Meet 60 of Queensland’s rockstar franchisees and take a look inside their every day businesses
Golf sims, Domino‘s, luxury hotels, Carl’s Jnr, pool supplies — these are just some of the international chains locals are banking on. Meet the faces behind these big businesses.
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Despite a difficult 18 months during the Covid-19 pandemic, the franchisee sector continues to expand in the Sunshine State.
The state’s top performing franchisees over the past year are a mixed bag — from food-loving brothers who have sold cars, buns and burgers, to a dynamic duo who wanted to play golf indoors, to an Indian ex-pat who initially struggled with the Aussie language.
The Franchise Council of Australia found Queensland was home to more than 19 per cent of the country’s most profitable franchisees, with many based in regional areas.
McDonald’s, 7-Eleven, PoolWerx, Battery World, Zaraffa’s, RAMS, Quest Hotels, Mister Minit and Baker’s Delight are some of the businesses that have paid off for franchisees in the past year.
But empire building is no easy feat and with initial outlay costs of about $500,000 to buy into a franchise, such as 7-Eleven and PoolWerx, profits and legal protection are important.
Many have taken heart at a range of federal government measures, gradually introduced since 2020, to protect franchisees from bullying tactics of franchisors.
Doubling penalties for breaches of the Franchising Code, along with tightening regulations governing early exits from agreements and instigating a 14-day cooling-off period were some of the protective actions taken.
Although many Queensland franchisees have taken a backward step this year, we take a look at the top 60 successful empire builders.
ELLIE AND JOSH ATHERTON: JETTS, THE GRANGE
Ellie and Josh Atherton are Jett’s “super star” new business owners. They came from a background of construction and accounting, and the husband-wife team were new to the concept of franchising.
The idea to join the gym business came about as the couple planned for the future and wondered how they were going to juggle full time work with having a family.
They first founded a gym in Gumdale, building it from the ground up in a new location with a fresh team and investing almost $250,000 in equipment. It is now one of their most popular gyms with 800 members.
Because of its success, the pair were able to invest in two new opportunities at Ashgrove and at The Grange. Ashgrove has about 530 members and The Grange, their newest club opened in August.
LEIF BELTON: BATTERY WORLD, BROWN PLAINS
Keep calm, recharge and refresh … that’s exactly what Browns Plains Franchise Partner Leif Belton and his team at Battery World has done to put the spark back into South Brisbane as the festive season gets under way.
The team celebrated its reopening boosted by free coffee, Battery World Man and the presence of a historic 1930s Century Yuasa delivery van.
The Logan Metro soccer club members were on hand to show support, one of the many who have done so during the past six years.
Mr Belton brings a wealth of experience to Battery World, he holds a Bachelor of Business and previously worked as a project manager at a manganese mine in the Gulf of Carpentaria, before relocating his family to Brisbane in 2015.
He opened his second store in Rocklea late last year, determined to offer the best service and advice on Brisbane’s southside to keep his loyal customers powered, whether camping in the bush or hitting the waterways in a boat.
BOUBACAR BARRY AND ANGELA HOLMES-BARRY: COFFEE CLUB
Boubacar Barry and his wife Angela Holmes-Barry are two of Ipswich’s best known franchisees, employing more than 130 local team members across their seven Coffee Club stores.
The pair opened their very first store at Riverlink Shopping Centre 15 years ago and have since gone on to open Coffee Clubs at Booval Fair, Redbank Plaza, Plainland, and in the Sunshine Coast at Buderim.
Mr Barry said becoming franchisees and running their own companies as part of the Coffee Club chain made sense, given their extensive work experience and history in hospitality.
He said he and his wife attributed their success to belief in their staff and management team.
The pair have big plans for the future and hope to expand even further across the region and new sites in Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley.
TRAVERS ‘CANDYMAN’ BEYNON: FREE CHOICE
Australia still has a love affair with cigarettes. And despite their known health dangers, Queenslanders are smoking more than residents of any other mainland state.
About 15 per cent of Queenslanders are daily smokers, compared to the national average of 12 per cent. Just ask tobacco tycoon Travers “Candyman” Beynon, who oversees the $250 million Free Choice empire.
And while the colourful cigarette mogul has gained international attention during the past five years for his flamboyant parties and antics at his northern Gold Coast mansion which promote the brand, he’s an astute businessman.
Starting out as an Australian Rules hopeful in the late 1980s, a serious back injury sidelined his dreams of glory on the field.
He then turned to modelling, where he strutted catwalks in Milan for the likes of Valentino. In 2008, he moved into the tobacco industry, becoming managing director of Free Choice, which he continues to run today.
The company is Australia’s leading retail tobacco franchise, with over 304 stores, plus a vending machine operation with more than 1300 machines nationwide.
SIMON AND TAHNEE BEARD: CULTURE KINGS, GOLD COAST
Rich-lister lovebirds Simon and Tahnee Beard weren’t always living in multimillion-dollar digs on the Gold Coast.
They were hanging out on the sidewalk at Schoolies Surfers Paradise and flogging slippers to students for a few bucks.
In 2008, they took their love of hip-hop culture and pulled together DIY resources to open the first Culture Kings store on the Gold Coast.
From that single venture they saw rapid growth, opening eight additional shopfronts and employing over 700 staff.
The brand has its loyal fans such as rappers Snoop Dogg, A$AP Rocky and Drake, and “Bieber fever” has even swept the stores, with the Canadian superstar guest attending to much fanfare.
