Franchise Interviews

We have a great show. We are meeting with Ryan Tuchman, CEO and Founder of Hi-Five Sports Franchising. Hi-Five’s mission is to enrich the lives of children through team sports in a fun and non-intimidating manner. They emphasize fun and entertainment that provides children with an unparalleled youth sports experience. Every Business Has A Story Founded in Chicago’s North Shore by Marvin Tuchman in 1990, Hi-Five Sports has since been handed down to his sons, Ryan and Danny, making it a business run by families for families. Hi-Five’s commitment to changing the mindset around youth sports programs has resonated with families nationwide because their kids leave each session feeling more confident and ambitious than before.

Great Quotes in Franchising Podcast - One Question You Must Ask Before Buying A Franchise. One person I have always wanted to interview is Melanie Bergeron, the Chair for Two Men and a Truck. We had Melanie on our six year anniversary show. Melanie gave some great advice. One great feature of franchising is you can speak to previous and current franchisees.

David Pikoff, co-founder of Games2U, launched the mobile video game theater franchise in Austin, TX in 2007. David will talk about how Games2U is quickly replacing "same-old" traditional birthday celebrations such as bowling, ice skating and pizza parties. He will discuss how he and Stuart came up with the idea for Games2U and what it is like working side by side with a sibling. David can also share their current strategies for helping to expand the business throughout the country.      About Games2U - Games2U is transforming the video gaming and party industry. Founded in 2007 by brothers David and Stuart Pikoff, Games2U offers an interactive, state-of-the-art entertainment alternative for birthday, corporate and community gatherings. With parties starting at $199, the franchise is quickly becoming one of the hottest attractions at outdoor events and community and corporate gatherings.

Today’s Great Quote in Franchising comes from the founder of Creatif, Jaya Aiyar. Creatif is the experiential art destination that looks to entertain, educate and inspire. An art studio for all ages, Creatif boasts unique and innovative technology, a variety of options, and an award-winning studio space.  Jaya provides advice to our listeners on what to look for when buying a franchise.  She starts off with knowing your “why?”

We have a great show.  We are meeting with Adenah Bayoh, co-founder of Cornbread Farm to Soul? Founded in 2017 by Co-Founders Adenah Bayoh and Elzadie “Zadie” Smith, Cornbread specializes in mouthwatering, soul food creations such as baked mac & cheese, collard greens, yams, chicken, signature cornbread, and other specialty menu items. Cornbread is based in New Jersey and has three open locations in the NYC/NJ area. As Bayo and Smith set out to open their fast-casual restaurant business, they set their hearts on soul food. Soul food is a category of food that has the power to bring people together and lacks representation in most communities and within the franchise industry. The duo now aims to distinguish and establish its franchise system through Cornbread’s unique company goals, values, and promise to continually service residents in communities where they operate and help more women and minorities become successful franchisees. We play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast in Part Two.

We are meeting with the President and CEO of the Big Frog franchise opportunity, Tina Bacon DeFrece.  Locally owned and operated, Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More specializes in Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing, a clean and green apparel printing technology. Big Frog is a one-stop-shop for “un-frog-ettable” custom apparel with a wide selection of services including screen printing, embroidery, vinyl, and Ultra Print (heat press). Established in 2008 by co-founders Leeward Bean, Tina Bacon-DeFrece and Ron DeFrece, the franchise brand has since expanded to nearly 100 locations in 25 states and Canada offering free 15-minute, in-person design help, no minimums, and fast turnaround (often 24-hours) on DTG printing. Globally headquartered in Dunedin, Fla., Big Frog Franchise Group is led by President and CEO Tina Bacon-DeFrece.  Big Frog launched the veteran-focused initiative to help veterans and first responders fulfill their dreams of owning a small business. Recently named one of the “Top Low-Cost Franchises” by Entrepreneur Magazine, Big Frog has made it a mission to help entrepreneurs start profitable small businesses.

Reflection Interview Franchise Interviews started off as a newsletter.  I had no idea I would be hosting one of the longest running podcasts on the topic of franchising.  Sometime back in 2006, Anita Campbell invited me on her show Small Business Trends Radio to discuss the newsletter.  Needless to say, I was a bit nervous because this was my first appearance on the radio.  I recently listened to the podcast with Anita and realized how much I have grown as a person.  Several months later, I got an invitation to turn our newsletter into a weekly internet radio show/podcast.  I thank God I said yes to the offer.  I was able to see what our website looked like in 2005 from the website Archive.org.  I will include some of those photos in the show notes.  Listen to my interview with Anita Campbell over 17 years ago!

We are meeting with Jodi Scott and Brad James of the Superior Wash franchise opportunity. Superior Wash is a national 24-hour mobile fleet washing company. The company is a leader in the fleet-washing industry and services Fortune 500 clients such as Coca-Cola, Fed-Ex, UPS, and Budweiser trucks. Not only does the company help to alleviate the pressure of rising gas costs for corporate-owned fleet systems by conveniently traveling to an accounts fleet site, but it also uses an environmentally friendly water recovery system. Click the play button below to listen to the show.

We are welcoming back Andy Diamond, President of Angry Crab Shack. Combining bold flavors in Asian food with his knowledge of seafood, Ron Lou launched Angry Crab Shack in 2013 in Mesa, AZ. A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant, Angry Crab Shack offers a vibrant, memorable dining environment and high-quality seafood at a more affordable price. Every business has a story. Former NFL player Ron Lou spent four years in the league with the Houston Oilers than the Philadelphia Eagles. During the next 35 years, he created five different restaurant concepts: breakfast, a sports bar, and three Chinese restaurants. Ready for another success, Lou set out to create something unique – not just another wing, burger, or pizza place. In part wo, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

Interviewing the Interviewer Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Nancy Friedman, the founder of the Telephone Doctor. Nancy and I had a lot of fun discussing various topics like travel, actors, favorite interviewers and books, and Franchise Interviews. This November will be Franchise Interviews' 16th year of podcasting. In that time, we interviewed almost 800 guests. For this interview, I will provide the link to the video interview. If you are listening to this podcast on another podcast channel, just go to YouTube and type in keywords, "Martin McDermott". Nancy reminded me that listeners hardly get to put a face behind the podcast. I want to thank Nancy for an excellent discussion, and I look forward to listening to her future shows on YouTube via Zoom! Here is the link to listen to the show.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSXXYPXqwEI Nancy is an expert on customer service, communication skills, and sales. She is a sought-after keynote customer service speaker at annual conferences and franchise and corporate meetings – both large and small. Her programs are inspiring, motivational, and entertaining (See testimonials), creating a memorable session all attendees can use immediately and forever. Fun, distinctive, fast-paced, and energy filled, this customer service speaker's fast wit and laugh-out-loud audience participation have everyone wanting more. Labeled a "don't miss" session, Nancy always delivers the 'goods