FranchiseU!

Amy and Josh Arnold share how they help others spread joy with Card My Yard during this week's conversation with Dr. Kathy Gosser on FranchiseU!.

Larry Hughes shares innovations developed by the 7-Eleven, Inc. as well as his own unique perspective on business leadership with Dr. Kathy Gosser on this week’s episode of FranchiseU!. Here is a short biography of Mr. Hughes: Larry Hughes is the Vice President, Corporate Human Resources and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at 7-Eleven, Inc. In this capacity, he is the lead human resource busine...

Lauren Fernandez shares her journey from being an in-house attorney to CEO with Dr. Kathy Gosser on this episode of Franchise U!. Lauren Fernandez is the CEO and Founder of Full Course, a restaurant development and investment firm which incubates and accelerates emerging fast casual restaurant brands. Full Course guides restaurant owners through a process of optimization, strategic growth planning...

Joe Malmuth is the Chief Franchising Officer of Batteries Plus and joins Dr. Kathy Gosser on today’s episode of Franchise U! After more than 15 years of business experience, Malmuth began working with Batteries Plus in 2020 leading a corporate-defining project. On today’s episode Malmuth shares franchising tips and insights as well as a discussion of the benefits of the franchising model of Batter...

Ashley Mitchell has spent her entire career in marketing and communication roles. She has held several positions in which she was responsible for creating and driving marketing strategy, overseeing the growth of business through all aspects of consumer marketing and communication, contributing to overall strategic planning as part of company leadership teams and executing high-profile events, incl...

Scott Greenberg is an international speaker, writer, and franchise performance expert who helps business owners think, lead and serve effectively. Scott is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur and Nation’s Restaurant News, and the author of the book, The Wealthy Franchisee.

Ramzi Daklouche is VP of franchise sales for Edible®, the world’s largest franchisor of stores offering fresh fruit snacks, dipped treats, and fruit arrangements with over 900 locations worldwide. Since its founding in 1999, the company has been recognized as an industry leader, ranking first in its category in Entrepreneur magazine’s annual “Franchise 500,” Entrepreneur’s Top 40 of “Fastest Growi...

A global marketer for iconic brands such as Dove, KFC, and Taco Bell, Greg Creed is the founder of Creed UnCo and co-author of R.E.D. Marketing. Most recently, he retired as the CEO of Yum brands following his success as the COO of Yum and the President and CEO of Taco Bell. Known for his culture-driven leadership and collaborative style with franchisees, partners, and team members to bring the be...

On today’s episode, we speak with Wild Birds Unlimited Chief Development Officer-EVP of Franchising, Paul Pickett. His career with Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU)has perfectly combined his love of birds, nature, and people. Paul joined the WBU team as the first full-time employee in 1989, shortly after graduating with his Master’s Degree in Biology/Ornithology from the University of North Dakota. He ha...

In today's FranchiseU! Kathy talks with Jackie Bondanza, CEO of Hounds Town USA — a doggie daycare franchise with 60+ locations in development across 11 states and growing. Founded in 2001 by former commanding officer of the Nassau County canine unit Michael Gould, Hounds Town USA offers fully interactive doggie daycare, overnight boarding, and full-service grooming in an adorable town made for do...

This week, Kathy talks social media and franchising with Entrepreneur Media's Liane Caruso. Launching her career in franchising with her marketing agency, Liane has worked in franchise marketing for over ten years. Since its acquisition, she has served on both the franchisor and agency sides, so she understands all facets of franchise marketing challenges. In 2021, Liane took on the Sr. Vice Presi...

This week, Kathy talks franchising south of the border with Sergio Carvallo. He is the president of Boston´s Pizza Mexico, Canada’s number one casual dining restaurant. Since 2015 he has been responsible for developing the brand in Mexico through the franchising model, providing support to BP franchisees across the country. From business development, supply chain, marketing and operations to train...

Ruth Agbaji is the CEO, founder, and Nerd-In-Chief of Code Wiz, and she knows first-hand the power of learning to code. Born in Nigeria, Ruth hacked her way into computer science by teaching herself to code. Agbaji received her Masters in Computer Science from Tufts University and worked as a software engineer for tech giants like Microsoft and Kronos. Her entrepreneurial spirit and desire to impa...