Culture Kings made a net profit of $19.4 million in 2020, with a US expansion plan in place after the couple sold a majority stake in their business to a.k.a brands, owned by private equity group Summit Partners.
NBA superstar Ben Simmons has also invested in a.k.a as the company acquired the stake in Culture Kings.
DANIEL BLINKHORN AND MATT SMITH: XGOLF, TOWNSVILLE
X-Golf, a state-of-the-art indoor golf simulator, which offers players unparalleled accuracy and realism opened its doors in Townsville this year.
Franchisees Daniel Blinkhorn and Matt Smith brought X-Golf to a Townsville venue which was the franchisees’ second store after opening in Enoggera in Brisbane about two years ago.
“It’s amazing technology. It’s inclusive to all skill levels. We appeal to not only good golfers but also to people who just want some fun entertainment and who want to come for a drink and some food,” Mr Blinkhorn said.
X-Golf has 25 stores in the US. X-Golf Townsville will be equipped with six golf simulators, a fully licensed food and beverage bar and a mini golf course.
X-Golf plans to open 100 venues across Australia within five years.
ANN BROWN: McDONALD’S CARINA
Ann Brown is Queensland’s longest-serving Macca’s employee, not to mention a franchisee of four stores employing 400 staff.
“It was a great career path,” Ms Brown said in a 2015 interview marking 40 years with McDonald’s.
She warned prospective store owners that they had to put 100 per cent into the job and be in it for the long-term as the standard franchise licence period was 20 years.
“It probably took (me) about six years to make a profit,” Ms Brown said.
“We had to sell an awful lot of Big Macs to make a dollar.”
JAMES BURMAN: JIMMY’S BURGERS: CAIRNS
James Burman is the owner of Jimmy’s Burgers and Howlin’ Jay’s, two well-known Cairns foodie locations.
Opening Jimmy’s Burgers six years ago, it only took a year for Howlin’ Jay’s to follow.
Growing up in a family involved with restaurants, Mr Burman said it was a natural move for him to start a career in creating experiences.
Within the first six months to a year of opening Jimmy’s, he had a good idea for another eatery experience and went for it.
The businesses employ 30 staff members at any given time between the two locations.
“Having two businesses is a learning curve for sure, running two teams in two different locations makes you grow as a leader very quickly, but you find what works,” Mr Burman said.
DAVID BURNESS: DOMINO’S SUNSHINE COAST
From delivering pizzas in the early ’90s Sunshine Coast dad David Burness has climbed the leadership ladder to pick up one of the top jobs.
Mr Burness was named Domino’s Australia and New Zealand CEO, after a handful of leadership changes for the company.
He started as a delivery driver for then Silvio’s Dial-A-Pizza in 1991, while studying at university before progressing to a franchise consultant when the Domino’s brand was acquired.
Mr Burness and wife Melissa own seven Domino’s franchises, including Maroochydore, Nambour and Noosa.
Their four children all work at the stores.
Mr Burness said he was most proud of his role as a mentor and for supporting at least 10 store managers who ultimately became successful franchisees themselves.
KENTON CAMPBELL: ZARAFFA’S, LOGAN
As good husbands know best, it’s wise to ask nicely if you want something from your wife.
For Zaraffa’s top gun Kenton Campbell, a “favour” from his wife Rachel came in the form of co-signing a $9000 personal loan.
It was an ask that changed his life.
With the “make-or-break” loan approved, Mr Campbell started the Zaraffa’s coffee franchise, and his caffeine kingdom has grown into a chain of 73 outlets throughout Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia.
From slinging lattes from a humble coffee cart on the streets of America to becoming a self-made multi-millionaire and father-of-four, Mr Campbell said his journey “hadn’t been an easy one”.
He’s also at the helm of Tonken Property Group, which opened the $50 million Distillery Road Market project in Beenleigh, inspired by London’s Borough Market and New York’s Chelsea Market.
PETER CATANZARITI: RAY WHITE COOMERA
Peter Catanzariti is the owner and director of Ray White Coomera, Ray White Upper Coomera, Ray White Pimpama and Ray White Jacobs Well.
He has opened a new business every year for the past three years after experiencing “some tremendous growth”.
He doesn’t sell but has a sales manager Jason Atkinson in his team who is one of the top Queensland real estate agents for Ray White.
PENNY DOWLING: CRACKERJACK CHICKEN, TOOWOOMBA
For the past seven years Penny Dowling has owned and operated the chain’s four stores at East Toowoomba, Wyalla Plaza, Westridge Plaza and Highfields Shopping Centre.
The decision to dive headfirst into the famous chicken store, which has been operating in Toowoomba for 22 years, came after her husband met the previous owner at the cricket.
“He said he was thinking about selling so my husband told me and I immediately said let’s do it,” she said.
“I had been a nurse for 12 years prior to that but after my son had some health difficulties as a child I didn’t want to do something that took up all my time.”
However, after initially working 18-hour days for two years straight, Ms Dowling said she now has the work-life balance she wanted when first buying into the business.
While Covid disrupted plans in 2020 to expand, Ms Dowling said she would not rule out future franchises opening in southeast Queensland and beyond.
MICHAELA AND JEFF DUNCKER: POOLWERX, JIMBOOMBA
Michaella and Jeff Duncker love their work which shows after winning PoolWerx’s top franchisee award and was the standout business in Brisbane’s south.
It was a big year for the enterprising couple. After having to move shop 12 months after opening, they were forced to retail out of two shipping containers in a local shopping centre car park leading up to Christmas in 2021.
