Young Ones to Watch: Zak Omar, CEO of Atomic Wings

Zak Omar, CEO of Atomic Wings, got into franchising in 2012 when he owned a couple of Dunkin's in Maryland. Growing up, his dad would take him to Dunkin's for donuts, and he saw it as a great opportunity for his future. He spent hours working in the restaurant, making sure he was doing everything his employees were, and eventually became a full-time franchisee as they opened more locations.

The founder of Atomic Wings reached out to him about becoming a master franchisee in the Maryland market. He purchased the company in 2016 when it had two brick-and-mortar stores and has since grown the business to 11 stores with 16 contracts signed for new locations.

Zak Omar likes the uniformity of the franchise industry. With the rise of travel and comfort foods, he appreciates knowing that there will be consistency in his food and his preferences. He also values the network of franchisees and franchisors that can provide guidance and support.

To be a good fit for the franchise industry, someone needs to be a self-starter, hard-working, and able to motivate others. They should be able to manage people through customer service or their own employees and build relationships in a team environment.

Zak Omar believes that successful franchise professionals are self-starters who can multitask and make decisions based on reports. They should be analytical and able to put themselves in any position within the restaurant and have the knowledge of how to do so.

The QSR space has responded well to the coronavirus crisis, with franchisees being nimble and reacting fast to the changing situation. However, there are still challenges and opportunities that the industry needs to address, such as the impact of third-party delivery services on restaurants and the need for more legislation to regulate their fees.

As a result of COVID-19, everyone has had to readjust and take a look at their business model to see where they'd like to be in the future. Zak Omar advises young up-and-comers in the space to surround themselves with great people, work with folks who bring something to their organization, and not dwell on mistakes.