Jerry Akers is a lifetime entrepreneur, owning a wide variety of businesses in his 40 years of business experience. For the past 16 years, he and his wife have grown their Great Clips group from one salon to 36, and now with the entry of the children, plan on adding several more. Additionally, Jerry is the Regional Developer for The Joint Chiropractic for Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota, and a Fr...

In today's episode, Kathy sits down with Penn Station's COO, Craig Dunaway, to discuss his experiences in the franchise industry. Dunaway was president of Penn Station East Coast Subs since August 1999 and a member of the Board of Directors since September 2001, and became chief operating officer in 2022. In addition to being president of Penn Station, he had previously owned interests in Coastal...

This week, Kathy sits down with the CEO and founder of Unleashed Brands, Michael Browning. Unleashed Brands is a platform company that houses the world’s best franchise brands to help kids Learn, Play, and Grow. Browning launched Unleashed in 2021 after noticing a void in the market for parents looking for a trusted resource for kids’ activities. The growing portfolio currently includes Urban Air...

On today's FranchiseU! Kathy Gosser talks to Franchise Business Review’s President and COO, Michelle Rowan, CFE. Franchise Business Review is the leading market research firm in the franchise sector specializing in franchisee satisfaction and employee engagement. In addition to her role at FBR, Michelle is also chair of the International Franchise Association Women’s Franchise Committee and a Cert...

On today's episode, Kathy talks franchise and motivation with GYMGUYZ founder Josh York. GYMGUYZ is an in-home personal-training franchise providing convenient, customized, and creative workouts. Headquartered in Plainview, NY, it employs a fleet of trucks to bring state-of-the-art fitness equipment and expert coaches to their customers’ doors. Learn how Josh took this idea from a dining room tabl...

In today's episode, Kathy sits down with Stratus Building Solutions President Doug Flaig to discuss the world of franchising in the commercial cleaning industry. Flaig started his career with 7-Eleven, where he spent seven years. He eventually moved on to leadership roles with Dunkin’ Brands, Burger King, and Wetzel’s Pretzels.

Today Kathy speaks with John Cywinski of Dine Brands and discusses his journey from advertising firm to the food industry. John Cywinski was appointed to the position of President of Applebee’s Grill & Bar in March 2017. As President, Mr. Cywinski is responsible for the overall strategic direction for all functional areas of Applebee’s. Mr. Cywinski most recently served as Executive Vice Presi...

Today on Franchise U! Kathy sits down with Patricia Perry. She is a veteran in the franchising, food service, retail, and hospitality industries. She serves as Vice President of Development for Edible Brands and is responsible for increasing the global market share for the franchise brands. She oversees global franchise development, real estate, new store design, construction, licensing, and consu...

This week on FranchiseU!, Rob Weddle joins Kathy to discuss his entrepreneurial journey. Rob Weedle is the CEO of Authority Brands. He began his career in franchising in 2002 as a franchisee of The Cleaning Authority. In 2005, Rob joined the franchisor as an Operations Representative and rose through the organization as VP of Operations, COO, and eventually became the CEO in 2014. He remains today...

This week, Kathy sits down with Aylwin Lewis. Mr. Lewis served as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Potbelly Corporation, a franchisor of quick-service restaurants, from June 2008 until his retirement in November 2017. From September 2005 to February 2008, Mr. Lewis was President and Chief Executive Officer of Sears Holdings Corporation, a nationwide retailer. Prior to that, Mr....

In today's episode, Kathy sits down with Jody Luihn to discuss his experiences as a YUM! Brands franchisee. Jody started as a restaurant manager in the Luihn family business in 1983 and remains in the business as a partner, president, and CEO after the recapitalization into LVE Partners in 2019. He has been the FRANMAC President for Taco Bell for three terms and serves on numerous YUM! Brand commi...

On this week’s FranchiseU! Kathy talks with Sophia Swemba, VP and franchise advocate for Marriott. A graduate in finance from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Sophia has held numerous positions in finance with Marriott. She began her career with Marriott in late 2007, working in the field as an assistant controller. Over ten years, she served in various financial leadership rol...