This didn’t slow them down, with a 50 per cent growth on the previous year. They also added a new technician and a new administration role to their staff.
They also had a successful year of awards, receiving the SPASA Highly Commended Award for New Retail Store, six regional Poolwerx Awards and three at the Poolwerx National Awards — Retail Salesperson of the Year Simon Martin, Franchise Woman of the Year Michaella Duncker and Regional Franchise of the Year for Queensland South, Far North Queensland, Northern NSW and Northern Territory.
PoolWerx was founded in Australia 29 years ago and is the world’s largest global pool service franchise with more than 160 retail outlets and 600 mobile vans in 350 regions across Australia, New Zealand and the US.
MARCUS DUNN: MCDONALD’S, GOLD COAST
Ever wanted to know who the man in charge of the southern Gold Coast’s Golden Arches is?
Marcus Dunn, who owns and operates McDonald’s franchises in Reedy Creek, Elanora, Burleigh Waters and Robina expanded his empire further in 2018, when opening another restaurant in Tugun.
DEB FARNWORTH-WOOD: AUSTRALIAN SKIN CLINICS, GOLD COAST
Deb Farnworth-Wood saw that quality skincare products and routines had the potential to be trendy before they were plastered on every Instagram and TikTok feed.
Ms Farnworth-Wood was at the forefront of the movement in Australia when she opened up a tiny clinic in Ashmore in 2007.
Notably, she launched her business with no sales experience and once said she “never planned on building an empire”.
The 2017 Gold Coast businesswoman of the year went on to grow the business into one of Australia’s largest franchises with a turnover of $70 million and 58 stores.
In 2019, she sold the company for an undisclosed amount, with ASX-listed group SILK Laser Australia, acquiring the company late last year for $52m.
PAUL FITZGERALD: GRILL’D, TOWNSVILLE
An Australian favourite and longstanding franchise in Townsville has taken its offerings into the western suburbs.
Grill’d opened its third restaurant in the city at Willows Shopping Centre in August.
Owner Paul Fitzgerald said opening had been a long time coming, with burger lovers in the western suburbs calling for a Grill’d for years.
The chain has been in Townsville for seven years and feedback showed Thuringowa also wanted an outlet.
Mr Fitzgerald, who also owns the Palmer St and Fairfield Waters restaurants said the new joint would hire about 40 people.
The new offering at Willows will see a unique dining experience with great outdoor space and easy, convenient parking.
The store will also begin a delivery service in the northern beaches and Kirwan areas.
ANTON AND KARLENE GAZAL: McDONALD’S ROCKHAMPTON
Anton Gazal owns McDonald’s restaurants at Yeppoon, Glenmore, Gracemere and Rockhampton. Business has usually been good, with Mr Gazal recently advertising 80 jobs.
He said there was always interest from people wanting to work at McDonald’s and he received about 15 applicants a month.
Mr Gazal built a dual-lane drive-through and upgraded the kitchen at the Rockhampton store, said Maccas wasn’t just about teen workers and he was proud to hire all ages.
He said in a recent interview that his Glenmore restaurant would also undergo upgrades.
Despite tough times due to Covid, he never stopped hiring and even offered certificates II and III in retail services and a food safety supervision certificate.
REDDY GOGURI: OPORTO, TOOWOOMBA
A relative newcomer to the list, Reddy Goguri first moved to Australia from India nine years ago but despite having an MBA found he had difficulty with the language barrier, and began his career at Oporto as a crew member.
In 2013, he and his wife moved from Sydney to Toowoomba, and four years later he opened the first Oporto store in the Garden City, Toowoomba.
“I used to work at Oporto as a crew member and always hoped to open my own store,” he said on the store’s opening day.
”We really want to introduce spicy food through our chicken and burgers.”
Oporto opened its second store in Toowoomba on the corner of Anzac Ave and Devine Street in Harristown with Mr Goguri manager and developer Campbell Knox.
REGAN GREEN AND MIKKAYLA McLEOD, LENARD’S CHICKEN, TOWNSVILLE
The enterprising young couple, who are in their 20s, own a shop in North Queensland.
The pair met as teenagers when working at the shop they now own, the Lenard’s Chicken at Willows Shopping Centre.
According to their website, Lenard’s is your go-to for delicious and convenient meals all summer long.
“Enjoy the tastes of summer with our marinated chicken cuts in mouth-watering flavours; premium chicken sausages that will have you coming back for more; and divine chicken burger patties the whole family will love.”
WARREN HITZKE: RAY WHITE, BUNDABERG
In just six years Bundaberg real estate agent Warren Hitzke took his team from two to 23 members and has a second location.
Mr Hitzke hopes his new Ray White branch at Bargara can capitalise on those moving to the region in search of a sea change.
He said it was a desire for a lifestyle change that drew him to the industry almost two decades ago.
He decided to get his licence and went hunting for an employment opportunity, offering his services as commission-only to get a foot in the door.
Ray White Bargara snapped him up and within six months he was poached by the Bundaberg office.
A long-term planner, Mr Hitzke said he was already looking to the future and hoped to expand once established in Bargara.
BANK OF QUEENSLAND: NATASHA HOBSON AND KERRY MENCK
Logan businesswomen Kerry Menck and Natasha Hobson joined forces as owners of the Bank of Queensland franchise in Browns Plains in 2022.
Both women have business management skills, with Natasha owning a dental clinic in Chatswood Hills and Kerry having more than 20 years’ experience in the world of banking at Bendigo Bank and ANZ.
