Franchise Today

Brian Sanders, CEO and Chairman of the Board at i9 Sports joins us this week.  With over 2.5 million registrations in communities across the country, i9 Sports® is the nation’s largest multi-sport provider focused solely on high-quality, community-based youth sports programs. They offer youth sports leagues, camps and clinics for boys and girls ages 3 and up in today’s most popular sports such as...

In this encore performance, we hear from Jason Anderson, President of United Franchise Group's Venture X.  This rapidly rising concept is experiencing meteoric growth... growth though that is measured, calculated and intentional.  Like everything at UFG, there is a rhyme to the reason.  Jason explains some of the magic behind this, at Venture X.   Much can be attributed to the concept, but more, m...

After 10 solid episodes of Franchise Today, related exclusively to Covid-19 and it's impact on franchsing, we pivoted with the news cycle, producing 3 back-to-back episodes on civil unrest and reacial inequality in our country.  Then, last week's story about Martha Matilda Harper, America's first hair salon owner and the mother of modern day "retail franchising"  was a bit of a break from the heav...

Jane Plitt is a fascinating biographer, who has made it her life’s work, to uncover and share the lessons we can all learn, from the life of yet another fascinating woman: Martha Matilda Harper.  Harper was a very early stage entrepreneur and is credited with being the mother of retail franchising in America.   Plitt will reveal how this immigrant entrepreneur dared to succeed, using business for...

When I return next week, I will be joined by author, entrepreneur and visiting scholar, Jane Plitt and we will discuss her book about the amazing life of Martha Matilda Harper and her American Dream: How One Woman Changed the Face of Modern Business.  Plitt ignites audiences with topics including immigrant entrepreneurship, daring to succeed, forgotten women’s achievements, using business for soci...

So, a little time off for the 4th of July, but when I return it will be with a compelling story that I can't wait to share, when I am joined by Jane Plitt, on July 15th.   Jane Plitt ran a thriving business consulting practice until she became enthralled with the Martha Matilda Harper story.  In 1996, she was appointed a Visiting Scholar to the University of Rochester to pursue her research; the r...

John Hope Bryant is an American entrepreneur, author, philanthropist, and prominent thought leader on economic empowerment and financial dignity.   Bryant is the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Operation HOPE, Inc., a global nonprofit headquartered in Atlanta.  Under the banner of “silver rights”, Operation HOPE has aided over 2.8 million individuals worldwide, and directed more...

Today the conversation around Diversity and inclusion continues.  There's nothing new about those words in Key Bank's lexicon.  As a matter of fact, diversity, equity and inclusion have long been  fundamental cornerstones of all things at Key Bank for years.  Today, Key Bank Senior VP Eric Fiala joins us to discuss what's going on in our world  and the role that his team plays at at Key Bank, to s...

Michael Stone and I are best of friends, with many things in common… but then too,  there are many things about each of us, that the other can’t possibly experience directly... Like playing football for 7 years in the NFL.  I will never know what that experience feels like…  and that’s just the tip of the iceberg… Michael is African American, he is a single parent... and not just any single parent...

As Host of Franchise Today, I'm accustomed to drawing out the stories, shared by my guests.  This week I actually share a story of my own.  It's about a personal and disappointing recent experience that I had as a customer, with a mega, global franchise brand, This experience was a train wreck in every possible way. As reputation management experts, Rallio's VP Ryan Hicks joins me as my subject ma...

In the name of all those who have and continue to serve our nation and especially for the families, friends and loved ones of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, Franchise Today takes this week off in your honor.  We also thank Scott Gittrich, Founder and CEO of Topper's Pizza for all of his insightful tips and information, shared last week.   I'm back next week with a conversation about the im...

Scott Gittrich is the founder and CEO of Toppers Pizza, a great midwestern pizza brand that is built to survive and thrive anytime, and yes, even in times like these.  Scott’s unwavering affection for pizza became a full-fledged love affair when he decided to drop out of college to focus on a career at Domino’s, after only two weeks on the job. Well, that gamble paid off as he worked his way up th...

