Franchise Empires
The Wolf, A Workweek Friend
Most startups are doomed to fail. But there’s an alternative route to financial freedom for hungry entrepreneurs. One that involves far less risk, far more work-life balance, and just as much profit. Franchises. Franchise Empires gives aspiring franchise owners the playbook to build a multi-unit franchise empire of their own. Every episode we hear from guests who are building their franchise empire: Franchisees who started with one unit and aren’t stopping until they get to dozens, hundreds, or even thousands more locations. Hosted by The Wolf, you’ll hear exactly how to turn your ambition into tangible actions and take your first steps up the franchise ladder. We’ll break down the steps you need to take open your first franchise, your second location and beyond, along with the many pitfalls to avoid. Wolf answers all your questions about owning and running your franchise, and interviews guests with first hand experience like Greg Flynn, the multi-billion dollar restaurant franchisee, Jamie Weeks, the largest OrangeTheory franchisee in the world who’s launching his own fitness franchise SweatHouz, and Jason McGowan, Co-founder and CEO of Crumbl cookies. Want to get started on your franchise owning journey? Tune in every Tuesday for a new episode. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.Interested in participating as a guest at Franchise Empires? Submit your request here!
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 28, 2023 • 43min
S4 Ep8: How A Side Hustle Led To 300+ Restaurants, Hotels and Hardware Stores.
How does a side hustle wind up in the Franchise Times top 25 multi-unit operators? By creating a model that can be scaled and repeated endlessly.Al Bhakta is Principal at CMG Companies, working with brands including Taco Bell, KFC, Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Genghis Grill, Sonic, and Rent-A-Center - to name a few. With more than 300 restaurants, 90+ retail units and 8 hotels, this group of six founding partners have come a long way since their college days.The Wolf and Al, get into why the basics matter when it comes to creating culture in food outlets, why wearing every hat as an operator gives you the view from the shop floor, and the secret sauce that’s allowed CMG Companies to transform failing franchise units time and time again.Plus you’ll hear the strategy that allows Al and the team to operate successfully across more than 20 states.Description:Follow Al:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albhakta/If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!Check out The Wolf’s newsletterStay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
Feb 21, 2023 • 51min
S4 Ep7: How To Choose The Right Franchise And Play The Long Game
There’s no one way to get into franchising, but plenty of pitfalls.Dru Capenito is the Founder of Franchise Investment Systems, helping potential owners evaluate high-quality non-food franchises.The Wolf and Dru talk through how getting the right foundation in place will stop you making terrible business decisions, why you need a business model that fits your life, and why the world of franchise brokership can be like the Wild, Wild, West.Plus you’ll also hear Dru’s inside track on the info you need to identify a good business opportunity.Follow Dru:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drucarpenito/If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!Check out The Wolf’s newsletterStay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
Feb 14, 2023 • 41min
S4 Ep6: Blo Blow Dry Bar: How To Open 100+ Units Sustainably
What’s the sweet spot of rapid growth and long-term sustainability?Meet Vanessa Melman Yakobson, the franchise owner with the secret sauce to success.Vanessa is CEO and Partner of Blo, Blow Dry. Bar. This North American franchise has already opened 100 units and is set to open 50 more in the next couple of years.The Wolf and Vanessa get into how growing responsibly means longevity, especially during turbulent economic times, the recipe book that sets franchisees up for success, and how outside backing is helping grow Blo’s sister beauty brands.Follow Vanessa:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-melman-yakobson-34b7343/If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!Check out The Wolf’s newsletterStay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
Feb 7, 2023 • 1h 1min
S4 Ep5: BODY20: The Health Franchise CEO Who Fixed His Own Problems
Physically burnt out in his early 30s, Gregory Breitbart found a solution so effective, he knew he wanted to run it as a business.Greg is CEO of BODY20, the fitness franchise utilizing whole body Electro-muscle stimulation to condense 2 hours in the gym down to 20 minutes.The Wolf and Greg discuss Greg’s enduring business partnership with his father, how a ‘weekend warrior’ lifestyle caused more problems than it solved, and Greg’s ambitious plans to have at least 100 BODY20 franchises open by the end of 2023.Follow Gregory:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbreitbart/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregbreitbartIf you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!Check out The Wolf’s newsletterStay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
