Virginia Barbeque Maximizes Franchisee Performance through a Partnership with Business Advisers International

RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Seeking to ensure the long-term success of franchisees of his already famous Virginia Barbeque (www.virginiabbq.com) chain of restaurants, Rick Ivey selected Business Advisers International, BAI (www.AdviCoach.com) as a partner to provide business coaching and advisory services to his franchisees, helping them from day one establish the business foundation essential to grow their businesses. Three months into the program, revenues are up with improved in-store traffic and increased catering activity at the Richmond location confirming BAI’s ability to drive rapid business performance improvements.

“Offering these services to our new franchisees will give them the resources to achieve their business and lifestyle goals”

“Within three months of working with a BAI AdviCoach, I have increased my total revenues by more than 20% year-over-year,” says Beau Dabney, Owner of Virginia Barbeque Lakeside in Richmond along with his wife Betsy. “BAI has helped me to increase both revenue streams of my business - the catering services increased quickly and began making money while at the same time my over-the-counter services improved,” he added.

“Partnering with Beau, I’ve watched him make dramatic changes to his time allocation, targeted business development activities and sales management methods in order to set himself up for success,” says Eric Bucci, AdviCoach in Richmond and facilitator of BAI’s first engagement with a Virginia Barbeque franchisee. “Already, the Dabneys are reaping the rewards of those efforts,” he added.

“BAI’s unique AdviCoach^® approach, now proven successful at our Richmond location, will provide our new franchisees the dedicated coaching and advisory services essential to establishing a solid business approach and accelerate their growth once they open their doors to the public,” says Ivey. “Offering these services to our new franchisees will give them the resources to achieve their business and lifestyle goals,” he added.

Known for their quick service and authentic southern barbeque, Virginia Barbeque is one of the fastest growing restaurant franchises in the South. But it’s not a secret of the South’s any longer, with new franchises opening in Delaware and on the way in California and Michigan.

BAI’s AdviCoaches will provide coaching and advisory support for a five month period, helping Virginia Barbeque’s franchisees clarify their long term goals, define and implement business and marketing plans, and optimize the day-to-day business operations of the restaurant. This support will begin well before opening, coordinating pre-opening activities while getting an early start on business planning and sales opportunities, and then continue through the early months of operation as new franchisees build brand awareness and a sales pipeline in their local markets.

“We are impressed with Rick’s vision and dedication to the success of his franchisees,” says Larry Frank regional developer of BAI in Virginia. “As a franchisor, Rick is helping his franchisees get off to a healthier more profitable start to ensure long-term growth potential. Our AdviCoaches will continue helping their franchisees to achieve their business and lifestyle goals through focusing on individual performance enhancement,” he added.

Representatives from both Virginia Barbeque and Business Advisers International will be available to talk about franchise opportunities and the value of the AdviCoach^®Advantage at the upcoming Central Virginia Franchising and Financing Expo (www.cvfexpo.com) scheduled for March 1 & 2 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

About Virginia Barbeque

Virginia Barbeque is a quick service restaurant franchise system headquartered in Fredericksburg, VA, with eleven restaurant locations open in Virginia and Delaware and 44 new locations sold in 7 states including California, Michigan, North Carolina, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Virginia Barbeque has been named “Simply the Best” in the Fredericksburg region in 2004 and “The Best Barbeque in the Region” by Richmond Magazine in 2005. Many other awards and testimonials can be found on their home page at www.virginiabbq.com

About Business Advisers International

Business Advisers International (BAI) is the premier source for business coaching and advisory services customized for small to midsize businesses. With its unique “AdviCoach®” advantage, BAI provides coaching backed by a team of professionals who can provide Rapid Impact Solutions to its clients. BAI was recently ranked in the Top 100 new franchises by Franchise Market Magazine and in the Franchise 500 by Entrepreneur Magazine. In April 2007, Entrepreneur Magazine listed BAI as one of the top 50 new franchises to recently open.