
I Fired My Boss - A Franchise Podcast
Welcome to the I Fired My Boss Franchise Podcast, formerly known as the Franchise Founders Podcast. Hosted by Dan Claps, founder and CEO of Franchise Playbook—a platform that creates, owns, and operates dynamic franchise brands in the mobile services space—this show is dedicated to helping people like you fire your boss and take control of your future through business ownership. Dan’s mission is to empower aspiring entrepreneurs to hire themselves and live the American dream through franchise opportunities.
Latest episodes

Mar 10, 2023 • 53min
Every Franchise Hero Needs A Franchise Sidekick - Dan Claps, Christian Dadulak
In this episode, Dan speaks with Ryan Zink, one of the most esteemed minds in all of franchising. Ryan shares about his massive homerun success story with the company he co-founded called Franchise Fastlane, arguably the #1 Franchise Sales Organization (FSO) in all of franchising. Now that he has exited from Franchise Fastlane, he's on to his next venture in franchising. Ryan, because of his passion for helping people achieve the dream of business ownership, founded Franchise Sidekick, an already leading franchise consulting firm. Tune in to learn more about the "why" behind Franchise Sidekick and the depth of Ryan's commitment to helping people become the heroes of their story as new franchisees. Welcome to the Franchise Founders Podcast. We are on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs just like you take action through franchise ownership allowing you to obtain more financial freedom, time with family, and ultimately, a business that can run on its own without you.Dan Claps has co-founded several franchise development firms and currently runs Franchise Playbook. Christian Dadulak is a successful Franchise Consultant and runs his independent Franchise Consulting business, Real Franchising. Franchise Founders is a huge supporter of the International Franchise Association (IFA). If you are a fan of franchising and have an interest in joining the franchise community, the IFA is a great place to start! Learn more here: https://www.franchise.org/about-us

Mar 8, 2023 • 30min
Making A DEEP Impact With Impact Brands - Dan Claps, Christian Dadulak
In this episode, Dan and Christian discuss how Impact Brands impact entrepreneurs’ lives by creating an easier path to success through guidance, mentorship, and capital. Ashly Ioza, a Strategic Advisor with Impact Brands, shares how they partner closely with portfolio companies to build more efficient enterprises with the tools and infrastructure to scale quickly and responsibly. Having worked alongside 50+ franchise brands in a broad spectrum of areas including franchise sales, developing and implementing marketing and lead gen strategies, and driving operational efficiencies, Ashly has a TON of value that she shares in this episode to help emerging franchisors win in franchising. Tune in to learn more about why it could make sense for franchisors to partner with Impact Brands. Even if you're a franchisee or prospective franchisee, this episode will be helpful to understand the franchisor perspective and challenges to a much greater degree.Welcome to the Franchise Founders Podcast. We are on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs just like you take action through franchise ownership allowing you to obtain more financial freedom, time with family, and ultimately, a business that can run on its own without you.Dan Claps has co-founded several franchise development firms and currently runs Franchise Playbook. Christian Dadulak is a successful Franchise Consultant and runs his independent Franchise Consulting business, Real Franchising. Franchise Founders is a huge supporter of the International Franchise Association (IFA). If you are a fan of franchising and have an interest in joining the franchise community, the IFA is a great place to start! Learn more here: https://www.franchise.org/about-us

Mar 1, 2023 • 49min
How To Become A Business Titan - Dan Claps, Christian Dadulak
In this episode Christian and Dan go DEEP with a MASSIVE non-franchise group. If you want to learn how to navigate business partnerships successfully, learn how to scale FAST then you NEED to tune in. GR8FL Company is a green energy management company providing a one-stop-shop for renewable energy solutions. Boomer Mueller, Tyler Tashiro, and Kota Ivers and the young leaders behind this incredible new brand. GR8FL is dedicated to improving the economics of communities through renewable energy assets, all while ensuring the future is built on a foundation of integrity, by leading with integrity.Welcome to the Franchise Founders Podcast. We are on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs just like you take action through franchise ownership allowing you to obtain more financial freedom, time with family, and ultimately, a business that can run on its own without you.Dan Claps has co-founded several franchise development firms and currently runs Franchise Playbook. Christian Dadulak is a successful Franchise Consultant and runs his independent Franchise Consulting business, The Franchise Guys. Franchise Founders is a huge supporter of the International Franchise Association (IFA). If you are a fan of franchising and have an interest in joining the franchise community, the IFA is a great place to start! Learn more here: https://www.franchise.org/about-us

