“I wish the trend of kids saying ‘bro’ would go away. If my oldest son calls me ‘bro’ one more time … I’m like, I’m not your bro, I’m your dad.”
—Cliff Kennedy, CEO, Frios Gourmet Pops
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.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Not being on time. My grandfather always said, ‘If you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late. And if you’re late, you’re fired.’ He instilled in me really just respecting people’s time.
What superhero power would you most like to have?
I think everyone says read people’s minds, but I’d want to be able to fly. I want to get places as efficiently as possible. Get from point A to point B as fast as possible. Then again, it was when I was stuck in traffic that I first saw a Frios so … if I’d been able to fly I wouldn’t have discovered and eventually bought the brand.
If you could be a member of any TV show family, which would it be?
The one I want to be a part of I can’t, because they did illegal things. ‘Peaky Blinders,’ it’s such a great show. But I’d say ‘Friends,’ 100 percent. I’d want to bunk up with Chandler and Joey, for sure. We’d have a great time.
What’s something you would seriously stockpile if you found out it wasn’t going to be sold anymore?
I would stockpile sports cards, trading cards. It’s a fun hobby me and my son do together and I use it to each him the value of a dollar.
What’s one trend you wish would disappear?
I wish the trend of kids saying ‘bro’ would go away. If my oldest son calls me ‘bro’ one more time … I’m like, I’m not your bro, I’m your dad. They think they sound so cool. Or saying ‘yeet.’ He and his friends will yell, ‘I just yeeted that football.’ It’s ridiculous.
Which time period in history would you want to visit?
It’d be the roaring ‘20s, for the fun parties. It was just classic back then, the fashion, the parties. Like think of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character from ‘The Great Gatsby.’
What’s something not many people know about you?
I have run 200 miles in a race. It took me 95 hours and 56 minutes; the Tahoe 200, we ran around Lake Tahoe. I’ve done several Iron Mans, I’ve done 100 milers and I said, OK, what’s next? On day two you’re hallucinating and you’re in extreme pain and you push through. I think it was day two or three, I thought I saw Howie Mandel in a car waving at me and I was like, maybe it’s time to take a break.
Who do you find most interesting to follow on social media?
I love JT Singh. He’s a broker and has really good insight and interesting things he says about franchising. His handle on X is @FranchiseMnA.
What’s the strangest thing in your refrigerator?
Deer meats—we’re outdoorsmen. Because of my son, we have a lot of deer meat, cube steaks, burgers. We have a hunting camp we always go to and my oldest son, he’s diehard, he loves it.
What’s the most useless talent you have?
I can fall asleep anywhere. I don’t know the last time I’ve gotten on a plane and remember taking off. We push back and I’m out. Also, the Irish goodbye—I’m good at disappearing and just going to bed.