“I would love to have the power of healing, coupled with a sprinkle of joy. Like the fairy dust, that pixie dust—can I get some of that?”
— Amy Phillips, president & CMO, Altitude Trampoline Park
In her monthly “Grab Bag” column, Editor in Chief Laura Michaels asks the tough questions—What superhero power would you most like to have? What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?—to show a side of franchising execs you don’t normally see.
Who would play you in the biopic about your life?
I would love for that to be Kerry Washington. I love the variability in her roles and I think about that in my career, going from private equity to private equity, just always adapting.
What’s your favorite franchise brand that’s not your own?
Auntie Anne’s. I go just about every day after school, my daughter and I have a tradition. We get the cinnamon, the caramel dip … it doesn’t seem to affect her waistline (laughs) but we’ve had to cut it down from five days to two for me.
What are you freakishly good at (or bad at)?
It’s embarrassing. I’m freakishly good at swimming. I’ve been swimming since I was 6 months old. I grew up in Bakersfield, California, so I swam all the time and was even going to swim in college. I’m not so freakishly good at any other type of exercise. Swimming is a great stress reliever for me, I go early in the morning.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Personally, it’s probably tardiness. Either myself not being on time or someone else. I’m a big stickler for that.
What superhero power would you most like to have?
I would love to have the power of healing, coupled with a sprinkle of joy. Just whatever someone needs, I’d be able to make them feel better. Like the fairy dust, that pixie dust—can I get some of that?
What fictional character do you think would be most interesting to meet in real life?
It would probably be Barbie. It’s like her life is so perfect—she has great best friends and everything always works out. I’ve watched Barbie shows from the ‘70s up to today and she’s still so happy! And she’s a skateboarder, an actress, she’s done everything. I grew up watching her and I’ll still watch her.
What’s something you would seriously stockpile if you found out it wasn’t going to be sold anymore?
I go between coffee and eggs. I’ll go with eggs. You can boil an egg, you can fry an egg, you can stuff an egg. They’re a great staple. So yeah, all the farm-fresh eggs.
Who or what did you have posters of on your bedroom wall as a teenager?
Definitely Madonna and probably Michael Jackson. I remember the conversations with my mom, she was really controversial, Madonna in the ‘80s. She doesn’t go by the rules … she can be who she wants to be. And her music was so different, it didn’t fit any genre.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. It’s really bad. I don’t buy any chocolate but if you put it in front of me, forget about it. If there’s chocolate around, I’ll find it.
If you could be a member of any TV show family, which would it be?
I love ‘Sex and the City’ and I do consider my girlfriends an extension of my family. So my friend family, it’d be ‘Sex and the City.’
If you could dis-invent one thing, what would it be?
Probably TikTok or let’s just say social media. And I love social media as a marketer … but globally I’d say that we’d be better off without social media.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?
I’ve been to Asia, so probably a grilled worm of sorts. That was in Beijing. It just tasted like something burnt.
Editor in Chief Laura Michaels asks the tough questions—What superhero power would you most like to have? What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?—to show a side of franchising execs you don’t normally see. To suggest an industry professional, email lmichaels@franchisetimes.com.