Owning A Franchise Business with Keli’i Lum

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Interview Transcription

ADRIENNE:

Welcome back, and thanks for listening to the team Lally Real Estate show home of the guaranteed sold program or we’ll buy it. I’m Adrienne, I’m Attilio. And if you have any questions just give us a call at 7999596 or check us out online at Teamlally.com. So we have our guest who we had the teaser for Mr. Keli’i Lum he’s not here all started off. Okay, you go for it.

ATTILIO: 
Born in Hawaii and raised in the town of Mililani. Our guest today grew up to be very familiar with the island of Oahu who studied at the Leeward Community College where he was president of LCC Japan circle and the Vice President of Mililani Toastmasters Public Relations.

ADRIENNE:
So after graduating from LCC, he pursued his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Hawaii’s Shidler College of Business where he interned as a Hawaiian Airlines business analyst and followed his dream to study in Japan. He returned to Hawaii and pursued a career in real estate, and is now an international agent for Team Lally. Please welcome our guest, Keli’i Lum.

KELI’I:
Hi,

ADRIENNE: 
hello. Hello. One thing that we forgot in well, I use this we’re gonna be talking about it but he’s also an entrepreneur and a business owner. Tell us the name of your business Keli’i.

KELI’I:
my the business of the franchise is known as Advanced Fresh Concepts. They’re a franchise organization. They do sushi bentos in your local grocery stores ours particularly Safeway. Yeah. Awesome.

ADRIENNE: 
So, Keli’i, in your intro, I didn’t see anything about food or sushi or shopping. Tell us how did you get into this sushi business.

KELI’I:
In fact, through real estate I’ve been as you guys already know, I’ve been with you guys for seven, eight plus years now. One of the clients that I got close with over the years helped them purchase a home here and there. They actually owned the business and through them, they introduced me to the the franchise and then eventually down the line. I ended up acquiring a few. And so through there, that’s how I learned through how to make sushi. As since is a franchise, they have their own systems, how to run a business, how to stay in contact with your vendors on where to acquire certain ingredients from different places, and so forth. It’s a, it’s it’s been a very, a very interesting and lively process along the way.

ADRIENNE:
So you started this business in 2020. And no experience in sushi. And here we are 2023 for having you on the show to spread the word about why what’s going on with this business, Keli’i?

KELI’I:
Oh, I am actually planning to sell the business and that’s not just one franchise location, all four franchise locations that I that our company owns. And we, it’s a fantastic business brings in a lot of knowledge experience, if you’re looking to be an entrepreneur yourself, start off as entrepreneur. It also brings in a stable income and has potential for a lot more growth. And the reason behind that would be that although I love the food industry, my passion is definitely real estate and I’m looking to jump back into the real estate game with you guys.

ADRIENNE:
We’re looking forward to having you back as well. Attilio Did you have a question for Keli’i on his sushi business?

ATTILIO: 
Keli’i Keli’i, you know, you know that pick up along the red one that goes in the middle of the sushi ume

KELI’I:
Ume our sushi does not have ume.

ATTILIO:
I know it doesn’t have ume but I’m going to segue because you know I too salty anyway, you’re gonna give your customers too much high blood pressure so it’s way salty. Ways to Get to get too much high blood pressure anyway, we don’t need more more sugar salt in our diet. But do you? Do you know why? Do you know why sharks love to eat Japanese tourists?

KELI’I:
Why? Why do they know?

ATTILIO:
Because they have ume in the middle

I was just to set up for my joke. But back to the sushi. It’s a fun business. You guys thought that Friday special.

ADRIENNE: 
I have dollar Fridays. So

KELI’I:
yeah, being that we are equally though. I mean, other franchises that are not in safely. They didn’t do that. $5 Friday, but since we’re in Safeway, Safeway, for the unknown, the every Friday, they have like a $5. Friday special. Certain products go on a $5 show. For us. We have $5 sale every Friday, almost every Friday. There’s only two Fridays in the year that we don’t do. But that day is the most busiest especially since everybody’s looking to get a deal for some delicious sushi

ATTILIO:
is grab and go.

ADRIENNE:
Grab and go. Yeah. So Keli’i, let’s talk a little talk about the numbers here. And this opportunity. Now, when you purchased this business, I know that it was at one point, and then you’ve taken it to another point. So let’s, let’s talk about that. And then where do you think this business could go with the rights new owner?

