Let’s Talk Franchising

What does it really take to hire the right virtual assistant, build a strong remote team, and create working relationships that last? In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Carmen from Global Teams, a virtual assistant company supporting businesses with remote talent from the Philippines and South Africa. Carmen shares how Global Teams began unexpectedly after she built her own virtual assistant team and discovered that other business owners needed help finding and managing remote talent. What started as a solution for her own business eventually grew into a company with approximately 125 team members supporting clients. Together, Susana and Carmen explore why successful outsourcing goes beyond hiring someone with the right technical skills. From understanding a business owner's personality and communication style to defining realistic job responsibilities, they discuss the importance of finding people who genuinely fit the business and want to grow alongside it. They also dive into the challenges of hiring offshore talent, managing expectations, structuring fair compensation, and building long-term loyalty. Carmen explains how Global Teams approaches recruitment, ongoing support, professional development, and communication to help both business owners and virtual assistants succeed. For franchisors and business owners looking to delegate more effectively, improve operational efficiency, and build reliable support teams, this conversation offers practical insights into creating remote working relationships that deliver lasting value. In This Episode How Carmen accidentally started Global Teams while running her consulting and coaching business Why hiring the right virtual assistant starts with understanding what your business actually needs The difference between hiring for technical skills and hiring for personality and cultural fit How Global Teams recruits and matches virtual assistants with business owners Why communication styles and working preferences matter in remote teams   About Our Guest Carmen runs Global Teams, an Australian-based virtual assistant company that connects businesses with remote professionals in the Philippines and South Africa. Global Teams was born after Carmen successfully built a virtual assistant team for her own consulting and coaching business. When other business owners began asking for help creating similar teams, she recognised an opportunity to support businesses beyond her own. Today, Global Teams has approximately 125 team members supporting clients across a range of business functions, including administration, marketing, customer service, executive assistance, and sales. 📌 Connect with Susana Hands Learn more about franchising and working with Susana: Websites: https://susanahands.com.au/ and https://franiqbiz.com/ Connect with Susana on socials:  LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-hands-the-franchise-lady Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suz.hands  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanahands_/     

What does it really take to grow a franchise network, generate quality leads, and successfully expand into new markets? In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Michael Hyam, CEO and co-founder of Franchise Assembly and longtime Franchise Show Director of the National Franchise Show, to explore the strategies, challenges, and opportunities behind successful franchise development. With approximately 20 years of experience in franchising, Michael has helped connect franchise brands with prospective buyers through trade shows, industry conferences, and franchise development initiatives across the United States and Canada. Michael and Susana discuss why franchise growth requires more than simply generating leads or selling territories. From understanding the role of franchise brokers and trade shows to building the right sales infrastructure, they explore how franchisors can create a more effective approach to attracting and converting prospective franchisees. They also compare the franchise sales landscape in Australia and the United States, including how broker networks operate, the costs involved in outsourcing franchise sales, and why emerging franchisors need to recognise when it's time to hand over franchise development responsibilities to experienced professionals. For Australian franchise brands considering international expansion, Michael shares practical insights into entering the US market, understanding franchise registration requirements, researching potential markets, and why industry conferences can be a valuable first step before making a major investment. Whether you're an emerging franchisor, an established brand looking to strengthen your sales strategy, or considering taking your franchise internationally, this conversation offers valuable insights into growing your network with greater confidence and preparation. In This Episode Michael's journey through 20 years in the franchising industry The role of Franchise Assembly and the National Franchise Show in franchise development How franchise trade shows connect brands with prospective franchise buyers Why trade shows and educational conferences serve different purposes What Australian franchise brands should understand before entering the US market  About Our Guest Michael Hyam is the CEO and co-founder of Franchise Assembly, a franchise industry organisation focused on education, networking, marketing, and franchise development. With approximately 20 years of experience in franchising and an extensive background in sales, Michael has worked closely with franchise brands looking to strengthen their sales processes, generate leads, and grow their networks. Through Franchise Assembly, Michael helps organise industry events and initiatives, including the Let's Grow! Franchise Sales and Development Conference, Franchise Marketing Live, the LFG Podcast, and the Hello Mastermind group for franchise marketing and development executives. He also oversees the National Franchise Show, which produces franchise trade shows across the United States and Canada, connecting prospective franchise buyers with brands exploring new opportunities for growth. Michael is passionate about helping franchise professionals stay informed, develop their skills, and build stronger franchise businesses through education and industry collaboration.   📌 Connect with Susana Hands Learn more about franchising and working with Susana: Websites: https://susanahands.com.au/ and https://franiqbiz.com/ Connect with Susana on socials:  LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-hands-the-franchise-lady Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suz.hands  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanahands_/ 

