If you’ve ever wondered how much of your brand’s growth potential is locked inside your frontline leaders, this episode is your wake-up call.
When I met Monica Rothgery at a franchise conference in Denver, she took the stage for what I thought would be a good, standard keynote. Instead, she dropped so many truth bombs in 25 minutes that I immediately knew I had to get her on the podcast. Monica’s an author (Lessons from the Drive-Thru), a keynote speaker, and a former COO of KFC US — overseeing 4,000 locations across 400 ownership groups. She’s seen it all, and she knows that the “secret sauce” in any brand isn’t a marketing campaign or a new product line — it’s the people.
Why Frontline Leaders Are the Growth Engine
In our conversation, Monica explained something I’ve seen in my work: the difference between a good general manager and an empowered one can mean 2–3% in same-store sales growth, without adding a dime to marketing or new product launches.
In an industry where margins are thinner than a tortilla chip, that kind of lift can change the game. But most managers aren’t truly running the business — they’re stuck running shifts, working the line, and plugging holes. Monica’s mission is to change that, not just for restaurants, but for any business that depends on a frontline leader.
Her approach is built on three pillars:
- Build capability – Give managers tools to understand and move the levers inside their four walls.
- Engage the leader – Turn goals into games, incentives, and visible recognition
- Empower ownership – Give leaders the authority to lead.
Building Capability
I love Monica’s knack for turning lofty growth goals into something bite-sized and real. She’ll say, “Let’s forget about a 5% increase for a second — what does that look like today?” That might mean:
- Adding $0.50 to the average ticket.
- Selling one more dessert every third order.
- Shaving five seconds off drive-thru service time.
These micro-goals are easy to track, they’re visible, and they’re fun. Managers can rally their teams around something they can see on the scoreboard this week, not just on a P&L three months from now.
Engaging Through Incentives
When Monica surveyed 150 franchise executives, the answer was clear — games and incentives work at every level.
Some examples that stuck with me:
- Sales Clubs – Million-, two-million-, and three-million-dollar clubs with rewards like cash bonuses and all-expense-paid trips to Mexico or Vegas.
- Symbols of Success – Special hats, shirts, and plaques that everyone sees (customers included).
- Team Equipment Upgrades – Hitting a sales goal might earn your unit a new dishwasher or power washer — something that makes work easier for everyone.
The secret here isn’t the dollar value — it’s the visibility, the bragging rights, and the sense of shared achievement. I’ve seen this same principle work in home services, pet care, and B2B brands. If your people can see the win, they’ll chase it.
Leading With Care
Before anyone cares about your contests or KPIs, they need to know you care about them. Monica makes this point crystal clear. She challenges leaders to learn:
- Who’s in their team member’s family.
- Why they work.
- What their good and bad days look like.
When you invest in people like that, they’ll walk through hot coals for you — not because the brand told them to, but because you did. And when that happens, turnover drops, culture strengthens, and growth follows.
Culture as a Retention Strategy
Culture spreads fast — especially in small towns. Hire well, treat your people right, and word will get out. I’ve seen high schoolers turn down jobs simply because they heard from friends that “it’s miserable there.” On the flip side, a fun, supportive culture attracts better applicants, giving you the pick of the crop.
Monica also makes the case for flexibility in hiring — especially post-COVID. Forget the old “must work open-to-close” mindset. Today’s team members often have other commitments, and leaders who can work around them get better candidates and better long-term results.
Coaching for Growth
One of my favorite moments in our chat was when Monica explained her coaching style: start by celebrating. Ask:
- “What do you want to celebrate from last week?”
- “Where do you want to improve this period?”
- “Who are you developing right now?”
From there, set just 2–3 goals — not a laundry list of 10 — so managers can focus, lead, and see progress. This approach builds thinkers, not just task-doers, and that’s where leadership really takes root.
The Payoff
Capable, engaged, and empowered leaders drive:
- Revenue growth without new spending.
- Better retention.
- Stronger customer experiences.
Or, as Monica’s mentor Greg Creed put it: “The customer experience will never exceed the team member experience.”
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