The Franchise Story Podcast

Stories from Franchisees & Founders To commemorate the 100th episode of The Franchise Story Podcast, Brian and Erik share some of their biggest takeaways and favorite episodes as they take a look back on these amazing past two years. The duo recounts the entire history of the show, from the very earliest days. They also discuss why they think their efforts to create such a podcast ended up working, and where the project goes from here.   Thank you to our listeners for your support over the last 100 episodes, and join us for this special episode to learn what's next on this incredible journey! What we talk about: Our first podcast interview and how we started Looking back at how much has happened and were accomplished within this past 2 years Biggest takeaways and favorite episodes The power of your story There are people out there that are willing to give Deciding how to spend your time and energy The mission to serve other franchisees Being not afraid to work The importance of right and growing relationships Solving problems and building things Things that came out of doing these episodes Different stories resonate differently with different people What's next? What we mention: The Franchise Story Podcast Episode #28 The Franchise Story Podcast Episode #62 The Franchise Story Podcast Episode #51 The Franchise Story Podcast Episode #42 The Franchise Story Podcast Episode #34 Franchise Secrets Podcast  

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this week's episode, Erik is joined by Scott Kaspar, a high-performing SPENGA franchisee based in the Chicago area. SPENGA is an unrivaled fitness experience that incorporates elements of cardio, strength training, and flexibility into every one-hour workout through a combination of spin, HIIT training, and yoga.  Scott shares with Erik how he was able to successfully build his first SPENGA location, and his goals for expansion. In his first year of operation, Scott grew a membership base to over 500 people.  The duo also talks about Scott's past business experience as a lawyer working at an international law firm and how his experience working with teams on high stakes litigations translated to the fitness industry.  Tune in to hear more about Scott's franchise story and gain wisdom that will help you on your own business journey!    What we talk about: Scott's background before getting into the fitness industry Doing what you love The size of the business and its people Hiring the general manager and what he's good at Great real estate deal during an economic crisis How quickly they can go for expansion How to make the most of this time The rewarding journey of building and running the business Keeping the membership alive Listening and collaborating with the franchisees   What we mention: Spenga

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, Brian and Erik are joined by Roger McGreal, who has served in his role as CEO for SPENGA since March 2015 as well as being a co-founder. As one of the fastest growing brands to keep your eyes on, SPENGA currently has over 307 locations sold and offers a boutique fitness experience that combines spin, strength, and yoga elements to the workout.  The trio talks about how SPENGA was conceptualized and developed in the early days, and how franchising helped the brand achieve sustainable growth. Roger also talks about how they navigated through the challenges brought about by COVID-19, and the importance of remembering long-term goals through times of difficulty. Roger says, "The boutique fitness industry is booming… When you look at franchising or any business, you have to look at the sustainability. It's a long-term play, it's not short-term. Sometimes it's hard when you put the blinders on, but I do think we are going to come out of this stronger than ever."  Tune in and learn more about Roger's inspiring franchise story! What we talk about: How the name "Spenga" came to be  What led them to create the concept Opening up the first corporate location The partnership dynamics within 6 co-founders Expediting growth through franchising How the growth looked like as the business was turned into a franchise Establishing the sales process and building the franchise development organization Lessons from building out a franchise model Navigating through COVID - focusing on the member experience What the future may look like for boutique fitness and the fitness industry Some things SPENGA did to work through the COVID situation A great time for the business to grow   What we mention: SPENGA Franchise FastLane

