Franchise Frontier

After 25 years in corporate technology, Eric Labourdette made a decision that would change his career: he became a franchise owner. Today, Eric owns Groovy Hues in Scottsdale, Arizona, and his journey into entrepreneurship has taught him lessons he never expected. In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Eric joins Dave Kimura to share what it's really like to leave corporate America, bu...

What happens when you build a business, start finding success, and suddenly have to leave it for nine months? For Nick Whitehead, owner of Mighty Dog Roofing of Western Montana, that wasn't a hypothetical question. After transitioning from a successful tool sales franchise into the roofing industry, Nick set out to build something bigger than himself. Then came an unexpected challenge: deployment...

Jeff spent years building teams and helping companies improve. But after experiencing layoffs and eventually having a position eliminated after helping turn a company around, something changed. Liz was on the other side. When I asked if she ever pictured herself as an entrepreneur, her answer was simple: "Never. Like never." That's what makes their story interesting. One was ready to go. One was t...

What does franchise ownership look like before the doors even open? In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave Kimura sits down with Josh Powell during a stage of the ownership journey we don't often get to capture: right after making the decision and while going through onboarding. Josh didn't jump into business ownership on impulse. He researched roughly 20 home-service businesses,...

What happens when you leave one of the world's biggest companies to build a business of your own? In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave Kimura sits down with Drew Russ, owner of Stand Strong Fencing of Charlotte, to discuss his journey from a decade at Amazon Web Services to becoming a first-time business owner. Drew shares the realities of entrepreneurship that most people never...

What separates a good franchise from a great one? In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave sits down with Jeremy Morgan, CEO of Groovy Hues Painting, to discuss how the brand has evolved from an emerging franchise into one of the fastest-growing concepts in the home services industry. Jeremy shares how Groovy Hues has transformed its technology stack, embraced AI, reinvented franchi...

Thinking about owning a business? This episode is a masterclass in what really happens after you make the leap. Jeff Novak, owner of Gatsby Glass of Scottsdale, shares his journey from a successful software sales career to building one of the fastest-growing Gatsby Glass locations in the country. He opens up about the realities of startup life, hiring, leadership, customer experience, building cul...

What happens when you stop building someone else's dream and start building your own? In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave sits down with Wyatt Bigley, owner of Bumble Bee Blinds of Montclair, New Jersey, to discuss what it's really like to leave a successful corporate career and launch your first business. Wyatt shares the mindset behind making the leap, why he chose franchisin...

What happens when you leave a successful corporate career to build a business from scratch? In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave sits down with Carl Steinmann, owner of Varsity Zone HVAC in Mooresville, to discuss the realities of entrepreneurship, building a team, and why business ownership is far from passive. Carl shares his journey from corporate leadership and print sales t...

What happens when you stop looking for a backup plan and fully commit? In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave sits down with Michael Glassman, owner of iFoam of Southeast Denver, to discuss the realities of entrepreneurship, betting on yourself, and building a business in the skilled trades. Michael shares his journey from what some consider "stable or safe"jobs, to founding and e...

What if the biggest lie about business ownership… is that it's passive? In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave sits down with Trevor Rapoli, owner of Franchise Filming, to unpack the real highs, lows, risks, and rewards of building a business. From filming weddings as a teenager to building a storytelling company in the franchise space, Trevor shares a brutally honest look at entr...

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave sits down with Gina Harreld, Senior Director of Learning and Business Growth at BNI, to break down how networking—when done right—can become your most powerful growth engine. From building a $10B brand on word-of-mouth to helping entrepreneurs scale globally, Gina shares how BNI transforms simple connections into consistent revenue, trusted r...

You think lawn care is simple… until you actually run the business. In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave sits down with Zac Lowder, owner of Heroes Lawn Care of The Woodlands, to break down what it really takes to build a service-based business from the ground up. From scaling a startup to $300M in revenue to launching a franchise in his own community, Zac shares the real lesson...

Is business ownership really passive… or is that just what people want to believe?   In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave sits down with JT and Michelle Thompson,owners of Stand Strong Fencing in San Antonio to break down the real truth behind building and scaling multiple businesses.   From military service to real estate, retail, and now home services, JT and Michelle share th...

What happens when you decide to reinvent yourself… instead of slowing down?   In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave sits down with Cheryl Alker, owner of Blingle Premier Lighting of Fort Myers, Florida, to unpack her journey from lifelong entrepreneur to building a thriving home services business later in life.   Cheryl shares what it really takes to start and grow a business fro...

What if you didn't have to start your business by knocking on doors… because those doors were already open?   In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave Kimura sits down with Derek Witt, President of Strategic Partnerships at HorsePower Brands, to break down one of the most overlooked advantages in franchising—access. They unpack what strategic partnerships really are, why they create...

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave Kimura sits down with Chris Jenkins, owner of Stand Strong Fencing in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Chris shares the unexpected path that led him from a 20-year career in oil and gas engineering into franchise ownership after the industry downturn in 2020. What started as curiosity about business ownership turned into launching and...

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave Kimura sits down with Jeffrey Sweatt, owner of Bumble Bee Blinds of Birmingham, to talk about the moment he decided to leave corporate media behind and step into business ownership.   After two decades in television and digital advertising, Jeff reached a turning point. Corporate consolidation, lack of control, and the desire to build somethi...

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave Kimura sits down with Kelli Katzman and Chelsea Turner, owners of Blingle of Central Texas. From pharmaceutical sales to outdoor lighting entrepreneurs, they share what it really takes to leave a stable W-2 career, navigate funding challenges, survive their first chaotic holiday season, and build a brand that wins "Best of Liberty Hill" in ye...

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dave Kimura sits down with Jonathan Watts, owner of Bumble Bee Blinds of Fleming Island, to unpack his journey from corporate equipment sales to full-time business ownership.

On this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, host Dave Kimura speaks with Tim Disbrow, owner of Varsity Zone HVAC of North Phoenix, Arizona, chose franchise ownership because he wanted to build a business that leaned into his strengths.  

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Dwight Dunmire, owner of Stand Strong Fencing of Fort Myers, Florida, shares how his background in home development, operating multiple dealerships, and a deep understanding of marketing helped him build momentum fast in the fencing industry.

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Josh Stewart, owner of Mighty Dog Roofing of Bentonville, Arkansas, shares the honest story of his transition from chemical engineer to business owner.

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Michelle Blomberg shares her incredible journey from taking over her parents' company to becoming an industry leader, shaping culture, developing leaders, and planning a powerful exit strategy.

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, we sit down with Wyatt Henton, owner of Mighty Dog Roofing of Kansas City, who talks about why decided to invest into a roofing company franchise over big names like McDonald's and others.