Feb 24, 2023 • 44min
Pulling Through The Pandemic as a New Franchisee in an Emerging Franchise: Prospering with Perspire Sauna - Dan Claps, Christian Dadulak
There's already plenty of healthy fear and anxiety when buying a franchise, regardless of the economic or political climate. While franchising provides a better, more predictable way for would-be entrepreneurs to get into business, it's not foolproof, and not every franchise is created equal. Now, imagine being one of the FIRST franchisees in an emerging brand several states away from the original tried-and-true location... and right before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is Ashley's story. In this episode, we get into the good, the bad, and the ugly of starting a franchise right before the start of the pandemic and what she had to do, both mentally and in her business. She came out the other side to not only surviving, but thriving. Tune into this episode to learn how Ashley and her husband partnered with Perspire Sauna Studios to bring the benefits of infrared saunas to communities in a friendly, comfortable, spa-like atmosphere... as well as how she persevered during extremely tough times. Welcome to the Franchise Founders Podcast. We are on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs just like you take action through franchise ownership allowing you to obtain more financial freedom, time with family, and ultimately, a business that can run on its own without you.Dan Claps has co-founded several franchise development firms and currently runs Franchise Playbook. Christian Dadulak is a successful Franchise Consultant and runs his independent Franchise Consulting business, The Franchise Guys. Franchise Founders is a huge supporter of the International Franchise Association (IFA). If you are a fan of franchising and have an interest in joining the franchise community, the IFA is a great place to start! Learn more here: https://www.franchise.org/about-us

Feb 22, 2023 • 34min
Avoiding Legal Landmines in Franchising
Today, we live in a highly litigious society where it's important for both consumers and businesses to protect themselves. Franchising is no exception, which is why we we're proud to welcome Charles Internicola of the Internicola Law Firm. The Internicola Law Firm is a national franchise law firm that provides boutique-level legal, franchise development, and strategic advisory services. In this episode, Charles dives into some of the most common legal traps in franchising and how to avoid them. Whether you're a franchisor or a potential franchisee, Charles and the Internicola Law Firm can help you get into franchising, and STAY in franchising, smartly. Tune in to this episode to learn from one of the greatest legal minds in franchising about how to win in this industry with as little legal headache as possible.Welcome to the Franchise Founders Podcast. We are on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs just like you take action through franchise ownership allowing you to obtain more financial freedom, time with family, and ultimately, a business that can run on its own without you.Dan Claps has co-founded several franchise development firms and currently runs Franchise Playbook. Christian Dadulak is a successful Franchise Consultant and runs his independent Franchise Consulting business, The Franchise Guys. Franchise Founders is a huge supporter of the International Franchise Association (IFA). If you are a fan of franchising and have an interest in joining the franchise community, the IFA is a great place to start! Learn more here: https://www.franchise.org/about-us

Feb 17, 2023 • 51min
Launching The Next Big Thing In Franchising...From Scratch
There's a lot involved in launching a new franchise brand. From finding the right business to franchise, consulting with attorneys, building the right leadership team, putting together a franchise development strategy, and beyond, it's a lot of work! Aaron Harper, the CEO of Rolling Suds, has a fresh perspective on this, having just gone through this process. In this episode, Aaron and Dan, who is ALSO going through the same process of building a franchise incubator, discuss how they select the right business to acquire as a franchise, how passionate they are about making a huge difference in the lives of their franchisees, and how they plan on scaling as a franchisor from ZERO to HUNDREDS of franchisees. Tune in to learn about how to grow a successful franchise system from scratch.Welcome to the Franchise Founders Podcast. We are on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs just like you take action through franchise ownership allowing you to obtain more financial freedom, time with family, and ultimately, a business that can run on its own without you.Dan Claps has co-founded several franchise development firms and currently runs Franchise Playbook. Christian Dadulak is a successful Franchise Consultant and runs his independent Franchise Consulting business, The Franchise Guys. Franchise Founders is a huge supporter of the International Franchise Association (IFA). If you are a fan of franchising and have an interest in joining the franchise community, the IFA is a great place to start! Learn more here: https://www.franchise.org/about-us

Feb 15, 2023 • 38min
Why The International Franchise Association Matters
As the world's largest membership organization for franchisors, franchisees and franchise suppliers, the International Franchise Association (IFA) provides industry-leading events, advocacy, education and growth opportunities to the franchise community. In this episode, Matt Haller, the President of the IFA, explains what the IFA is, what it does, and how it's an important advocate for the franchise community. We get into proposed franchise regulatory issues for both franchisors and franchisees to be aware of, as well as the upcoming annual IFA convention in Las Vegas and so much more. Tune in to this episode to learn more about the important work the IFA is doing and why it's important to engage with the organization. Welcome to the Franchise Founders Podcast. We are on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs just like you take action through franchise ownership allowing you to obtain more financial freedom, time with family, and ultimately, a business that can run on its own without you.Dan Claps has co-founded several franchise development firms and currently runs Franchise Playbook. Christian Dadulak is a successful Franchise Consultant and runs his independent Franchise Consulting business, The Franchise Guys. Franchise Founders is a huge supporter of the International Franchise Association (IFA). If you are a fan of franchising and have an interest in joining the franchise community, the IFA is a great place to start! Learn more here: https://www.franchise.org/about-us

