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“ 80 days later and I ’ m here talking to you ,” he laughs . “ It has been a whirlwind to say the least – and that ’ s without mentioning that my wife was about six months pregnant when I decided to make the move !”
Freedom within a framework
Chirag ’ s interesting career journey has led him to operate Nottingham ’ s Castle Bridge Road McDonald ’ s store . At 450 square meters , the store has two floors , a seating capacity of 150 , a drive thru , a 40-space car park , and is predicted to serve around 1600 customers every day . “ We have 120 staff on our payroll , including a very strong management team comprising the store manager , deputy store manager , three assistant managers , and around 15 shift managers ,” Chirag elaborates .
“ Standing for my initials , CJP is my wife and I ’ s brainchild , and our aim is for the group to provide a solid foundation for aspirational growth as the business evolves . I am a people-centric person , and leading
a team of 72 in my role as an NHS director reaffirmed that I genuinely enjoy working with people . McDonald ’ s is a people-based organization offering amazing opportunities for individuals to enter the business world , and the concept of freedom within a framework appealed to me .”
Funded through a partnership with HSBC UK , Chirag is the first to highlight that collaborative partnerships have been crucial to establishing the business . “ I was fortunate to work with Marc Talbot , the Franchise Director at HSBC , and Judy Jenner , the company ’ s Relationship Director , to secure funding for the purchase of the site ,” he confirms . “ Jerry Nicholls , from whom I purchased the franchise , has also been instrumental in ensuring a smooth and seamless transition .
“ The support I ’ ve received from McDonald ’ s has been incredible . Although I spoke with some franchisee owners before applying , the corporate team has given me invaluable advice and is collaborative ,
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