Unbeknownst to everyone, some NBA players may lag on the court but are exceptional outside the premise of the sport. If you ask for living proof, take Junior Bridgeman into your list.

Junior Bridgeman is among the NBA players who branched out to fields different from basketball, such as business franchising. Now, how many companies does Junior Bridgeman own, then? A lot. Although this veteran was not a top player in his time, he made himself remarkable by being the second richest NBA player in history.

Continue reading if you want to learn about Junior Bridgeman investments.

Who is Junior Bridgeman Off the Court?

Junior Bridgeman’s net worth rose exponentially after he retired from the NBA in 1987. How did Junior Bridgeman make his money? Simple, it was because of his business franchising venture. Junior Bridgeman is a successful businessman off the court.

Before getting into details about his business success, it is essential to note that his net worth ballooned from $350 million as an NBA player to $600 million as a businessman. He was never on the best players list as a basketball player, averaging 13.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.4 APG.

He debuted in the NBA league when he was drafted in the 1975 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. As an average player, he was mainly chosen as the 6th man, with 11,517 points recorded in his NBA career. However, he immediately got traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Despite being almost a forgettable basketball player, Bridgeman rebranded himself by venturing into the business franchising industry. Hence, he became not only one of the wealthiest basketball players of all time but the second on the list—just behind Michael Jordan.

In the era when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson dominated, he was just a small name. But right now, he surpassed the star players in terms of net worth despite not even being included in the All-NBA once.

Bridgeman defied the norm that NBA players’ most successful years are spent on the court. Now, he is officially the fifth richest former athlete worldwide with a more than $600 million net worth of all time. Hence, he proved everyone wrong that basketball players can only get successful with sports.

How Did Junior Bridgeman Start His Business?

During Bridgeman’s time, basketball was less lucrative than today. Back then, brand deals and endorsements gained their most considerable earnings. Although his highest salary as an NBA player was $350 million during his stint for the Clippers, he did not settle for this huge sum.

His dedication to learning about business could not be measured. He started at the rock bottom of the business world. In his humble beginnings, Junior Bridgeman worked as a crew of Wendy’s fast food chain during the off-season.

Yes, he was that dedicated—no one could have imagined that his hard work would pay off years later. He worked for the fast food chain to learn about its internal management and how to run his own business.

What’s even more surprising is that he started opening Wendy’s franchises while still active in the NBA league. Imagine his struggles to juggle both industries that mean a lot to him.

Fortunately, his blood, sweat, and tears paid off. By the time he called it quits in the NBA league, he already owned three Wendy’s franchises. This is indeed his original success story, from being a worker to owning more than 400 franchises.

Junior Bridgeman is the epitome of hard work, wise decision-making, and success. The fact that he did not bother working as a crew for the restaurant is already a success. Plus, the moment he revealed he learned business ventures simultaneously is what makes him a wise person—on and off the court.

If you ask me to describe how Junior Bridgeman started his business, it would be worth it to be emulated. His humble beginnings are genuinely inspirational. Most of all, he was an average player but rose to the highest peak with pure hard work and intelligence.

Lastly, he did not only invest in Wendy’s but also in other companies. One of these companies is Chili’s, mainly. Until now, he is still operating these two primary sources of funds. However, he indeed owns more.

If you want to know more about Junior Bridgeman companies, read through the following sections. You will learn about his secrets to success and a lot more!

What Businesses Does Junior Bridgeman Own? 

Junior Bridgeman’s companies are the fruit of his hard work and wise decision-making. He started from scratch with zero knowledge about running a business. Years later, he owned several branches of one the largest fast food chain around the world.

Now, what does Junior Bridgeman own? Check them out! Below are the companies that Junior Bridgeman has ownership of.

• Wendy’s

The company is a fast-food restaurant chain. He started as a worker for a restaurant at a local branch, with the primary intent of learning the company’s internal management. 

While he was still active in the NBA league, he had already started opening his franchise and owned three branches by the time he retired. He owns more than 400 outlets, credited to his success story and wealth.

• Chili’s Restaurant

In case you did not know, Chili’s is also a fast-food restaurant chain. He owns 118 Chili’s restaurants, which he also started investing in around the time he started his Wendy’s venture.

• Bridgeman Foods Inc.

Bridgeman Food Inc. is owned by Junior Bridgeman, according to the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. As per Bloomberg, the company is in the line as a retail food company. It has prepared food and beverages that are intended for on-site consumption.

Apart from his three significant investments, Junior Bridgeman also ventured into the bottling industry. He became a bottler of Coca-Cola in 2016; then, he formally sent a letter of intent to purchase bottling operations in Canada.

Moreover, Bridgeman expanded his venture during the pandemic. In 2020, Bridgeman officially acclaimed the Jet and Ebony through Bridgeman Sports and Media, which was bankrupt earlier in the year.

Lastly, Bridgeman announced that an investment company he co-founded, Manna Capital Partners, will build and operate an aluminium mill in partnership with Ball Corporation.

So far, these are the only recorded company he owns. However, he will surely expand in the future, knowing he is an intelligent businessman. Hence, everyone is looking forward to his every move, just as much as everyone watched him during his NBA stint.

3 Bridgeman’s Secret to Success in Business

As everyone knows, business is such a competitive avenue, but Bridgeman did not frail. Just as much as basketball players have secrets to success, Junior Bridgeman also has the weapons to become successful in the business world. Below are three of Bridgeman’s secrets to success in business.

1. He considers himself as a least the least essential person in the firm.

Unlike everyone, Bridgeman thinks of himself as an inverted pyramid. Even though he is the company owner, he considers himself the least important person and values everyone working for him.

According to his narration, his role is more on finding ways to better their jobs—or make them fun and more manageable. It is clear that Bridgeman knows how to create great relationships with people, which is vital because these employees are significant contributors to his business’s success.

2. He connects with people.

Aside from going out of his office for business meetings, he also consults local government officials and communities. Although it may not seem a focal point in building success, creating relationships with these individuals will allow you to understand their perspective about your business—as governing bodies that control your business regulations and as your customers.

3. The right amount of hard work, intelligence, and perseverance.

He started from the lowest of the low as a worker at a fast food chain in his humble beginnings. However, it did not discourage him, but he used it as a motivation to learn about business. Hence, he bought franchises of the same company years later. 

It proves how smart he regards investments, coupled with his perseverance and hard work. Most likely, his eagerness to learn made him through all hardships of putting up a business.

Wrapping Things Up: How Many Businesses Does Junior Bridgeman Own?

With all those stated above, how many businesses does Junior Bridgeman own? The answer is a lot. He owns media, food, bottling, investment, and magazine companies. He earned all of those through his hard work.

You might be wrong if you think basketball is all that matters to NBA players. They are not just talented players but intelligent people as well. If you aspire to be like him, then physical training is not all you need—you need to condition your mind most of all.

We hope you enjoyed this post! If you did, be sure to check out our other basketball FAQ articles here.