What makes a franchise attractive to private equity investors, and how can franchisors build a business that's worth buying? In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Adam Coffey, bestselling author, former CEO, and private equity expert who has acquired 58 companies and been involved in $2.5 billion in business exits. With more than two decades of experience leading and scaling businesses, Adam shares what investors look for when evaluating franchise opportunities, why private equity often prefers franchisors over individual franchisees, and what business owners should focus on long before considering an exit. From franchisee profitability and recurring revenue to financial performance, leadership, and market potential, Adam explains why simply growing the number of franchise locations isn't enough to create a valuable business. He also introduces his 30-20-10 rule for evaluating financial performance, explains how investors assess a franchise's long-term growth potential, and shares why planning your exit several years in advance can make a significant difference to the value of your business. Whether you're an emerging franchisor, an established franchise owner, or preparing to sell your franchise network, this conversation offers valuable insights into building a profitable, scalable business that investors want to buy. In This Episode Adam's journey from the US Army and General Electric to becoming a private equity CEO and bestselling author What private equity investors look for when evaluating franchise businesses Why investors often prefer the franchisor model over individual franchise ownership How recurring royalty revenue and asset-light business models attract investors Why franchisee profitability is essential to a franchisor's long-term value About Our Guest Adam Coffey is a bestselling author, business consultant, and former CEO with extensive experience in private equity, acquisitions, and business growth. A US Army veteran and former General Electric executive, Adam spent more than two decades leading large businesses, including private equity-backed companies. Throughout his career, he has acquired 58 companies and participated in transactions representing approximately $2.5 billion in exits. Adam is also the author of four bestselling business books and has taught at the university level. Today, through Chairman Group, he works with entrepreneurs, founders, private equity firms, and family offices to help businesses scale, improve profitability, and maximise their value when preparing for an exit. His experience spans international markets, including Australia and New Zealand, where he advises business owners and investors on growth, acquisitions, and exit strategies. Connect with Adam Coffey: Website: chairmangroup.us Email: [email protected]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamecoffey/ 

What does it take to grow past 100 franchise locations while still treating every franchisee like a genuine partner? In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Jay Mason, founder and CEO of Paint EZ, to explore the philosophy and systems behind a franchise network with 81 franchise partners and 103 locations across the United States. Jay shares how his background in the painting industry and early experience training franchise owners inspired him to build Paint EZ differently. From the beginning, his goal was to create a franchisee-friendly model where owners aren't simply another number in the system, but long-term partners whose success directly impacts the success of the entire brand. They also discuss multi-territory ownership, proving the concept before accelerating franchise growth, outsourcing franchise sales to specialists, learning from the wrong franchisee fits, and why transparency and asking better questions have become essential parts of Paint EZ's recruitment process. With ambitions to grow beyond 400 US locations, expand into Canada, and potentially bring Paint EZ to Australia, Jay also gives Susana an inside look at how franchise development works in the US and how the brand is preparing for its next chapter.  In This Episode Jay’s journey from the paint industry into franchising How operating a corporate franchise location prepared Jay to launch his own brand Growing Paint EZ to 81 franchise partners and 103 locations Why Paint EZ franchise partners don't need previous painting-industry experience How multi-territory franchise ownership works About Our Guest Jay Mason is the founder and CEO of Paint EZ, a US-based residential, commercial, and industrial painting franchise that has been operating for nearly 12 years. Jay has spent his entire career around the painting industry. After beginning on the supply side, he later joined another painting franchise organisation, where he trained new franchise owners while also running a corporate-owned location. Under his leadership, that location grew from approximately $300,000 in revenue to $984,000 in his first year and $1.2 million in his second. That experience ultimately inspired him to create Paint EZ.    📌 Connect with Susana Hands Learn more about franchising and working with Susana: Websites: https://susanahands.com.au/ and https://franiqbiz.com/ Connect with Susana on socials:  LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-hands-the-franchise-lady Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suz.hands  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanahands_/   

Are more franchise leads really the answer, or do you simply need better ones? In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Taylor Fielding, CEO of TFM Marketing, to unpack what effective franchise marketing looks like from both the franchisor and franchisee perspective. With experience helping more than 30 to 40 franchise groups grow their networks and strengthen local area marketing, Taylor brings a unique perspective. He has also been a franchisee himself, giving him firsthand experience of what happens on both sides of the franchise relationship.  Taylor and Susana explore why franchise marketing shouldn’t begin with a simple “submit a lead” ad. Instead, prospective franchisees need to understand the brand, its values, the opportunity, and whether it aligns with what they want before they ever speak with the franchise sales team. They also discuss the balance between head office marketing and local area marketing, why authentic human content can outperform generic creative, how to nurture franchise prospects over a longer buying journey, and why generating hundreds of leads means very little if your sales team doesn’t have the capacity to follow them up properly. Whether you're an emerging franchisor building your first marketing strategy or an established brand looking to improve lead quality, this episode offers practical insights into creating a marketing system that supports the entire franchise sales journey. In This Episode Taylor’s journey from agency marketing to founding TFM Marketing What Taylor learned from becoming a franchisee himself The marketing responsibilities of head office versus individual franchisees Why local area marketing still matters in a digital-first world Giving franchisees the tools to market within brand guidelines About Our Guest Taylor Fielding is the CEO of TFM Marketing, an agency built with a strong focus on helping franchise brands grow. Before founding TFM Marketing, Taylor worked with larger Australian agencies and brands, gaining experience connecting national brands with local communities. Over the past six years, TFM Marketing has worked with approximately 30 to 40 franchise groups, supporting both franchise recruitment and local area marketing for franchisees.   📌 Connect with Susana Hands Learn more about franchising and working with Susana: Websites: https://susanahands.com.au/ and https://franiqbiz.com/ Connect with Susana on socials:  LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-hands-the-franchise-lady Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suz.hands  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanahands_/