August 26, 2026 – The Franchise Guy Matt Stevens MBA by Day Studio 54 by Night Don Kurz

Matt Stevens – Founder of The Franchise Guy and Author of Franchising 101, an introductory guide designed to help prospective franchise owners make informed decisions Yeah, timely, honest communication, beats the vast majority of your competition. I mean, 95% or more. Matt Stevens, known throughout the industry as “The Franchise Guy,” is a franchise consultant, entrepreneur, author, and trusted advisor who has helped thousands of professionals explore business ownership through franchising. With more than 38 years of experience spanning franchise ownership, franchisor operations, business development, consulting, and executive leadership, Matt is widely recognized as one of the most experienced franchise consultants in the country. Over the course of his career, Matt has owned four businesses, earned Rookie Franchisee of the Year honors, led successful business turnarounds, and served as a board member and partner within a franchise organization valued at more than $2 billion. Today, he works with executives, professionals, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to transition from earning income through a job to building wealth through business ownership. His specialty is helping clients cut through the confusion of thousands of franchise opportunities and identify the few that truly fit their goals, financial resources, skills, lifestyle preferences, and risk tolerance. Matt is an award-winning FranChoice Gold and Century Club member, a Business First Columbus Forty Under 40 honoree, and the author of Franchising 101, an introductory guide designed to help prospective franchise owners make informed decisions. Known for his practical and honest approach, he guides clients through a structured process that emphasizes due diligence, real-world validation, and long-term business fit rather than sales hype. Drawing on decades of firsthand experience as both a business owner and franchise advisor, Matt helps people avoid costly mistakes, ask the right questions, and confidently pursue franchise opportunities that can provide income, scalability, and long-term financial freedom. His mission is simple: help serious candidates make smart ownership decisions and build businesses that support the life they want to live. Don Kurz – Executive Board Chair at Omelet and Author of Do the Hustle: Life Lessons from Studio 54, the Championship Lacrosse Field, and the Boardroom I think, all of my breakthroughs came after substantial setbacks. Don Kurz is an entrepreneur, investor, business leader, and bestselling author of Do the Hustle: Life Lessons from Studio 54, the Championship Lacrosse Field, and the Boardroom. He currently serves as Executive Board Chair and principal shareholder of Omelet, an award winning independent creative agency. Throughout his career, Don has held senior leadership roles across consulting, finance, media, and marketing, including serving as a senior partner at a major international consulting firm, leading a company through a successful Nasdaq public offering, launching a hedge fund, and advising organizations on strategy, mergers and acquisitions, turnarounds, and business growth. A lifelong leader on and off the field, Don was a member of Johns Hopkins University’s first NCAA championship lacrosse team in 1974 before injuries ended his playing career. He later served for 12 years on the university’s Board of Trustees and was named Trustee Emeritus for life in recognition of his exceptional service. He also received the Johns Hopkins Heritage Award and established the Kurz Family Scholarship to support students with financial need. Beyond business and higher education, Don has taught as an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School, mentored student athletes, and served numerous nonprofit organizations. Earlier in life, he was an Arthur Murray dance instructor and a regular at New York City’s legendary Studio 54, experiences that inspired many of the leadership lessons shared in his book. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Johns Hopkins University and his MBA from Columbia University.