Franchise Interviews

In part 1, we are meeting with entrepreneur and the founder of the BBQ Cleaner Jeffrey Krentzman. Jeff discusses the following: What are some of the pros and cons you encounter as your own boss? What's the hardest part of starting your own business? In your own business, what are some of things you feel you have done right that can be applied to someone else looking to start a business? What advice would you give to someone whose looking at being their own boss? Where should they even start? In part 2 you will hear our interview with entrepreneurial expert Dr. Scott Shane on his book, The Illusions of Entrepreneurship that challenges the myths we hold about entrepreneurs in America - who they are, what they do, and how they succeed. The book shows that the reality of entrepreneurship is decidedly different from the myths that have come to surround it. In part 3, you will hear a clip from out Great Quotes in Franchising podcast with the great Warren Greshes.

We are meeting with Dr. Alejandro Badia, Co-founder and CEO or OrthoNow and Christine Dura, Chief Development Officer of OrthoNOW.  OrthoNOW® is a network of specialized urgent care Centers focused on treating the full range of orthopedic and sports medicine injuries on a walk-in basis. These injuries include anything related to the foot, ankle, knee, hip, wrist, hand, elbow, shoulder and spine, in addition to pre-concussion testing. We treat aches, breaks, pains, and strains.   OrthoNOW® was founded by accomplished and world-renowned orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Alejandro Badia, in 2010. Prior to Dr. Badia opening the first OrthoNOW Urgent Care Center in Doral, Florida, he had taken advantage of one of the most common medical business opportunities: a general practice urgent care. His urgent care franchise focused on general internal medicine, but he wanted to specialize in orthopedic care. He continually saw a need for an orthopedic urgent care center when his patients with orthopedic needs would come see him long after they sustained their initial injury. Dr. Badia knew he had to do something to cut down on the time it takes for orthopedic injuries to be addressed, so he closed down his general urgent care franchise and opened the first OrthoNOW Center in 2010.

We are meeting with Sam Freeman, VP of Franchise Development at CARSTAR.  CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts delivers the highest quality body repair to drivers throughout North America, with more than 450 stores located throughout the United States and Canada.   Headquartered in Overland Park, KS, CARSTAR was founded in 1989 and has repaired more than three million vehicles since opening its doors. CARSTAR and its franchise network employs some 4,000 automotive professionals throughout the United States and Canada.  When you choose CARSTAR for your vehicle repair, you’re choosing North America’s largest network of body shop owners.  That means you get the national training, quality standards and resources of the network, along with the personal service and community involvement of our local owners.  What advice would we give to aspiring frantrepreneurs looking to buy a franchise?  You will hear a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We are meeting with founder of the In & Out Smart Repair franchise opportunity, John Mike Heroman.  Founded in 2012 in Lafayette, Louisiana, In & Out Smart Repair is a one-stop shop for all smart device needs that offers fast, same day service. The company goes beyond repair and offers personalized solutions depending on an individual’s needs and lifestyle, and all repairs are backed by a lifetime warranty. In & Out Smart Repair also offers a membership program to make repairs affordable to everyone. In & Out Smart Repair is a forward-thinking smart device repair startup on a mission to become the consumer electronics repair industry leader. The company is tapping into consumers’ dependency on technology and is seeing incredible demand for its services as a result. Just two years after launching its franchise program, In & Out Smart Repair has already signed 100 franchisees. Previously, John Mike was a phone salesman who sold iPhone 3Gs to customers, but was unable to repair them when they’d return with broken screens. This experience opened Heroman’s eyes to the hole in the consumer electronics industry for a dedicated smart device repair business, which he intends to fill with the In & Out Smart Repair brand.  John Mike will discuss:          His idea behind the In & Out Smart Repair franchise and why it fills a gap in the consumer electronics repair industry         How he attracted 100 franchisees in the first two years of franchising the company         Why In & Out Smart Repair is leading the charge in the consumer electronics repair industry and what makes its services unique.  In part 2, we hear a clip from our Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We are meeting with Lara Olson, founder of Kidcreate Studio.  Kidcreate Studio offers children’s art classes, camps and art-themed birthday parties which are made available for children ages 18 months through 12 years. Founder, Lara Olson, started Kidcreate Studio after being frustrated by the limited art exposure her children were receiving at school. She wanted to create an art studio designed just for kids that would combine quality art education with a kid-friendly environment.  As the leader in the underserved child art education industry, Kidcreate Studio offers attractive opportunities for business minded individuals looking to earn a successful living in an industry with strong consumer demand.   In part 2, we meet with franchise consultant Karol Mercurio to discuss the green arches.

