Franchise Today

How Tim Vogel Created an Entirely New Franchise Category What if an entire industry has been solving the wrong problem? That's the question Tim Vogel eventually asked after spending nearly a decade in the pet grooming business. Traditional grooming helps dogs look better. Tim believed though, that there was an even greater opportunity to help them feel better and live longer, healthier lives....

Franchising has a funny way of finding people who never went looking for it. Samantha Musonda was finishing her psychology degree at Temple University when her dance-team coach suggested a part-time job teaching gymnastics at a nearby, "The Little Gym." Samantha started by teaching classes and running birthday parties. It was supposed to be a stopgap before beginning a career, but that&#...

What happens after an entrepreneur builds the company, scales it and ultimately lets it go? For Shelly Sun Berkowitz, the answer is, "another chapter of purpose." Shelly founded BrightStar Care in 2002 after her own family struggled to find comprehensive care for her grandmother. She began franchising the concept in 2005 and went on to build one of the most recognized brands in home heal...

Amanda Duplantis didn't set out to build a career in franchising. At 21, armed with a biology degree and uncertain about what came next, she moved from Louisiana to Colorado and joined LearningRx at the ground level, working for a multi-unit franchisee. What began as a first job became a 16-year education in franchising, as Amanda advanced through virtually every level of the organization, ult...

One year ago, Magnolia Bakery was just beginning the next chapter of its extraordinary story: bringing one of America’s most recognizable bakery brands to U.S. franchising. This week on Franchise Today, I revisit my conversation with Bobbie Lloyd and Jason Mattes of Magnolia Bakery — but with an important update. Since our original interview, Magnolia has onboarded 19 new franchise owners represen...

An Encore for This Moment: Shirin Behzadi and The Unexpected CEO With Iran once again commanding attention around the world, this felt like the right time to revisit one of the most remarkable personal stories shared on Franchise Today last year. Shirin Behzadi was born and raised in Iran before the 1979 revolution changed everything. As a young girl, she witnessed upheaval, lost the sense of safe...

Sometimes the future has a funny way of bringing you back to things all began. This week on Franchise Today , Jeff Dudan, Chairman and CEO of Homefront Brands returns for a conversation that truly takes us Back to the Future . Jeff's franchising story traces back to the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. That experience ultimately led him to found AdvantaClean, and build it into a national...

How do you transform one of the world's most fragmented service industries into a scalable global franchise? This week on Franchise Today , Stan Friedman welcomes Nic Brill , Global CEO of Poolwerx , whose journey from paper sales in South Africa to leading the world's largest pool service franchise is anything but conventional. Nic shares how a passion for branding, franchising, and ultim...

Leading with Trust: Michelle Monroe Rowan and the Evolution of Franchise Business Review. Few people set out to build a career in franchising. Michelle Monroe Rowan is proof that sometimes the best careers find you. Michelle joined Franchise Business Review more than 21 years ago as the company's first full-time employee. Today, as President and COO, she has helped shape one of franchising&#39...

What makes a franchise system durable enough to grow through recessions, COVID, supply-chain disruption and technological change? Kim Gubera believes it begins with relationships, strong foundations and franchise owners who are genuinely invested in their local businesses. This week on Franchise Today , Stan Friedman welcomes Kim Gubera, President and CEO of PIRTEK USA and Canada . Kim brings 26 y...

What separates thriving franchise systems from those constantly battling conflict? According to Steve Whiteside, it isn't better contracts. It isn't more operations manuals. And it certainly isn't more rules. It's relationships. This week on Franchise Today , Stan Friedman welcomes Steve Whiteside—author of the bestselling book The Happy Franchisee , founder of the Franchise Leader...

What happens when franchisees become owners of the very brand they believed in? In this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedman welcomes Ashley Morris, CEO of Capriotti's Sandwich Shop , whose journey began not in the corporate office, but behind the counter as a Capriotti's franchisee. After experiencing the brand's potential firsthand, Ashley and his partners made the bold decisio...