Both have worked closely together when Natasha was president of the Logan Chamber of Commerce and Kerry president of the Logan Regional Chamber.
Their success was recognised when both were invited to judge the 2021 and 2022 Logan Chamber of Commerce Business awards.
Both said they were committed to driving the business and to help local people maximise their financial success.
JESSE JAMES: RAY WHITE, REDLAND BAY
Heading up the Redland Bay office, Jesse James has been a leading sales consultant for Ray White in the Redlands for more than a decade.
Mr James started his career in 2005 after getting a lucky break at Wynnum with Raine & Horne under Margaret Vote. He moved to Cleveland into a new office with Craig Yarrow, Graham Buckle and Sharon Saul who started Raine & Horne Cleveland.
In 2007, he sold a property in Alexandra Hills and the owner of that property became the mother of his two children and his business partner, Vanessa Jagusic.
He prides himself on having superior customer service and an outstanding reputation for meeting and exceeding clients expectations.
But his main love is bull riding and he has been branded Redland Bay’s own cowboy.
It was one of the driving factors prompting the proud dad to organise a bayside bull riding competition, which he said gave onlookers “bang for their buck”.
Mr James was named Ray White’s Premier Performer in 2021-22.
PAIGE AND PJ JOHNSON: F45, CURRUMBIN
Paige and PJ Johnson are no strangers to sweating it out to achieve bigger business growth – and bigger muscles too.
The fitness fanatics opened a Currumbin F45 studio, growing it from 40 to 250 members in just one year, only to shortly thereafter scope out an ideal site for a second franchise in 2019.
The couple opened the doors to its newest studio at Pavilions Palm Beach Shopping Centre, which underwent a $60m expansion and redevelopment.
The Johnsons said the southern Gold Coast was ripe for those who love fitness: “We know there is a fitness culture in Palm Beach, with lots of people out and about at the beach and in parks, so this (the Palm Beach studio) is an opportunity for them to try something new or take their exercise regimen to the next level.”
F45 has more than 1750 studios in 45 countries and is backed by Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg.
The fast-growing fitness franchise currently has 20 studios on the Gold Coast alone.
MARK AND HAZEL JOHNSTONE: SUBWAY, TOOWOOMBA
The mother-and-son duo own nine Subway franchises across Toowoomba and the Darling Downs, employing more than 100 locals.
They opened their first store on Margaret St in August 1994 and now operate several across the region. Their passion for the Subway brand led them to be among the first stores in the world to debut new menu items and new branding.
The store, at The Intersection precinct, was billed as a Fresh Forward Subway, and was also the Garden City’s first to feature a drive-through option.
In 2009, Mark and Hazel Johnstone were recognised as being six out of more than 15,000 franchisees to be named Franchisees of the Year at Subway’s international awards.
HAYDON KEMP: REFUGE BARBERS, CAIRNS
Haydon Kemp started his Cairns business as a clothing store in 2012 on Oceania Walk, but Refuge Barbers and Apparel has grown to a barber shop, apparel and coffee from three storefronts in the past 10 years.
Mr Kemp said he added an Edmonton store to his two Grafton St locations after seeing a need on the southside.
“People can’t always make it into town and some don’t like coming into town either,” he said.
“There was a market to expand and I thought you know what, let’s give it a go.”
Currently employing 13 staff members across all stores, Mr Kemp laughed at the thought that his retail store has now become, primarily, a barber shop.
“I put one barber on, then two, then three … and this is where I’m at now,” he said.
“In the future, there could be room for me to expand, but you’ve just got to chill for a bit and focus on what you’ve got, something I’m doing now.”
AVI KHAN: RAY WHITE, MARSDEN
Brisbane-based multi-office business owner Avi Khan began as a lawyer before deciding to pursue his dream of working in the real estate sector less than 10 years ago and now he owns three of the fastest growing businesses in Brisbane: Ray White Marsden, Ray White AKG, Ray White Daisy Hill plus two property law firms.
He’s built very high-performing teams in a short space of time and is committed to his whole team having a growth mindset.
He said that when and if anyone ever chooses to leave him, it will be with a “bouquet of flowers, not a lawsuit”.
“The Avi Khan Group (AKG) is a special real estate ecosystem I have built to support agents and clients — there are three real estate offices, a mortgage broker plus in-house solicitors. I loved selling but moved easily into leadership,” he said.
“My first big moment came on the first day of opening Marsden. I knew I had bills to be paid and nine staff walked in with their trust in me.
“People join a business for its leadership and I knew from the first day what a duty of care I had to them – to have fun, to make money and to take care of clients.”
KRIS KLARICH: SUPER ROOSTER, TOOWOOMBA
When Ray and Elena Klarich started a little take away chicken shop in the Southtown Shopping Centre in 1983, they had no idea it would go on to become a Toowoomba icon.
Now expanding to three stores across the city, Super Rooster built its success on a unique seasoning recipe drawing upon the Klarich’s European background.
“My wife’s background is Italian and my background is Croatian and between us we came up with a recipe that was well advanced for the time, because 30-odd years ago Mediterranean food wasn’t that popular,” Mr Klarich said in 2017.
“There wasn’t any magic marketing, just a delicious, good, old-fashioned product, cleanliness and good service.”
Taking over the family business was son Kris, who now owns and operates the Super Rooster stores in South Toowoomba, North Toowoomba and Wilsonton employing almost 100 people.
Last year travel company Wotif named Super Rooster as a finalist in Wotif’s Uniquely Aussie Awards, and was the only Queensland business on the hot chip list.
