the economy changed your goals for your company? It hasn't.

Where can capital be found these days? ULE (unit-level economics).

How do you measure success? Happy franchise owners making money.

What has been your greatest success? Sustaining our brand philosophy of being "Driven by Unit-Level Economics" even when the franchise space demands faster growth.

Any regrets? I wish I had my existing executive team at their current intellect six years ago.

What can we expect from your company in the next 12 to 18 months? Sustaining our philosophy and achieving smart growth!