What happens when your first business collapses and leaves you deeply in debt? For Tom Spadea, it became the foundation for everything that followed. In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman welcomes Tom Spadea, co-founder of Spadea Lignana , one of franchising's most respected law firms. Tom's journey began in a family machine shop business before launching a radio transmitter manufactur...

What happens when a franchisor executive becomes a franchise operator? Everything changes. In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman welcomes Heather Leed Neary, President and CEO of Taco John's, for a candid conversation about franchising, restaurant leadership, labor challenges, operational simplicity, and what she learned after moving from corporate leadership into the franchisee wo...

Ask Adam Sutton, “what matters more, your number ofunits or the numbers that your units produce?" Hands down, he will tell you, "it's the latter."  In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman welcomesAdam Sutton, CEO of DX3 Brands and RNR Tire Express, for a conversation about servant leadership, franchise growth, multi-brand expansion and building, businesses that genuine...

What if the greatest threat to your franchise concept isn't competition...but irrelevance? In Part 2 of Stan Friedman's conversation with Batteries Plus Chief Development Officer Joe Malmuth, the discussion shifts from franchise development to franchise survival. Joe argues that many franchise systems are facing a future they aren't prepared for. As AI changes how consumers discover br...

What happens when franchising keeps using playbooks written for a completely different generation? In this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedman welcomes Joe Malmuth, Chief Development Officer at Batteries Plus, for a fascinating conversation about AI, franchise development, generational change, and why the future of franchising belongs to brands willing to rethink it all. Joe’s path into fra...

What if your franchise system is already sitting on millions of dollars in hidden revenue… and you just haven’t unlocked it yet? In this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedman welcomes back David Owasi, CEO of Outreach Genius, for one of the most practical and eye-opening conversations yet about AI, franchise growth, and dormant lead recovery. Forget the hype. This conversation is about what A...

What does it really take to build a franchise brand that scales? In this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedman sits down with Nick Vojnovic, CEO of Little Greek Fresh Grill, to explore the fundamentals of sustainable franchise growth. Nick brings a rare perspective to franchising—having worked as an operator, executive, and investor across multiple brands. That experience has shaped his belie...

In this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedman sits down with Jeff Helfgott, CEO of Boardroom Salon for Men, to explore a leadership philosophy grounded in integrity, partnership, and disciplined growth. Jeff’s journey into franchising wasn’t planned. From ROTC to an MBA and a career at McKinsey, he found his way into the industry through Planet Fitness—first as a franchisee, then on the franc...

What does it take to build a franchise brand from scratch—and what does it feel like to be part of that journey? In this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedman sits down with Matt Friedman, founder of Wing Zone, for a deeply personal and insightful conversation. Stan shares his own connection to the brand—having spent four of the most meaningful years of his career as a partner in Wing Zone—be...

What does it really take to scale a franchise system without losing control? In this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedman speaks with Michael Haith, CEO of Teriyaki Madness, about building a franchise brand through discipline, infrastructure, and relentless execution. From his early days as a franchisee to helping grow Maui Waui to hundreds of units, and ultimately acquiring Teriyaki Madness...

The pet services industry continues to experience strong growth, driven by consumers who increasingly view pets as members of the family. In this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedman speaks with Ricardo Azevedo, CEO of Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, about building a franchise brand in one of the most resilient and relationship-driven sectors in franchising. Ricardo shares how Woof Gang has...

After nearly four decades in the automotive aftermarket industry, Thomas A. Wolfe understands what it takes to keep a legacy brand relevant. Now, President and CEO of Ziebart International, Wolfe’s journey began in 1986 working in the Ziebart mailroom and working in the warehouse while attending college — a humble start that ultimately evolved into leading one of the most recognized automotive ser...

What happens when a franchise system stalls — and how do you get it moving again? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman speaks with Mike Mushinski, President of Garage Experts. Mike joined the brand in 2024 to rebuild operations and restore momentum to a growing garage flooring and storage franchise. Mike shares why most franchise problems originate in recruitment rather than operation...