KELI’I:
Yeah, well, when it first started the business, the previous owner, they were pretty much they’re looking to retire and so they weren’t as active in the business as we are today. Since then, we doubled their revenue more than doubled their revenue. And just this last year, we’ve made more than 440 in just gross revenue under 40,000 just $440,000

ADRIENNE: 
in gross revenue. So the previous owner was doing about 200

KELI’I:
A little less

ADRIENNE: 
last so you more than doubled.

KELI’I:
Yeah, definitely, definitely. And we are bought it is that there’s a lot more potential for it to If there’s so many different factors that if you were to add more hands on deck, be there for more hours, do more deliveries on that, that girl serving you can more than double. But, again, that’s, that’s when you have more hands on more people on deck.

ADRIENNE: 
And how much are you selling this business for? And where could our listeners go to find out more information?

KELI’I:
Oh, that is a fantastic question. Now listeners will be very surprised as to the price I’m looking to sell this and it’s actually 140,000. And that is fantastic. Because you for sure will be able to make all that back in a year. And if you’re if you’re definitely as passionate, as a lot of entrepreneurs, business owners are these days and you could definitely blow this out of the water know where to find me more or find out about this business or you can contact me first is where you can find the businesses on facebook.com We just have their search in Hawaii and as you scroll down, it’s probably the fifth business that’s on that listings. And you’ll see all the information there whereas you can contact me at my email my or our company email which is kohayume.llc@gmail.com. That’s kohayume.llc@gmail.com. Or you call me at my number it’ll 8082926533 And so

ADRIENNE:
yeah, all the website biz bi Z buysell.com and they just search for like Hawaii businesses it’ll pop right up.

KELI’I:
Yeah, yep, exactly. Oh, just called in real estate we have an MLS similar to MLS but Oh,

ADRIENNE: 
no. So Keli’i, do you have to be like a Hawaii resident or a US citizen who’s eligible to buy, buy and run this business?

KELI’I:
And everybody and any eligible you can be a holy resident, you could be a resident in New York or America, you can be a you can be someone from another nation. In fact, you can be from all of this galaxy, another universe, and you will be able to run this business you just the only thing you need is the drive to learn. That’s the most important thing I believe in, in business overall.

ADRIENNE: 
So tell us a little bit about what what does it look like starting out? You know, if you have no experience in the food industry, what do they do to set you up for success?

KELI’I:
Again, I mentioned like this is a friend, we’re part of a franchise so similar to how McDonald’s they have different franchisees when different shops. We since we’re in a franchise, they provide systems for you. If you if you don’t know how to run a business, or you’ve never you’ve never had any experience in the food industry. They have systems for you to learn and how to properly make sushi as well as uphold high standards for help when you’re when you’re all doing this biz. So it’s pretty pretty much given to you on how to run the business successfully. All about maintaining can do it.

ATTILIO:
Yeah, you know something interesting. Keli’i, I want to share with you and our listeners 90% of mom and pop businesses that just started from ground up. Or this is from the SBA Small Business Association statistically 90% of small businesses after five years are gone. 90% of franchise businesses after five years are still around. In fact, how long is this franchise has been around here in Hawaii?

KELI’I:
Um, this one hasn’t been around well in America. It’s been around for I believe, 36 years in Hawaii, as long as our Safeway has been around for maybe, maybe over on the same amount of time. 33 years. 30 plus years. Yeah. So it just goes to show Yeah,

ATTILIO: 
well, it’s like the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl team. Do you think either one of those coaches is showing up to the Super Bowl with without With no cable, and they’re just winging it. What do they have a playbook? They gotta play all the franchises. Yeah. AFC is giving you the playbook. Keli’i Keli’i, will you stay on as a consultant to help them out? Are you just gonna let them hang, you’re gonna leave, let them hung out to dry. Just like okay, where’s my money, I’m gone.

KELI’I:
You know, in Hawaii, we believe in hang loose man. And how we plan to do it is running mates for the, the new owner is familiar, and that they can run the business successfully as well. So in addition to the franchise, training them, we’ve had to train them in all the systems as well as all the different locations and the favorite teachers in those areas so that they can run with it and, and make it blossom even more as a businessman. Yeah.

ATTILIO:
You know, what I think is a perfect customer for this business. One parent, or parents, and you get the four adult kids, you know, like, move out. Parents get 140,000 And they say, Hey, call me up early in the morning, you guys will be making sushi.

ADRIENNE:
There you go. So, Keli’i, you mentioned that you have multiple locations, let’s, you know, put that out there where where are you a franchise owner of these locations.

