It can be difficult for busy managers and moms to get away. Megan Williams of our Hiawassee, GA Taco Bell, is mom to a 14-year-old and 5-year-old, and also has “a store that depends on me.”
So we’re feeling pretty proud — not only did we get Megan out of the restaurant, we got her on a cruise ship with her husband!
Megan has served as the Restaurant General Manager (RGM) of Hiawassee for five years. With Georgia being our newest Taco Bell market, she’s only been employed with MRCO for nearly three years.
Megan says she heard about our Founder’s Club reward trip at last year’s company rally, however, wasn’t yet eligible to be in the running. Today, she’s one of a few lucky winners who met Club criteria for showing improvement in controllable profits.
Founders’ Club winners are rewarded with a cruise for two, $1,000 in spending money and paid time off (PTO) during cruise travel.
“It makes me feel … like they know what I’m capable of,” Megan says of being selected. While her Taco Bell is in a sleepy, two-stoplight town, she aims to increase 2024 sales by 10%.
Megan’s secret recipe: “It’s always, try my best and try my hardest.”
A TALE OF TWO TRAVELS
Megan and her family are not new to cruise travel. In fact, they attempted a similar trip in December where all but one port on the itinerary was the same — but she ended up with the flu and spent four days locked in their cabin. So this was a second chance!
And it proved to be the stress-free version, according to Megan, because all of the arrangements were taken care of by our Director of Operations, Rick Luzader.
“He took care of everything,” Megan shares. “I had nothing to worry about.”
Megan intentionally times vacation and days off around CORE audits (in Megan’s words, “health inspections on steroids”). Hiawassee’s latest audit hadn’t quite concluded when she had to leave town and that made her nervous!
But Megan is quick to add that she’s got an excellent assistant manager and team upon whom she can rely.
So in the end, we’re happy to report that Megan was able to enjoy her time away. The Williams’ cruise took off from Fort Lauderdale and spent the first day at sea, then stopped at Cozumel; Roatán, Honduras; Belize; and concluded with a fifth day at sea.
HIGH POINTS
Megan shared plenty of trip highlights and says that just the smile on her face alone was a highlight (proof in the pics). She enjoyed seeing the sights with her husband. “It was very special to enjoy that time with him,” she says.
Other memorable mentions:
- Lounging by the pool;
- Eating dinner early in order to claim a hot tub at sunset;
- Reading and finishing an entire book; and
- Her husband winning $1,000 at the casino.
Megan’s advice to others striving to come out on top? “Just keep going, don’t give up.”
At MRCO, we aim to give you the tools you need to be successful. That includes a little R & R! But first, you’ve got to join our team!