Franchise Empires

<p>Most startups are doomed to fail. But there’s an alternative route to financial freedom for hungry entrepreneurs. One that involves far less risk, far more work-life balance, and just as much profit. Franchises. Franchise Empires gives aspiring franchise owners the playbook to build a multi-unit franchise empire of their own. Every episode we hear from guests who are building their franchise empire: Franchisees who started with one unit and aren’t stopping until they get to dozens, hundreds, or even thousands more locations. Hosted by The Wolf, you’ll hear exactly how to turn your ambition into tangible actions and take your first steps up the franchise ladder. We’ll break down the steps you need to take open your first franchise, your second location and beyond, along with the many pitfalls to avoid. Wolf answers all your questions about owning and running your franchise, and interviews guests with first hand experience like Greg Flynn, the multi-billion dollar restaurant franchisee, Jamie Weeks, the largest OrangeTheory franchisee in the world who’s launching his own fitness franchise SweatHouz, and Jason McGowan, Co-founder and CEO of Crumbl cookies. Want to get started on your franchise owning journey? Tune in every Tuesday for a new episode. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.</p><p>Interested in participating as a guest at Franchise Empires? Submit your request <a href="https://forms.monday.com/forms/31c756ab0a8a26fe3d97e293b09a1738?r=use1">here</a>!</p>

S10 E6: From 0 to 350: The Rapid, Explosive Growth of Koala Insulation

Ever wonder how a franchise can keep growing without a ceiling in sight?  Cory Lyons, the CEO of Koala Insulation and a 20-year veteran in the franchise world, will give us his insights. In this episode, Cory reveals what drew him to Koala Insulation, how they’ve managed explosive growth since franchising in 2020, and why they’re only scratching the surface of their potential.  We dive into the key systems that impressed him, how he balances franchisee and franchisor support, and the KPIs driving Koala's success.  Plus, Cory shares why the unknown future of the brand keeps him excited every day. 00:01:41 - The Journey to Becoming the CEO of Koala Insulation 00:04:30 - What Systems Did Koala Insulation Have that Impressed Cory? 00:07:30 - The Trajectory of Koala Insulation Since Cory Joined 00:12:39 - Balancing Support Between Franchisees and Franchisors 00:17:05 - What Services do Koala Insulation Actually Provide? 00:24:17 - An Insight Into Koala Insulation’s 4 Big KPIs 00:26:57 - The Future and Potential of Koala Insulation’s Growth Trajectory Follow Cory: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-lyons-6a9ab919/ Follow The Wolf: Newsletter: https://workweek.com/brand/the-wolf-of-franchises/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewolfoffranchises Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf Website: https://www.krokit.com And for exclusive insider content, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel. Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com.  And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!

09-17
31:12

S6 E9: Building a Dessert Empire - Meet Dan Reese of Milkshake Factory

Discover the sweet success story of the Milkshake Factory, a beloved Pittsburgh-based franchise that has captured the hearts (and taste buds) of locals and celebrities alike. Join The Wolf as he chats with Dan Reese, the business mastermind behind the franchise, as they discuss the key ingredients to their success, their unique partnership with Costco, and the challenges and rewards of growing a franchise. From their homemade vanilla base to their commitment to quality and operational efficiency, The Milkshake Factory has become a community favorite for chocolate lovers. Learn how their family legacy and dedication to excellence have propelled them to franchise success. But it's not just about milkshakes. Discover how The Milkshake Factory expanded their offerings to include pet treats, partnering with Costco to reach a wider audience. Find out why their collaboration with the retail giant was a game-changer for their business. If you're considering franchising or growing your own business, Dan shares valuable insights on the process, including the importance of being well-capitalized and finding the right partners. Hear about their unique approach to franchise development and how they've navigated the challenges along the way. Join The Wolf and Dan Reese as they take you behind the scenes of The Milkshake Factory, and share the stories that have made this franchise a true success. 00:00:00 - Milkshake Factory: Fourth Generation Chocolatier's Story 00:06:45 - Co-Created: The Milkshake Factory at Costco 00:11:12 - Costco's Pet Treats 00:15:09 - Costco's approach to CPG 00:17:00 - Adam Levine on The Milkshake Factory 00:23:18 - McDonald's on Warren Buffett and Kraft Heinz 00:24:22 - The Milkshake Factory: Why They're So Successful 00:28:32 - Tom Hanks Meets The Milkshake Factory 00:35:23 - Penguins Ice Cream Shop: The Secret to Success 00:38:28 - Grow Your Franchise: The Process, Do's and Don't 00:39:35 - Philip Franworth on Partnering With Repham 00:46:24 - Milkshake Factory Franchise Discovery Day Follow Milkshake Factory:  Website: https://www.milkshakefactory.com Follow Dan:  Twitter: @danreese21 Follow The Wolf on Twitter: @thewolfoffranchises   Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com.   And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter and YouTube channel.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf   Buzz Franchise Brands is a multi-brand franchising company currently operating four service brands: Pool Scouts pool cleaning franchise, Home Clean Heroes residential cleaning franchise, British Swim School swim instruction franchise, and Grand Illuminations outdoor lighting franchise.    Our mission is to enable people to realize their dreams; we encourage you to learn more about us and our brands at BuzzFranchiseBrands.com.

