Franchise Today

Today, as most everyone settles back in following IFA Convention 2020, Franchise Today reprises my recent interview with IFA President and CEO, Robert Cresanti.  What a spectacular conference it was.    Back next week with IFA Award Winners, Chuck Runyon and Dave Mortensen, co-founders of Self Esteem Brands, parent company of Anytime Fitness, Waxing the City and more!

Horace Williams has a long history of "doing well, by doing good"  Today, he shares how being a servant leader has impacted his career, but moreover, how it continues to influence the lives of those around him.  For the past four years, Horace has been heading up Franchising at Honey Baked Ham.  When you couple Horace's principle-centered leadership, with the magic of an iconic brand, then top it...

My guests this week are Jeremy Sorzano and Jason Webb, co-founders of Soccer Shots.  Jeremy and Jason talk about the process of adding executives to their corporate team, along with a third partner, one with strong franchise and soccer experience.  The result?  Accelerated and sustainable growth and unit level economic that work for their franchisees.       Jeremy Sorzano and Jason Webb, coming up...

Jason Anderson is the 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, much more is tfound in the calculus....

IFA President and CEO Robert Cresanti lifts the curtain and offers us a sneak preview of IFA Convention 2020, just weeks away.  He will also provide us with some BREAKING NEWS and a snapshot of the the State of the Franchise Union.  How did 2020 wrap up on key and critical issues from the perspective of Government Affairs and what can we look forward to, both in the year and decade ahead.

My guest today, is serial entrepreneur extraordinaire Steve Cody.  Steve is the founder of several companies, both in franchising and technology, but our conversation today will focus primarily on the Better Software Company.     Designed to ensure that franchisees can utilize technology to carry out the vision of their franchisor’s concept, Better provides both zors and zees a deeper understandin...

I hope you've all had a safe and Happy New Year! Today, Cruise Planners Michelle Fee delivers an ENCORE Performance.  We'll be back next week though, to begin another new season of inciteful guest interviews for 2020! Until then, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Stan

As we wrap up 2019, I thought I'd do my best, by taking a shot at political correctness, something I'm not terribly good at...  So, here I go!  I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Good Kwanza, Happy Ramadan or whatever it is that is YOUR reason, for celebrating the season.  Also, I'd like to share a little gift... the gift of music..This is an original piece of Christm...

The HomeVestors idea began in Dallas, Texas in 1989, when real estate broker Ken D’Angelo bought so many homes, he decided to transform his real estate brokerage into a home-buying business. By 1996, he took his business even further, when he created HomeVestors and sold his first franchise in the Dallas area. He figured out how franchises could advertise together, share vendors, and route calls t...

John Covilli is a veteran franchise and business development leader who has spent more than a decade supporting Dale Carnegie Training franchise owners and expanding the franchise brand. In his current role as Senior Vice President of Franchising, John oversees the franchise program for North and Latin America for Dale Carnegie Training. His insights and experience allows him to provide the Dale C...

The Little Gym has been around since 1976 and has come a long way, since those early days.  Today, with more than 400 locations in the US and around the world, they offer programs for various age levels, beginning as young as four months and going all the way up to 12 year old’s.  These include Parent & Child, Developmental Gymnastics, Karate and Sports Skills Development.   The Little Gym locatio...

When I return live next week, I will be joined by Alex Bingham, CEO of The Little Gym.  Until then, please have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.  I can't thank you all enough for continuing to tune in each Wednesday at noon ET, for another episode of Franchise Today. Until next week, let me quote my good friend Jim Fliss, as I encourage you to enjoy the downtime and most importantly, "Enjoy Your Tur...

Thanksgiving is upon us, so when better, to kick off my special series of Franchise Today Podcasts, on Franchising Gives Back.  Jimmy John's Founder, Jimmy John Liautaud joins me to kick this series off, with a powerful, first installment.     Forget what you've heard, read or think that you know about this guy and tune in.  Jimmy shares from the heart with compelling stories of sharing, caring an...