JULIE LAWRENCE: RAMS HOME LOANS, LOGANHOLME
After more than a decade in the business, Logan’s Julie Lawrence has chalked up many successes as a franchisee. This year her business, Rams Home Loan Centre, Brisbane South, was named the group’s highest performer across the Queensland network.
The Loganholme-based outlet is regularly in the top performers nationally and also this year, Ms Lawrence was inducted into the group’s prestigious John Macarthur Club, which is an exclusive body for high flyers in Rams.
Since she took over the franchise in 2014, Ms Lawrence has worked to build the business’s annual turnover to more than $2 million.
PETA AND GLEN KREMMER: HUDSON’S COFFEE, TOWNSVILLE
In 2018, Café operators Peta and Glenn Kremmer opened Hudson’s Coffee, an Australian chain of coffee retailers in Townsville.
Hudson’s coffee has a portfolio of 100 Hudson’s stores in every state and territory of Australia, internationally at Singapore’s Changi Airport and most recently New Zealand’s Auckland Airport.
MATT LANCASHIRE AND HAESLEY CUSH: RAY WHITE, NEW FARM
Haesley Cush and Matt Lancashire’s partnership makes business look like a buddy movie. The likeable dynamic duo, who have been friends for more than 35 years, are at the top of their game in the Brisbane property scene but always craving “a bigger pie”.
After five years, five children, 1500 listings and 1000 property managements, they went back into business together in 2017.
Now the pair lead 130 staff across seven businesses and have created a culture of high performance and fun.
“We both owned Ray White New Farm by ourselves and we both got to a point when we didn’t want to,” they said.
“Partnerships require grit and it forces you to work together. Haesley’s role is to lead the team like the coach in a dugout. Matt’s role is to win every single game, by popping the ball off to the side, and leading and captaining the team on the field. That’s the magic.”
Partnerships are better for their mental health, bottom line and growth but Haesley and Matt also value training and there’s a lot on offer in their offices.
JANELLE MACGINLEY: McDONALD’S, LOGAN
With five franchises of one of the world’s most famous brands, Janelle MacGinley has played a major role in feeding Logan. And she understands the rapidly changing demands on fast food better than most.
Along with her husband Peter, Ms MacGinley has five McDonald’s restaurants across the Logan region, with the company employing 600 staff.
They opened their first store in Marsden in 2001 with their fifth, a 24/7 location in Eagleby, opening in 2017.
“With Peter an accountant and my marketing background, we were looking for something which would suit,” she said.
Ms MacGinley said the Eagleby site had been popular especially with people using the free business room and Wi-Fi.
McDonald’s global president and chief executive Steve Easterbook visited the new site during a rare trip Down Under.
SCOTT MACKEY: RE/MAX, BUNDABERG
RE/MAX Precision principal Scott Mackey may well be the Bundaberg region’s most well-known real estate agent and up among the proudest grandads.
For 26 years, Mr Mackey dedicated himself to assisting Bundaberg home sellers, buyers and investors. As an owner of the highly successful RE/MAX Precision office, Mr Mackey can lay claim to many awards and achievements including winning the medium business of the year category in 2006.
He is also a member of the 1980 Initiative – an exclusive mentoring group for the Queensland State of Origin teams.
His dream of working in real estate began when he saw his uncle in action.
Mr Mackey started his journey with a mowing business as well as a stint at clothing store Muscular Arm. Once he got into real estate, there was no looking back. The Bundaberg-born husband, father and new grandfather is still as passionate as when he started.
One of the most important values in business, according to Mr Mackey, is the understanding that everyone in a workplace or team can lead in their own unique way, and that through that, everyone is just as important.
ANGELO MARANO: MARANO FUEL, COOKTOWN
Marano’s Fuel CEO Angelo Marano is the third generation of his family to be involved in their business since it was established over 60 years ago by his father Joe, and his uncle Sam.
Marano’s Fuel has grown from its first service station at Miallo, established in the 1940s, to now owning and operating 14 service stations in the Far North from Ravenshoe to Cooktown, employing over 120 locals across all locations.
SHAUN McCARTHY: ZAMBRERO, TOWNSVILLE
Shaun McCarthy is a former Burdekin and representative rugby union star who has played a big role in establishing the Zambrero restaurant franchise in Queensland.
He recently sold the development rights in southeast Queensland but still oversees development of the brand in the regions and operates two stores in Townsville.
Zambrero is an Australian multinational fast food restaurant franchise serving Mexican cuisine.
It was founded in Canberra by then-medical student Sam Prince with the idea of using the profits to support humanitarian causes. There are 202 Zambrero stores located across Australia.
CAROLYN McMANUS: RIBS AND RUMPS, TOWNSVILLE
Carolyn McManus operates six The Coffee Club franchises in Townsville and Airlie Beach and Townsville restaurants Ribs and Rumps and Donna Bionda.
Her group employs about 200 people and she is also a board member of The Cathedral School of St Anne and St James.
Since opening its doors in Brisbane in 1989, The Coffee Club has become Australia’s largest homegrown cafe group with approximately 400 stores throughout nine countries, with upwards of 40 million dedicated customers.
Ribs and Rumps, a restaurant which is all about the primal urge to enjoy some of the most mouth-watering racks of ribs available anywhere is located in Sydney, Milton, Rockhampton and Townsville.
DON MEIJ: DOMINO’S, QUEENSLAND
The former pizza franchise owner later became the Domino’s Pizza CEO and is one of the highest paid bosses in the country, earning $21 million in 2017.
