Professional Athlete Franchise Initiative
Former Offensive Tackle, Brandon Gorin, is flying high and flourishing in franchising. After 9 years in the NFL, Brandon is back in his native Indiana building a booming business. No stranger to success, Brandon has played for the San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, and Denver Broncos. He’s also earned two Super Bowl rings as part of the New England Patriots’ dynasty. Today Brandon has traded pigskin for pizza and is excelling in a whole new career as a franchisee with Marco’s Pizza.
An industrial engineering major at Purdue, Brandon shined in school. After being drafted in 2001, his focus shifted to football. Although he was content with his football career he knew that retirement from sports was inevitable. So he ventured into to real estate and other business investments. He got involved with various NFL player development programs and began to explore future career options. He attended business management and entrepreneurial programs at Wharton and Harvard; interned at Reebok; and more. But corporate America did not suit him. Brandon was intrigued by entrepreneurism and wanted to create a new business. One of his mentors told him that it’s not always about developing new things – it’s about doing it better. This revelation changed Brandon’s mind and shifted his course. Armed with a new attitude and perspective, Brandon stumbled upon franchising and has not looked back.
Before he committed to Marco’s, he did his due diligence. He researched, tried the product, and talked to people. He examined the goals, market potential, and growth opportunities available. His objectives were clear: 1) He wanted to do something he was interested in. 2) He wanted interaction with people. 3) He wanted to be close to family and friends. 4) He wanted to be a leader. In 2011, he opened his first store. Brandon is now an area developer and oversees 14 stores. He is also a multi-unit franchisee with 3 current locations. He is proud to be franchisee and honored to be a part of Marco’s Pizza company culture.
Brandon has learned a lot during his two years as a franchisee. “Football and franchising are very similar. You have to put in the time and effort to be the best. You have to be intentional and be results-driven. You have to push yourself to achieve more and reach your goals. It helps to have a great coach and system that works. Your success will come down to learning the process, following through, executing, and having a strong team to support you. Remember it’s your business, money, and livelihood – invest wisely.”
Brandon looks forward to continued growth and success. He also hopes to engage other athletes in franchising and have a positive impact on his community. With plans to open 3 more stores this year, Brandon is certainly positioned to win.