I Fired My Boss - A Franchise Podcast

Dan Claps sits down in person at Voda Corporate Headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin with Jon Sibley, founder of TrueBuilt and technology partner with Voda. Jon shares how his background as a college and professional water polo player shaped the way he views entrepreneurship as the “ultimate team sport,” and how his path from tech sales to business school led him to discover a major software gap in...

Dan Claps sits down with Steve Hart, co-founder and CEO of PMI, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, resilience, and building one of the largest property management franchise systems in the country. Steve shares how his entrepreneurial mindset started long before adulthood—mowing lawns, taking care of pets, and constantly finding ways to earn money as a kid. After realizing corporate life wa...

In this special crossover episode recorded live from the International Franchise Association convention in Las Vegas, Dan Claps joins Lance Graulich on The Franchise Fit Podcast for an unfiltered conversation about entrepreneurship, franchising, and what it really takes to build a business. Sitting down in a hotel room at IFA, Dan opens up about the early days of launching Voda Cleaning & Rest...

Dan Claps introduces a new era of the I Fired My Boss podcast, announcing version 3.0 from a professional in-person studio setting after more than 160 episodes. Moving away from Zoom, Dan emphasizes his desire for more authentic, real conversations, kicking things off with a unique format where his behind-the-camera associate Teddy steps in as the interviewer. The episode opens with a candid perso...

In this episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, Dan Claps sits down with Ken Sandy, managing partner at Dryy Garment Care and owner of FRSTeam Dryy, a restoration company specializing in textiles, electronics, and contents pack-out and storage for residential and commercial disasters. Ken shares his unconventional entrepreneurial journey—from working in corporate call centers to launching and fail...

In this episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, host Dan Claps sits down with Oliver George, one of the earliest franchise owners in the Voda Cleaning and Restoration system. Oliver shares his journey from a 20-year career in corporate roles across the restaurant and car industries to taking the leap into franchise ownership. Driven by a passion for leadership and helping people grow, Oliver found...

In this lively in-person episode of I Fired My Boss, host Dan Claps sits down with Karen Wenning of Suttle-Straus at her office in Madison, Wisconsin. Karen shares her remarkable 18-year journey with the company, starting as a marketing director and eventually finding her niche in the world of franchising. The conversation touches on the importance of company culture, personal growth, and the powe...

In this special solo episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, Dan Claps shares his presentation from a live webinar titled Don’t Start Your Own Business Until You Know This. Drawing on 12 years of experience in franchising, entrepreneurship, and business brokerage, Dan lays out the foundational framework every aspiring business owner needs to understand before jumping into business ownership. Wheth...

In this episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, Dan Claps shares a surprising perspective: if he could go back in time, he wouldn’t start a business from scratch again. Reflecting on his early days building a company in college, Dan walks through the challenges of figuring everything out alone: what to work on, how to grow, and where to focus. He explains why, in hindsight, partnering with an esta...

In this heartfelt solo episode, Dan Claps shares a powerful reflection on content creation, authenticity, and the lessons he wishes he could share with his younger self. Dan opens up about the evolution of his content strategy, from tightly focused franchise messaging to a broader, more personal and authentic approach. He unpacks why creating content that actually connects starts with being true t...

In this solo episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, host Dan Claps dives into a powerful yet often overlooked strategy for growing any local business: asking for referrals. Drawing from a recent training call with franchise owners, Dan breaks down the four core ways to grow a business: acquiring more customers, increasing average ticket value, cross-selling additional services, and reducing costs...

In this solo episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, host Dan Claps returns to the mic with a power-packed reflection on the fundamentals of building and scaling a successful franchise business. Drawing from his experience leading a fast-growing home services franchise system, Dan breaks down the core of business operations into a deceptively simple formula: generate leads, sell the job, deliver e...

In this bonus “fireside chat” episode, Voda Cleaning & Restoration founder and CEO Dan Claps pulls back the curtain on the realities of franchise ownership—and why “franchising takes out the guesswork, not the work.” Dan walks listeners through what you’re actually buying when you buy a franchise: the systems, the brand, and most importantly, the people and culture behind it. He shares how to...

