100: Our Franchise Story Podcast Journey, with Erik Van Horn and Brian Holmes

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.

99: Turning Your Passion into Profit, with SPENGA franchisee Scott Kaspar

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.

98: How to Achieve Sustainable Growth In Your Business, with SPENGA Co-Founder Roger McGreal

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.

97: From Success to Significance, with Urban Air Franchisee Harold Mills

In this episode, Brain 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.

96: Panel Discussion – Franchising Freedom: 15 Franchisors And Franchising Experts Share Best Thinking And Proven Strategies For Successfully Franchising A Business

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.

95: Key Success Factors To Embrace As You Scale Your Business, with Smoothie King Franchisee Andres Barcenas

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.

94: Building Through the Uncertainty and Thriving, with Lapels Dry Cleaning President and CEO Kevin Dubois

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.

93: The Perfect Storm in Franchising to be Successful, with Red’s Savoy Pizza CEO and President Reed Daniels

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.

92: From Obstacles to Opportunities, with Tinsley Family Business CEO and President, George Tinsley Sr.

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.

91: Martha Matilda Harper— The Woman Who Launched Modern Retail Franchising, with author Jane Plitt

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. 

90: Dominating the Snack Industry, with SE-Co-Brand Ventures COO Dustin King

Dustin King is a 32-year-old third-generation operator steering his family’s multi-brand snack empire. As the COO of SE Co-Brand Ventures, the company operates just shy of 60 locations and is still growing. 

89: Lessons From A Master of Scale, with Club Pilates President Shaun Grove

Shaun Grove, Club Pilates President, joins Brian Holmes on the Franchise Story Podcast to share 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.

88: Turning Junk Into Gold, with 1-800 GOT JUNK Founder Brian Scudamore

Brian Scudamore, founder of 1-800 GOT JUNK.

87: Executing on the Fundamentals to Create Real Value, with ProNexis CEO Scott Abbott

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 […]

86: Lessons From A Franchisee Turned CEO, with ShelfGenie CEO Andy Pittman

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. […]

85: The Importance of Systemizing Your Entire Business, with Koala Insulation CEO Scott Marr

  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 […]

84: Coaching Success in Your Business and in Life, with Dudan Partners CEO Jeff Dudan

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, […]

83: How One Brand Is Taking Advantage of the Changing Fitness Industry Landscape, with Mayweather Boxing + Fitness CEO James Williams

  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 […]

82: Choosing the Entrepreneurial Path at a Young Age, with Kilwins Franchisee Ashley Clark

  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 […]

81: The Choice to Fight Through Challenges, with Tutor Doctor Franchisee Jon-Anthony Lui

  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 […]

80: How To Lead In Times Of Uncertainty, with Loyalty Brands CEO John Hewitt

  In this episode, we have a special guest who is the Founder and CEO of Loyalty Brands— John Hewitt. Prior to Loyalty Brands, John was also the co-founder of Jackson Hewitt and the Sole Founder of Liberty Tax Service. Given his 50+ years of experience in the industry, John talks with Brian about some […]

79: What It Takes To Be Successful in the World of Fitness, with Retro Fitness CEO Andrew Alfano and CFO Robbie Sprechman

  In today’s episode, Brian talks with Andrew Alfano, the CEO of Retro Fitness, and Robbie Sprechman, the brand’s CFO. Retro Fitness is a rapidly growing fitness company with over 140 locations in 14 states open or in development. Andrew points out, “I don’t build business, I build people, and people build business. That’s probably […]

78: Focusing on the Core Of What Drives Business, with Firehouse Subs franchisee Ed Cunningham

In this episode, Brian talks with Ed Cunningham, a Firehouse Subs franchisee in Arizona. Within 5 months of opening, Ed’s location became the #1 ranked location in the entire Firehouse Subs system. How did he do it?  Before becoming a Firehouse Subs franchisee, Ed served as a firefighter. Being a public safety professional, Ed learned the […]

77: Panel Special- Positioning Yourself for the Next Opportunities, with Jeff Bevis, Henry Kim, and Stephen Vereb

  In the second installation of our special panel discussion, we have the privilege of talking with three guys you may have heard from before—Jeff Bevis, Henry Kim, and Stephen Vereb.  Today’s panel is made up of high-performing franchise veterans across different industries to share with us what their crisis management has looked like over […]

76: Panel Special- How Multi-Unit Franchisees are Pivoting Their Businesses, with JD Busch and Peter Hansen