08-29
53:44

S6 Ep5: Sweetgreen - From A College Project to Billion Dollar IPO

Salad shouldn’t scale.  So how did Sweetgreen defy those odds, creating a health food franchise fixated on quality, sustainability, and healthy eating?  Now, with nearly 1,000 locations across the US, Sweetgreen co-founder and CEO Jonathan Neman is finally divulging his franchise playbook to the Wolf. Tune in to hear why Sweetgreen grew to the success it did and how Jonathan utilized technology, scrappy fundraising tactics, and festival marketing to scale a small, DC-based health food restaurant into a franchise that sacrificed none of its quality along the way as it grew into multi-million dollar chain.    0:00 Intro/Background 3:42 Multi-Unit Growth Path 9:00 The Sweet Life Festival 18:50 Expansion and Franchising 28:11 Fundraising 32:51 The Infinite Kitchen 39:20 Building In-House Software   Check Out Sweet Green:  https://www.sweetgreen.com   Follow Jonathan: Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jonnynemo   Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com.   And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter and YouTube channel.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf   Buzz Franchise Brands is a multi-brand franchising company currently operating four service brands: Pool Scouts pool cleaning franchise, Home Clean Heroes residential cleaning franchise, British Swim School swim instruction franchise, and Grand Illuminations outdoor lighting franchise.    Our mission is to enable people to realize their dreams; we encourage you to learn more about us and our brands at BuzzFranchiseBrands.com.

08-01
48:53

S6 Ep3: The Secret Reason Why College H.U.N.K.S. Became the Largest Moving Company in the US

It may have started as a joke, but after scaling to over 200+ locations with nearly 3000 employees nationwide, College H.U.N.K.S. Hauling Junk & Moving is no laughing matter now.    From its early beginnings as a college startup to owner and co-founder Nick Friedman’s hard lessons in franchising, the Wolf’s gathering all the details on exactly how the business became one of the largest moving and hauling companies in the United States.    Then, Nick gets frank about the eye-opening reality that nothing about franchising is easy and explains exactly how College H.U.N.K.S.’s initial efforts to scale gave them the momentum it needed to hit the $300 million revenue mark.    0:00 Intro/Background 4:25 Scaling and Franchising 13:00 Thing I Wish I Knew 17:15 Long-Term Goals 22:29 Franchising Outlook 27:16 Multi-Location Management 33:00 Growth & Momentum   Learn More About College Hunks Hauling Junk:  https://www.collegehunkshaulingjunk.com   Follow Nick:  Website: https://www.nickfriedman.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/collegehunkshaulingjunk/ Buzz Franchise Brands is a multi-brand franchising company currently operating four service brands: Pool Scouts pool cleaning franchise, Home Clean Heroes residential cleaning franchise, British Swim School swim instruction franchise and Grand Illuminations outdoor lighting franchise. Our mission is to enable people to realize their dreams; we encourage you to learn more about us and our brands at BuzzFranchiseBrands.com. Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com.   And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter and YouTube channel.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