We are meeting with Speaker, Writer and Educator Christy Wilson Delk.  After 17 years in corporate sales and distribution, Christy Wilson Delk decided to risk it all. In 1996, she sold her house and cashed out her 401K plan for the down payment on the $1.7 millions dollar SBA loan needed to buy and build a Kids R Kids Academy franchise in Orlando, Florida. Over the next 15 years, she expanded twice and grew her business into one of the largest franchises in her industry before exiting successfully in 2012. Now, an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Rollins College and contributing writer, Christy has turned her focus to helping others realize greater professional rewards through growing a successful business. In part 2 we play a clip from our Great Quotes in Franchising podcast with Lawrence Doc Cohen.

We have a great show today.  We are meeting with Angela Olea, the founder and CEO of Assisted Living Locators. Assisted Living Locators is a FREE SERVICE for seniors and their families. Their experienced, compassionate team of experts help you explore and understand elder care options, information, and resources...and use them to make life better for you and your loved one.  Angela's commitment to nursing began in 1989 in a Sub-Acute Nursing Facility and Alzheimer's Unit. Her compassion for seniors led her to a career of working in a variety of areas including Cardiovascular, Pain Management, Out-Patient Surgery, Hospice and Acute Care. Her experience provides a solid knowledge base for assessing individual needs and coordinating the most appropriate care. Angela's advanced training prepared her for interacting with seniors and their families as an expert Senior Advisor. Angela is proud of her team which consists of Nurses with 20+ years of experience, Former Assisted Living Administrator, Social Worker, and a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner.  In part two, we hear a clip from our Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We have a great show today.  We are meeting with Andrew Pudalov, Founder and CEO of Rush Bowls. Rush Bowls was launched in 2004, when founder, Andrew Pudalov, decided to leave the hustle and bustle of New York’s financial scene to pursue his dream of creating a healthy, fast-dining restaurant that fueled people’s lives with honest ingredients and delicious recipes. As a result, Rush Bowls was born in Boulder, Colorado, offering meals crafted from the finest fruit, topped with granola & honey, and blended with protein, vitamins and other nutritious ingredients that taste delicious while promoting a healthy lifestyle. Over the past decade, Rush Bowls has cultivated a loyal following and developed a successful business model by perfecting menu items, processes, vendor relationships and marketing practices. During that time, Andrew had received hundreds of inquiries about franchise opportunities, but he chose to stay focused on fine-tuning the Rush Bowls’ concept… until now. In part two we will play a clip from our Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We are meeting with Bin There Dump That, a North American dumpster rental franchise.  The concept was born in suburban Toronto when Mark Crossett, a working general contractor, was seeking a better way to get rid of construction waste from kitchen and bath renovations. He got a truck with a hook/lift assembly attached to the back and had a steel-fabricating company build him four dumpster bins that were smaller than those typically used in driveways at that time. He christened the fledgling disposal business as Bin There Dump That and instantly began getting attention from people pulling alongside his trucks in traffic, as well as chuckles from the audience when he was introduced at Chamber of Commerce meetings or other business-centric functions. GROWTH: Bin There Dump That has officially reached the 100th franchise mark. Reaching the 100-unit mark is an achievement that many of today’s franchises don’t achieve. In fact, less than 20% of all franchised companies reach the 100 franchise mark. In the past ten years alone, fewer than 90 franchises have exceeded 100 units – 75% of them fail between 50-100 units (Frandata).  The company has implemented several new initiatives to ensure long-term development for its franchise network, including updating its playbook for best executing the business model as well as new digital marketing strategies for all budgets and operation sizes. Founder/Owner Mark Crossett and COO John Ferracuti share more about the company’s founding, decision to franchise, any challenges or unique stories since it began franchising, celebration of its 100th franchise unit, growth strategies and expansion.  In part 2, we hear a clip from our Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

Hollywood And Franchising Over the years, there have been some interesting franchises based on television shows and movies.  Today we are going to hear from three that made the list.  The movies and shows include Forrest Gump (Bubba Gump Shrimp), Coyote Ugly and Sunset Tan.  In our final segment, we hear a new clip from our Great Quotes in Franchising podcast called Meet The Parents.  Listen to the full packed show on Hollywood and Franchising!