KELI’I:
So the very first one is Kapolei Safeway. And the our franchise is we’re a vendor that makes sushi bentos within the Safeway grocery store. So one thing that I like to focus on is we’re set on production, not on a sell safely. There’s also so in in essence, you’re just making the sushi and putting it on the shelf. But the very first one is our sushi bar in Safeway And then our other three locations are where we deliver our sushi bentos and those are Mililani Safeway, Waimalu Safeway, and Salt Lake Safeway so if you’ve ever been to any one of those secrets and you’ve eaten sushi, then you can believe it came from Kapolei Safeway for that same morning.

ADRIENNE: 
And you probably rolled that sushi or one of your employees.

KELI’I:
Oh I Yeah, no, we one of us has definitely rolled that sushi. And it’s always fresh. So we will always make it that morning and put it off for a little seat.

ADRIENNE: 
It’s fresh and made with love from Keli’i.

ATTILIO: 
Also people don’t show up somebody’s house or go on party without something to bring stop by Safeway kapolei load up with the sushi.

KELI’I:
So yeah, definitely any work great.

ADRIENNE:
Anything else on this business opportunity that we should touch on that we haven’t touched on just yet. Keli’i

KELI’I:
I mentioned this, I’ll just a small bit. But I’d say that if, again, if anybody is looking to learn or they have a drive to learn more about the business or a business, this would be a great opportunity, especially since there’s a lot more potential for growth. So the numbers you’re you’ve heard, you can definitely double them in the future.

ADRIENNE: 
So you don’t need to have like some kind of special college degree because I know you went to school for business. So if you don’t have a degree, that’s not a problem, right?

KELI’I:
No, yes, yes. You don’t need a degree. You don’t even need a GED to be able to run this business successfully and and it also goes back to the franchises systems they have everything in place like like Attilio mentioned, you have the playbook like a football coach, you have the playbook for you. All you have to do is learn how to use that playbook and let’s let it roll out.

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, let’s roll the sushi Don’t you know the thing is don’t reinvent the sushi. Just roll it

ADRIENNE: 
it’s a good one. He was well thank you, Keli’i for calling in and sharing about your business opportunity. And we hope that one of our listeners gives you a call. Put your number out there one more time in case they didn’t write it down the first time you said it.

KELI’I:
Okay, well I want to see real quick Oh 8082926533 again. Oh 8082926533 And thank you so much to an agent for for vocal. I mean, your wonderful radio show, as always, you guys are fantastic and wonderful.

ADRIENNE: 
We are We are excited to be having you back as our full time international agent. And I know that we you know, we referenced you as international agent because How many languages do you speak, Keli’i?

ATTILIO: 
I can tell you how much languages Keli’i speaks. Oh, good. Okay, he speaks four languages. Yes, he speaks Korea speaks Japanese or five languages. He speaks English. He speaks Pidgeon. And He’s highly fluent in Canadian.

KELI’I:
Definitely. I’m learning from Attilio because you know, Attilio,

ADRIENNE: 
yes. Well, thank you. Thanks, Keli’i II for for being our guest. And we’re looking forward to having you back working full time and you can pass this opportunity over to the next person and they can grow it.

KELI’I:
Yeah, thank you. And you guys have a wonderful, wonderful day. All right. Thankfully,

ADRIENNE: 
okay, again, Keli’i Lum 2926533. Give him a call. He’ll tell you more about the opportunity. See if you’re going to be a good fit. Attilio you want to read the review before we end the show? We’ve got about three minutes left.

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, I’ll read the review is from first letter initial A, like alpha and then Makela. So A. Makela.

ADRIENNE: 
Yeah, this is Anna. Oh, is

ATTILIO: 
that okay? I thought she was like in the witness protection program when you get to Minnesota. We know who you are. We know where you live. This team rocks every single realtor and team member is super with an exclamation point I might add. All personnel are always professional kind and inviting unfortunate. Unfortunately, it turns out that I am not ready to relocate to Hawaii but they have been provided encouragement, guidance and support as I figure out where I want to move next. To team Lally I’ve received multiple referrals to excellent agents in both the Boston Cambridge metro area and DC Maryland, Virginia. Metro Area included purchase or rental throughout the whole they help you with your needs a purchase or rental throughout the Hawaiian Islands in the entire USA. A major bonus in working with the only Shark Tank realtors in the islands is that it is a Hawaiian owned woman owned and veteran owned brokerage or team. I’d specifically like to recommend real estate agent Zhenni Cai for home buying needs in Oahu she is intelligent bilingual. She speaks Mandarin and has the highest customer service skills detail orientation listening skills to integrate your needs and wants in your next Oahu home.

ADRIENNE:
those along with all right, well thank you for listening and thank you to our sponsors. 

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