FranDawgs

Chris Hatch, founder of Dirt Dogs and Forza Commercial, breaks down the business of owning the land beneath America’s top franchises. From Dutch Bros and Raising Cane’s to the dirty soda craze, Chris explains how site selection, drive-thru culture, and brand “soul” shape billion-dollar outcomes. A masterclass on franchising, real estate, and what makes a location truly win.   Interested in Agape? https://eatagape.com/franchise/    Sell your franchise: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/    Buy a franchise: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise Follow and/or get in touch with Chris:    Listen to his podcast: https://tr.ee/OYH_2bV-Ar  Work with his company: https://www.forzacommercial.com/  X: https://x.com/chriswhatch LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hatch-5b100711/   

Agapé Restaurants: eatagape.com Franchise Info: eatagape.com/franchise Matt started as a Subway employee at 13 — and by his twenties, he owned 12 locations. From there, he expanded into Cinnabon, Dunkin’, and Wingstop, learning hard lessons about unit economics, scaling challenges, and why some brands hit ceilings while others explode. Today, Matt is the co-founder of Agapé, a fast-casual Mediterranean concept born in Columbus that’s now franchising nationwide. We unpack how his decades as a multi-brand operator shaped his playbook, why he only wants experienced restaurant operators as franchisees, and how Agapé plans to ride the same wave CAVA created — but with stronger economics. If you’re an operator or investor eyeing the next breakout restaurant brand, this one’s for you. ⏱️ Key Topics [00:00] Getting his start at Subway at 13 [05:00] Buying his first store and scaling to 12 locations [10:00] Surviving the chaos of the $5 footlong era [15:00] Lessons from Cinnabon, Dunkin’, and Wingstop [25:00] Site selection secrets and real estate strategy [35:00] Selling Wingstop — and why he says he exited too early [40:00] Founding Agapé during COVID [45:00] Competing in the Mediterranean bowl category [50:00] The future of Agapé and its franchise strategy 🔑 Notable Quotes “Subway taught me it’s a penny-profit business — you’ve got to scrape to make it.” “If you can do three times your build-out cost in sales, you’re in a good spot.” “We’re not trying to sell units. We’re trying to work with good people and build a kick-ass brand together.” 🧠 Episode Tags Franchising, Restaurants, Small Business, Fast Casual, Wingstop, Subway, Cinnabon, Dunkin’, CAVA, Entrepreneurship, Multi-Unit Operators, Emerging Brands

Connect with FranDawgs Agape franchise opportunity: https://eatagape.com/franchise/ Buy a franchise: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise Sell your franchise: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ YouTube: FranDawgs Podcast LinkedIn: Patrick Buckley   Episode Summary At just 28, Nico Verano walked out of a private equity job and into the heat—literally. After hearing SweatHouz founder Jamie Weeks pitch the sauna-and-cold-plunge concept, Nico became the first franchisee and built five booming locations across Boston. In this episode, he shares how his father’s legendary Italian restaurant launch (featuring The Sopranos cast) shaped his risk-taking mindset, why he built three studios at once, and how old-school hospitality still wins in modern wellness. We also dive into his new restaurant, My Mother’s Cutlets, and how teaming up with Boston influencer Kevin Cooney through their new venture, Twin Oaks, is redefining what franchise partnerships can look like. Key Topics Leaving a stable private-equity career to franchise SweatHouz Lessons from his father’s restaurant success (and The Sopranos cameo) The evolution from SweatHouz V1 → V2: turning wellness into luxury Building three studios simultaneously — and staying profitable month one Guerrilla marketing through mobile cold plunges and community fitness collabs How hospitality and human connection drive retention in a digital world Financial breakdown: margins, payback period, and unit-level performance The origin of My Mother’s Cutlets — “the Italian Chipotle” of Boston Partnering with Kevin Cooney to launch Twin Oaks Ventures Bringing SweatHouz to New York City and what’s next for Nico’s empire Notable Quotes “In order to be successful, you gotta lay it down to pick it up.” — Nico’s father “If you can’t find eight to nine people per hour in New York City, you’ve got a big problem.” — Nico Verano “All people want to feel is special. Whether you’re selling meatballs or saunas—it’s the same thing.” — Nico Verano Timestamps 0:00 — The SweatHouz origin story 4:00 — The Sopranos and the restaurant that started it all 8:00 — Lessons from taking the ultimate entrepreneurial swing 10:00 — From first franchisee to multi-unit owner 14:00 — What contrast therapy really does for the body and mind 17:00 — Guerrilla marketing and how SweatHouz built hype offline 21:00 — Building community through hospitality 26:00 — Scaling fast: building three locations at once 33:00 — Real numbers: margins, revenue, and payback 41:00 — Why hospitality beats AI 43:00 — Partnering with Kevin Cooney and launching Twin Oaks Ventures 47:00 — The story behind My Mother’s Cutlets 50:00 — Running multiple ventures without burning out Connect with Nico Instagram: @nicovaranojr, @mymotherscutlets SweatHouz Boston: sweathouz.com Twin Oaks Ventures: Coming soon