Jan 31, 2023 • 30min
S4 Ep4: How Central Bark is Taking Its Share Of The $100 Billion Pet Industry
How do you take an established pet franchise and move it to the next level? CEO Bob Crawford reveals the secret sauce to how he’s scaling Central Bark.Central Bark is the daycare facility that specializes in science-backed enrichment and socialization for your best friend. This 25-year-old franchise has 35 locations in 12 states and ambitious plans for growth.The Wolf and Bob discuss why franchise founders need a partner who’s philosophically and professionally aligned to their growth goals, why Bob believes there’s plenty of the pet franchise business to go around, and how he plans to introduce a multi-unit focus with operators.Follow Bob:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertwcrawford3/If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!Check out The Wolf’s newsletterStay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
Jan 24, 2023 • 45min
S4 Ep3: How To Launch A Cookie Franchise When You Don’t Bake
The secret ingredient to creating your own cookie franchise? People. Adam August opens the playbook to his fast-growing cookie empire.Adam is the Co-founder of Blueprint Cookies, the business he set up with Nick Hicks in 2019. The company has grown from one to three stores in three years and has ambitious plans to scale.The Wolf and Adam get into why investing in your employees is the best choice you’ll make, how Adam gets shit done, and some expert advice for anyone looking to start a franchise.Follow Adam:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamaugust/If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!Check out The Wolf’s newsletterStay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
Jan 17, 2023 • 40min
S4 Ep2: OHM Fitness: How To Build A Fitness Empire In A Crowded Market Place
The podcast explores the experiences of Joshua Coba and Douglas Payne in the franchising industry, including owning over 1,000 European Wax Center units. They discuss the excitement of starting a business, carving out a niche in a crowded market, and differentiating in the boutique fitness industry with EMS technology. They also share their journey of discovering EMS technology, launching their brand Ohm Fitness, and selling franchises through the area rep model.
Jan 10, 2023 • 42min
S4 Ep1: The Secret To Owning More Than 100 Wingstops and Little Caesars
Welcome to season 4 of Franchise Empires. Meet the owner of 29 Wingstops and 79 Little Caesars, following in the family footsteps.Shalin Patel is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Vibe Restaurants, who opened their first restaurant back in 2005. It has since grown to become one of the largest franchisees of Little Caesars and now operates across 11 states.The Wolf and Shalin sit down to talk about the need to scale and not just ‘buy your own job’, why goal setting can and should change, and some of Shalin’s personal and professional highlights as a franchise owner.You’ll also hear how Shalin got into franchising, inspired by his dad’s career.Follow Shalin:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shalin-patel-42a6431a7If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!Check out The Wolf’s newsletterStay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
Dec 13, 2022 • 1h 5min
S3 Ep12: The #1 OrangeTheory Owner Just Launched His Own Franchise
Jamie Weeks loves life, he also loves business. Being a franchisor has allowed him to have it all and he’s ready to share how.He is Executive Chairman and Founder of Honors Holdings, the largest franchisee for OrangeTheory Fitness studios across the globe, Executive Chairman and Founder of Legacy Franchise Concepts, a Dogtopia Franchisee and Franchisor for SweatHouz Infrared Sauna Studios. The Wolf and Jamie get into why he was the perfect age to get into franchising, why he works for his team (not the other way around), and why it’s harder to scale from 3 to 12, than 12 to 48.Follow Jamie:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jamie-weeks-712543221If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!Check out The Wolf’s newsletterStay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
Dec 6, 2022 • 45min
S3 Ep11: GoDog: The Father-And-Son Behind The Pet Daycare Franchise
Ben Eberdt is the successful musician turned franchise owner. He and dad, Jess, are taking over the dog daycare space. Find out how.GoDog is the daycare and boarding service that offers pet parents state-of-the-art, fun and hygienic care for their family members.The Wolf gets into conversation with Co-founder and President Ben, who talks about treating your band like a business, embedding customers into the GoDog ecosystem, and why finding the right investment partners is well worth holding out for.If you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!Check out The Wolf’s newsletterStay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