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, Brian is joined by Harold Mills, a successful Urban Air franchisee. Urban Air is the preeminent indoor adventure park hosting open jump, fitness classes, dodgeball, and parties. Harold just safely and successfully opened one of the largest Urban Air parks in the country this summer, which has been among the franchise system's top performers even in the midst of a global pandemic. In addition, Harold is also the CEO of VMD Ventures focused on investing in entrepreneurs in a variety of technology and service industries. Harold walks us through his journey into entrepreneurship and the leadership experience he has taken with him to the franchising industry. In the spirit of experimentation, Harold says, "I believe in business processes, I believe in structure, I believe in protocol until it gets in the way of innovation, speed, and how you address markets from that perspective." The duo also dives into fighting inertia in an organization, and how best to enable your business through structure and culture in order to reinvent itself.  Tune in to this episode now and gain timely insights on business from a high-performing franchisee!  What we talk about: Harolds background and his journey in franchising Building a company that lasts by innovation and reinvention From being an employee to being an entrepreneur   "The more problems we solve, the more value we continue to add, and the greater our relationship became with those customers." - Harold Mills   How the funding looked like going from the startup level to 52 countries What drives complexity and opportunities for the business - Being "Glocal" What led Harold into franchising The difference between starting your own business and jumping into franchising Launching Urban Air in the middle of the pandemic situation and setting up processes to promote safety How the marketing looked like before the park opening  The long term strategy in franchising Urban Air Creating the options that get you to the goal The commitment to life long learning The path towards significance   "You can help a lot more people when you have a lot more yourself." - Harold Mills     What we mention: Urban Air VMD Ventures The Aspen Institute

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, we are joined by other purpose-driven franchising experts who are Brian's co-authors of the newly released book Franchising Freedom! In this book, 15 franchisors and franchising experts that share the best thinking and proven strategies for successfully franchising a business. Brian is joined by seven of his coauthors— Peter Daly-Dixon, Daren Taylor, Shireen Smith, Pieter K de Villiers, Stan Friedman, Aveline Clarke, and Haroon Danis.  This panel discussion is a high-level look at their insights into the franchising world at large, and advice they would share with the community given their respective backgrounds. So, tune in now and get to know a bit of their background and what their contribution to this extraordinary project!  Author Bios:  Stan Friedman is the President of FRM Solutions which delivers CRM solutions designed specifically for franchising. Stan produces and hosts "Franchise Today," a weekly podcast featuring interviews with some of franchisings notable founders, C-Suite Executives and luminaries. Peter Daly-Dickson is the Founder and CEO of Macanta Software, a platform that allows business owners to create a CRM with workflow and process automation. He's also the mastermind behind the new book, Franchising Freedom.  Darren Taylor is an experienced Franchisor and Investor dealing with mergers, acquisition and turnarounds with 5 franchise networks.  Aveline Clarke is the founder of Success Wizards and is a marketing automation and customer journey mapping expert. She took that experience to the Consulting arena where she continued consulting to business to improve their customer journey processes using automation technology. Pieter K de Villiers is the Chief Product officer at Macanta Software, a company dedicating to helping franchisors build high-performing franchise networks through business and process automation. He's also the author of another book, Barefoot Business.  Haroon Danis is the founder of Skin HQ. Haroon is a finalist in numerous awards in 2020 which includes the Lloyds bank National business awards in the New Entrepreneur category, The Starling Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Fashion and Beauty category and he has taken SkinHQ to the finals of the Growing business awards in the Young Company of the Year category. Shireen Smith is the CEO of Azrights International. As an Intellectual Property lawyer, she combines strategic IP thinking with her expertise with branding and marketing to support founders to achieve a distinctive brand that stands out and attracts sales.    What we talk about: Participating in a book collaboration with international franchise experts "The making of the frantrepreneur"   "In my experience, the path to business success is never made unsuccessfully by circumstance, but by lack of purpose and meaning, especially in the franchising world."- Brian Holmes   Peter Daly-Dixon, the mastermind behind the new book Franchising Freedom! Daren Taylor - his background and contribution being a co-author in Franchising Freedom! Contributing back to the franchise community Shireen Smith - her background and contribution being a co-author in Franchising Freedom! The difference between franchising and licensing Pieter K de Villiers, Chief Product Officer of Macanta - his background and contribution being a co-author in Franchising Freedom! Focusing on the systems and processes Stan Friedman, a franchising veteran - his background and contribution being a co-author in Franchising Freedom! Aveline Clarke - her background and contribution being a co-author in Franchising Freedom! Tapping the value in your people Haroon Danis - his background and contribution being a co-author in Franchising Freedom!   What we mention: Franchising Freedom! Macanta Software Azrights International Legally Branded, by Shireen Smith Franchise Today Podcast, by Stan Friedman Skin HQ

