Pursuit of Profit: The Franchise Business Podcast

Episode 116: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Rob Mathews, a multi-unit franchisee in the Mr. Appliance franchise. Rob has scaled into a $5 million operation across five territories and were named franchisees of the year for 2025. Rob has a mindset to learn, collaborate, and execute is exactly why he's on top. He is the blueprint for what franchising is supposed to be. Take a...

Episode 115: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Dr. Chris Tomshack, founder and CEO of HealthSource Chiropractic franchise. With over 140 locations across 35 states,HealthSource operates in seven multi-billion dollar industries from chiropractic and functional rehab to spinal decompression, laser therapy, nutrition, orthotics, and subscription-based wellness clubs. The top 25%...

Episode 114: On this holiday encore episode of Pursuit of Profit, we revisit some of our most popular episodes in 2025. Our second holiday rerun features Cliff speaking with Houston Barnes, franchise attorney and founder of BarnesLaw. Thinking about buying a franchise? STOP—until you hear this. Houston will uncover the legal landmines, red flags, and essential truths inside the Franchise Disclosur...

Episode 113: On this holiday encore episode of Pursuit of Profit, we revisit some of our most popular episodes in 2025. Our first holiday rerun features Cliff speaking with Bryan Weinstein, founder and CEO of Bar-B-Clean franchise, which previously aired May 14, 2025. Bryan is disrupting a new area of home services with a barbecue cleaning service. 80% of US households owns a BBQ grill nearly all...

On this Pursuit of Profit (POP) Pulse, Cliff takes on the collapse of Orangetheory Fitness and why the entire boutique fitness category is under serious pressure. From over saturation and stagnant workouts to GLP-1 weight loss drugs and shifting consumer behavior, this episode explains what went wrong and what franchise investors must understand before making a costly mistake. This is a must liste...

Episode 112: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Charolette Obringer, president of Medi Weightloss franchise. We're diving into one of the fastest growing and most impactful sectors in franchising -- medical weight loss. The need for clinically backed sustainable weight loss management solutions has never been greater, and few brands have made a bigger difference than Medi Weigh...

Episode 111: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Chris King, CEO of Monster Mini Golf franchise - an indoor black light, mini golf and arcade experience built on affordable, fun, family connection, and a monster themed atmosphere that's really unforgettable. When the founders retired, Chris, along with three top performing f...

Episode 110: We're pulling from the archives (November 2023) for this Thanksgiving episode of Pursuit of Profit. This holiday season Cliff and Justin discuss the attitude of gratitude as it relates to owning your own business - stay positive and remain optimistic, habits of negative people and how to avoid this cycle. -------------- Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:07 - Amy Nixon comment 06:30 - Affor...

Episode 109: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Bret Schneider, co-founder of WOW Windowboxes. This company is reinventing the art of outdoor container gardening by combining year-round custom designed planting and maintenance-free irrigation for homes and businesses. Built with scalability in mind, the corporate owned locations generate over $4.5 million in annual sales servin...

Episode 108: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Tim Dougherty, founder and CEO of Project LeanNation. Tim grew up in tough circumstances, made decisions that landed him in federal prison and carried the weight of that shame for years. But instead of letting it define him, he rebuilt his life. Starting with the gym, a handful of prepped meals and a desire to help others. That sm...

Episode 107: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Travis Kososki, founder and CEO of Alsie's. Travis is reinventing one of America's most nostalgic traditions, the ice cream truck. What started as a family project during the pandemic, Alsie's is a modernized ice cream truck that uses proprietary and patented technology. Take a listen... -------------- Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01...

Episode 106: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Mike Pearce, chief development officer of Renew Medic. We are diving into the $66 billion restoration industry. Born out of Service Masters' Furniture Medic brand, Renew Medic focuses on one of the most expensive and overlooked areas of the house - kitchen cabinets. Using their proprietary process, they save insurance companies an...

