Siwei ‘Cindy’ Chen is passionate about Donut King – she worked within the business as an employee for several years prior to investing in her very own store.

A number of factors encouraged Cindy to invest, including her familiarity with and respect for the Donut King brand.

“I always knew that it was a strong and reliable brand, which is why I wanted to be a part of the business,” she says.

“I also worked at Donut King for five years prior where I worked my way up to a manager role. I really wanted to keep the journey going and become a franchisee. My family supported me and assisted in the finance and since then I’ve never looked back!”

Donut King falls under the Retail Food Group (RFG) umbrella, and it includes the likes of Michel’s Patisserie, Brumby’s Bakery and BB’S Cafe, which meant Cindy underwent her initial franchisee training at RFG’s headquarters on the Gold Coast.

“I went to RFG’s training academy for a six week course, which helped to fine-tune my skills and enhance my confidence as a franchisee.

“It was all about improving what I’d already known and learning new and important things for the business,” she explains.

Cindy has adopted a hands-on approach to the Chullora, Sydney based business, and engages with customers on a daily basis.

“A typical day for me is working at the store and serving the customers that I’ve come to know very well, and I work with a great team who love what they do!” she enthuses.

Cindy recognises challenges are a part of life, and explains she’s faced a series of hurdles in the business.

“For me it was training my staff and teaching them what I know. Working as a team was another challenge that I’ve faced, which is so important in any business and it took a while to get it right.

“Challenges aside, I believe that through them we’ve become a stronger company where we have become more comfortable in the environment. It was all worth it because now we have a strong team who are very keen learners,” she adds.

If you’re looking to invest in a franchise for the first time, Cindy advises you work in the business first – it could help to determine whether a particular brand or business is a suitable fit.

“I found it very helpful to work in the business prior to owning one. Not only did I learn valuable skills, but I got to have a “test-run” to see if it was something I wanted to pursue,” she explains.

“Another piece of advice is to know that, even though a Donut King franchise may seem small, there are a lot of things to the business and a lot of things to learn.”