07-18
36:32

S6 E2: The Founder That’s Disrupting McDonald’s, Burger King, and “Big Food”

Can you name the ingredients in a McDonalds French fry? We’ll give you a hint— there’s over 15 of them. And if that doesn’t give you pause for thought, we don’t know what will.  Meet the franchise creator who doesn’t think fast food should be an excuse to skimp out on health or ethics— and he’s doing everything within his power to build a better fast food system from the top down.  Jesse Konig, the co-founder of DC’s best burger joint, Swizzler, and the brainchild behind the French fry brand, Spudz, talks to Wolf about the importance of knowing where your food is coming from, the shaky and fragile nature our own food systems due to centralized corporations and meat manufacturers, and all of dirty secrets behind the beef, potato, and seed oil industries that you’re dying to hear..  Learn how Swizzler and Spudz are going to back to the basics through encouraging local, regenerative farming practices and simple, better ingredients.    0:00:00 Intro/Background 0:25:51 The Food Supplier Chain 0:34:23 Ethical Beef 0:57:57 Creating the Perfect French Fry 1:17:00 Spudz Fries 1:32:00 Contact Us   Check Out Swizzler Foods:  https://www.swizzlerfoods.com   Follow Jesse:  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jesse_konig Email: jesse@spudzfries.com   Buzz Franchise Brands is a multi-brand franchising company currently operating four service brands: Pool Scouts pool cleaning franchise, Home Clean Heroes residential cleaning franchise, British Swim School swim instruction franchise and Grand Illuminations outdoor lighting franchise. Our mission is to enable people to realize their dreams; we encourage you to learn more about us and our brands at BuzzFranchiseBrands.com. Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com.   And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter and YouTube channel.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

07-11
01:34:50

S6 Ep1: How Buzz Franchise Brands is Building Companies that Get People Talking

With over 25 years of experience building brands, Kevin Wilson knows a thing or two about creating franchises that last.  Kevin stops by the pod to discuss how his decades’ worth of entrepreneurial experience led him to create the multi-brand franchise empire known as Buzz Franchise Brands. From his early experience scaling his startup services company, Mosquito Joe, to over 290+ locations, Kevin explains how it eventually led him to the home services industry— and why he’s found such great success within that subsect. Kevin also talks with Wolf about why British Swim School grew to become the largest swim school franchise in the nation, along with the origins of his other franchises, including Home Clean Heroes, Grand Illuminations, and Pool Scouts.  Plus, find out how Kevin’s chosen to structure his multi-franchise empire and what he credits as the main reason for Buzz Franchise Brand’s phenomenal success.   0:00 Intro/Background 5:30 Marketing Before the Internet 7:19 Moving to South Africa 12:40 Making Money in Airlines 16:00 Mosquito Joe 23:25 British Swim School 32:06 Buzz Franchise Brands 36:17 Grand Illuminations 39:03 Supporting Growth   Follow Buzz Franchise Brands:  Website: https://buzzfranchisebrands.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/buzz-franchise-brands/   Follow Kevin:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwilsonbfb/   Buzz Franchise Brands is a multi-brand franchising company currently operating four service brands: Pool Scouts pool cleaning franchise, Home Clean Heroes residential cleaning franchise, British Swim School swim instruction franchise and Grand Illuminations outdoor lighting franchise. Our mission is to enable people to realize their dreams; we encourage you to learn more about us and our brands at BuzzFranchiseBrands.com. Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com.   And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter and YouTube channel.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