Normally, my guests are accomplished franchising icons, those who have been there, done that and come here to share nuggets about it all.  Today, I have invited Elizabeth Dunham to the podcast.  Elizabeth is a talented writer whose franchising experience is  at best, early stage.  But stay tuned and learn why this woman will deliver more value than you can possibly imagine, as the Founder and Publ...

Scott Lehr has served the franchise community for 29 years in numerous positions within the International Franchise Association.  Most recently, as Executive Vice President, with oversight of membership recruitment and retention of Franchisors, Franchisees and Suppliers.  Earlier this year, Scott retired from the IFA and with two other industry giants, namely Tom Portesy, CEO of MFV Expos and Gary...

Tray Doster is Director of Franchise Sales for Zaxby’s Franchising LLC and Chairman of the Board of the Southeast Franchise Forum, IFA’s Franchise Business Network affiliate, in Atlanta, GA.  Tray has been with Zaxby’s since 2007 joining the brand at the 325 restaurants open mark and has contributed directly with moving that high water mark to now more than 900 open and operating units.  Prior to...

.  Last Saturday Key Bank and the IFA delivered a pilot ½ day educational program, the first of what I hope will be many more to come and an amazing event it was, in Cleveland, Ohio, Key Bank’s Home Base.  I actually got to participate in this event, which hands down, was the best of any such events I have ever participated in, during my 22+ years of promoting diversity and inclusion in franchisin...

Peter Capodice is sought out by leaders in Franchising who recognize the need to attract the industry's best talent. Through Capodice & Associates' extensive network of relationships and their "deep dive" qualification process, they are able to identify and secure individuals who represent the top tier of Franchise professionals.  Find out how, on Franchise Today!

ENCORE PERFORMANCE!  Christian Pillat is passionate about transforming disruptive ideas into actionable business strategies.  As co-CEO of TRANSITIV, he does just that.  Transitiv provides franchisors and franchisees with cutting edge intelligence about their customers and local store marketing.  By enabling franchisees to identify their best customers, they can then market more effectively to the...

Founders Debra Shwetz and Dena Tripp started Nothing Bundt Cakes in Las Vegas in 1997, simply to please their family and friends. Needless to say, over time, thousands of other people became just as excited about their delicious cakes as they were. By using the purest ingredients, handcrafted recipes and imaginative decorations, Nothing Bundt Cakes has grown into the warm brand that it is today, a...

The School of Rock is the world's largest and most trusted multi-location music school with tens of thousands of musicians going through their classes, workshops, camps and performance programs every day. Their leadership is committed to combining their business savvy, passion for music and their compelling drive to help children succeed in each and every.  That charge is led by their CEO Rob Pric...

(IFPG) The International Franchise Professionals Group is a membership based organization, with more than 800 members. Members consist of Franchisors, Franchise Brokers, Lenders, and other Franchise Professionals that help potential candidates in the process of buying franchises. Hundreds of nationally recognized franchise companies have chosen the IFPG and its members to represent their brands; h...

Michelle Fee is the founder and CEO of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative. Backed by more than 35 years in the industry, Michelle is a well-rounded corporate travel veteran with in-depth knowledge in emerging travel trends and the franchise business. Founded in 1994, Cruise Planners is now the nation’s largest network of home-based travel agents, yet Michelle maintains pers...

Kit Vinson is a marketing specialist with over 20 years of experience from the ground up. His resume includes corporations such as Hillenbrand Industries, Service Corp. International and Infinity Broadcasting, showing his experience in advertising, financial services, and manufacturing. Kit earned an MBA from The American Graduate School of International Management (a.k.a. Thunderbird) in 1994. Hi...

Bette Fetter is the Founder and CEO of Young Rembrandts.  She is also the author of Being Visual: Raising a Generation of Visual Thinkers!  Bette’s life’s work has been focused on the importance of creative arts and visual learning in children.  Her true passion for kids, art, teaching and creativity, is what helped Bette launch a $35 a week part-time hobby into a multi-million-dollar, internation...