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For as long as he can remember, Jason Moss has had a drive to optimize everything he did.
“Even something as small my driving route always has to be fast and efficient,” he jokes. “My mindset has always been, ‘How many activities can we get done in a day? How can we maximize everything?’”
That’s why he’s the perfect fit for his role as director of real estate and acquisition at Batteries Plus, driving business growth by supporting its franchisees on multiple fronts. This year, the company is slated to open 45 to 50 locations, with a similar number projected for 2024.
Since Moss first spoke with American Builders Quarterly in 2021, he and his team have continued to assist franchisees not only with site selection, store development, and product supply but also with decreasing their time-to-profit.
Moss revolutionized the way franchises open by creating the “Commercial-First Initiative.” Batteries Plus now helps franchisees sell products to commercial customers before they open their brick-and-mortar stores.
“It’s not just about our processes but our people. The people on my team want to do something they haven’t tried before and are willing to raise their hands to help with a new project.”
Jason Moss
“They can be out in the community building a pipeline of business that, once they’re open, will allow them to be at a point of profitability significantly faster,” says Moss, who is an expert in business, people management, and data analysis. “That’s a really exciting thing because most franchisees who sign up for another franchise have to wait two to three years until they’re actually open and profitable, whereas at Batteries Plus, we’re cutting that time in half.”
“As a national signage, branded environments, and service provider, Priority knows the importance of not just opening a new store for a franchisee but also the importance of ensuring their brand is on time and on budget,” says Mari Sheelo, vice president of sales and account management at Priority Inc. “Priority takes the stress off of the Batteries Plus team when it comes to their exterior branding by providing a full turnkey solution for their signage needs.”
That’s not the only way Moss has advocated for Batteries Plus’ franchisees. Many of his efforts have also centered around helping them get the most of their investment. Investors have access to store planners who can help individuals navigate openings and store success consultants who work with them for the first year of operation. In the backdrop, Moss and his team constantly find ways to reduce the cost of opening.
“We do that through looking at our product cost [and] raw material costs, maintaining healthy relationships with general contractors [and] suppliers, and continually reevaluating how to reduce cost in the construction and opening processes,” he says.
As a leader, Moss, who started his career as an entrepreneur in Utah, is always looking for ways to improve himself, his high-performing team, and the way they do their work. Even if mistakes are made, he makes a point to focus on what can be done to make things better.
“It’s not just about our processes but our people,” he says. “The people on my team want to do something they haven’t tried before and are willing to raise their hands to help with a new project. I often joke, ‘If you’re not the person who wants to be on the free throw line at the last second of the game, you’re not on the right team.’”
“Most franchisees who sign up for a business have to wait two to three years until they’re actually open and profitable, whereas at Batteries Plus, we’re cutting that time in half.”
Jason Moss
He puts them in the best position to do that by getting to know them, their interests, and ways he can support their goals. For Moss, a personal relationship with each person helps support a healthy work relationship. He uses a few minutes during weekly meetings to check in with his team members about their hobbies, what they might’ve done on weekends, and more.
“There’s a time to buckle down and work, but we try to have fun too,” he says. “It’s important to find ways to laugh, have a good family life, and balance your life in an appropriate way. Most of the people on my team have hobbies outside of work, and it’s important for them to have that and be able to share that passion with the team. I think it goes a long way in helping our team work together more effectively.”
Giving feedback isn’t always easy, but leaders who want to get the best out of their teams should prioritize asking more questions, Moss says.
“I try very hard not to give blanket statements. Instead, I ask questions to help someone form their own conclusion and to help them understand something or why something needs to be better,” he says. “Instead of coming in and saying ‘Hey, you need to do this, do that,’ I pose questions. If you do that, they’ll start to think about it themselves and have a better understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish.”
