Franchise Interviews

We have a great show today. We are meeting Rob and Lisa Cannon - Founders of Thrillz, the world’s first high-flying adventure park.  The Cannons recognized the growing demand for indoor family entertainment as a great business opportunity. After successful careers in finance and 3 years as franchisees of an indoor trampoline park, they pulled together a world-class team to create the next generation of adventure parks. In August of 2018, Thrillz opened its doors in Danbury, CT.

We are meeting with Brandon Cullen, Chief Concept Officer of MADabolic (strength and conditioning gym for athletes) … MADabolic Inc. delivers unparalleled Strength and Conditioning to an oversaturated cardio-focused market. Backed by science and years of athletic experience, Protocol M.A.D.’s signature combination of fat-torching intervals will enable you to carve a lean, athletic physique.  Their distinctive interval system, Protocol M.A.D., is crafted entirely around work-to-rest ratios. This presents a challenging yet accessible environment unique to each client. Rooted in science, MADabolic’s exclusive interpretation of pace and intensity is unrivaled in our market. In Part Two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We are meeting with Joseph Berger - President of You’ve Got Maids, Joseph has a unique perspective on the franchise industry as the residential cleaning concept was founded by his parents, Frank and Cynthia Berger. Joseph will discuss the You Got Maids franchise, the benefits of working in a family run business and his best advice for maintaining a healthy professional and personal relationship with those you work with. In part two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We are meeting with Angel Aguayo Director of Operations at Sushi Sake.  Sushi Sake, a Miami-based neighborhood sushi bar with 14-units is now franchising and already has two signed franchise agreements in Florida. Known for an expansive menu, dramatic longue inspired atmosphere and late-night hours, the founders Angel Aguayo and James Aguayo are now ready to take their fusion-inspired creation nationwide. Founded in 2009, the Aguayo brothers were ready to step out in the $12.8 billion market size of sushi restaurants. Growing up in restaurants and frequently dining at Benihana, Angel felt the industry was struck in the ‘traditional setting,’ and wanted to bring fusion offerings to the table. Another industry void they are alleviating is many good sushi restaurants aren’t able to provide that same quality on their hibachi side. Sushi Saki is known for offering the best of both worlds and creates an interactive dining experience. It is today’s Japanese Sushi restaurant with the perfect blend of a Teppanyaki house and an original Sushi spot. Additionally, Sushi Sake locations offer late-night hours compared to other venues (open until midnight - 5am depending on location) to serve a crowd that can’t find a quality restaurant open after a night out.  In part two we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

Tonight, we discuss franchising the moving industry.  We start the show with our latest podcast from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast from hall of fame speaker Warren Greshes. In Part Two, you will hear our interview with Dustin Black, Founder and CEO of Black Tie Moving.  Dustin is no stranger to the moving industry. From the time he was a child, Black worked for his father’s moving company, learning the ins and outs of the industry while also getting a behind the curtain view of exactly who homeowners were trusting their belongings.  With eight locations open and 24 new franchise territories under development, Black Tie Moving is rapidly expanding across the nation. In Part Three, you will hear our interview with Nick Friedman, the founder of College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving franchise opportunity. College Hunks Hauling Junk and moving is the fastest-growing junk hauling and moving franchise in America. College Hunks Hauling Junk has been named one the fastest growing companies in America by "Inc." and has made "Entrepreneur" magazine's list of top franchise opportunities for five years in a row and counting.  The growth is driven by a smart business model that allows College Hunks owners to act as executives in their businesses.