  In light of this new reality we are all living in, we thought it would be best to conduct a special panel discussion made up of high-performing franchisees across different industries to share with us what their crisis management has looked like over the past few weeks.  The ability to collaborate during this time […]

75: Setting Franchisees Up For Success During a Crisis at Local Handyman Group, with CEO Craig Jooste

  In this episode, Brian and Erik talk with Craig Jooste, the Co-founder and CEO of Local Handyman Group. Craig is an accomplished entrepreneur and senior executive with more than 15 years of success in franchising multiple brands across the United States and Canada. He was previously a part of the leadership team at 1-800-GOT-JUNK, and Wow […]

74: How Accelerated Waste Solutions Stays At the Top of Their Industry, with Fred Tomlin and Sherrod Hunter

In this episode, Brian and Erik talk with Fred Tomlin, the CEO of Accelerated Waste Solutions, and Sherrod Hunter, the President and Co-founder of Accelerated Waste Solutions. They share key moments of growth for their company and how they made sure to keep the business on top within the industry. They also share how technology […]

73: Live From IFA- Building for the Long Haul at Blo Blow Dry Bar, with CEO Vanessa Yakobson

Our third installment from the 2020 “Best of IFA” series features Vanessa Yakobson, CEO of Blo Blow Dry Bar. Blo Blow Dry Bar is North America’s original blow dry bar.  No cuts, no color: Just wash, blo, and go! Vanessa talks with Brian about her experience launching this category that didn’t previously exist. Since it’s […]

72: Live From IFA- Making Industry Waves at Goldfish Swim School, with CEO Chris McCuiston

Our second installment from the 2020 “Best of IFA” series features Chris McCuiston, CEO and co-founder of Goldfish Swim School Franchising. Just two years out of college, Chris and his wife took a major risk by starting the brand. “We thought we’d open up 4-5 locations out in Michigan, all company owned, and that was […]

71: Live From IFA- Building the Legendary Firehouse Subs Culture, with CEO Don Fox

  Our first installment from the 2020 “Best of IFA” series features Don Fox, CEO of Firehouse Subs. In this live conversation with Brian, Don sheds light on best practices to create the type of brand that can grow and sustain 1,000+ locations.  Don joined Firehouse Subs in 2003 as a Director of Franchise Compliance before […]

70: The Camp Transformation Center: 10 Years and 100 Locations Later, with Alejandra Font

In this week’s episode, Brian talks with Alejandra Font, co-founder of The Camp Transformation Center. Over the last decade, the brand has opened over a hundred locations across 13 states and in Mexico. Alejandra talks about The Camp’s journey leading into franchising, key moments of growth for the brand, and hard lessons learned along the […]

69: Learning, Living, and Growing the Entrepreneurial Mindset, with Jason Wuerfel

In this episode, Erik talks with Jason Wuerfel, the founder of Books & Brews. Jason grew up too nerdy for the jocks and too jocky for the nerds. It was this experience that lead him to develop the mission for Books & Brews⁠— to create a place for people without a place. Books & Brews is […]

68: What It Takes To Be A Leader Within A Franchise System, with Bobby Williams

  In this episode, we have with us Bobby Williams, a franchisee of Christian Brothers Automotive. Bobby is a serial entrepreneur with a corporate background, previously working at a Fortune 500 company. He now owns two Christian Brothers Automotive locations in Texas. Beyond that, Bobby is also involved in helping other franchisees in Christian Brothers […]

67: How the Former CEO of Dunkin’ Donuts Bridged the Gap Between Franchisor and Franchisee Interests, with Nigel Travis

  This week, Brian talks with Nigel Travis, the executive chairman and former CEO of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins.  Prior to Dunkin Brands, Nigel served as President and COO at Blockbuster and President and CEO at Papa John’s.  Nigel reflects on the unique, results-oriented discipline he’s developed over decades of leadership which provides a […]

66: Carrying Forward the Legacy of a Family Business, with Shirin Kanji

Shirin Kanji serves as the President of Impact RTO Holdings, a family business based in Florida operating for more than 30 years. He started the retail division back in 2015 with the acquisition of franchised Rent-A-Center locations in eight states across the Southeast. Since then, Shirin has trailblazed his way to the top as the […]

65: Encouraging A Culture Of Excellence, with Chris Fisher

In this week’s episode, Brian and Erik are joined by Chris Fisher, the founder and CEO of Shine Window Care and Holiday Lighting. From a gas station squeegee to building a franchise system with locations in 10 states and growing, Chris Fisher has learned many valuable lessons along the way and is committed to leading […]