Episode 105: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Scott Thorell CFO of Benetrends and Kristen Gordon, senior consultant at Benetrends. If funding is holding you back from becoming a franchisee, then this podcast is for you. Scott and Kristen talk about the ROBS (Rollovers as Business Startups) and ROBS Plus - transforming your retirement into a business. Listen up... ------------...

Episode 104: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Cory Czepa, founder of Live 2 B Healthy, a fitness company that focuses on seniors. There's no prescription or pills for balance, mobility and stability. The only real medicine is movement. Live 2 B Healthy partners with senior living communities to deliver onsite fitness classes led by personal trainers that is proving to improve...

On this Pursuit of Profit (POP) Pulse, Cliff unveils his new book out today - Beyond the Brand: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Fearless Franchising — a blueprint for buying the right business with clarity, not fear. Discover the five trends shaping franchising, the six-step process to choose the right brand, and the decision-making matrix that removes guesswork. Cliff also shares how to negotiate sma...

Episode 103: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Anthony Byrd, vice president of banking business development of Benetrends. If funding is holding you back from becoming a franchisee, then this is the podcast that will reveal a variety of funding options to secure funding for your entrepreneurial dream. Listen up... -------------- Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 02:05 - Anthony's back...

Episode 102: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Pat Brown, founder and CEO of Surv, a fast growing membership based services franchise that's tackling life's to-do list while creating real opportunity for entrepreneurs. Take a listen... ----- Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 02:25 - How Pat went from concert entertainment producer to knocking on doors offering home services 07:00 - Ho...

Episode 101: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Melanie Richards, founder and CEO of goGLOW spray tan and airbrush. In 2010, Melanie launched goGLOW. It started as a side hustle while she worked in law enforcement. Today, the brand has over a hundred locations, sold over 20 operating locations. The financials are impressive - average gross sales of more than a half million doll...

Episode 100: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff breaks down the beloved fast food restaurant, Chick-fil-A. It is the largest privately owned fast food restaurant in the U.S. Cliff explores why Chick-fil-A is a profitable franchise, but it comes with some warnings. He breaks down a sample $9M P & L (Profit & Loss statement) and tells you how much you would earn. It's very accurate....

On this Pursuit of Profit (POP) Pulse, Cliff takes on Cracker Barrel and their decision to pour $700 million on a rebrand —but will new logos and chairs fix cold biscuits, shrinking portions, and frustrated staff? Cliff breaks down how corporate leaders miss the real customer complaints, why brands like Bud Light and Target paid the price for tone-deaf decisions, and what franchising gets right th...

Episode 99: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Jeff Marsh, founder of SmartMarket Solutions. Forget the days of dusty snack machines in break rooms. Jeff's building a modern tech enabled retail solution powered by AI vision. These are AI powered unattended micro retail units, offering fresh food, drinks and dry goods in high traffic locations. He's helping entrepreneurs launch...

Episode 98: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Paul O'Brien, one of three founding brothers of the well known franchise, Floyd's 99 Barbershop. This successful franchise has broken away from assembly line cuts of discount chains and high-end salons to create something in between - expert cuts and a vibe that feels more like a rock concert than a haircut. With over 150 stores na...

Episode 97: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Marc Goodin, founder of Storage Authority. Marc is a civil engineer turned self-storage visionary after decades designing storage facilities for other people. Mark built his own and then built a franchise system around it and he's helping everyday investors tap into a 40, $50 billion industry once dominated by REITs and real estate...

Episode 96: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Daniel Sturgis, founder of Scoop Brothers, an unlikely business scooping dog poop. Daniel has figured out a way to turn a very dirty job into a clean profit. In 2024 alone he brought in more than $400K in revenue. There are 89.5 million dogs in the US, each one poops at least twice a day, that's 65 billion piles a year - and someon...

Episode 95: On this episode of Pursuit of Profit, Cliff talks with Michael Mudd, CEO of BrandOne franchise development. Michael is helping to develop SkyZone trampoline park - a brand that is redefining what it means to play, celebrate and connect in real life. With over 300 global locations and more that 40 million guest visits per year (more than the NBA and the NFL combined), SkyZone isn't just...