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, Brian is joined by Andres Barcenas, a multi-location franchisee of Smoothie King in Austin, Texas. Andres talks about his journey starting out as a manager for a Smoothie King location to becoming a multi-unit franchisee for the brand in a short period of time. He shares with us the first steps you can take in a turnaround situation, and some of the most essential lessons he has learned throughout his business journey. Tune in and learn more wisdom that will equip you for success! What we talk about: Andres Barcenas' background and how he got started with Smoothie King Getting in as a manager with the possibility of growth Lessons learned as a manager for a larger organization  The opportunity to own a location The level of preparedness taking on the business The importance of having a positive and strong support system Getting from one location to multi-location The first steps you do in a turnaround Wisely investing in the business especially at the beginning Navigating through a tough employment market like Austin How has the pandemic situation changed Andres' perspective of the future Andres' long term vision for the organization How Smoothie King become a dominant brand Knowing your limits, know your strengths, and be resourceful What we mention: Smoothie King

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this week's episode, Brian is joined by Kevin Dubois, the President & CEO of Lapels Dry Cleaning. Lapels Dry Cleaning was founded on the premise of convenience and a true 100% environmentally non-toxic way to clean clothes. With nearly 100 locations nationwide, the brand was recently named to Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 for 2020. Kevin shares his journey leading into franchising and the lessons he's learned along the way that ultimately allowed him and his team to scale Lapels the right way. He also brings high-level insights into the dry cleaning industry, specifically how Lapels has managed to be on the cutting-edge of innovation in a largely unchanging industry.  The duo talks about how the franchise community has come together and are continuously finding new ways to survive and even thrive in uncertain times. Kevin says, "Every challenge in any economic cycle also presents some opportunities."  Tune in and learn more about Kevin's franchise story!  What we talk about: Kevin's history and what got him into franchising and in the dry cleaning industry How the dry cleaning industry works Building and improving the system model The progress from 18 to 100 locations and lessons learned along the way Giving the support needed by different franchisees How COVID-19 affected the dry cleaning industry The strength in the franchise system coming and working together The future goals for Lapels Some revolutionary changes in dry cleaning What we mention: Lapels Dry Cleaning  

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, we are joined by Reed Daniels, the CEO and President of Red's Savoy Pizza. Since 1965, the original Red's Savoy Pizza has earned a reputation as a landmark restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota. Red's began licensing in 2006, replicating its mom and pop pizzeria in dozens of Midwest communities. Now, the franchise currently has 19 locations and is growing fast. Brian and Reed discuss the importance of honing in on the company branding and business model. They also talked about some impacts of COVID-19 on companies and how it's going to look like in the near future as the changes become a part of the "new normal." Reed says, "Without the data, without the loyalty program, without online ordering, we'd be in some serious pain right now."  Tune in and gain useful insights and ideas that will help you in your business journey. What we talk about: Reed's background and how he got into franchising Tapping into technology to scale the system Moving into the owner and franchisor role Honing the company branding and the business model The impact of the third-party food delivery services How COVID impacted the business and the plans for this year The goals and plans post-COVID shutdowns - catching growth opportunities The perfect storm for franchising to be successful The importance of branding quality - The quality of service and product Why franchising makes it easier to work into success What we mention: Red's Savoy Pizza

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, Brain is joined by special guest Dr. George Tinsley Sr. who is a Hall of Famer, an entrepreneur, an author, podcast host, speaker, and a franchisee. Tinsley is CEO of PenGeo, Inc., Tinsley Group, Inc. and Tinsley Family Concessions — collectively Tampa Bay's 3rd largest Black-owned enterprise, and one of the fastest growing independent restaurant conglomerates in the nation. As someone who has managed to turn every obstacle into opportunity in life and in business, you're bound to learn valuable takeaways to apply in your own franchise journey.  On today's podcast, Tinsley talks about the ups and downs of building his franchise empire and how his ability to always stay open to opportunities, coupled with undaunting resilience, allowed him to persevere in even the hardest times.  Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or an experienced business owner looking for the next opportunity, this episode is for you. Tune in and learn more about  Dr. George Tinsley's inspiring franchise story! What we talk about: Dr. George's background growing up and how he got into entrepreneurship and franchising The challenges that Dr. George went through that motivated him to keep going and rise above How his athletic background had set the place work for success The transition from being in the education and coaching field to business How he started and worked in the training school of KFC Progressing from one opportunity to the next His transition from being in the corporate team to being a franchisee The ups and downs of starting and building different locations and keep going Always aggressively thinking about the next step Getting into the airport spaces business Going for what you want but not going in blind What we mention: KFC TGI Fridays Obstacles To Opportunities, YouTube video with Dr. George Tinsley  The Determined Entrepreneur, book by Dr. George Tinsley Sr.