64: Part-Time Effort = Part-Time Results, with Landon Eckles

In this episode, Erik and Brian are with Landon Eckles, who is the co-founder of Clean Juice®, a company that has grown to 85 locations open with a goal of reaching 100 locations by February 2020. Clean Juice® started in 2014 as the brainchild of Kat & Landon Eckles. Kat had spent the better part […]

63: Getting Your ROI With The Right Influencers, with Adam Meyer

In this episode, Erik and Brian are with Adam Meyer. Adam was a professional hockey player, turned entrepreneur, turned franchisee and owner of three F45 locations in Southwest Minneapolis. So how was he able to successfully open his first studio in one of the most fitness-saturated cities in the U.S.? With Erik and Brian, Adam […]

62: The Growth Mindset: Building a Multi-Unit Empire, with Pushpak Patel

In this episode, Brian talks with Pushpak Patel, the CEO of Mitra QSR and one of the largest Yum Brands franchisees in the world. Mitra QSR currently owns and operates 200+ restaurants of KFC and Taco Bell. It wasn’t always easy. Building a multi-unit empire is a matter of taste, opportunity, passion, and comfort level. […]

61: Establishing A Scalable System From Scratch, with Rune Sovndahl

In this week’s episode, we welcome Rune Sovndahl, the co-founder and CEO of Fantastic Services- an international brand currently operating in Europe, Australia, and North America. Fantastic Services is the largest home services provider in London, yet it has been self-financed since the onset. How did they do it? From Day 1, Rune knew the […]

60: Building A Brand That Wins The Entire Family, with Matt & Megin Sharp

In this episode, we talk with Matt and Megin Sharp, the Co-founders of KidStrong. This child development program is based on science and taught by professionals. Using a membership-based business model, the curriculum was formed so that children hit physical, brain, and character milestones. To that end, Matt and Megin developed their mission statement, “the […]

59: Getting It Right From The Beginning – Building A Strong Foundation, with Ruth Agbaji

In this episode, Erik and Brian talk with Ruth Agbaji, the CEO and Nerd-In-Chief of Code Wiz. Ruth has a passion for helping kids connect with their inner genius through an after-school program that coaches kids in coding, robotics, and electronics. The trio talks about Ruth’s incredible journey in building the business and how she plans to grow […]

58: When Should You Consider Selling Your Franchise – Franchise Secrets

  In this episode, Erik discusses through his other podcast, the Franchise Secrets Podcast, the points for you to consider when selling your franchise. There are good factors you need to identify to guide you in making this decision and things to carefully look into to help you make a wise choice.   Tune in […]

57: Proving Success Before Scaling, with Brian Stevens- The Franchise Story Podcast

  In this episode, Brian Holmes is with a successful franchisor of Great Clips Salon, Brian Stevens, who now owns 25 locations in the Greater Minneapolis-Duluth market and has been a Franchisor Of The Year as well.   Together they talk about what it looks like to build a business and grow it from structure […]

56: “Working On Your Business, Not In It”, with Nick Lopez- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we’re with Nick Lopez who is the founder of Lime Painting, a new emerging franchise. We are going to hear about Nick scaled his business and how he built an amazing team of leaders in this franchise. Nick was specific on his vision on how he would grow the business and made […]

55: The Glamour Vs. The Reality Of Entrepreneurship, with Kurt Belding- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we’re with Kurt Belding of Fit Republic. He is a franchisor and also has a podcast called the BCE Show. He also started the Fit Republic Foods. Brian and Kurt discuss how people generally see entrepreneurship versus how it really works. They share valuable insights on the reality of starting and making […]

54: What To Expect From Your Franchise Business Journey- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, Erik and Brian have a topical conversation about what they expect right after they put in the funds and signed the franchise deal. They are sharing on-point advice from their personal experiences and from different experiences that they have seen in the world of franchising. It is always better to be able […]

53: The Value Of Intentionally Investing For Your Business’ Future, with Matt Wilber- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we’re with Matt Wilber a millennial entrepreneur that started Fit Body Boot Camp franchises with 7 locations and has a goal of opening in 100 locations. Matt is definitely about the future and the big picture of the business. He values the importance of having a clear vision from the beginning and […]

