Ricky Jean-Francois: Defensive Powerhouse Turned Businessman

“The lessons I learned while I was at LSU built my foundation. I had a number of struggles but it was my perseverance and hard work that paid off. I was cautious about who I trusted and this is the same approach I use in business. I know that being friends with someone is completely different than doing business with them. You can’t have emotions or feelings being part of the deal . That’s how I approached football at LSU and in the NFL. I believed my actions spoke louder than my words and this continues to be the cornerstone of my approach in life. You’ve got to work for success- nothing is free.”

Then:

Ricky Jean-Francois, a native of Miami, Florida, experienced something at LSU that not many people experience, a national championship. Jean-Francois, whose nickname was “The Freak,” played football for the Tigers from 2006-2008, seeing action in 25 games with nine starts. In 2006, he earned Freshman All-SEC and First-Team Freshman All-America. As a freshman, Jean- Francois made 27 total tackles and was credited with 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, a blocked kick, and a fumble recovery in helping the Tigers to an 11-2 mark and a win over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. His sophomore season is when the magic happened as Jean-Francois recorded three tackles in LSU’s 21-14 win over Tennessee in the 2007 SEC Championship Game. He continued to outstanding play in the BCS National Championship Game, earning defensive MVP honors in LSU’s 38-24 win over Ohio State. Against the Buckeyes, he had six tackles, 1.5 tackles for losses, a half-sack, and blocked a field goal to help contribute to the national title victory. In his final season with LSU in 2008, he had 20 tackles and two sacks and blocked a field goal in an overtime loss to No. 1 Alabama. He capped his LSU career with 56 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Off the football field, Francois participated in the shot put event for the track and field team, where he finished his collegiate career ranked No. 8 on LSU’s all-time indoor performance list in the event. Francois majored in general studies with an emphasis in communication studies and sports studies.

And then:

Following his career at LSU, Jean-Francois was drafted in the seventh round of the NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He played for the 49ers for three years from 2009-2012 before moving to the Indianapolis Colts. In 2012, Jean Francois played in Super Bowl XLVII. His move to Indianapolis began a journey throughout the NFL that not many people experience. Jean Francois was with the Colts from 2013-2014, where he began to make a name and a brand for himself. After his year in Indianapolis, he signed as a free agent to the (now) Washington Football Team from 2015-2016. Here, Jean Francois enjoyed two productive seasons, playing in all 32 possible games, seven of which he started, and recorded 57 tackles and 3.5 sacks. He then spent time with Green Bay and New England in 2017. Jean-Francois began the 2017 season with the Green Bay Packers and appeared in six games before he was released to the Patriots. During his time in New England, he appeared in six regular-season games, three playoff contests and finished with 12 tackles and one sack. Ultimately, he finished his career in 2018 after signing a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions. Jean-Francois ended up playing 10 seasons in the NFL with six teams. He capped his playing career by playing 121 games and recording 176 tackles and 12 sacks.

And now:

Jean-Francois learned early that if you want to get ahead and really change your trajectory, it requires surrounding yourself with people that you can learn from, “people that won’t just spoon feed me what they think I want to hear.” And Jean-Francois knew early in his career that NFL money would not last forever. He watched friends earn a million and turn around and blow a million. “I didn’t want to be on that kind of 30 For 30.” He decided early on that he didn’t want to “wear “ his wealth. “Don’t get me wrong, I certainly like nice things, but mastering the business world takes more than that.” Jean-Francois learned lessons from team’s General Managers and was often gifted books about success in business while he simultaneously collected his weekly paychecks from these same men. Once he established himself in the league, he began exploring the world of franchising. Developing his understanding for business and money became a priority for him, and it was not long until Jean-Francois entered the business world. When he was with the Indianapolis Colts, Jean-Francois was presented with the idea to dive into the Dunkin’ Donut franchise. Using everything he learned from others, as well as what he taught himself, Jean-Francois bought his first Dunkin’ Donuts franchise in Savannah, Ga., in 2014. He believed in the brand, and he wanted to expand down south, where he thought there was a Dunkin’ deficiency. Now, Jean-Francois owns 30 different Dunkin’ franchises all over the south with the hopes of growing it to 50. Jean-Francois continues to educate himself on all aspects of business and has branched off into a few other industries. But what he seems to take pride in is knowing that his family’s trajectory is changing. “I’m teaching my kids to save as well. More importantly, to earning on their own”…again, “nothing comes free!”