7 Franchisees Share Lessons from the Pandemic

Jennifer Perkins, franchisee, Main Squeeze Juice Co. 

Taking care of the team

Jennifer Perkins owns two Main Squeeze Juice Co. locations just outside New Orleans with her brother, Andrew Blackwell. When his wife gave birth to twins mid-March, Andrew joined his family in quarantine — and Jennifer found herself navigating a pandemic without her business partner. 

“It’s been really hard,” she says. “Not to mention I haven’t gotten to meet my nieces! But safety is what’s important, more than anything.” 

That’s true of their businesses, too. Their juice and smoothie shops have required a dramatic increase in safety precautions, and while foot traffic has dwindled, drive-through purchases have quadrupled. Inside, Perkins is working overtime to keep her staff healthy and comfortable. 

Related: 5 Things to Do to Transition Your Business From Partially Closed to Reopened

“A lot of our younger staff’s parents wanted them to quarantine with them, and that makes sense,”