Training to Scale w. Corey Criss

What this episode covers

In this episode of The Training Effect, host Douglas Mark sits down with Corey Criss, Director of Franchise Training at The Dog Stop, to unpack how one of the fastest-growing pet care brands in the country is using structured training to scale without sacrificing quality.From a chance encounter in a retail shop to leading training for a 38-location brand, Corey shares how he transformed his background in education into a powerful approach to franchise growth. Together, Doug and Corey explore how trust, consistency, and learning systems build not just better operations, but stronger people.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why a "Train the Trainer" model is critical for franchise growthHow The Dog Stop empowers part-time employees and reduces attritionThe tools and tech stack powering scalable training at 30+ locationsWhy knowing your learning style matters as much as your SOPsThe shift from dog care to client education and next-gen franchise learningTimestamps00:00 – Intro: Meet Corey Criss, Director of Franchise Training at The Dog Stop  01:00 – From College Professor to Franchise Training Leader  03:00 – The Origin Story: A Bag of Dog Food That Changed a Career  05:00 – Why The Dog Stop Is in the “Trust Industry”  06:30 – Creating Consistent Experiences Across All Locations  08:00 – The “Train the Trainer” Model That Powers Scale  09:40 – Balancing Standardization and Flexibility in Franchise Operations  11:10 – Partnering with Outside Experts and Fear Free Certification  13:00 – Hybrid Learning: Online, In-Person, and Post-Training Support  14:45 – The Challenge of Turnover and How Training Reduces Attrition  16:30 – Plug-and-Play Training Modules for Franchisees and GMs  18:00 – Shifting Mindsets: From Personal Success to Shared Success  19:30 – Why Franchisee Success Is Brand Success  21:00 – Tools & Technologies: LMS, SevenTaps, Intranet, and monday.com  23:00 – Measuring Impact: Retention, Engagement, and Culture  24:30 – Building for Different Learning Styles and Preferences  26:00 – Advice for Franchisors: Lifelong Learning and Hiring Educators  28:00 – Collaborative Culture: Feedback, Trust, and Training Evolution  30:00 – Final Thoughts: What’s Next for Training at The Dog Stop  31:30 – Learn More About The Dog Stop and Corey CrissFollow Doug and Corey:Connect with Doug: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-mark-649866a/Website: https://www.learningzen.com/Connect with Corey: Website: https://thedogstop.com/

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