Strong performance from strong partnershipsStrong performance from strong partnerships

Editor’s note: Cheryl Bachelder is chief executive of AFC Enterprises, the Atlanta-based parent of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. Bachelder received a Golden Chain Award from Nation’s Restaurant News in 2012.

Wednesday, April 24, my alarm went off at 6:30 a.m., and I jumped out of bed with unusual speed — I am not a morning person. I needed to be at work by 8 a.m. to meet with Popeyes franchisee leaders at our regular quarterly meeting. As I left the house, I said to my husband, “I can’t wait to get to work to see our franchisees. This is my favorite kind of day.” And I wasn’t joking.

Later that same day, the chairman of our franchisee association, Mark Rinna, said to me, “I recently spoke on a panel about franchisee-franchisor relationships. ...