07-03
44:02

S10 E5: How F45 Training's Unique Fitness Concept Became a Global Phenomenon

Ever wondered what it takes to stand out in a saturated niche like health and fitness? Tune in as The Wolf chats with Tom Dowd and Janina Czado, the dynamic duo behind F45 Training's exciting transformation and the birth of their new brands, FS8 and VAURA.  They're shaking up the fitness world with a clever hub and spoke model but not without the hiccup of naming their latest venture.  Tom and Janina dive into how they're enhancing the sensory experience in their Pilates studios and setting bold visions for F45 Training, FS8 and VAURA. They also share how they're standing out in a crowded market by delivering impactful content that truly empowers their community. Discover their groundbreaking reciprocity program by F45 Training, which opens doors for members across studios, and get a behind-the-scenes look at the robust support system uniting their brands. 00:01:20 - Bringing Pilates to Mainstream Market 00:05:44 - How Janina Became Involved With F45 Training 00:7:18 - When was F45 Training launched in the US? 00:08:40 - Differentiating Fitness Concepts in Pilates 00:14:05 - Brand Differences in VAURA, FS8 and F45 Training 00:19:01 - Breaking Down Financial Metrics 00:22:32 - How Are the Three Brands Structured? 00:24:50 - Restructuring All the Brands Into a Single Platform Follow Tom: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-dowd-9092981/ Follow Janina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janinaczado/ Follow The Wolf: Newsletter: https://workweek.com/brand/the-wolf-of-franchises/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewolfoffranchises Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf Website: https://www.krokit.com Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com. And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!

08-20
26:29

S5 Ep13: The Fast Food Style Laundry Chain Disrupting the Way We Wash Clothes

Think about it— it’s the weekend, and as much as you want to sit down, relax, and pop open an ice-cold bevvie, you’ve got chores to do. And what’s the one thing you hate doing more than anything?  Yep, you guessed it— laundry and the average American spends up to 36 hours a month doing it too. Dan D’Aquisto is the one man trying to change it all through his revolutionary franchise, 2ULaundry, which delivers the world’s first premium laundry/dry-cleaning pickup and delivery service.  That’s right; we’re talking fresh-folded clothes conveniently delivered straight to your door. This week, the Wolf sits down with Dan to learn more about how he and his business partner came up with the concept of 2ULaundry, how they managed to raise 2.5 million dollars and scale across 7 major cities, and how their business led them to create a laundromat franchise business of their own, LaundroLab.   0:00 Intro/2ULaundry 4:39 Finding a Co-Founder 8:41 The Journey So Far 25:50 LaundroLab 32:25 2U Laundry vs. LaundroLab 36:50 Future Strategy   Learn more about 2ULaundry:  https://www.2ulaundry.com   Learn more about LaundroLab: https://www.laundrolabfranchise.com   Follow Dan:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daquisto/   Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience by using Harri to build, manage, engage, and retain your team.  Don’t you think it’s time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees? Visit Harri.com to learn more.   Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com.   And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter and YouTube channel.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

06-27
45:23

S5 Ep12: From Boston Consulting Group To Multi-Unit Pet Franchise Owner

What’s one of the few franchise markets that continues to grow year after year in customer spend? Hint: it’s furry, and it has four legs. Over 90% of people view their pets as family— meet the one franchise looking to make a splash in the pet health and wellness space.  Jacob Lee, franchisee to Scenthound, chats with the Wolf about why he chose to pursue the pet grooming business and how Scenthound’s membership-based model is redefining the way we think about the traditional pet grooming payment structure.  Then, he and Wolf discuss why franchise location is one of the most critical aspects of franchising and how to narrow down the best sites for your franchise.   0:00 Intro/Background 6:11 Considering Career Paths 10:35 Narrowing Down the Search 15:16 Dogtopia vs. Scent Hound 20:33 Competition  22:48 The Scent Hound Model 29:00 Franchising Lessons   Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com.   Follow Scenthound: https://franchise.scenthound.com   Follow Jacob:  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Jacoblee295 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-lee-9803a480/ Email: jlee@scenthound.com   Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience by using Harri to build, manage, engage, and retain your team.    Don’t you think it’s time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees?   Visit Harri.com to learn more.   And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter and YouTube channel.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

