Small businesses are known for their special place in every community. They offer value beyond just material goods. In order to be successful as a small business owner, one must maintain an impeccable reputation, treat people kindly, and remain in touch with everyone in times of need. These qualities make small businesses indispensable for the longterm growth of the community. In return, they offer relatively low risks and tremendous potential for success for every owner. Peace, Love, and Little Donuts (PLLD) holds the promise of such an enriching investment.
A Small Journey
The company started its journey in 2009 when its founders Marci and Ron Razete bought a used donut machine from their friend. The spirit of the small community kicked in when they asked the director of their local hockey area to join the event as a small vendor. The director responded with a resounding “yes”, and both have never looked back since. Today, the franchise operates over 35 brick and mortar locations across America, and offers a great opportunity to invest in the future of American small business.
PLLD’s motto is simple. Marci says, “Our mission is to make the grooviest, most far-out, and funkadelic donuts in the world”. Marci also knows how to serve those donuts and to keep up with the taste buds of every customer. The main promise of PLLD to its customers is the freshness of its donuts. Ron says, “We don’t start making donuts until 30 minutes before we open, and don’t stop making donuts until 30 minutes before we close. We rarely disappoint people by being “out”. This mantra is essential for success in the QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) industry. PLLD rarely disappoints its customers, and its growing fan following among customers is a testimony to its success. For example, the franchise has an amazing rating of 4.8 stars on Grubhub, and 4.5 on Tripadvisor. Some of its local stores have also scored a perfect 5 on Facebook.
The PLLD franchise is a relatively new business, and with it comes an endless adventure to be a part of creating something new for the first time. For example, when Marci and Ron discovered that their donuts were well-loved at hockey events, they found a tiny shop for rent of just 209 sq ft. And that makes sense considering that Ron put the original donut machine together without instructions and couldn’t get the results any larger than a “small” version of a donut. They decided that this “holy accident” would guide them and to this day, remains the cornerstone of PLLD’s perfect size.
Expertise in Franchise Operation
In order for small businesses to grow, expertise in the business is essential. This often proves to be the chink in the armor for many small businesses. Opening a small business in their own community is a dream of many, however, a bitter reality is many small businesses fail each year. Ron is keenly aware and to help others be as successful as possible, he spent years earning a certification as a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) to learn all that he could to help others launch their franchise model in various communities. His big take-a-way from the classes was to use technology wherever possible to offer a stable and robust operation. According to Ron, “we are utilizing every advantage of new technologies to make training material, customer service standards and support material available to our partners”.
A Sense of Community
Marci and Ron both practice compassion along with a strong objective approach to business fundamentals. They both volunteer in local communities and regularly donate to charities. They have created a 501C3 charity named: PLLD Marriage Support, Inc, in an effort to support pastors and spouses towards strengthening their bonds of marriage. They trust that better marriages will build stronger churches.
During these unusual times, PLLD has tried to draw even closer to its communities to help their customers and staff with the challenges that come along with the pandemic. Ron and Marci plan on building a disaster vehicle soon to deploy in the wake of storms and natural disasters, offering a warm donut and free cup of coffee to those in need and to first responders.
