Your First Year as a Franchisee Will Break You (If You're Not Ready)

Most businesses give you time to adjust.

Seasonal businesses don't.

In this episode, we go deep into the reality of high-pressure seasonal franchises, where 80–90% of revenue hits in just weeks—and one bad decision can sink the entire year.

We unpack:

-Why "working harder" isn't enough

-How seasonality magnifies mistakes

-What actually drives customers through the door

-The grassroots strategies that outperformed paid ads

-Lessons learned from opening hundreds of locations

If you've ever considered a seasonal franchise—or already own one—this episode will change how you think about time, marketing, and execution.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Why seasonal businesses punish mistakes fast

04:45 – The myth of "you can fix it later"

10:30 – 90% of revenue in six weeks: why timing is everything

18:40 – Why most franchisees work hard… and still lose

27:15 – The moment we realized marketing was the real bottleneck

36:50 – Grassroots marketing vs radio ads (what actually worked)

46:20 – The hub-and-spoke kiosk strategy that changed everything

58:05 – First-year franchise mistakes you can't afford

1:09:30 – Why seasonal businesses forge elite operators

1:18:40 – Lessons that still apply to franchises today

Connect with Erik Van Horn:

🌐 Website - https://franchisesecrets.com/

📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erikvanhorn/

👍 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/erik.v.horn/

💼 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanhorn/

Best Franchise Starter Playlist:

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https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMle5_OUXiuLbc_UPBtz1vTE&si=uCOgDya1VnnCarDf

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMk2Kw07KwZGWgF8UTx9N5_T&si=ZldjBOqFanGE-JUL

#Franchise #SeasonalBusiness #Business