October 2012
| Business World Magazine | 129
Going forward, Petersen says growth
will never be a challenge again – only an op-
portunity. At the start of 2012, they brought
in an outside group for a three-day planning
session to lay out goals and initiatives for the
rest of the year. “If we’re going to open 30
stores this year, what do I need in an area of
construction? What do I need in an area of
training? Store openers? Merchandisers?” he
says. “We went back and made sure we were
being proactive.”
That strategy has since paid off –
since February 2011, Apricot Lane franchi-
sees have not felt the impact of the brand’s
growth, Petersen adds.
As for the long-term future, Petersen
sees Apricot Lane continuing to expand at
an aggressive rate. They recently opened a
new store at the Las Vegas International Air-
port, and their goal is to hit 50 stores next
year, while opening additional 50 to 75
stores each year going forward. At the same
time, Apricot Lane is more about quality
rather than quantity, and that starts by find-
ing great franchisees and locations that “fit
together,” Petersen says.
“
That is our focus,” he says in conclu-
sion, “Balancing quality and quantity with
managed growth that continues to build
upon our infrastructure bringing new re-
sources and opportunities to our franchisees
to make them more successful.”
