Planet Smoothie® Franchise Owner Clay Campbell Finds a New Calling
First-time entrepreneur is excited by the opportunity to step into a well-known business with a product that consumers enjoy and seek out
Starting a new chapter in life can be an exciting challenge, and opening a business certainly qualifies. But for Clay Campbell and his wife, Penny, their Planet Smoothie franchise locations in the Birmingham, Alabama, area are the right step at the right time.
The Campbells have been in music ministry for more than 30 years, which Clay says has been a “wonderful experience, and one where we enjoyed the Lord’s blessing,” but when their 20-year-old daughter was killed in a traffic accident they began to think about making some changes.
Familiarity and market presence guided decision
The Campbells knew about Planet Smoothie thanks to franchise owner Todd Sloan, who has four locations in Birmingham. They and their children were frequent visitors, and so Clay began talking with Todd about what was involved in owning a Planet Smoothie.
“We talked with him about perhaps purchasing one of his locations, but he didn’t want to sell,” Clay says. “So, we talked with the team at Kahala Brands™ about opening new territories, and that seemed to be the direction to go. We made the choice to step out of ministry for awhile and embark on a career as Planet Smoothie franchise owners.”
The Campbells’ first Planet Smoothie is in Alabaster, just south of Birmingham, adjacent to the Shelby Baptist Medical Center. With more than 1,500 hospital employees and visitors just down the walkway, Campbell says he believes the location will see tremendous foot traffic. It also has a drive-up window, which would make it one of very few Planet Smoothie franchise locations to offer that option. Subsequent stores are planned for Pelham and Hoover, areas that also are just south of Birmingham.
Next steps made easier by faith in product
Clay doesn’t downplay the risk of giving up two full-time salaries to launch a business, but he says his confidence in the Planet Smoothie franchise concept, coupled with the great locations he’s secured, give him and Penny peace of mind.
“We love the concept,” he says. “We love the idea of two blenders and 15 ingredients. We didn’t want something that would involve 20 employees and handling a lot of different kinds of food; that would have been too much for us. We lost our daughter three years ago, and our son is heading off to college this fall, so we’re still easing into our new roles in life. My spiritual gift is service, and I love doing things for folks. Our first location is right by a hospital, so someone who’s there to see a loved one and needs a break can come and have a respite and enjoy a smoothie. I love this product and the whole opportunity it is giving us.”
Planet Smoothie® is a smoothie franchise that sets itself apart by offering great-tasting smoothies that use healthier, natural ingredients. In a side-by-side comparison, our brand’s smoothies generally have less sugar and fewer calories — a big competitive advantage as Americans actively seek out healthier options. Planet Smoothie is led by a veteran franchise team and dedicated brand support team as part of the Kahala Brands™ family.
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