We have a great show today. We are meeting with Lee DeJonge, COO of Shine, a window care and holiday lighting franchise with 40 locations in 10 states. Lee is also a franchisee and just opened his sixth Shine location. But while window cleaning is Shine’s business, the mission is to make the world brighter by building successful businesses and creating opportunities for individuals to become leaders.  In part two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

Last time we had House Doctors on the show was over a decade ago.  Known as the trusted home improvement service, House Doctors offers a myriad of services from drywall and gutter repair to kitchen and bathroom remodeling. The House Doctors team of insured, bonded and uniformed handymen have a wide array of skillsets to tackle even the longest list of to-dos. With a one-year guarantee, prompt and precise service and a team of qualified craftsman and technicians, House Doctors is not only a home improvement service, but a trusted advisor among the customers it serves. Founded in 1995, House Doctors is located across the country and has targeted several growth markets for the next few years.  We are meeting with Jim Hunter, CEO of House Doctors. As the home renovation sector is expected to grow over the next several years, House Doctors plans to increase its presence through strategic franchise growth in key markets across the country to accommodate the increasing consumer demand for home renovations, a $350 billion industry.  In part two, we play an old clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

The Planet Smoothie franchise began in Atlanta during the mid-1990s, when smoothies were first beginning to be seen as a food offering on their own rather than part of an extended menu. Up until then smoothies were almost completely associated with hardcore health fanatics — people who spent a lot of time at the gym and were fanatical about counting calories  More Americans were looking to slim down and become healthier, a trend which continues through today, and smoothies became seen as a way to enhance a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing taste or convenience.As more people discovered smoothies, the market exploded, and Planet Smoothie quickly spread throughout the Southeast, becoming a dominant brand across the Southeastern and Northeastern United States. The opportunity to rapidly expand Planet Smoothie excited a team of veteran franchise executives at Kahala Brands, which acquired Planet Smoothie in 2015. Under their leadership, Planet Smoothie has developed the capabilities and resources, such as improved supply chains, more purchasing power and a single operating system, to accelerate growth and drive stronger results for franchisees.Planet Smoothie is on the move. The hunger for convenient, healthy and great-tasting food, with a transparent list of recognizable ingredients, continues to grow. A customer survey by public relations giant Edelman found that 83% of customers want that combo of good nutrition and great taste, for example, and only 50% of them think the food-and-beverage industry is doing a good job. We are meeting with Stacey Wopnford, Brand President at Planet Smoothie. Planet Smoothie is a fun and exciting smoothie franchise that knows the importance in differentiating itself from the competition. With a unique menu and bright color scheme, Planet Smoothie stands out from the rest.  In part 2 we play a clip from our poplar Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

Sometimes life throws you a curveball, but it's how you react to that moment that can shape the rest of your life. For entrepreneur Tom Hough that moment came following his 33-year-old brother's death due to heart failure. After tragedy struck, Tom realized the importance of not taking any day for granted. While working in security, Tom had always thought about becoming a personal trainer and with the help of his wife, he took a leap of faith and quit his job and on the anniversary of his brother's passing he officially became an owner of a Fit Body Boot Camp franchise. Now, Tom spends his days honoring his brother's legacy and working with clients to help them lead healthier and happier lives. In addition to knowing the first-hand benefits of the services he provides; the Hough's are also finding similarities between what it takes to find fulfilment in life and owning and running a small business.  In Part Two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

Today we have a three part show.  In part one, we meet with Mitchell Levy. Mitchell Levy is the AHA Guy of AHAthat.com and CEO and Thought Leader Architect at THiNKaha.com. He and his team make it easy for corporations to easily create compelling content that help turn their experts into recognized thought leaders. Mitchell is an Amazon bestselling author with fifty-six business books, contributor at Entrepreneur Magazine, has provided strategic consulting to over one hundred companies. Mitchell has written social media enabled eBooks he offers for free. Mitchell discusses why more franchisors and franchisees should consider writing a book! In Part Two, we meet with Michael Peterson, author of How and Why to Franchise Your Business.  This book was written to be the go-to for a new or would-be franchisor. It was written with someone from outside our industry in mind. It dives deeply into such topics as preparing to become a franchisor, the legal repercussions of franchising, how to recruit the right candidates, and how to manage a franchise system. How and Why to Franchise Your Business will guide you in building a successful team of experts to help you create the stellar franchise brand that you dream of!  In Part Three, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.