Chad Fulk and his father Colon are both long-time entrepreneurs. When searching for another way to expand their business, Chad happened upon ASP and liked the low initial investment and small personnel commitment. As business owners with companies in other areas, the Fulks have brought on manager Josh Haire to oversee day-to-day operations in Iredell.

Q: Before franchising, what did you do?
A: I own a custom cabinet manufacturing company in Macon and my father owns a railroad consulting business. We’ve always kept an ear to the ground for new business opportunities. For us, it’s about the enjoyment of exploring new ventures. If the money comes, that’s just a plus.

Q: How did you hear about ASP?
A: I redid [ASP’s COO] Tom Swift’s kitchen last summer and during that project he and I got to talking about ASP. I had inquired about a restaurant franchise recently, but from what I was hearing about ASP I decided it would be a much easier and better avenue to pursue.

Q: Why was this brand the right fit for you?
A: The main reason we liked ASP was that it was very easy to get up and running. The initial investment wasn’t huge and we didn’t have to worry about managing a bunch of employees. After meeting with ASP we were very impressed by their organization and franchisee support system. They offered a proven system that works.

Q: What are your expansion plans?
A: Our on-site manager Josh Haire will be helping us grow the business locally. We want to add employees as fast as we can so we can serve a larger customer base. Our goal is to have two trucks by the end of summer and begin expanding to nearby markets in 2013. We’d also like to establish a retail store in 2012.