He was almost a schoolteacher but an early job as a delivery driver for Silvio’s Dial-a-Pizza changed his life forever.
Silvio’s merged into Domino’s in 1995 and by the following year Mr Meij took the plunge and bought his first franchise.
“I bought my first store in Morayfield, Caboolture,’’ he said in a 2013 interview.
That store in its first year became the second-busiest store on the planet.
Back then there were about 5000 Domino’s stores worldwide.
Mr Meij went on to own 17 stores in southeast Queensland in the space of five years.
“That little business (of 17 stores) was turning over roughly $17 million, making a couple of million dollars a year,” he said.
In 2001, Mr Meij’s 17 stores and another franchisee’s eight were used to buy 20 per cent of the company and he then became CEO.
DEAN MERLO: MERLO COFFEE, BRISBANE
Not even a pandemic could slow down Dean Merlo’s coffee empire, with revenue soaring as people found time to grind their own beans at home. He is not letting a little thing like a global pandemic get him down.
The founder of Merlo Coffee last year invested in a multimillion-dollar coffee roasting machine from Italy that will triple the amount of beans processed at the company’s Eagle Farm HQ.
Mr Merlo, who runs a wholesale coffee business as well as a chain of 15 cafes, said they had experienced a surge in online sales since the start of the Covid pandemic.
The company is very strong on its green credentials, with a big emphasis on recycling.
Mr Merlo has been in business for three decades but he and his business partner, CEO James Wilkinson, are not slowing down.
They started in 1992 in a small CBD outlet but now have 19 branded coffee outlets and six espresso bars, operate 10 roasting houses and supply coffee to more than 1500 cafes and restaurants nationally. They employ 280 people.
It’s a source of family pride that after emigrating from Italy, the Merlos brought with them a La San Marco, the first Italian espresso machine ever seen in Queensland.
Mr Merlo, a New Farm local, worked in his father’s Cafe Milano in Queen Street Mall as a teenager and worked many jobs before returning to cafes and coffee.
KYM AND HAMISH MUNRO: McDONALD’S, DALBY
After buying their first franchise in Chinchilla in 2012, Kym and Hamish Munro have since expanded to buy a store in Dalby and in 2021 snapped up the Harristown store, the last owned by previous Maccas king Keith Beer.
“Keith was really good to deal with, we first spoke in December and the deal was done in March,” Mrs Munro said in 2021.
“Being in Toowoomba has really opened us up — now we’ve got a big market and a cracking store.”
JENNY AND TONY O’REILLY: QUEST HOTELS, TOOWOOMBA
The business owners have been recognised at a National Conference for their impeccable customer service and ongoing support to the community, even throughout the pandemic.
Australia’s tourism industry lost four school holiday periods in a row due to Covid-19 lockdowns and the hospitality industry endured its worst 18 months in history but the O’Reilly couple were still recognised for their consistent customer service excellence and ongoing support to the community at the 2022 Quest National Conference.
They won the Franchisee of the Year Award for Queensland and the Northern Territory after a strong 12 months despite the challenges that came to the industry from the Covid pandemic.
Ms O’Reilly said she was most proud of leading her hotel through the pandemic.
“Our job is making your stay effortless. From the moment you check in and we ask ‘how can I help you’, to recommending the best local spots to check out based on why you are staying.”
VICKI PAIN, RAY WHITE, DAYBORO
For Ray White Rural Dayboro selling principal Vicki Pain, getting into real estate was “100 per cent a joke”. Coming from a successful business designing and selling a ladies country clothing range, Ms Pain said she was looking for something different.
“A friend noticed an ad in The Courier-Mail about Ray White recruiting, he said I should look into it and 15 years later I am still here and now have two offices,” Ms Pain said.
“When I look back, I think that I would do it all differently. Starting in real estate I lacked confidence and belief in myself but it has taught me so much.
“Knowing what I know now, I would tell women thinking of joining the industry to just do it. If you have spent your life raising children and navigating life with your husband then you have every skill in negotiating you will ever need.”
ROXANNE PATERSON: RAY WHITE, BRACKEN RIDGE
Roxanne Paterson owns Ray White Bracken Ridge but has no plans to stop there. She’s a mum to two boys and is a Chairman’s Elite performer after being ranked in the top 1 per cent of sellers in the whole Ray White group.
She came from managing several large fitness chains and has been in the industry for about 10 years.
DON PEEL: OTTO’S FRESH FOOD MARKET, TOWNSVILLE
The brand is part of the popular food and coffee group’s fruit and vegetable division which is where it all began for the homegrown retailer at the Warrina shopping centre in 2013.
The Otto family is passionate about good food and believe that the kitchen is the heart of their household.
LOREN PENNISI: STUDIO PILATES, SUNSHINE COAST
Studio Pilates franchisee Loren Pennisi has opened up an outlet at Coolum Beach.
Loren Pennisi had classes booked out two weeks before she opened her Pilates Studio franchise in Coolum Beach on October 29, fielding more than 550 inquiries.
Ms Pennisi said she had been “under the pump” to get back to everyone during the mad rush for bookings and had to put dozens on a waiting list for classes.
Ms Pennisi said she was drawn to pilates in 2016 after her whirlwind 15-year career on the international stage as a professional dancer.
During her career in musical theatre and commercial jazz she was based out of Japan, Los Angeles and London while performing in shows across Australia, United Kingdom, Singapore and Asia
She also worked in production choreography and show creation for Princess Cruises and worked in children’s shows, even performing in a Tokyo Disney show.