Stories from Franchisees & Founders This week, we take a step back in time to discuss the lifework of Martha Matilda Harper— one of the greatest businesswomen you may not have heard about. In this special episode, Erik is joined by Jane Plitt, the author of the book Martha Matilda Harper and the American Dream: How One Woman Changed the Face of Modern Business.  Martha Matilda Harper is an American businesswoman, entrepreneur, and inventor who launched modern retail franchising and then built an international network of 500 franchised hair salons that emphasized healthy hair care in the late 1800s.  After conducting in depth research, Jane Plitt shares with us how she was able to unearth Martha's incredibly rags to riches story, and how a former servant girl from Canada created the American hair salon industry, empowering thousands of young women along the way. By dictating that poor women would open the first 100 salons, in one fell swoop Harper became a pioneer of social entrepreneurship and modern franchising. Jane endeavors to bring Martha's story alive and showcase just how her life experiences remain relevant to us today. She has a fascinating story for those who believe in entrepreneurship and the role women have played to shape innovative successful business and humane models.  Tune in to hear more about Martha's franchise story and how her spirit and wisdom live on in modern times.  What we talk about: Jane's story on researching about and ultimately writing a book about Martha Matilda Harper What was extraordinary about Martha Harper's desire to "Delight the customer" Her story became the motivation for both her customers as well as for her franchisees Listening to your employees The idea of social entrepreneurship Having flexibility and strong leadership Martha's background that made her the way she was as an entrepreneur Having positive discontent and believing in the future The essence of the principles that guide us What we mention: Martha Matilda Harper And The American Dream Martha The Hairpreneur Martha's Magical Hair

Stories from Franchisees & Founders Dustin King is a 32-year-old third-generation operator steering his family's multi-brand snack empire which now includes Auntie Anne's, Häagen-Dazs, Cinnabon, Planet Smoothie, Jamba, Nestle Toll House Cookies, and Carvel. As the COO of SE Co-Brand Ventures, the company operates just shy of 60 locations and is still growing.  Dustin shares how he's been able to beat out the competition and his method of scaling the business. The portfolio allows him to control the snack outlets in a given mall, thus giving him leverage. But instead of growth for growth's sake, Dustin advises, "Start with a footprint, and try not to stray from that… the key to growing is taking care of what you've already got."  The duo also touches on having a survival mentality through the COVID-19 situation. "It's all about accessibility," Dustin says, "Traditional models are a thing of the past."  Tune in to hear more of Dustin's franchise story and gain a new outlook in business and franchising.  What we talk about: How Dustin and his family got into franchising How three generations work together in the business and made it work and grow Going from single-brand to multi-brand Doing co-branding and its advantages Leverage points that go with growth Looking at the current situation and looking into the opportunities Looking into the opportunity's financial sense Lessons learned from the growth process How COVID-19 situation affected the business and what was done to adapt and be better Moving forward strategy for the business It's all about the acceptability to your store What we mention: SE Co-Brand Ventures Auntie Anne's Haagen Daas Cinnabon Planet Smoothie Jamba Juice Next Toll House Cookies Carvel  