In this episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, host Dan Claps sits down with Mike Hagan, the very first franchise owner in the Voda Restoration system and the original believer in the brand. Mike shares his journey from a successful but unfulfilling career in financial sales to becoming a business owner and top performer in the Voda network. He dives into the due diligence process he went through...

In this special crossover episode, I Fired My Boss introduces a brand-new show from the Voda Cleaning & Restoration team: The Voda Download . Hosted by Jesalyn Johnson, this debut episode dives deep into one of Voda’s most cherished traditions — the annual Voda Toy Drive. Jesalyn sits down with Voda founders Dragon and Arlene, who share how their humble beginnings, personal experiences, and fa...

In this episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, recorded live at the inaugural Voda franchise conference, host Dan Claps sits down for a candid one-on-one with Thomas Wray, a top-performing Voda Cleaning & Restoration franchise owner based in Houston. Thomas shares his unconventional journey from investment banking and energy trading in New York City to full-time entrepreneurship in the home s...

In this special conference episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, host Dan Claps sits down with three powerhouse women making waves in the home services industry: Nina Hunter and Erica Boutelle, both multi-unit franchise owners with Voda Cleaning & Restoration, and Shannon Hauser, Voda’s Franchise Coaching Manager. Recorded live in Madison, Wisconsin during the company’s annual franchisee con...

In this special on-location episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, host Dan Claps sits down with Voda Cleaning and Restoration franchise owners Sean Gilmore and Keith Nash live from Madison, Wisconsin during the inaugural Voda franchise owner conference. Sean, based in the Carolinas, and Keith, operating in Chattanooga, reflect on their unique journeys into franchising—both driven by a desire to...

In this solo episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, host Dan Claps dives deep into the topic of company culture—a subject he believes is at the heart of building successful businesses. Fresh off his birthday weekend and just before heading to Wisconsin for the first-ever Voda 1 annual conference, Dan reflects on why culture is so central to his excitement for the event. He shares practical, real-...

In this episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, host Dan Claps dives into the transformative lessons he’s picked up from a handful of impactful business books. Dan shares insights from titles like Grinding It Out by Ray Kroc, The Outsiders, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars by Brad Jacobs, and That Will Never Work by Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph. The episode zeroes in on the Netflix story, par...

In this episode of the I Fired My Boss podcast, host Dan Claps dives into the transformative lessons he’s picked up from a handful of impactful business books. Dan shares insights from titles like Grinding It Out by Ray Kroc, The Outsiders, How to Make a Few Billion Dollars by Brad Jacobs, and That Will Never Work by Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph. The episode zeroes in on the Netflix story, par...

In this episode of I Fired My Boss, host Dan Claps dives deep into the concept of becoming the Mayor of the Town—a powerful strategy for building a thriving local business, especially in the home services industry. Dan shares how local business owners can establish trust, build strong relationships, and create lasting brand awareness in their communities by being highly visible, involved, and serv...

In this episode of I Fired My Boss, host Dan Claps dives deep into lead generation strategies specifically for home service businesses and franchise owners. He shares his evolving vision for the podcast—documenting his journey and providing actionable insights for entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses. Dan emphasizes the importance of engaged leads, explaining why quality trumps quantity...

In this episode of I Fired My Boss , host Dan Claps breaks down the essential numbers every home service business owner needs to know to measure marketing success. He dives into the critical metrics—Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Lifetime Value (LTV), and Closing Rate—and explains how these numbers dictate whether your business is growing profitably or spinning its wheels. Dan shares real-world...

In this episode of I Fired My Boss, host Dan Claps takes a deep dive into the art of selling—specifically in the home services industry. Walking and recording on a Saturday morning, Dan shares raw and unfiltered insights into what it takes to build a successful business, drawing from his experience scaling Voda Cleaning and Restoration to over 200 territories across 30 states. He breaks down the p...