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LIFE's SLAM DUNKINS FOR MUKESH PARIKH
From dusty Bavia in Gujarat, this
Indian has struck profits in
franchise in New Jersey and has
become truly global like the
Dunkin’ Donuts he sells.
By Arnelle Hartenstein in New Jersey
FISC APPEAL : Ramnath with her A
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If I had to live my life all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing." That’s
Mukesh Parikh, 41, energetic, sprightly, and scripting passionately, like
several other people of Indian origin in the US, a mini-success story of his own. Today, Parikh’s a proud franchise owner of Dunkin’ Donuts, a $3 billion
coffee and doughnuts chain with over 5,500 business worldwide, 4,000 of
them in the US alone.
Parikh’s business is on the corner of King Georges Road and New
Brunswick Avenue in Fords, New
Jersey. Not only is the business flanked by
two main roads, It's |
ilocational coup as a huge
industrial complex-Raritan Center, employing thousands-lies a
stone's throw away. Business is brisk at Parikh's Dunki
It could have been different. Parikh was born in Bavia in Gujarat. His wife,
Sushila, 41, was born in Jotana, Gujarat. But their were no silver spoons at
birth. Parikh worked hard to succeed, by first acquiring a bachelor’s in
engineering from L.E. College affiliated to Morbi Saurashtra University. After
immigrating to the US in 1988, five years after Sushila, he obtained a masters in
civil engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Then his life changed, thanks largely to one important decision he made.
Writer Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Beware what you set your heart
upon. For it shall surely be yours." Parikh’s choice lay between doing a job,
like a million others, and becoming his own boss. He set his heart upon being
an entrepreneur.
Dunkin Donuts - and its parent company Allied Domecq Quick Service
Restaurants, also the parent company for Baskin Robbins and Togo’s - was
looking to build up their franchises. Parikh purchased the franchise from
another Indian man and then sought the approval of Dunkin Donuts.
But before approaching the multinational Donuts chain he played it safe.
He researched the job profile, its challenges, and checked the market. His
thinking mind, his engineering background, and his ability to talk sharp
business came in handy. Dunkin Donuts swiftly approved his buying the
franchise, and he straightaway started out at a prime location in NJ, exactly 13
years ago.
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"I love working
here and I can
smell the
fragrances of my
Motherland India"
- Harsha ( employee )
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Profit was minimal in the beginning, but the rise has been steady. A proud
Sushila, mother of two, Richa, 14 and Kajal, 7, says now her husband is
contemplating buying out a few other Dunkin’ franchisees, or similar
businesses. "He’s worked very hard to achieve what he has," she says.
Actually the Parikhs have worked hard at the game. They start early, and
end up working late, but it’s a rewarding experience all through. As Mukesh
says, there’s never a dull moment.
No matter what, he prioritizes his work, customer satisfaction comes at
the top of his game plan. For that he believes in being a team player. He allows
his employees to work freely. "They are like co-workers, not employees," he
tells INDIA EMPIRE. "We try and be fair and respectful, it isn’t exactly the
relationship that a boss has with his employees."
The upshot: employee turnover is minimal. Says Ghanshyam Patel, the
oldest employee who has been with the business since 1992, "It’s a pleasure
doing what I do out here. The atmosphere’s terrific, but more importantly it is
the man behind this venture who drives us beautifully, each day."
Among Parikh’s legion of loyal employees is petite 5 foot 1 inch, Harsha
Patel, who arrived in the US with her parents, two sisters
and brother in 1998. She speaks proudly of her
weekend employers Mukesh and Sushila: "I am very
grateful to my bosses. They always treat me just like their
kid. They are very understanding, cooperative, and very
kind."
Harsha doesn't feel like an employee when she is working there. It is for this
reason she will not quit the job. "I love working here and I can smell the
fragrances of my Motherland India," she explains
"GFDL is a wonderful place to work," she
states. With the
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vast knowledge and guidance of the Parikhs, she can easily see herself in a management position within
five years or less, and perhaps even owning her own company. Like
her weekend employers.
As for Parikh, business is not the sum of his life. He believes that charity
begins within the community he lives in. So he regularly visits two local senior
citizen housing complexes, not far away from his store. To the elderly out here,
Parikh is always a breath of fresh air, he introduces not just new and
interesting conversation each time he visits them, but also generously supplies
them a variety of doughnuts every week. Says Beatrice, 86, who has been a
beneficiary of Parikh’s community service. "He's such a nice young man."
Back home, priorities change, work is left behind. At Edison, NJ, where he
lives, Parikh is the quintessential family man, a wonderful father, a doting
husband, and a regarding son. His parents live with him, and when he and
Sushila are away, they look after the two children. His father Govindbhai
Parikh was a school teacher at the Bavia High School before he immigrated to
the US. He has what it takes to keep his two grandchildren spellbound with
stories from yesteryears. "I am glad they live with us,
they are just wonderful for my kids," says a beaming
Parikh. Richa attends Edison High school, while Kajal
goes to the Benjamin Franklin school.
Amidst all the fondness he showers on his parents,
Parikh doesn’t forget to say a word of praise for his wife.
"Sue is an excellent wife, mother, and a wonderful
daughter-in-law. What more can I desire?" he asks.
Sushila’s parents are important too, both for the
Parikh’s and their children. Even though they live
thousands of miles away in Phoenix, Arizona, they are
actually only a phone call away.
Parikh is happy that he has found his opportunities
in the US. And though he’s proud that he's able to
maintain his Indian roots, like the products he sells, and
in his heart, he remains truly global.
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