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this week's episode, Brain is joined by Shaun Grove, the president of Club Pilates. As the largest Pilates brand in the world, Club Pilates is also one of the world's largest franchised fitness brands with over 600 locations open worldwide. Before becoming the president of Club Pilates back in 2015, Grove was involved with LA Boxing as General Counsel. Later uncovering his entrepreneurial side, he opened four franchise locations with the brand himself. Shaun shares his journey leading into franchising and the lessons he's learned, forged from years of trial and error, that ultimately allowed him and his team to develop a bulletproof method for scaling Club Pilates and the other Xponential brands.  Brian and Shaun give timely advice regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of having the right mindset in order to build a company to scale and sustain. The duo talks about the delicate balance of macro and micro focus – and the skill to know where to focus when.  Tune in to learn more about Shaun Grove's franchise story, and gain wisdom on different vital aspects in franchising. What we talk about: Shaun's introduction to franchising The importance of getting the right person to help put together the FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document) What led to the sale of LA Boxing Experiencing being a franchisee and being in the franchisor side The vision for Club Pilates when they started Formulating the discovery day process The drivers that led into the model The process of building the team Expanding into other brands Creating Xponential Fitness Being cautiously optimistic What's the future for Shaun Master franchising for International locations Finding international candidates Being patient in this long journey What we mention: Club Pilates Xponential Fitness LA Boxing - UFC Gym

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, Erik Van Horn is joined by Brian Scudamore on a favorite episode from the Franchise Secrets Podcast.  Brian is a franchising legend. After realizing that he learned more from working than he did from studying, he dropped out of college to attack his junk removal business full-time. That business became 1-800-GOT-JUNK, a top-flight low cost to entry franchise that has swept both the US and Canada and annually grosses over a half billion dollars in revenue. He then branched out with his business partners to open two more rapidly growing franchise companies: Wow One Day Painting and Shack Shine, both of which are on pace to dominate their respective markets and gross over a half billion in revenue themselves. Brian talks about his process of hiring the right people and how it made a tremendous difference in his company. He also emphasizes the importance of cultivating a healthy relationship with the franchise partners and how he was able to turn a small business into a well-oiled machine. Tune in to learn more about Brian's one-of-a-kind franchise story!  What we talk about: Brian Scudamore's business and franchise journey "I realized that you've got to build a business through people finding the right people and treating them right." - Brian Scudamore Brian's process of hiring the right people - The beer and barbeque test Hiring somebody who's smarter and better Helping the top-performing franchisees Helping franchisees help each other Different recipes for different franchises Talking about 1-800-GOTJUNK, OW 1Day Painting, and Shack Shine Things Brian does to help the franchise partners The power in building a national brand   "Grow where you're planted, pick one niche that you want to chase, and do it really, really well." - Brian Scudamore   Lessons learned from the franchisees along the way Cultivating the relationship with the franchisees through a franchise advisory council Treating people like friends Franchisors admitting on mistakes made Finding gratitude in challenging times The impact of changing lives What we mention: EO - Entrepreneurs' Organization O2E Brands 1-800-GOTJUNK WOW 1Day Painting Shack Shine WTF (Willing To Fail), book by Brian Scudamore and Roy H. Willams https://talkwitherik.com

Stories from Franchisees & Founders Scott is a respected entrepreneur from Utah that has led several companies from their growth stage to exit. Most notably, Scott co-founded Five Star Painting, one of America's largest painting franchise systems, taking it to over 100 locations in four countries. Now, Scott is the CEO of ProNexis, leading that company to become a fully integrated business solution for service based businesses. In terms of finding the next evolution for your business, Scott advises, "Every time there's a shift in human behavior, there's a massive opportunity that exists for those of us in the game, whatever game that is. For us, we just kept iterating on how to expand the business by feeding what works and starving what doesn't."  Scott walks us through his entrepreneurial journey, then his franchising one. Along the way, he shares valuable lessons and necessary risks that ultimately takes him to the next level of success. Tune in now and find out how Scott was able to effectively launch a franchise brand and built it to create real value for his customers.  What we talk about: Talking about EO - Entrepreneurs Organization Scott's background and how he got into franchising "When you're a new entrant into a business, you need to do something different." - Scott Abbott "When you create value, you needed, at some point, sell that value." - Scott Abbott The willingness to take risk How Scott got to the decision of selling the Five Star Painting The elements in every business Being involved in IFA About Pronexis Creating the world's best customer service solutions Building something that creates value What we mention: Five Star Painting Pronexis Entrepreneurs Organization IFA - International Franchise Association