Austin Smith started his career helping build Savory Fund into a powerhouse that scaled concepts like Swig, Mo’Bettahs, and R&R Barbecue. After years of investing in food & beverage, he made the leap from investor to operator — taking a massive bet on Big Blue Swim School. Considering buying a franchise? Reach out: https://www.frandawgs.com/  If you’re a multi-unit owner considering selling your locations, get in touch: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/  In this episode, we dive into: How Savory Fund spotted Swig and scaled dirty soda into a national brand Lessons learned from franchising hits and misses (like passing on Crumbl) Why Austin shifted from private equity to owning 21 Big Blue Swim School territories The economics of swim schools, territory buildout costs, and why drowning prevention drives demand His growth strategy to build $7–10M EBITDA and decide whether to flip or hold long-term Whether you’re an operator, investor, or aspiring franchisee, Austin’s story offers a playbook on evaluating emerging brands and scaling brick-and-mortar businesses.   Chapters: 00:00 – Intro 01:10 – Getting started with Savory Fund and early food & beverage bets 05:00 – How Savory Fund discovered Swig and why dirty soda works 12:00 – Lessons from Crumbl and when to franchise vs. corporate-own 18:00 – Drive-through culture and why convenience brands win 26:00 – Austin’s move from investor to operator 32:00 – Discovering Big Blue Swim School 35:00 – Why swim schools are insulated from tech disruption 37:00 – Buying 21 territories across Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and Idaho 49:00 – The cost of Big Blue buildouts and lessons on efficiency 53:00 – Psychology of space: why a “busy” feel matters 61:00 – Growth strategy: scaling to $7–10M EBITDA 64:00 – Long-term vision: flip or hold Big Blue Swim School 1:05:00 – Closing thoughts & where to follow Austin Links: 👉 Connect with Austin Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-c-smith-a1755548/

Interested in buying a franchise? https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise   For multi-unit franchisees looking to sell their locations: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/  Kal walked away from a Wall Street career to chase his dream of entrepreneurship — and went 5-for-5 picking winning brands. From butcher shops and pizzerias to Orangetheory, European Wax Center, Marco’s Pizza, Dave’s Hot Chicken, and Popup Bagels, he’s scaled to over 100 locations with a private-equity style approach. We dig into how he evaluates franchise opportunities, why diversification matters, how he handles scale and capital raises, and what it really takes to build brands that print cash. If you want to learn how the best operators think about brand selection, growth, and exits — this is the playbook. Follow Kal:  Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kal-gullapalli-91a7525/  MPZ Holdings: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mpzholdings/posts/?feedView=all  Timestamps (YouTube/Spotify Chapters):  0:00 – From Wall Street to entrepreneurship  3:00 – Buying butcher shops & early lessons  7:30 – The bet on Orangetheory  13:00 – Scaling European Wax Center to 50+ locations  19:00 – Surviving COVID & raising capital  24:00 – Why Marco’s Pizza became the anchor brand  31:00 – Entering Dave’s Hot Chicken at the perfect time  38:00 – Site selection, unit economics & the secret to growth  44:00 – The rise of Popup Bagels and reinventing a category  50:00 – Diversification vs. going deep in one brand  52:00 – Kal’s daily routine & what’s next

For help evaluating franchises, reach out: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise    For multi-unit owners considering selling their locations: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/    Jon Benson’s journey into franchising wasn’t traditional. After scaling a Utah startup from $20M to $450M in sales, and later launching a COVID testing lab that served thousands of people a day, Jon stumbled across GameDay Men’s Health on LinkedIn. Within weeks, he went from curious prospect to signing a five-territory deal in one of the fastest-growing franchises of all time. In this episode, Jon shares: How his early startup and healthcare experiences prepared him for the complex operations of a medical franchise. Why GameDay’s simplified “one-hour testosterone optimization” model is a breakthrough compared to traditional healthcare. The financing and deal structure he used to secure five territories — and why he approached it like a venture deal. What it really takes to open and operate a GameDay clinic: site selection, buildout, staffing, and customer acquisition. The emotional stories of patients whose lives were transformed — including one man who told Jon, “You saved my life”. His exit strategy, what makes franchising attractive to him, and whether he’ll expand into other brands in the future. This is a deep dive into how a first-time franchisee can leverage entrepreneurial experience to thrive in one of the fastest-selling franchises in history.