06-20
33:31

S5 Ep11: The Early Crumbl Franchisee Who’s Now Building Shaq’s Brand

Meet the man who knows a thing or two about franchising: Jace Mattinson. Having franchised various brands, including Ace Hardware, Crumbl Cookies, and Big Chicken, Jace’s previous career in private equity was a natural segue into the franchising world.  The Wolf sits down to chat with Jace about his early experience franchising with Ace Hardware, as he explains just how different the hardware world is from the fast food industry.  How did he know that Crumbl would be more than just another fad dessert chain? What makes him confident in the longevity of the Crumbl brand, and what’s his experience been like partnering with Shaq to open Big Chicken locations across Texas?  Then, stay tuned as Jace helps to settle the debate over whether Ace Hardware is a coop of a franchise once and for all. Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience by using Harri to build, manage, engage, and retain your team.    Don’t you think it’s time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees?  Visit Harri.com to learn more. 0:00 Intro/Background 3:00 Getting into Hardware 6:34 The Transition to Crumbl 11:46 The Sustainability of Cookies 17:10 Big Chicken 18:38 Getting Outside of Food 23:46 Franchise Collaboration 26:43 Long-Term Plans 34:16 The Fun in Franchise   Follow Jace:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacemattinson/   If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter and YouTube channel.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

06-13
37:33

S5 Ep10: Building vs. Operating Franchise Stores, with Alex Yeater

How does being an area representative differ from being a franchise owner?   Everbowl’s area rep, Alex Yeater, chats with the Wolf about the ins and out of working for a franchisor and the life cycle of opening stores as an area rep.  He and Wolf also discuss the lessons he’s learned from opening multiple Everbowl locations and how investing in excellent systems and operations is one of the best things you can do to ensure franchise success.   Plus, don’t miss out on hearing what working with Drew Brees is actually like!   0:00 Early Beginnings 3:40 Working at VerizonONE 7:37 Defining an Area Representative 12:20 Building vs. Operating 14:56 Lessons Learned 17:49 Exploring Other Opportunities 25:44 Learn More About Everbowl   Learn More About Everbowl:  https://www.everbowl.com/acai-bowl-franchise https://www.everbowl.com   Follow Alex: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexyeater/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeater.alex/ Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience by using Harri to build, manage, engage, and retain your team.    Don’t you think it’s time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees?   Visit Harri.com to learn more.   If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

06-06
26:04

S5 Ep9: How Biscuit Belly Took the Boring Out of Breakfast

How do you elevate breakfast food in a novel way that no other franchise is doing? By taking biscuits to a whole ‘nother level.  Biscuit Belly is a fast-casual franchise taking the boring out of breakfast and making Instagram-worthy foods all across the Southeast.   Owners Chuck Schnatter and Chad Coulter sit down with the Wolf to discuss how they distinguished themselves from franchises like IHOP, Denny’s, and Snooze and what qualities they believe are key to any dining franchise.  Plus, find out how they managed to thrive and survive while opening multiple locations during the pandemic!    0:00 Background  3:22 What Makes a Successful Franchise? 7:15 Why Biscuits? 13:00 Making Food Instagrammable 15:00 Franchising Process 24:32 Takeaways 30:00 Future Plans   Find out more about Biscuit Belly: https://biscuitbellyfranchise.com https://biscuitbelly.com   Follow Chad: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-coulter-4663465b Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience by using Harri to build, manage, engage, and retain your team.   Don’t you think it’s time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees? Visit Harri.com to learn more.   If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.   Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter and YouTube channel.    Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

05-30
38:28

S5 Ep8: The Ben & Jerry's Franchisee Who Also Owns...A Starbucks?

How did former math teacher turned franchise developer Antonio McBroom open 14 Ben and Jerry’s locations across South Carolina by himself?   The answer is equal parts hard work and ingenuity. On this week’s pod, the Wolf finds out how Antonio hustled his way into franchise success by purchasing his own ice cream trailer, opening his stores at 2 am to hungry college kids, and trying just about every other business tactic in between.   Antonio also talks about his latest partnership with Starbucks, in which he’s helping to bring the franchise chain to underserved and diverse communities, empowering minority-owned businesses to contribute to the next phase of his business evolution.  0:00 Background 4:06 Franchise Expansion 8:00 The Catering Hustle 10:30 Partnering with Others 14:55 Starbucks Partnership 22:44 Follow Us   Follow Antonio:  https://www.primopartners.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-mcbroom-43858017/ Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience by using Harri to build, manage, engage, and retain your team.  Don’t you think it’s time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees?  Visit Harri.com to learn more.  If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.  Thank you so much!  Check out The Wolf’s newsletter and YouTube channel.  Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