52: Having A Healthy Balance, with David Schuck- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we’re with David Schuck, a multi-unit and multi-brand franchisee. David has a background in sports and entrepreneurship.  He is now working on a larger vision for the franchising world. Being in a growing business, David realized, more and more, the importance of having a healthy balance between business and life. He spent […]

51: Building The Team Culture, with Henry Kim and Stephen Vereb- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we’re with Henry Kim and Stephen Vereb who have been Massage Envy franchisees for 12 years. They also own an Amazing Lash Studio franchise and are now starting up a massage school. Henry and Stephen’s partnership is definitely admirable in how they worked through the ups and downs and are still successfully […]

50: Resilience and Strategic Partnership, with Chris DeJong- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we’re with Chris DeJong of Big Blue Swim School. Coming from a competitive swimming background, Chris started the swimming school and eventually partnered with a multi-unit franchisee that brought the team franchising experience as they looked into growing the business as a franchise. Chris built the swim school using a fascinating technology […]

49: Truly Believing In What You Are Doing, with Drew McWilliams- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we’re with Drew McWilliams, the president of the Ivybrook Academy Franchise. Drew and his wife started the school in 2007  combining his background as an entrepreneur and her background as a grade-school teacher. Drew and his wife put together a unique and very effective curriculum that as people changed locations, they would […]

48: Building Other’s Business Versus Building your own Business, with Alan Soukup- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we’re with Alan Soukup of Bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas, and president of Texas Pride Home Solutions Inc. in North Texas. Coming from Corporate America, Alan started checking into different businesses he could build and realized the effort, time and resources it takes trying to find and decide on your […]

47: Franchising As The Expansion Strategy, with Tom Hodgson- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we’re with Tom Hodgson, the Founder/CEO of Color World Housepainting, Inc. and Color World Franchise. The franchise currently has 37 units, and more that are set to open soon. Tom saw the opportunities that came along and used it to grow his business. He also valued the importance of learning from successful […]

46: KEY SUCCESS FACTORS YOU NEED TO EMBRACE AS AN ENTREPRENEUR WITH GUEST BEDROS KEUILIAN- The Franchise Story Podcast

Have you ever wondered if there are key personality traits or routines that successful people have in common? Are you looking for some inspiration to kick yourself into gear? In this episode of Franchise Secrets, I talk with a wildly successful franchisor, Bedros Keuilian. We cover his humble beginnings, the routines that ground him, and […]

45: Being Effective In Different Levels Of Your Business Journey, with Erik and Brian- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, Erik and Brian are talking about a few important things they have learned throughout their journey in the business. We, as well as our businesses, go through different stages and this calls for different strategies and processes that we need to do.   Let’s join Erik and Brian as we listen to […]

44: Your Business As Your Mission, with Will Bartholomew- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we are with professional athlete and founder of D1 Sports Training, Will Bartholomew.  D1 Sports Training was founded 18 years ago and has sold their 100th franchise. Prior to starting D1 Sports Training Will had two other successful businesses. Through Will’s experiences, he was able to make choices that brought him to where […]

43: Advantages Of Slow And Steady Growth, with Lance Farrell- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we have Lance Farrell the founder of Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping. He has been in the business for 18 years and franchising for 11 years. He has 69 locations open and 6 more in development. We talk about the importance of slow and steady growth and its advantages. Join us now and let’s […]

42: Josh Skolnick of Monster Tree Service and redbox+- The Franchise Story Podcast

  Stories from Franchisees & Founders In this episode, Erik is with Josh Skolnick of Monster Tree Service and redbox+ and they are talking about why redbox+ is a simple business model, they also talk about some tax advantages that people use, and how to use tax advantages in any businesses to build and scale […]

41: The Franchise Journey of Husband and Wife Duo Jerel & Heather Tomasello- The Franchise Story Podcast

  In this episode, we’re here with Jerel & Heather Tomasello of MY SALON Suites and Deka Lash. They are the first husband and wife team we have in the podcast and they have share tons of learning experiences for those who are building a business together. Their journey in franchising has its twists and […]

40: Brian and Erik Work-life Balance, Real or Myth?- The Franchise Story Podcast

  In this episode, we are with Brian and Erik for a topical conversation about work-life balance. We have everything around us that we can use as a reason to be busy but we also know that it is really up to us to choose what to do and when. Finding that balance brings freedom […]

39: Fast friends to successful business partners with Bonnie and Tracy from Shred415- The Franchise Story Podcast

