How Leaders Lead with David Novak #258: Paul Brown, Cofounder and CEO of Inspire Brands – Sell what you sell
13 snips
Sep 25, 2025 Paul Brown, Cofounder and CEO of Inspire Brands, has a knack for reviving iconic brands like Arby's and Dunkin'. He shares lessons learned from his early jobs and consultancy, emphasizing clear messaging and cultural significance in franchises. Discover how the 'We have the meats' campaign transformed Arby's identity and his approach to menu quality at Buffalo Wild Wings. Paul also discusses the strategic use of AI, the importance of listening to franchisees, and the agility needed in today's fast-paced market, all while focusing on people and collaboration.
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Scale Is The New Competitive Moat
- Paul saw restaurants mirroring hotels: tech raises required investment and favors scale.
- Aggregating brands into a shared-platform portfolio creates capability leverage and competitive advantage.
Sell Exactly What You Offer
- Keep marketing simple and direct: "sell what you sell."
- Lead messaging by highlighting the clear, single thing that differentiates your product.
Origin Of “We Have The Meats”
- Paul discovered Arby's revival idea standing in a restaurant freezer looking at meat blocks with his ad agency.
- The agency said "sell this," which led directly to the We Have The Meats campaign.