If you’re a multi-unit franchisee considering selling your locations, get in touch https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/  Interested in buying a franchise? Reach out here: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise  Episode Summary: In this episode of FranDawgs, Patrick sits down with Margarette and her husband Richard - franchise operators who turned their passion for resale into a thriving multi-unit Uptown Cheapskate business. They share how they went from running large independent thrift shops to building one of the top-performing portfolios in the system, with four Uptown Cheapskate stores across Oklahoma. We dive into: The economics of resale vs. thrift shops (staffing, inventory sourcing, square footage). Why Plato’s Closet rejected them—and how that led to Uptown Cheapskate. How they fill 10,000 sq. ft. stores without ever running out of clothes. The proprietary pricing software that keeps them on-trend and profitable. Hiring and retaining fashion-forward staff compared to high-turnover fast food. Scaling from one store to four, funding growth with SBA loans and profits. Why Uptown Cheapskate (and sister brand Kid to Kid) are outperforming most franchise concepts today. This is a masterclass in how to scale in the booming resale market—while also building a team and culture that lasts. Guest(s): Margarette & Richard  (multi-unit Uptown Cheapskate franchisees, Oklahoma) Host: Patrick Buckley, founder of FranDawgs

🎙️ Guest: Jacob Horton, Multi-Unit Franchisee at Scenthound and Co-Founder of SBA Source 📍 Location: Birmingham, AL & Nashville, TN If you’re a multi-unit franchisee considering selling your locations, get in touch https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/    Interested in buying a franchise? Reach out here: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise  🔥 Episode Summary: Jacob Horton went from PowerPoint presentations to puppy baths, and built the #1 Scenthound location in the country. In this episode, we unpack: Why Jacob left nuclear engineering and consulting to dive into franchising The turning point that made him abandon a traditional acquisition search in favor of building a pet grooming empire How he evaluated over a dozen franchises before choosing Scenthound The systems he built to drive over 1,000+ active members at a single location What he’s learned from scaling to 6 stores (on the way to 20) How a homegrown call center and sales CRM became his unfair advantage His new startup: SBA Source, the software platform simplifying SBA loans for franchisees Jacob’s business is proof that boring, recurring revenue models—paired with operational excellence—can create serious compounding growth. 📌 Key Stats: Opened 6 Scenthound locations in 3 years Averaging $185K in four-wall EBITDA per location Built a 5-person in-house sales team + call center Generated 1,000+ members at his top location Recently launched SBA Source to fix the broken SBA loan process 🔗 Links: SBA Source Jacob's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-lee-9803a480/  🧠 Topics Covered: [00:00] Jacob’s journey from nuclear engineering to franchising [06:00] Why he abandoned the ETA path [09:00] The business case for pet grooming (vs. daycare) [13:30] Building trust and loyalty through health-focused grooming [15:00] Opening a Scenthound: real estate, pre-sale, and staffing strategy [19:00] How many members to break even (and to thrive) [20:00] The secret weapon: a custom-built call center + CRM [27:00] Evolution of store ops: from 2 units to 6 and beyond [33:00] His labor strategy—and how he built the best grooming team in town [39:00] The playbook for local marketing + Facebook lead gen [44:00] Why he started SBA Source and how it works [54:00] His long-term goal: 20 stores + building a legacy  

In this episode, Patrick sits down with Michael Horowitz to unpack his journey from venture capital and real estate to owning and operating 20 Wingstop franchises in Ohio. Michael shares the full story of how he sourced his initial 7-unit acquisition, competed for the deal, and navigated the franchise transfer process without prior restaurant experience. They dive deep into the realities of QSR ownership: the challenges of managing frontline labor, the difficulty of being the sole operator, and how rapid same-store sales growth at Wingstop created a flywheel that fueled expansion. Michael also breaks down his deal structuring, debt strategy, and decision to eventually sell the business to sizzling platter — one of the largest multi-brand operators in the country. They close with a frank discussion about the ETA boom, franchising as an asset class, and whether Michael would ever get back in the trenches of low-wage labor again.