  In this episode, we are with Tracy and Bonnie of Shred415. Even with the difference in where they came from, in both place and profession, they shared a passion for fitness that brought them together and built Shred415. Tracy was from California and wanted to be a dietitian, but then became more interested in […]

38: Navigating a Commercial Lease Agreement with Guest Eric Finkelstein- The Franchise Story Podcast

  Sourcing a franchise location and learning to understand how a commercial lease agreement works can be daunting. The technical jargon can be overwhelming—and these agreements are riddled with things you need to know. In this episode of Franchise Secrets, I interview Eric Finkelstein and we talk about everything from crafting your Letter of Intent to finessing […]

37: Using Technology And Passion To Start A Franchise With Brian Cygan- The Franchise Story Podcast

  In today’s episode, we have with us Brian Cygan, founder of Exercise Coach. He has been an entrepreneur for almost 20 years and involved in franchising for 10 years.   Brian has always been a believer in evolutionary business processes, thinking about how to take things to the next step of expanding and growing. […]

36: Chasing New, Shiny, Bright, And Awesome Object- The Franchise Story Podcast

  In this episode, Erik and Brian talk about some of the great stuff they got from being around high performing people. They share about how they have invested resources, time and themselves to be able to go further ahead in their goal for success in business as well as in personal development.   Listen […]

35: What We Are Learning From Hanging Around Smart People- The Franchise Story Podcast

  In this episode, Erik and Brian talks about some of the great stuff they got from being around high performing people. They share about how they have invested resources, time and themselves to be able to go further ahead in their goal for success in business as well as in personal development.   Listen […]

34: From Fired Intern to Founder, with Kristen Gale- The Franchise Story Podcast

  In this episode we’re with Kristen Gale, founder of The Ten Spot, to talk about how she started out in franchising and some of the best practices she implemented to grow the company to 55 franchise locations throughout Canada and the US.   Kristen started out in the corporate world, where she got fired […]

33: Who to hire, and when to fire?- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, Erik and Brian talk about employees – how to hire them, and how to fire them, and how to find the great ones. For Erik, it is important to have the right people doing the right things for the business so he can stay in his zone of genius, and focus on […]

32: How a Career in Franchising Leads to Creating Your own Concept w/ Jeff Bevis- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode we’re with Jeff Bevis, Co-Founder and CEO at FirstLight Home Care Franchising, to share with us his journey in building a franchising company with licensure in home care industry in 33 states.   Jeff has a vast range of experience from being in the corporate/management side to being the franchisor. He has […]

31: Even SuperWoman Needs Work-Life Balance, with Dr. Jamie Kulaga- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode we’re with Dr. Jamie Kulaga, owner of three successful Two Maids and a Mop franchises, to talk about creating a healthy work-life balance. Jamie seriously does it all. As a mom, wife, entrepreneur, author, certified life coach, motivational speaker, and more, she knows firsthand how easy it is to allow opportunities and busy-ness […]

30: Shark Tank Behind The Scenes, With Joe Beaudry- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode we’re with Joe Beaudry, Co-Founder and COO of Urban Float, to talk about the recent deal he secured on Shark Tank, and the steps it took to get his company there. Joe gets detailed sharing about the preparation that went into his appearance on Shark Tank (Season 10, Episode 17), and has […]

29: Utilizing technology, innovation, and vision to disrupt a boring industry, with Ron Holt- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode we’re with Ron Holt, the Founder and CEO of Two Maids & A Mop, to talk about his deliberative journey from corporate America to starting one of the nation’s fastest-growing franchises.   Ron has set a vision for Two Maids & A Mop to become “the largest, fastest-growing, most innovative residential cleaning […]

28: The One thing every Franchisee & Franchisor needs to know with Cameron Herold- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we welcome Cameron Herold to talk to us about his life in franchising! He has written a number of highly valuable and industry-leading books on the subject, is a coach to high-level franchisors, and has a huge amount of experience on both sides of the franchise equation. We chat to Cameron about […]

27: How owning a franchise turned No in to Yes for Charles Bonfiglio of Tint World- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode we’re with Charles Bonfiglio, Franchise Founder and CEO of Tint World, to talk about how he achieved his success, as both a franchisee and franchisor, through perseverance, innovation, and teachability. Although Charles is a giant in the auto services industry now, expanding Tint World to 80 stores from North America to the […]

