Franchise Interviews

We have a great show today.  We are meeting with Tara Gilad of the Vitality Bowls franchise.  About Vitality Bowls Roy and Tara Gilad, a pair of successful business owners, founded Vitality Bowls in 2011 in San Ramon, California. The duo started the superfood café concept together as a result of discovering their daughter’s severe food allergies and wanting to find safe, healthy food alternatives. Since franchising began in 2014, the brand has seen significant growth with more than 70 cafes open and in development. Named one of the Top 100 new franchises in 2017 by Entrepreneur and ranked among the 2017 Fast Casual Top 100, Vitality Bowls is redefining the fast-casual healthy food restaurant sector every day at each of its locations across the country.

We have a great show today.  We are meeting with Bette Fetter, the Founder and CEO of Young Rembrandts and Author of Being Visual.  About Young Rembrandts- Young Rembrandts is a recognized leader in art education, offering a curriculum focused on teaching children to draw, using demonstration and a structured step-by-step process. Through the process of weekly instruction students are exposed to a wide variety of subject matter, artistic concepts, art history and mastery of their materials. Classes are taught to children ages 3 ½ to 12 years old. Young Rembrandts teaches more than 10,000 students each week in 31 states and four provinces. Through franchising, Young Rembrandts offers individuals the chance to grow their own business while creating a positive impact within the community.

We have a great show today.  We are meeting with Peter Holt of The Joint Chiropractic franchise.  Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, The Joint is an emerging growth company that is reinventing chiropractic care by making quality care convenient and affordable for patients seeking pain relief and ongoing wellness. Its no-appointment policy and convenient hours and locations make care more accessible, and affordable membership plans and packages eliminate the need for insurance. With nearly 400 clinics nationwide and more than four million patient visits annually, The Joint is a leader in the chiropractic profession. In Part Two, we play a clip form our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We are meeting Manolis Alpogianis of the  America’s Dog & Burger franchise.  Entrepreneurial brothers Manolis and George Alpogianis co-founded AMERICA’S DOG AND BURGER after a cross-country road trip through the United States. This now famous journey inspired the two to open a restaurant that offered the most compelling hot dog and burger tastes of the nation in one dynamic environment. The brand uniquely positions itself in the dog and burger scene by offering guests a variety of fresh, gourmet burgers, city-themed hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, Italian beef, salads and more. After more than 20 years of proven success, the family-run business is in strategic growth mode, awarding franchise opportunities to passionate individuals and teams attracted to the brand’s distinguishable niche. In Part Two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

Founded in 2014 by Helaine Knapp, CITYROW is a boutique fitness studio established in New York City that specializes in a total body, high-intensity, low-impact workout using a water-based rowing machine and strength-training exercises. Each stroke on the row machine utilizes 84 percent of the body's muscles - legs, core and arms. The 50-minute workouts increase aerobic capacity and efficiency and burn calories while exerting less pressure on the body's joints than traditional cardio exercises. By combining rowing with body sculpting exercises, CITYROW members see body transformation quickly.  In Part Two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We are meeting Gary Roth, the founder of  KIDS FIRST Swim School franchise.  KIDS FIRST Swim Schools is based on the belief that all children should know how to swim, and they have made it their mission to spread this notion nationally through franchising. After slaving away in the corporate world, Roth wanted the next chapter of his life to focus on an activity that he relished in the past, while providing a recreational and educational outlet for future generations. That passion was swimming.  From being a star competitor in high school and undergrad, to volunteering his time as a swim coach after work, Roth took it upon himself to make every child as excited about swimming as he was. Company Facts:  · Kids First Swim School currently has 29 corporate locations, four franchise locations, and teaches over 150,000 students annually.  · Last year, Kid’s First Swim School made 15.5 million in annual sales.  · Roth also owns his own construction company specifically designed for creating new facilities in a timely and cost-effective manner. In Part Two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising Podcast.

We are meeting Mark Van Wye, CEO of Zoom Room.  Zoom Room is an indoor dog gym and training facility where owners and their dogs come to play, train and socialize with their dogs in a climate-controlled environment. In contrast to other training facilities where the dog is trained by the store, Zoom Room's dogs are trained by their owner, creating a one-of-a kind relationship. After a recent significant investment in the brand, Zoom Room has re-launched its franchise opportunity and looks to bring its training centers to pet-lovers across America.  Mark Van Wye, CEO of Zoom Room will  discuss the growing bonding trend the pet industry and how Zoom Room is filling the demand. He will also discuss: The current need for dog training and socialization and how this helps pet owners fully understand their dog's behavior. The unique approach Zoom Room takes to pet training by offering a place where the owner trains alongside their dogs using only positive reinforcement, and the array of specialty classes. Other ways Zoom Room helps pet owners deepen the bond with their furry friends including hosting birthday parties, holiday parties, doggie discos, agility league and more. In Part Two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We are meeting Bob Phillips and Keith Goldman of California Tortilla, a fast-casual Mexican-inspired restaurant. Falling in love with the brand's bold flavors and fun, laid-back attitude, the duo felt the concept would be perfect for a world they were familiar with - franchising. Together, they have built more than 50 restaurants in eight states over the past fifteen years and hope to introduce restaurants outside of the mid-Atlantic for the first time. Taking Goldman's 40 years of restaurant experience and Phillip's previous experience of owning dozens of franchises, the pair works like a well-oiled machine. Phillip's expertise in financial business models and bookkeeping as well as Goldman's operations proficiency are complements to one another. In 2002, experienced restauranteurs Bob Phillips and Keith Goldman opened their first California Tortilla Taking Goldman's 40 years of restaurant experience and Phillip's previous experience of owning dozens of franchises, the pair works like a well-oiled machine. Phillip's expertise in financial business models and bookkeeping as well as Goldman's operations proficiency are complements to one another. In part two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We are meeting with Marty Flanagan from Code Ninjas.  Code Ninjas, founded in 2016, is the fastest growing kids coding franchise in the United States. With its flagship location currently open in Pearland, Texas, the company has more than 70 locations currently in development, including 34 franchisees across 15 states. Code Ninjas teaches kids ages 7-14 how to code in a fun, welcoming, and non-intimidating atmosphere using a game-based curriculum.  In part two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We are meeting Alejandra Font of the Camp Transformation Center.  The Camp Transformation Center is dedicated to helping clients reach their weight loss goals by offering comprehensive programs, a fun, friendly, welcoming and motivating environment. The Camp Transformation Center not only helps clients with their workout routines and form, but they also provide insight on nutrition. Transformation Center has seen vigorous growth. So far in 2017, 39 gyms have been opened and 36 in 2016. The Camp has another 22 Camps under development for 2018. In part 2, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising Podcast.