In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Feghali, also known on X as the famous QSRguy, a powerhouse multi-unit franchisee who: Owns 33 Little Caesars across California, Oregon, and Arizona Operates a Jersey Mike’s Founded his own viral cookie-and-coffee concept, Coco Playa, which did $1.3M+ in its first year We cover: 🍕 Ryan’s roots folding boxes in his dad’s Little Caesars and why he initially swore off franchising 🚀 How he went from buying two underperforming stores to scaling a 33-unit pizza empire 📈 The systems, tech, and hospitality strategy that help his stores outperform the average AUV 💰 What he looks for in acquisition deals—and why he’d rather overpay for a great location 🥤 How his new concept Coco Playa exploded with Gen Z fans and dirty soda diehards 🤝 Why franchising too early is a trap—and what he’s doing differently as a founder 📚 Plus, a teaser on the book he’s working on If you're into QSRs, franchising, or just love a good operator story, this one’s packed. Links:  Buy or sell your franchise: https://www.frandawgs.com/  Ryan on X: https://x.com/QSRguy Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rfeghali/  Check out Ryan’s coffee/cookie brand, Coco Playa: https://trycocoplaya.com/ https://www.instagram.com/trycocoplaya 

Jacob Jaber helped turn his dad’s corner store in San Francisco into one of the most beloved coffee brands in the country. In this episode, we break down how Philz became a Silicon Valley icon — without ever serving espresso. We cover: How Jacob scaled from 1 store to 80+ The real reason they refused to add espresso machines Why hospitality was always the product (not coffee) Their $100M raise — and the Naval Ravikant story behind it What Jacob looks for now as an investor in brick-and-mortar startups This isn’t just a story about coffee. It’s about obsession, word-of-mouth, and building a brand so good, people tell their friends. If you’re building anything consumer-facing, this one’s a must-listen. Links:  Buy or sell your franchise: https://www.frandawgs.com/  Jacob’s investment firm: https://www.humblelion.co/  Follow Jacob! https://x.com/JacobJaber  

Bret Borock co-owned 5 Orangetheory studios—including one of the top 10 locations in the country. At the peak, they were printing cash. But when COVID hit, he nearly lost it all. The deal fell through. And Bret had to wait until 2024 to finally exit. So what did he do next? He went from boutique fitness… to garbage. He bought into Smash My Trash—and then doubled down with a Heavyweight Waste franchise. In this episode of FranDawgs Uncut, Bret unpacks: – How he scaled top-performing Orangetheory studios – What it’s like trying to sell a business during a crisis – Why he bet on the unsexy world of commercial waste – The surprising playbook that works across both fitness and trash Enjoy!

Taylor Byington owns 12 Crumbl Cookies franchises doing over $13 million a year in revenue — but it didn’t start that way. In this episode, Taylor shares the insane story of how he and his partner signed a franchise agreement with no capital, got ripped off by a contractor for $400,000, and still clawed their way into becoming top operators across four states. You’ll learn: Why they chose Crumbl over other cookie brands What makes Crumbl’s systems and tech so powerful How they financed their first three locations with zero money What they look for when buying new franchises The biggest mistake franchisees make after signing the FDD Plus, Taylor reveals how their software startup, CoverPanda, is helping other franchise owners avoid the painful lessons they learned the hard way. Links:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorbyington/ https://coverpanda.co/   

In 2009, James Temple had just lost his father to a heart attack. He was 30 years old, getting his MBA at UVA, and facing a choice: take a stable consulting job… or buy a $40K franchise that barely made money. He chose the latter. James partnered with his mother—a retired teacher—and bought a struggling Mathnasium tutoring center in Richmond, VA. It had done just $70K in revenue the previous year. They each put in $10K. His mom lent the business another $20K. The seller carried the rest through financing. And then they went to work. James worked Monday through Thursday at the center, commuting an hour each way. Friday through Sunday, he pulled 14-hour shifts at another job just to pay his bills. In year one, he opened a second location. By year five, he was still making less than his MBA peers—and asking himself if he’d made a huge mistake. But he kept going. Instead of relying on SBA loans, James reinvested profits. He didn’t take on real debt until location #7. Today, that tiny $40K investment has grown into a 24-unit, $10M education empire across 5 states—earning 15–20% EBITDA margins. And that original store? It went from $70K in revenue to over $1 million… and was once the top-performing Mathnasium in the country. A bet on brand, discipline, and a little bit of family grit.