Franchise Frontier

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.

Eric Schechterman with FranFund joins the Franchise Frontier Podcast to break down franchise funding strategies, why capital is key for growth, and how FranFund supports entrepreneurs on their journey to business ownership.

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, entrepreneur Micah Burgess shares how he transitioned from flipping houses in Nebraska to owning a successful Heroes Lawn Care franchise in South Austin, Texas. He breaks down what it takes to grow in the home services space and offers practical advice for aspiring business owners.

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, IT expert Jacob Bischoff shares some of the most common traps new business owners fall for when it comes to cybersecurity. Bischoff is the co-founder of RIVNT, an Omaha, Nebraska-based managed IT services and cybersecurity company that supports franchise owners and other businesses.

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, we sit down with Camden Anderson, owner of Varsity Zone HVAC of Tampa, Florida, to hear his journey from investment banking and private equity to building his own HVAC business with HorsePower Brands.

Drew Hall, owner of Stand Strong Fencing of West Chester, shares how he's growing a successful business by leveraging the power of local networking and grassroots marketing on this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast.

Phil Crutchfield shares his full-circle journey on the Franchise Frontier Podcast, from entrepreneur to franchise owner of Mighty Dog Roofing and Blingle! and ultimately founder of Varsity Zone HVAC.

In this episode of the Franchise Frontier Podcast, Jeremy Morgan, Group President of HorsePower Brands, helps us explore underrated industries and their big payoff potential.