26: Behind the scenes building 8 boutique fitness brands with Anthony Geisler- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode we’re with the smartest guy in boutique fitness, Anthony Geisler, founder and CEO of Xponential Fitness, to talk about his journey to building the fastest growing fitness aggregate in the industry, and what it takes for a franchisor to support the success of their franchisees.   Anthony has been pioneering in the […]

25: Learn how a business stays fueled for long-term growth with Josh York- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode we’re with Josh York, the founder and CEO of GYMGUYZ, to talk about what FUELs your business forward, and how to stay motivated when all you want to do is throw in the towel. In 2008, Josh started GYMGUYZ to meet the demand for customized, convenient home personal training. Since then, he […]

24: How to avoid the worst advice and to find the best mentors with Josh Cohen- The Franchise Story Podcast

Get to know Josh Cohen and how his company, The Junkluggers, became successful. Josh graduated from UConn with a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Seeing a need in the junk removal market for an eco-friendly disposal solution for unwanted junk, 21-year-old Josh started The Junkluggers in 2004. Armed with a stack of homemade flyers and […]

23: Building teams and lessons on scaling multiple brands Josh Skolnick- The Franchise Story Podcast

Josh Skolnick is the CEO and founder of Monster Tree Inc.  The company was founded in 2008. It started as a small tree service company serving communities in southeast Pennsylvania.  In the years since, Monster Tree Service has blossomed into a national franchise that continues to grow under Skolnick’s fearless leadership. Today, Monster Tree Service […]

22: Building a loyal team by offering equity to management with Felippe Marques- The Franchise Story Podcast

Felippe Marques came from the corporate world and bought into F45 fitness and he’s in the minutiae of everything there. He had the opportunity to start a small business and went big. He has a master’s degree in science, environmental policy from Georgia Tech and was working in the corporate world for a small company […]

21: Partnerships…our experience with the good, bad and ugly with Erik and Brian- The Franchise Story Podcast

What you need to know about partnerships, the ins and outs of having partnerships. Erik and Brian discuss the things you need to know about partnership. They start to talk about their previous experience of having a partner. Brian talks about being naïve and being a novice when he started with the partnership. Erik talks […]

20: How social media impacted speed to break-even with Pete Hansen- The Franchise Story Podcast

Pete knew at an early age that business ownership was the right path for him and he purchased his first franchise in 2011. Pete Hansen studied at the University of Minnesota mainly at the Carlson School of Management. He took up Management Information System majoring in supply chain management. After that, he took up his […]

19: Mentored by Dave Thomas as a young Wendy’s franchisee with Jim Rudolph- The Franchise Story Podcast

Jim is a distinguished franchise industry veteran but didn’t take the ordinary path to success. He explains that he was a bad student who graduated high school with a “D” average and couldn’t get accepted to college. He eventually was accepted into a college in Missouri, of which, he was kicked out of three times […]

18: One on one with Erik and his mentor in franchising with Jeff Elgin- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, Erik talks with Jeff about a wide variety of topics from growing franchises during a recession to his conversations with some of the most iconic leaders in franchising. Jeff has a view into franchising that few people do, and he is the go-to guy for franchisors wanting to grow their brand.

17: From School of Hard Knocks to his Service-based empire with Dennis Mulgannon- The Franchise Story Podcast

Dennis is the American Dream: Born in Anchorage, Alaska, to a single mother with four children under 6 years old. Not realizing that his family was considered poor, this naivety afforded Dennis the ability to take risks without fear — leading him to the life of a true entrepreneur. Failing multiple times while attempting to […]

16: The art of the deal, what it takes to find the right opportunities with Boris Katsnelson- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode we talk w/ Boris Katsnelson about; what it takes to find the right deal in franchising, what is like to work for a Private Equity firm and acquire an existing franchisor, what it’s like to go from Franchisor to Franchise, what is takes to turn around an underperforming franchise location, how to […]

15: Designing your life to work around your business with Sonie Skogerson- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode we talk with Sonie about her experience dressing some of the most famous actors in the world while she worked w/ Brioni, how she became a Budget Blinds Franchisee, why she loves it, and what her plans are for the future.  This was an amazing episode that showed me a side of […]

14: Creating a new customer experience exposes new niche with Candice Weeter- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we talk with Candice Weeter a Co-Founder of Tune Up “The Manly Salon.” We talk about the leap of faith she took opening the first Tune Up location, what she did to overcome the slow first couple days, and why she ultimately decided to launch a franchise concept.   Candice is a true […]