Stories from Franchisees & Founders Andy Pittman is the CEO of ShelfGenie, the nation's leading custom shelving and home improvement solutions franchise. Andy doesn't have your typical franchise story, though. Back in the day, Andy was running his own appliance store with 13 employees in Raleigh, North Carolina, when he found an article about ShelfGenie in a national business magazine. Within a month, he purchased the rights to the Raleigh franchise territory. A few years later, he had expanded to six territories across the state and earned the system's highest volume group designation multiple times. Then, in 2018, he was named the company's CEO.  As a "franchisee-turned-CEO," Andy is able to lend a hand to new and existing franchise partners trying to navigate the world of franchise ownership at ShelfGenie. Andy has experience having spent time in both seats, both excelling and struggling, coming out of each experience with valuable advice for any entrepreneur looking to pave their way in the franchising world.  Tune in to hear more of Andy's story and find wisdom in the experiences and lessons to apply to your own journey.  What we talk about: Andy's journey in business and as a franchisee  Dealing with businesses that do not work out very well Selling with a noble purpose Dealing with the business through the pandemic and keeping the business up How Andy transitioned into the CEO role in the franchise company Being aligned to both the franchisee and the franchisor side Biggest lessons learned at being a corporate employee Being able to listen to and understand people and becoming more patient Having a dedicated and passionate team in the corporate office What we mention: ShelfGenie Selling With A Noble Purpose, book by Lisa McLeod

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, Brian and Erik are joined by Scott Marr. Scott is the founder and CEO of Koala Insulation, an emerging installation franchise serving residential and commercial customers based in Melbourne, Florida. Before Koala Insulation, Scott started and sold another successful franchise, Fleet Clean USA, one of the largest mobile truck washing companies in the country. Scott shared how he successfully built and scaled his business through franchising. A key takeaway from Scott's story is his prioritization on developing phenomenal processes and procedures through the entire business.  Scott recounts, "We were in the process of building something that would have imploded if we had not put processes and procedures in place… once we started on developing processes and procedures, it was hyper-focused. We stopped looking at expanding to other locations, we stopped thinking about how many services we could provide, and we started focusing on how we can be really fantastic on our core business."  Tune in to hear more of Scott's franchise story, and learn valuable wisdom you can apply to your business journey!  What we talk about: Immediately getting into the next venture after building and exiting a franchise What led Scott down the franchisor path Selecting franchisees and nurturing the franchisor-franchisee relationship Managing franchisees and corporate locations at the same time The Plant and Sell method Scaling with technology Exiting the franchise brand built and transitioning into the startup About Koala Insulation - How it started and where it is today Focusing on being a really good franchisor Outsourcing franchise development  The franchisee candidates Koala Insulation is looking for Being able to provide adequate training and support What we mention: Koala Insulation Fleet Clean USA

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, Brian talks with Jeff Dudan, the CEO of Dudan Partners. Jeff is a franchise executive with 25 years of experience founding, building, operating, and ultimately exiting a national brand. After the successful sale of AdvantaClean, a light environmental service franchise, Jeff founded Dudan Partners.  Jeff is a published author, Forbes contributor, speaker, and consultant to emerging brands as well as serving YPO as Chapter Chair of the Southeast Regional US Chapter, Novant Health as Advisory Board member, and the IFA Franchisor Forum as a member.  From founding to ultimately exiting a national brand, Jeff generously shares the wisdom he gained from his experience in the franchise world, especially in cultivating a healthy franchisor-franchisee relationship. Building relationship equity is a fundamental part of his story, a standard he holds himself to in business and in life.  Tune in to hear Jeff's franchise story and learn priceless principles to apply to your journey!  What we talk about: How Jeff got into franchising "Nothing great happens until somebody makes a bold declaration." - Jeff Dudan   "Future informs the present what matters… knowing what your future is critical in your decision making." - Jeff Dudan   Biggest lessons learned in going from Concept to Exit The intention of building something enduring, sustainable, and changed people's lives Getting into the decision to sell The concept of relationship equity - Intentional regular engagement "You teach people how to treat you."  - Jeff Dudan What happens after selling the business Dudan Partners - a transformational growth company 3 things to look for in a franchisee Being intentional with coaching, consulting, and mentoring Who should reach out to Dudan Partners for help Jeff's upcoming book, Discernment: The Business Athlete's Regimen For Great Life Through Better Decisions What we mention: Dudan Partners jeff@dudan.me  Jeff Dudan - Linkedin AdvantaClean Discernment: The Business Athlete's Regimen For Great Life Through Better Decisions, by Jeff Dudan  