Pete Baldine is the President of the Moran Family of Brands, an automotive aftermarket franchisor with multiple brands.  They are: Mr. Transmission, Milex Complete Auto care, Alta Mere Automotive Outfitters and SmartView Window Solutions. Pete joined the Moran Team in 1999 as their Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer, bringing with him many years of automotive aftermarket, service...

Cordell Riley is a Certified Franchise Executive and servant leader, with more than 20 years of experience on both the franchisor and supplier side of franchising.  Cordell’s core competencies lie both in training and operations, as is demonstrated by his many years, directing training for Driven Brands, before founding Tortal in Y2K.  Tortal is the premier e-learning and training platform for fra...

Shelly Sun is the CEO and founder of BrightStar Group Holdings, the umbrella company for multiple brands offering care services globally in various settings including in-home, assisted living and memory care communities as well as in commercial settings like hospitals through medical staffing services. Serving thousands of families in the USA, through its network of nearly 350 locations, BrightSta...

Matt Haller has been the man behind the man at IFA for nearly 10 years at the IFA.  First, for Steve Caldiera and more recently, for Robert Cresanti.  Matt leads the Government Relations, Public Affairs and Advocacy Team that monitors and protects the brand of franchising at the Federal and State legislative levels.  Today, Matt joins us to share updates on the impact of the Government's actions a...

To put some perspective on how much things have changed in the last couple of months, I asked my panelists from the IFA session that I moderated just a couple of months ago, to put what they shared then, (regarding big data and marketing) into perspective, since the advent of Corona.  My wonder, was whether what they’d prescribed then, would be been different, had this virus hit before convention,...

Dr. John Hayes and the Titus Center for Franchising have been hosting a series of webinars, bringing industry experts together, to talk through some of the implications of COVID 19 on our businesses, employees, clients and customers.  His panelists have included luminaries from the franchisor, franchisee and supplier sides of our ecosystem.  Dr. Hayes will bring us up to date on all of that and mo...

In 1973, Hungry Howie's started with one hamburger shop turned delivery and carryout pizzeria in the suburbs of Detroit. Their now President/CEO Steve Jackson was there as a delivery driver. Since then, Hungry Howie’s has become a top pizza franchise with over 550 locations in 21 states and is still growing. Hungry Howie's has perfected pizza and they have a proven franchise system. Single store l...

Today I am going to continue the "Covid Crisis" conversation with Mike Drumm, a franchise lawyer and friend.  Mike and I will discuss some of the immediate legal implications that this moment in time is having on our businesses and our lives and we will look ahead to the extent that we can, on what franchisors need to consider, as pertains to everything from FDD renewals, to functioning in your bu...

The pendulum never stops in the middle, does it?  We've gone from the best of times, to the worst of times, in a matter of days.  Now, as COVID-19 has us all swimming in uncharted waters, IFA President and CEO talks about his efforts to protect franchisees from the very legislation that Congress is ostensibly trying to enact, to protect themselves from the abyss that we all could face, if cool, ca...

Cassidy Ford joined FRM Solutions in 2018, after years in restaurant franchise sales, development and operations. Immediately prior to joining FRM, Cassidy was with Huddle House, an iconic breakfast brand, here in Atlanta.  She worked across departments to add new units, improve resales, increase profitability and support under-performing franchisees, relying on FRM all the way, as a client and po...

For more than 30 years, Dave McDougall has worked to optimize franchise brands for growth and efficiency. His mission at Your Pie is no different. As CEO, Dave leads Your Pie’s brand strategy and direction, identifying priorities, managing resources and aligning operational excellence with brand mission, culture and values at every level. Prior to joining the Your Pie family, Dave’s background inc...

Marcus Slater is the (CMTO) Chief Marketing Technology Officer at Deka Lash, a company that is experiencing explosive growth within a $62 Billion dollar industry.  Marcus is going to help us navigate the path between those fuzzy lines that are Marketing and Technology and the interrelationship bwtween the two.  This is a fact that should come as no surprise to anyone who walked the Exhibit Hall at...

With more than 20 years of experience managing, owning and franchising health clubs, Chuck Runyon has distinguished himself as a leading authority in the field of fitness. Chuck revolutionized the fitness industry when he and Dave Mortensen co-founded Anytime Fitness – an alternative to big-box gyms which typically feature expensive “frills” that few members actually use or need. Under his leaders...