On her return to Brisbane she discovered pilates and believed if she found it during her dancing career, it would have made her a physically better and stronger performer.
Ms Pennisi said she moved to the Sunshine Coast before the pandemic and worked as an instructor for two years at Studio Pilates in Noosa before wanting to manage her own.
PICCONE FAMILY: IGA SUPERMARKETS, CAIRNS
It would be amiss to not have one of the biggest family franchises in the Far North on the list. The Piccone family have two IGA supermarkets, two shopping villages, a liquor store and a bakery to their name.
Starting with shares in the Edmonton butchery and bakery, the family business name grew and moved through generations, moving most recently from the late Lou Piccone who took over the business in 1957, to his sons John and Peter Piccone currently at the head of business operations.
John Piccone said the brothers came into running the business in 1990, but always went back to their dad for advice.
“Our father was the patriarch of our family and our business and he knew so much that we always referred back to him, he was involved until he got sick,” he said.
“My grandparents moved to Edmonton in 1930 where they worked in the butcher and bakery until eventually, my grandma started her own general store.
“In 1954, they wanted to go back and visit Italy and they asked our dad to look after the stores and by the time they got back, he had it running so well that he asked to buy it off them. He turned the business around and it’s only grown from there.”
DEBBIE RAINS: TRAVEL ASSOCIATES, TOWNSVILLE
Debbie Rains is the owner of five Travel Associates franchise agencies in regional Queensland, three in Townsville, in Mackay and Rockhampton.
The group employs 40 people and has recently celebrated its 29th business anniversary.
Debbie holds roles as president of the Townsville Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trustees member of the Townsville Grammar School, Board Member of the Good Shepherd Hospice and advisory member of the Townsville Fashion Festival, including responsibility for their Textile Pop Up store and design committee.
Travel Associates has over 50 offices around the country.
DARREN AND DEB RAMM: DOMINO’S, TOOWOOMBA
Pizza has been an integral part of Darren and Deb Ramm’s life in more ways than one.
The couple first met when they were working at the same Domino’s store in Wyalla in 1998, with Deb starting as store manager one week after finishing high school, while Darren began his Domino’s journey in Brisbane, before the prospect of helping to run the Domino’s Wyalla store lured him to the Darling Downs.
Six years later, the pair were married, and they embarked on building their business empire by purchasing the store that brought them together in the first place in 2009.
“A few years later we decided the time was right to expand, taking on our second store, Domino’s Westridge, in 2015,” Mrs Ramm said.
“While we were inspired to become franchisees after watching others at Domino’s take a similar journey, our biggest factor was, and still is, our love for Domino’s, pizza, and of course, the local Toowoomba and the greater Darling Downs community.”
PAUL RISSMAN: McDONALD’S BURDEKIN
Paul Rissman, the owner and operator of McDonald’s franchises, employs 1200 people and recently expanded his holdings in the region to nine restaurants, including the top-performing Lakes outlet first established by George Colbran in 1988.
Paul is a director of the North Queensland Cowboys football club and Ronald McDonald House, Northern Australia.
McDonald’s Ayr celebrated 20 years under the popular franchisee.
ALLISON ROSHIER: LENARD’S, CAIRNS
Allison Roshier joined the army in 1992 at the age of 18 and after 13 years in the Catering Corp as a qualified chef, recruit instructor at Kapooka and two deployments to East Timor she decided to buy a Lenard’s store at Cairns Central in 2004.
Her initial story was not a success until she bought an old butcher shop on Aumuller St and converted it into a Lenard’s store and started supplying three local Super IGAs — Piccone’s at Edmonton, Manoora, Fresh St Market Place located in Atherton, and Tietzel’s IGA Tully.
She made all their product and they sold it in their deli sections – and she’s still supplying those stores.
The opportunity arose to open a new store in Redlynch and she built a kiosk style store. In 2017, she opened an expanded store at Redlynch and has not looked back.
Sales continued to grow and despite saying she should have quit a dozen times over the past 18 years, but the love of the Lenard’s brand and product keep her going.
This financial year, her sales were about $1.5 million and she has grown her customer count from 350 to more than 1000 over the past seven years.
LAUREN AND MATTHEW SCOTT: RECOVERY LAB, TOWNSVILLE
Matthew and Lauren Scott are the faces behind Recovery Lab, a specialist studio using the latest technology to help people feel better, perform better and cope better with the demands of physical training after it was launched in Townsville.
Matthew is a warrant officer and personal trainer who has worked in the Army for 22 years, while Lauren previously worked with the Royal Australian Air Force.
Recovery Lab has five stores across Australia, with three stores in Queensland and two stores in Victoria.
CARL SHEPPARD: DOMINO’S, TOWNSVILLE
Pizza store prodigy Carl Sheppard delivered dozens of positions to Townsville job seekers after opening the doors to a new pizza shop in Fairfield, adding to seven other stores already under his belt across the city and the state.
Mr Sheppard was thrilled his third store in Townsville would create 30 new jobs for the region, and encouraged anyone who lost their jobs due to Covid-19 to apply.
Mr Sheppard first joined Domino’s in 1998 helping prepare pizzas, before working his way up to regional leader.
In 2005, he wanted to earn his own dough and made the leap to become a franchisee at just 20 years old. With more than 23 years of experience in the industry, he was proud to be expanding his network.
