Franchise Today

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...

How do you build not one — but multiple — successful fitness franchise brands? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman speaks with Stephen P. Smith, Founder and CEO of Planet Beach and HOTWORX. Stephen shares how his journey began in independent gym ownership and evolved into launching Planet Beach in 1996, and scaling to 500 locations by year six. He explains how a pivotal conversation...

What does it take to lead a category-defining franchise in a cyclical industry? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman sits down with Charles Furlough, President & CEO of Pillar To Post Home Inspectors. Charles shares how the brand continues to grow by focusing on franchisee performance, operational excellence, and a differentiated customer experience. The conversation explores scal...

What happens when a franchisor prioritizes franchisee survival over growth—and comes out stronger on the other side? In this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedman sits down with Neal Courtney , CEO of Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids and Snip-Its, to explore a franchising journey shaped by operational discipline, franchise ownership experience, and crisis leadership. Neal shares how a casual...

From a college painting business to a multi-brand franchise empire with more than 1,100 locations—this episode of Franchise Today dives deep into the entrepreneurial journey of Paul Flick , founder and CEO of Premium Service Brands and Extraordinary Brands . Paul’s story began nearly 40 years ago with Student Painters in Canada, followed by a brief corporate stint at Coca-Cola. In 2005, he launche...

What happens when you ignore everything that industry tells you to do—and it works? On this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedman sits down with Alex Filipuk , Founder and CEO of Ideal Siding , to unpack one of the most unconventional and successful franchise models in home services today. Alex’s journey into franchising began unexpectedly—with a college assignment at age 23 and early work ex...

Success in franchising takes more than financial expertise — it takes relationships. In this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedman sits down with Jessica Wescott , CEO of Stellar Service Brands , to explore her unexpected journey from private wealth management to leading some 200+ franchise locations across Stellar's home service brands. Jessica entered franchising twelve years ago believ...

What if the best franchise systems aren’t planned—butdiscovered? In this episode of Franchise Today , Stan Friedmansits down with Shane Evans , CEO of Heights Wellness Retreats , to explore how an unplanned franchise journey turned into a 120+ unit wellness brand built on organic demand, adaptability, and resilience. Shane opened the first Massage Heights location in 2004 withno intention of franc...

Franchise Today did not begin as a polished podcast… farfrom it.   — it began as a live radio show in the middleof the Great Recession of 2009. In this special episode, Paul Segreto and Stan Friedman look back on the early days of Franchise Today, one of, if not the very first podcasts dedicated to franchising. From guests broadcasting live from their cars during federalbuilding lockdowns, to last...

What happens when two veteran franchisors look at the industry and realize that one of the biggest challenges of all at the unit level - is driving local traffic! You get Sweet Influencers , a first-of-its-kind platform built by Angela Olea and Liberty Bernal , designed specifically to connect franchise systems with vetted nano and micro influencers, who move the needle at the local level. Angela...

After years in recruiting, franchise development, and lead generation, Dan Claps sold his company to build something else, on his own. That decision became the foundation for VODA Cleaning & Restoration — but the company nearly collapsed after launch. In this episode, Dan shares the gritty truth behind VODA'S early struggles: high monthly losses, a failing model, and the moment he realized...