13: Buying and turning around under-performing franchises with Kal Gullapalli- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode we talk with Kal about how he went from Wall Street to an independent restaurateur, how he made the leap into Franchising,  why he chose the brand that he chose, what drove him to buy his second concept, how buying and turning around underperforming locations is a great strategy for expansion, what […]

12: Helping franchisors find franchisees with Ryan Zink- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode we talk with Ryan about his experience as an employee helping to grow the business of a GNC Franchisee, about creating a new product/products that help differentiate your competition,  what it was like to start a new franchise concept from scratch, how to build/grow a franchise system the right way, who and […]

10: A knack for building relationships is helping grow his franchises with Mirko Marrone- The Franchise Story Podcast

Mirko is from a small town in Italy. When he immigrated to the United States, he didn’t know any English and he had to rely on others to do the most basic task (like buying a gallon of milk).  The value he places on relationships has helped him go from Franchisee Employee to Multi-Brand / […]

9: Serial Franchisor who is franchisee focused with Gary Findley- The Franchise Story Podcast

Gary is a legend in the franchise industry, over the last 25 years he played a key role in launching 9,500 locations worldwide with two iconic brands in franchising (Snap Fitness & Curves). There are few if any people in franchising that can claim those types of results. Today he is the CEO of Restoration […]

8: Starting 90 Panera Bread locations from the ground up with Craig Flom- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode Craig talks about getting in early with Panera Bread,  building and running a huge multi-unit, multi-state franchise organization, then selling that organization.  This is a great episode for those of you that want to go big!

7: How to think outside the box, innovate, and create equity with Jeff Herr- The Franchise Story Podcast

Erik and Brian can’t wait for all of you to hear this interview. Jeff is a true innovator and master storyteller. He went from Rock Star Regional Developer (1,000+ units sold in 3 years) to Outsourced Franchise Development Team, to Franchisor, to becoming a target for purchase by Private Equity. This is a long interview […]

6: How to manage a team as a Multi Brand RD & Franchisee with JD Busch- The Franchise Story Podcast

In this episode, we talk with JD Busch about how to build amazing teams, how to strategically develop your RD/AD/Master Area,  how to pick and support the right franchisees, and how to know when to say NO to the wrong ones. There are few people that have had as much success in franchising as JD. […]

5: From the mobile home park business to founding Sola Salons with Stratton Smith- The Franchise Story Podcast

This is a must-listen episode for both Franchisees and Franchisors.  Stratton shares his personal story and what he has learned building a franchise brand most of us know and respect.   This interview was fun and I can’t wait to hear your feedback.

4: Buying Existing franchises as a strategy in auto & food with Rob Tracey- The Franchise Story Podcast

Rob is a multi-unit / multi-brand franchisee who knows what it takes to turn around underperforming locations.  Rob got his start in franchising straight out of graduate school and has built an impressive franchise organization with his cousin Ryan.  Listen to this podcast if you want to know how to grow and scale your franchise […]

3: 20 Years in Corp America to Orange Theory Fitness with Steve LeClair- The Franchise Story Podcast

After 20 Years in Corporate America, Steve wanted more.  In less than 4 years he went from no business ownership experience to owning 3 Orange Theory Fitness Locations and an Area Development for Nerds to Go.  For those of you listeners who are still in corporate America, don’t miss this episode!

2: Area Developer for 15 years in 6 States and 300 territories with Kelly Wyatt – The Franchise Story Podcast

Don’t miss this episode!  Kelly is an amazing story teller and will keep you laughing as he shares some insights to what it was like building one of the fastest growing franchise businesses of the last 10 years.  In this episode he shares his journey from a small coal mining town to building a franchise […]

1: Co-host Brian Holmes shares his story – The Franchise Story Podcast

Welcome to The Franchise Story Podcast! Where we give you access to the stories, mindsets, and lessons learned by high performing Franchisees and the Franchise Founders behind the brands that they invested in. Your Hosts are Erik VanHorn and Brian Holmes. We are multi-unit, multi-brand franchisees with 20+ years of experience building our own franchise […]

0: Co-host Erik Van Horn shares his story – The Franchise Story Podcast

   Welcome to The Franchise Story Podcast! Where we give you access to the stories, mindsets, and lessons learned by high performing Franchisees and the Franchise Founders behind the brands that they invested in. Your Hosts are Erik VanHorn and Brian Holmes. We are multi – unit, multi – brand franchisees with 20+ years […]

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