Dean Anuj Mehrotra hosted Paul Brown, co-founder and CEO of Inspire Brands, as part of the Tech Talks Business speaker series, sponsored by the Scheller College of Business. The event was held on April 3 at the Historic Academy of Medicine.
Inspire Brands is an American multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 32,600 Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, and SONIC restaurants. Founded in 2018, the company is in nearly 60 global markets with more than $32 billion in global sales.
Brown described how he grew Inspire through acquisitions, discussing the importance of being thoughtful when purchasing a business to ensure it fits in with the existing portfolio of companies. He mentioned the changes he's seen in restaurant marketing, including customer loyalty points and menu customizations to meet consumer needs.
When asked about Inspire and the AI revolution, Brown mentioned the company's utilization of AI for several years behind the scenes, from personalizing offers to assisting with employee scheduling. He discussed the importance of implementing an OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework and how it can help transform a highly matrixed global organization like Inspire.
In describing what he looks for when hiring new employees, Brown said it's essential for a candidate to show their willingness to go the extra mile and pitch in readily to help the team. He also looks for candidates who can show they've overcome obstacles and are willing to learn.
Watch the full event in the video below.