By Charlene Macaulay
When Jenny Sadler first donned a McDonald’s uniform aged 15, she never imagined it was the beginning of a long and prosperous career.
After starting out as a crew member, the Williamstown resident is one of McDonald’s Australia’s most successful franchisees, with 10 restaurants under her belt.
“The responsibility of running a business is more than opening the doors,” the mother of three says.
“There’s a whole lot of things behind
the scenes.”
Ms Sadler started with McDonald’s 30 years ago at Emerton, New South Wales, and deferred an accounting course at university to break into McDonald’s management.
She worked her way up the ranks, becoming a store manager, supervisor and franchise business consultant before taking up a senior management position making her responsible for half the stores in Victoria – all by the time
she turned 26.
Ms Sadler took care of the franchise side of the business for a year, before moving to
Adelaide in 2001 and running the entire South Australian market for Maccas.
After a year, she was promoted to director of operations for the southern region of Australia.
The post of assistant vice-president quickly followed.
In 2007, Ms Sadler jumped at the chance to become a franchisee, taking over stores at
St Albans and Taylors Lakes.
The St Albans store was one of the first to introduce halal certification after surveys revealed a high number of Muslim customers.
Ms Sadler has since taken on stores at Avondale Heights, Deer Park, Laverton North, Derrimut, Braybrook, Burnside and, most recently, Sunshine and Sunshine Marketplace.
She now oversees more than 900 employees, and it’s them she credits for making her stores a success.
“I have a great team around me,” Ms Sadler says.
“Every member has their own responsibility and understanding of their role.
‘‘We work hard on development, especially the managers.
“I look at my experience at McDonald’s and I think it’s my responsibility to provide these experiences to my people.”
Ms Sadler, who is married to Peter Sadler of Peter Sadler Transport, has also led the charge to raise money for a new children’s ward at Sunshine Hospital.
She helped collect more than $118,000 through a recent charity dinner at Moonee Valley Racing Club.
Ronald McDonald House has committed another $200,000 to fully fund a home away from home for the families of sick kids.
Ms Sadler says she strongly believes it’s important to support the area you live and work in.
“I’m really proud to be working and living in the west.’’
She says that with so many challenges to face every day, going to work is never
a chore.
“I never expected to have this as my career, but I love it.”
