EP11: Playbook For Scaling From 10 to 50+ Units

When you open your second location, everything changes. You can't be in two places at once, and suddenly you realize: you need to shift from operator to CEO. Carl Bachmann learned this lesson as a 12-year Ruby Tuesday franchisee before leading turnarounds at Smashburger and BurgerFi. Now as President and COO of Riko's Pizza, he's building franchise infrastructure from scratch. In this episode, Carl shares his 5 pillars for franchise success, why you should "grow like a bush, not like a vine," and the critical skills every scaling franchisee needs. His dual perspective as both operator and executive delivers insights you can implement immediately.Key TakeawaysThe 5 Pillars Framework: Infrastructure (people), Product Quality, Portfolio Definition, Gold Standard Processes, MarketingGrow Like a Bush: Expand in 5-10 mile circles for better supply chain, marketing penetration, and operational supportThe Magic Number: Keep 20-30% corporate stores to test innovations and maintain skin in the gameThe Second Location Reality: When franchisees can't be everywhere at once, financial acumen becomes non-negotiableTrain on Your Dime: Test everything in corporate stores before rolling out to franchisees6-Week Investment: Successful franchisees complete full training—those who take it seriously have the highest success ratesPerfect For: Franchise executives building infrastructure from scratch, multi-unit operators scaling from 10 to 50+ locations, franchisees expanding to their second brand, and leaders balancing corporate support with franchise independence.About Carl Bachmann: President and COO of Riko's Pizza, bringing 30+ years of restaurant industry experience from both sides of franchising. Former franchisee (12 years with Ruby Tuesday), C-suite turnaround specialist at BurgerFi (CEO), Smashburger (COO/President/CEO), and Bertucci's (SVP Operations). Now building franchise infrastructure from the ground up for Riko's tavern-style pizza concept, expanding from 12 to 50+ locations.Time Stamp Chapters00:00 Why a 30-Year Veteran Chose to Build vs. Turnaround02:32 From Ruby Tuesday Franchisee to C-Suite Executive05:34 The 3 Things That Signal a Winning Franchise Model07:00 The 5 Pillars Framework Explained08:18 The 5 Pillars Every Franchise System Needs11:02 Why Franchisees Belong at the Top of Your Org Chart13:41 What Today's Successful Franchisees Look Like16:33 "Grow Like a Bush" - The Geography of Success19:10 The 20-30% Rule for Corporate Stores21:48 The Skills That Actually Matter for New Franchisees24:42 Beyond Training: Teaching the Business of Business27:26 Why Unit #2 Changes Everything30:03 Lightning Round: Finding Balance After 30 YearsAbout UsOpus is the leading training operations platform for multi-unit brands with frontline workforces, helping operators deliver consistent, engaging training that delivers measurable results. Trusted in thousands of locations across restaurants, retail, fitness, healthcare and consumer services, Opus customers include Smashburger, Craveworthy Brands, Let’s Play Soccer, Shipley Do-Nuts, Sound Fun Entertainment, Big Chicken, York Building Services, Gordon Ramsay Group, Jose Andres Group and more. Learn more at www.opus.soHave an idea or experience you'd like to share? Keep the conversation going with us on LinkedIn!