Gary Brackett is the President & CEO of Brackett Restaurant Group, a food service catering company that also includes two restaurant brands: CharBlue Steak & Seafood fine dining and Stacked Pickle casual dining.  Prior to founding Brackett Restaurant Group, Gary was a linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. During his time with the Colts, he served as defensive captain, was a starter in their Super Bowl XLI win over the Chicago Bears, and earned the title of defensive MVP for the team. After retiring from the Colts in 2010, Brackett went on to serve as a sports commentator, which he still does in addition to his role at Brackett Restaurant Group.   Disclaimer: Gary Brackett is a client of the Law Office of Josh F. Brown. Both parties willingly participated in the interview with no incentive and strive to tell Gary’s fascinating story and highlight his brand in an impartial way.   Key Takeaways:   [0:22] Today’s episode features Gary Brackett, a former NFL player turned franchisor who owns Brackett Restaurant Group. Within that company, he founded Stacked Pickle, a casual dining franchise that has taken off in the Midwest and is looking to expand nationally. [2:28] Josh welcomes Gary to Franchise Euphoria. [3:15] Gary Brackett is a New Jersey native who has climbed the ranks in all aspects of life with his unwavering work ethic. [13:04] For individuals lucky enough to break into pro-sports, they sometimes achieve success and get “lazy” but Gary has always had a strong drive to continually set goals and achieve them. [16:05] Gary semi-knew that once he retired from football he wanted to do something in the restaurant space and make a quality investment. [17:26] While Gary considers himself a foodie, what really got him into the restaurant business was the recognition that people always approached him while he was out to eat. To maintain his brand, he started his company where he hoped people would come for his name but stay for the food. [18:45] It has been helpful for Gary having a hand in two different types of restaurant spaces to give him exposure to how to run each system to its greatest potential. [20:24] It has been a fruitful partnership with Jeremiah Hamman in running CharBlue since Hamman has a lifetime of experience in the food service industry and Brackett has the organizational tactics and pursuance to get a well-oiled, organized system. [21:57] One big way Stacked Pickle makes itself stand out as a franchise is offering low rates for those looking to purchase a franchise. The way he does this is helping his franchisees find quality, second-generation locations to build out of to keep things cost effective. [22:40] Another way Stacked Pickle stands out is by having a value-priced menu for a quality product. [24:01] Gary has found that the work ethic he developed in the NFL has transferred over to the restaurant industry. The desire to never wanting to settle for being average fuels his drive and keeps his business on a positive growth trajectory. [25:40] A large challenge Gary faces in the restaurant industry is the competition; new restaurants are popping up every day, so they have to be creative in their promotional endeavors. [28:11] Gary’s large goal for Stacked Pickle is to grow 5-10 stores a year for the next 3-4 years, but he aims to obtain quality franchisees and be able to methodically plan out their success with them. [29:28] To learn more about the Stacked Pickle franchise, head over to www.Stackedpickle.com or www.BuildthePickle.com. Additionally, Gary’s book about how to build a championship restaurant is due out in the next six months. [30:18] Thanks for listening, and please, reach out to Josh anytime through email at josh@franchiseeuphoria.com. If you enjoyed this interview, please leave us a review on iTunes.   Mentioned in This Episode: josh@franchiseeuphoria.com www.franchiseeuphoria.comwww.Stackedpickle.com www.Buildthepickle.comWinning: From Walk-On to Captain, in