05-23
28:32

S5 Ep7: Building a Consumer-Facing Coffee Brand, with Jacob Jaber

How did Philz Coffee grow to become synonymous with fueling the likes of tech giants out of Silicon Valley?  Co-founder, Jacob Jaber, explains how the vision of Philz Coffee came to fruition from his father, who simply wanted to create a place where people could hang out and share great drinks together.  Now, with over 75+ locations, this growing franchise still relies on one key ingredient: creating a memorable, personalized experience for each of its customers. Jacob and the Wolf chat about its unique barista model and how the most important aspect of any business is to create a product that you really, really love.  Then, find out which businesses Jacob prefers to invest in.    0:00 Background 3:40 The Turning Point 6:18 Creating a Community 8:40 Building a Consumer-Facing Brand 15:00 Expansion Plans 17:20 The Phil’s Business Model 28:21 Brand Association 31:40 Building a Brand 37:42 Investing in Consumer Companies 46:08 Follow Us Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience by using Harri to build, manage, engage, and retain your team.   Don’t you think it’s time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees?   Visit Harri.com to learn more.   Follow Jacob: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobjaber/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jacobjaber   If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much! Check out The Wolf’s newsletter.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

05-16
53:07

S5 Ep6: How Shelly Sun Built a $639 Million Dollar Franchise

What’s the best way to drive franchise growth in the senior healthcare industry?    According to Brightstar Care CEO Shelly Sun, it’s paying the best people the best salary possible, encouraging accreditation across all locations to ensure franchise consistency, and aggressive nationwide marketing tactics.     Shelly talks with The Wolf about her top components for a scalable franchise model, the challenges and lessons she’s learned from staying 20% company-owned, and the coming obstacles the home healthcare industry will face as the Baby Boomer generation ages.     Shelly's passion for providing quality care and her strategic mindset for driving brand growth make for an inspiring interview you won’t want to miss.    0:00 Intro 4:28 Brightstar Components 10:40 Stepping Stones to Evolution 19:41 National Accounts Program 22:54 Early Lessons 30:03 Not Selling Out 36:20 Aging Baby Boomers 41:58 Contact Us   Follow Brightstar Care:    https://www.brightstarfranchise.com https://www.brightstarcare.com      Follow Shelly:    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brightstarshellysun/       Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience by using Harri to build, manage, engage, and retain your team.    Don’t you think it’s time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees?   Visit Harri.com to learn more.   If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

05-09
48:20

S5 Ep5: How Chris Kenny Raised $300M To Invest in The Biggest Franchises of Tomorrow

What do fitness, skincare and swim schools have in common? Get ready to make a splash with Chris Kenny as he dives into the success of consumer service brands, from Heyday to Orangetheory to Big Blue Swim School. Chris is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Level5 Capital Partners. With over a decade of experience investing and operating in the consumer services sector, Chris has been an instrumental part in making L5 a standout player in the franchise industry. The Wolf and Chris delve into his origins in the business, explore L5’s unique approach to investing in franchises, and talk strategies for accelerating growth and enhancing brand value. And great customer experience starts with great employee experience. Create business success with Harri, the platform to build, manage, engage and retain your team. Care for your people, and they will care for your customers. Visit www.harri.com today Follow Chris: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-kenny-09a4271/  If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much! Check out The Wolf’s newsletter Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

05-02
48:06

S5 Ep4: Turning Thrift Store Shopping into Franchise Gold with BaseCamp CEOs Zach and Tyler Gordon