CAITLIN SIMMS: BALANCE PILATES, CAIRNS
Caitlin Simms became a business woman in the peak of Covid, operating personal training sessions out of her garage. Now, she runs two successful fitness businesses in Cairns CBD.
“I officially opened my first business, Balance Performance Centre, in June 2020 post-lockdown,” Ms Simms said.
“I brought my PT clients from my garage into the new space but then I was fully booked out.
“I brought on a team of coaches and now there’s six full-time coaches including myself.”
But Ms Simms didn’t stop at Balance Performance Centre, opening her own pilates studio shortly after in January 2022.
“I have some ideas that would do well in Cairns, it’s such a great community and there’s so many avenues that can be opened to keep building on where I’m going,” she said.
“But my focus right now is my current businesses and getting Balance Pilates up to a speed where classes are fully booked and thriving, that’s my main priority.”
CRAIG STACK: KNIGHT FRANK, TOWNSVILLE
Craig Stack, a senior partner at Knight Frank, Townsville, which won Knight Frank’s Australia Franchise Office of the Year in 2021.
Throughout 2021, the team covered a lot of ground geographically, and a lot of terrain professionally, which allowed them to enjoy a loyal and growing base of clients.
With a track record established over 125 years, Knight Frank is part of a global powerhouse sharing the resources, knowledge and insights of a company spanning 384 offices and more than 16,000 individuals.
HIRO SUZUKI: COURIERSPLEASE, ROBINA
CouriersPlease Franchise Partner Hiro Suzuki joined the business as a franchise partner in 2016, a year after immigrating to Australia from Japan.
At the age of 52, he decided to try his luck in the Australian transport industry and moved to the Gold Coast where he bought the CouriersPlease franchise.
He then purchased a second, industrial, run in Burleigh to capitalise on the potential earnings.
He now employs five drivers, and his team makes about 3000 pick-ups and 1500 deliveries each week including for Myer and Target.
CP has expanded its network of 800-plus Franchise Partners and is currently recruiting.
MATTHEW AND VINCE TOOHEY: ZAMBRERO, CAIRNS
Brothers Matthew and Vince Toohey opened their first Zambrero restaurant in 2013 on Lake St, Cairns. Since then, the pair have expanded their business to three restaurants, taking over the storefront in Cairns Central in 2015 before opening an Earlville store in 2018.
Vince Toohey said expansion of the business came down to public interest and success.
“We were doing well following the Lake Street restaurant,” he said.
“The people of Cairns liked the product and we understood the landscape of the region and how best to build the business within it.”
Currently employing 50 people at any given time, the brothers have plans for the future of Zambrero Cairns.
“We definitely have plans to expand,” Mr Toohey said.
CHRISTINE VINCENT: McDONALD’S, CAIRNS
Christine Vincent is the sole director and licensee of six McDonald’s franchises in Cairns and is responsible for more than 500 staff.
Entering the market as a franchise owner with McDonald’s in 1994, she began owning a store in Kingaroy before moving to Tasmania with her career, and eventually settling in Cairns.
Ms Vincent owns the McDonald’s storefronts at Cairns Central, the Esplanade, Woree, Edmonton, Gordonvale and Innisfail.
PETER AND EVELYN VOGEL: POOLWERX, INDOOROOPILLY
Peter Vogel and his wife Evelyn have been part of the PoolWerx franchise since 2017 and have worked tirelessly to set a new standard within the traditional franchise model.
In 2021, they were awarded Franchise Partner of the Year to recognise their contribution to PoolWerx.
What started with purchasing one store in Indooroopilly quickly grew to six locations across Brisbane’s thriving western suburbs, with the Vogels now overseeing one of the largest PoolWerx footprints in Australia, with a compound growth of 25 per cent in the past year.
The couple combined their decades of international corporate business experience and knowledge with a passion for helping people to create a profitable pool empire in just four years that has withstood a challenging business environment.
Among their impressive accolades is their 2022 SPASA national gold win for multi-location pool stores.
MARK WARD: McDONALD’S, TOOWOOMBA
The Toowoomba businessman said in a 2016 interview that he “never set out to be the McDonald’s king” but ended up owning every franchise in the city.
He bought his first McDonald’s in Toowoomba more than 20 years ago and five years ago had eight.
“This has been a result not a goal, I never set out to be the McDonald’s king – I wanted to own them all but not for the ego,” he said.
Mr Ward’s empire expanded rapidly in 2016, with deals to buy three restaurants from the city’s other licensee heavyweight, Keith Beer.
The straight-A business student with dreams of working on Wall Street ended up becoming store manager of an Ipswich restaurant before working his way up and up and up.
STEVE WHITTARD, MISTER MINIT, GOLD COAST
Not all franchise moguls rock designer clothes and own speed boats or mansions.
Some come in the form of humble cobblers.
And it’s no secret that Steve “the shoeman” Whittard loves his job.
In fact, he’s turned his love for a centuries-old craft into a multi-franchise business.
From starting out as a Mr Minit trainee at the age of 21, Mr Whittard now owns and operates seven shopping centre kiosks across the city, where he says “you’re doing something different every day, every customer is different and it’s a fun job”.
He said when starting out, he had “no idea” that he’d be with the same company 33 years later, and running seven of their stores.
Mr Whittard’s stores are at The Pines in Elanora, Runaway Bay, Westfield Helensvale, Robina Town Centre, Pacific Fair, Australia Fair and Westfield Coomera.
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Originally published as Meet 60 of Queensland’s rockstar franchisees and take a look inside their every day businesses
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