The How of Business: The Entrepreneurship Journey with Mike McFall

Category: Franchise Development

Mike shares his tips and advice for starting and growing a small business, based on his over 23 years of entrepreneurship experience and co-founding BIGGBY Coffee.

Michael J. McFallis the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Biggby Coffee – a fast-growing $200-million-dollar coffee franchise with 300+ locations across the Midwest – and the author of “Grind: A No-BS Approach to Take Your Business from Concept to Cash Flow”.

Mike also teaches the “Finding Your Vision” class at the University of Michigan Center for Entrepreneurship.

If Mike’s business philosophy can be distilled down to its essence, it would be this: Be brave. Be humble. Be thoughtful. Be aware of others. And be yourself. Mike lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

 

The Entrepreneurship Journey with Mike McFall:

Mike shares his journey at Biggby Coffee. Mike began his journey with Biggby Coffee as a minimum-wage barista at the original store in East Lansing in 1996. Over the span of 23 years, with business partner Bob Fish, he has helped create one of the great specialty coffee brands in America.
When did you know you wanted to be your own boss? Who were early entrepreneurial influences?
 
Why are you a business owner? What does it provide you?
 
Why did you write the book “Grind” and who is it for?
 
Due Diligence (“I want people to do hundreds of hours of due diligence.”) – How do you know when you have done enough due diligence?
 
What do you mean by “doing due diligence on yourself”?
 
What is the best advertisement money can’t buy?
 
Navigating The Great Resignation. Please explain how investing in employees can boost retention, and share the key ways to attract and retain top talent in your small business.
 
What are some of the characteristics of successful franchise small business owners. 
 
Episode Host: Henry Lopez is a serial entrepreneur, small business coach, and the host of this episode of The How of Business podcast show – dedicated to helping you start, run and grow your small business.