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, Brian talks with James Williams, co-founder of the Mayweather Boxing + Fitness concept. James has been serving as the brand's CEO since their inception in 2017. Previously, James was a co-founder and Principal at Ivy Venture Partners, where he partnered with Floyd Mayweather and Beyoncé to develop each of their various business ventures. He is a former strategy consultant at premier global consulting firm, Bain & Company; and a former corporate lawyer at the global Magic Circle law firm, Clifford Chance.  James talks about the Mayweather Boxing + Fitness' attractive and highly competent business model and how the brand has been navigating the COVID-19 situation. In order to create a successful, celebrated-back business, James believes you need two things: "Authenticity to the person.. and the operating team behind it who really has the experience and expertise in that industry."  James also shares how the brand has been able to capitalize on the redefined, competitive landscape for the fitness industry. The most important aspect for James? "Well-capitalized operators with a clear strategy to target the new consumer demands in the fitness industry." Tune in to hear more of James' franchise story and pick up nuggets of wisdom that will equip us in our business journey.   What we talk about: James' career before franchising and what lead him to become a franchise owner Jumping the learning curve in franchising  Staffed up too quickly Floyd Mayweather's vital part in the business model The brand and its marketing The fitness programming Integrated uses of technology Navigating through the COVID-19 situation The challenge in financing The bigger goal with the brand Taking advantage of the implications of COVID-19 What we mention: Mayweather Boxing + Fitness Ivy Venture Partners Bain & Company

Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, Brian talks with the owner and operator of two Kilwins Chocolates, Fudge, & Ice Cream franchise locations in North and South Carolina, Ashley Clark. Ashley entered the franchising world at a young age, eventually acquiring a second Kilwins location. After graduating from Clemson at 23 years old, she chose to take the entrepreneurial path over attending law school. Ashely reflects, "It's so rewarding, my organization grows at the speed I'm growing myself... I can control whether my business survives this or not."  This is a must-listen-to episode for anyone with the entrepreneurial spirit who may be on the fence about getting into franchising.  Tune in now and learn and be inspired by Ashley's franchise story.  What we talk about: Ashley's journey before she got into franchising What Kilwins is and what makes it unique Becoming a franchisee and entrepreneur at a young age How opening the first location looks like Buying the 2nd location that is doing very good The transition from being a single unit operator to a multi-unit The lifestyle of being an entrepreneur and a leader How the pandemic situation impacted the business The goals for the future and what they want out of the journey The mission to serve other people   What we mention: Kilwins Chocolates, Fudge, & Ice Cream Kilwins Franchising  

Stories from Franchisees & Founders   In this episode, we are joined by a top performer franchisee, Jon-Anthony Lui. Jon-Anthony is a 10-year, multi-unit franchisee with Tutor Doctor.   Together with Erik and Brian, Jon-Anthony shares his experiences in starting out and growing in the world of franchising where he developed notable life and leadership skills that definitely scaled him up to the level of success that he is in now. He also talks about the mindsets and mental health of entrepreneurs who are going through challenges especially with our present global circumstance.   Tune in to hear more about Jon-Anthony's franchise story and learn from a topnotch leader and entrepreneur. What we talk about: Jon's background in franchising Starting with Tutor Doctor What Tutor Doctor is today The importance of consistent, persistent, and quality execution The Challenges of being a top-performer Having good mentors that can give guidance How has a good franchisor pivoted during this time when they needed to Mindsets and mental health of entrepreneurs The choice to fight How Jon manages the team Jon's goals and dreams in life and in business Understanding the values of the brand "One thing that is important for brand innovators is being able to revisit things that maybe you said no to before because perhaps, things have changed." What we mention:   Tutor Doctor Franchisee Mastermind Frank Milner, President of Tutor Doctor