My Favorite Muffin® CEO Michael Evans Dishes on a Career Journey That Took Him From Taxes to Gourmet Muffins

My Favorite Muffin® CEO Michael Evans was nine months into a job in the tax department of a major accounting firm when he first caught the entrepreneurial bug. He got a glimpse into another possible life when he saw a tax client buy a building for $10 million and then sell it for $15 million.

Evans began thinking about his knowledge of financial assets and how this acumen could translate into a new career. He decided to leave his job and start a real estate syndication company, which he successfully ran for 14 years. When tax laws changed in 1986, however, he decided to look into something new.

Around that time, a friend suggested they head over to TCBY for a frozen treat. Evans was not sold on this idea, as he was not a fan of frozen yogurt. The friend pushed on, and Evans ended up loving the taste of the yogurt and thought it was just as great as ice cream.

He immediately reached out to TCBY to inquire about franchising opportunities and purchased the rights to a large part of Chicago and Milwaukee. He started franchising with TCBY in 1988 and continued until 1993. He was one of the founders of the brand’s franchisee association and that association’s first president. TCBY, however, lacked the product diversity he wanted.

Franchise career path

Plus, after several years in the business, Evans realized he had his own ideas about franchising. Evans moved on to found the Big Apple Bagels® franchise concept in 1993.

In 1996, BAB, Inc. purchased Brewster’s® coffee to provide valued Big Apple Bagels customers with a delicious hot beverage. Then, in 1997 in an effort to incorporate sweeter options into the menu and diversify offerings, BAB, Inc. acquired the muffin cafe-style concept My Favorite Muffin, and introduced My Favorite Muffin customers to Brewster’s coffee as a perfect complement to the muffins.

Early on, Evans made sure to hire employees who had previous franchising experience. The idea was to make money on royalties instead of selling the products to the franchisees. He wanted franchisees to be low-cost producers.

“I firmly believe that low-cost producers win, and I wanted to put franchisees in a situation where they can succeed when the competition comes,” Evans said. “When I started this we were one of the first bagel and muffin franchises in the company. I knew the competition would come.”

Business model success

The brand’s menu features as many as 30 different muffin recipes featured on a daily basis. My Favorite Muffin has also grown into a robust franchise opportunity thanks to elements such as: no competition in the category; a simple business model with high returns; and a proven success record. The brand prides itself on being franchisee-focused and building supportive relationships with its franchisee system.

Today, My Favorite Muffin is actively seeking franchisees to expand into existing and new territories, particularly in Kentucky, Ohio and Nashville.

While My Favorite Muffin is doing extremely well selling its signature product, Evans and his team are still keeping an eye toward the future and making sure the brand stays innovative. One item on the brand’s agenda is to test the incorporation of more savory muffin flavors as a breakfast option.

The brand’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. Earlier this year, Entrepreneur ranked My Favorite Muffin as a top food franchise of 2019.

Evans is thrilled with the direction his career has taken, and he’s never forgotten why he decided to become a franchisor. Maintaining positive relationships between the corporate team and the franchisee system is a top priority at My Favorite Muffin.

“I’ve learned that you can learn from your franchisees,” Evans said. “The best ideas will come from them. As a franchisor, it is important to be open to suggestions and not have such a rigid platform. For example, we have things that sell like hotcakes in one store that won’t sell in another. This is why you’ve got to listen to the franchisees. Their ideas will benefit the whole system. The people I’ve hired have also been ingrained and have franchisee experience. They understand that for us to be successful, our franchisees have got to be successful.”

By proving a willingness to test new products and fostering positive and respectful relationships with franchisees, Evans is clearly ready to take My Favorite Muffin to the next level.