Feb 10, 2023 • 34min
Disrupting the Franchise Insurance Game
Ever had an "aha" moment? Wade Millward, Founder of Rikor, had a BIG "aha" moment where he realized he could solve a 30-year old insurance industry problem. After learning every aspect of the franchisee/franchisor business model, he found a BIG hidden risk exposure. Franchisors are “vicariously” liable for 𝗔𝗟𝗟 the operations of their franchisees. So, to mitigate this risk, franchisors will collect certificates of insurance (COI). The problem?Certificates of insurance are practically worthless! COI's are not contracts, provide no guarantees, can be easily manipulated, and offer no rights to the franchisor. The possibility of a claim landing in the franchisor’s lap is very real and potentially 𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰. Rikor was born to create a modern, technology driven solution to this antiquated COI system. The result is a fully integrated platform providing franchisors with a real-time pulse on their franchisees’ insurance. This means no more PDF's, no more spreadsheets, and no more uncertainty of risk. The power of the Rikor platform also allows franchisors to leverage the collective buying power of the franchise system to lower insurance costs. Tune into this episode to learn how Rikor can help mitigate a massive risk as a franchisor! Welcome to the Franchise Founders Podcast. We are on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs just like you take action through franchise ownership allowing you to obtain more financial freedom, time with family, and ultimately, a business that can run on its own without you.Dan Claps has co-founded several franchise development firms and currently runs Franchise Playbook. Christian Dadulak is a successful Franchise Consultant and runs his independent Franchise Consulting business, The Franchise Guys. Franchise Founders is a huge supporter of the International Franchise Association (IFA). If you are a fan of franchising and have an interest in joining the franchise community, the IFA is a great place to start! Learn more here: https://www.franchise.org/about-us

Feb 8, 2023 • 36min
From Pharmaceutical Sales Rep to Franchisee
After losing his Pharmaceutical sales job to a failed startup company, Kelley Gallagher realized that he had to take control over his own destiny to provide for his family. Kelley applied to job after job but wasn't getting much, if any, traction.Taking matters into his own hands, Kelley started his photography business as an attempt at self-rescue, weeks before the country shut down due to COVID-19. In 2021, KB Media Group, Inc. shot over $1 billion worth of real estate listings. His success in the real estate space came with lots of strong connections and the identification of a need many homes face as they're prepared for sale, namely carpet-cleaning. So Kelley started looking into carpet-cleaning franchises to buy as a way to leverage his existing real estate relationships. In this episode, Kelley explains why he chose ChemDry, what his day-to-day looks like, and what it takes to win as a franchisee. Welcome to the Franchise Founders Podcast. We are on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs just like you take action through franchise ownership allowing you to obtain more financial freedom, time with family, and ultimately, a business that can run on its own without you.Dan Claps has co-founded several franchise development firms and currently runs Franchise Playbook. Christian Dadulak is a successful Franchise Consultant and runs his independent Franchise Consulting business, The Franchise Guys. Franchise Founders is a huge supporter of the International Franchise Association (IFA). If you are a fan of franchising and have an interest in joining the franchise community, the IFA is a great place to start! Learn more here: https://www.franchise.org/about-us

Feb 1, 2023 • 44min
The Secret Formula to Buildin' a Bloomin' Family Business
Kelsey is a second-generation window covering professional with personal experience for nearly 20 years, both in the field as well as in franchise leadership. As the CEO of Bloomin' Blinds, Kelsey is passionate about the strategic growth and scaling of each franchise business and creating a culture of raving fans. Kelsey leads the corporate franchise team as the example, rather than the exception, and takes pride in a team that interacts like family. And Bloomin' Blinds, one of the fastest growing blind companies in the United States, is the definition of a family based and family-centered business. Along with his 3 brothers, Kelsey runs this window treatment company that they took over from their mother who started this business back on September 11, 2001 - yes, the same day as the infamous and terrible hijackings. Tune in to learn more about how this family came together to build one of the most impressive and fastest growing window treatment companies in the USA, as well as how to navigate running a business with family...without stepping on each other's toes. Welcome to the Franchise Founders Podcast. We are on a mission to help aspiring entrepreneurs just like you take action through franchise ownership allowing you to obtain more financial freedom, time with family, and ultimately, a business that can run on its own without you.Dan Claps has co-founded several franchise development firms and currently runs Franchise Playbook. Christian Dadulak is a successful Franchise Consultant and runs his independent Franchise Consulting business, The Franchise Guys. Franchise Founders is a huge supporter of the International Franchise Association (IFA). If you are a fan of franchising and have an interest in joining the franchise community, the IFA is a great place to start! Learn more here: https://www.franchise.org/about-us