How do resale employees determine how much that five-year-old Lululemon shirt is actually worth?   The Wolf sits down with BaseCamp Franchising owners Zach and Tyler Gordon to discover exactly how Uptown Cheapskate and Kid to Kid streamlined resell value subjectivity and turned it into a finely-tuned, fully systematic, operational process across over 200 different locations.   Plus, how are Zach and Tyler inverting the stigma of used clothing and turning it into their personal franchise goldmine in the face of online reselling giants? And why is value one of the biggest motivators of consumer behavior?    Tune in to find out!   00:00 Franchising Kid to Kid and Uptown Cheapskate 9:45 Exploring the Tailwinds of the Resale Market 16:14 A New Way to Shop and Sell Clothing 22:08 Operational Challenges in Resale Businesses 35:10 The Future of Thrift Shopping 43:28 Exploring the Benefits of Resale Franchise Ownership  47:09 The Resale Clothing Industry 50:32 Contact Us   Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience by using Harri to build, manage, engage, and retain your team.    Don’t you think it’s time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees?   Visit Harri.com to learn more.   Follow BaseCamp Franchises:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/basecamp-franchising/ https://kidtokidfranchise.com/ https://uptowncheapskatefranchise.com/   If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

04-25
56:16

S5 Ep3: Always Have a Playbook for Scaling, with Voda CEO Dan Claps and Zach Nolte

How do you create a 1.7 million dollar franchise beast from a small-scale cleaning company?   According to Voda Cleaning and Restoration franchise owners Dan Clap and Zach Nolte, the secret to scaling lies in franchising a business that naturally lends itself to marketing multiple services.    Dan and Zach chat with the Wolf about how Voda Cleaning and Restoration cornered a large chunk of the home restoration market after discovering that the water damage cleaning business went hand-in-hand with other services like mold remediation, air duct cleaning, and more.    Plus, find out why all future franchisers must have a brand playbook, why franchising is a team sport, and why investing in the right technology is crucial if you ever want to scale.    Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience using Harri to build, manage, engage, and retain your team.  Don’t you think it’s time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees? Visit Harri.com to learn more.   Follow Zach: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/znolte/   Visit Voda: https://myvodafranchise.com/   If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf 0:00 Intro and Background 2:41 The Perfect Franchise Marriage 6:36 Choosing Restoration 10:24 Building a Business 17:54 Technology and Branding are Key 29:01 The Power of Having Systems in Place  37:35 The Hard Data 47:08 Vision for Voda 49:10 Contact Us

04-18
55:48

S5 Ep2: Using Life Obstacles to Fuel Your Franchise, with Cynthia May

How does a single, 17-year-old mother find the motivation to build an 83-territory health and wellness empire?    Cynthia May, co-founder of Beem Light Sauna, chats about how becoming a single mother at an early age gave her the strength to find financial stability by taking calculated risks and trusting her gut instincts.    Cynthia explains how she went from owning a high-end salon to transitioning to the health and wellness space after her daughter became ill with Lyme Disease.    Then, she discusses the importance of mentorship in business partnerships, designing a consumer-first experience for customers, building a lean store infrastructure, and how franchising allowed her to help others at a crossroads in their own careers.   Built by hospitality for hospitality. Empower your employee experience by using Harri to build, manage, engage and retain your team.  Don’t you think it’s time to utilize a platform designed to elevate your greatest asset— your employees? Visit Harri.com to learn more.   Follow Cynthia:   On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiamay On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplimay/   If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast.    Thank you so much!   Check out The Wolf’s newsletter.   Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

04-11
45:07

S5 Ep1: Cookies And Cream: How To Open A Multi-Brand Desserts Franchise

Who doesn’t love a cookie, or a pretzel…or ice cream? CJ Adams is the multi-brand franchise owner growing his sweet treat empire. Find out how. CJ is the Owner of Nashville-based Cookies And Cream, the multi-brand franchise of Great American Cookies, Maggie Moo's, Marble Slab Creamery, and Pretzelmaker. The Wolf and CJ get into the logistics of cross training employees to work across all brands, how to find the right opportunities, and why, at the end of the day, CJ’s a cookie guy. And great customer experience starts with great employee experience. Create business success with Harri, the platform to build, manage, engage and retain your team. Care for your people, and they will care for your customers. Visit www.harri.com today Follow CJ: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamcjadams/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/seejayadams If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much! Check out The Wolf’s newsletter Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

04-04
35:05

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