PODCAST · business
Franchise Today
by Stan Friedman
Welcome to Franchise Today as it celebrates its 1th Season in 2025. Join host Stan Friedman, President of FRM Solutions every Wednesday at 12 PM ET / 11 AM CT as he serves up discussions with weekly guests, who will talk about best practices for scaling their franchise businesses for sustainable growth, through sensible franchising. Franchising remains an unintentional profession. Most people don't go to school to study about how to become involved in franchising. Rather, some life event causes it to find us. Each episode of the podcast begins with a look back at how franchising found that week's guest. This is followed by a walk through the milestones of their journey and career, up to and including the present day. My guests could be franchisors, franchisees or suppliers, who provide insights into high-level support services or top-quality products to better enable the franchise community. Each podcast will wrap with a look ahead to upcoming industry events, upcoming guests or imp
Episodes
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What If Dog Grooming Has Been Solving the Wrong Problem?
How Tim Vogel Created an Entirely New Franchise Category What if an entire industry has been solving the wrong problem? That's the question Tim Vogel eventually asked after spending nearly a decade in the pet grooming business. Traditional grooming helps dogs look better. Tim believed though…
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From the Gym Floor to The Little Gym Brand President: Samantha Musonda’s Remarkable Journey
Franchising has a funny way of finding people who never went looking for it. Samantha Musonda was finishing her psychology degree at Temple University when her dance-team coach suggested a part-time job teaching gymnastics at a nearby, "The Little Gym." Samantha started by teaching classes and...
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ENCORE: “Shelly Sun Berkowitz on Building, Exiting and Giving Back.
What happens after an entrepreneur builds the company, scales it and ultimately lets it go? For Shelly Sun Berkowitz, the answer is, "another chapter of purpose." Shelly founded BrightStar Care in 2002 after her own family struggled to find comprehensive care for her grandmother. She began...
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Human Judgment in an AI World: FranNet President Amanda Duplantis on Franchising's Future
Amanda Duplantis didn't set out to build a career in franchising. At 21, armed with a biology degree and uncertain about what came next, she moved from Louisiana to Colorado and joined LearningRx at the ground level, working for a multi-unit franchisee. What began as a first job became a 16-year...
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From Cupcakes to Scale: Magnolia Bakery’s Franchise Success Story
One year ago, Magnolia Bakery was just beginning the next chapter of its extraordinary story: bringing one of America’s most recognizable bakery brands to U.S. franchising. This week on Franchise Today, I revisit my conversation with Bobbie Lloyd and Jason Mattes of Magnolia Bakery — but with an...
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From Revolution to Reinvention: Shirin Bezhadi’s Remarkable Journey
An Encore for This Moment: Shirin Behzadi and The Unexpected CEO With Iran once again commanding attention around the world, this felt like the right time to revisit one of the most remarkable personal stories shared on Franchise Today last year. Shirin Behzadi was born and raised in Iran before...
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Back to the Future with Jeff Dudan: Bringing AdvantaClean Home
Sometimes the future has a funny way of bringing you back to things all began. This week on Franchise Today, Jeff Dudan, Chairman and CEO of Homefront Brands returns for a conversation that truly takes us Back to the Future. Jeff's franchising story traces back to the aftermath of Hurricane…
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From 'Man in a Van' to a Global Franchise: Nic Brill's Poolwerx Story
How do you transform one of the world's most fragmented service industries into a scalable global franchise? This week on Franchise Today, Stan Friedman welcomes Nic Brill, Global CEO of Poolwerx, whose journey from paper sales in South Africa to leading the world's largest pool service franchise...
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Michelle Rowan: Franchising Found Her, Leadership Defined Her!
Leading with Trust: Michelle Monroe Rowan and the Evolution of Franchise Business Review. Few people set out to build a career in franchising. Michelle Monroe Rowan is proof that sometimes the best careers find you. Michelle joined Franchise Business Review more than 21 years ago as the company's...
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Strong Foundations, Measured Growth and the Future of PIRTEK
What makes a franchise system durable enough to grow through recessions, COVID, supply-chain disruption and technological change? Kim Gubera believes it begins with relationships, strong foundations and franchise owners who are genuinely invested in their local businesses. This week on Franchise...
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The Happy Franchisee: Steve Whiteside on Building Better Franchise Relationships
What separates thriving franchise systems from those constantly battling conflict? According to Steve Whiteside, it isn't better contracts. It isn't more operations manuals. And it certainly isn't more rules. It's relationships. This week on Franchise Today, Stan Friedman welcomes Steve...
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Capriotti's: From Near Bankruptcy to National Brand Success!
What happens when franchisees become owners of the very brand they believed in? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman welcomes Ashley Morris, CEO of Capriotti's Sandwich Shop, whose journey began not in the corporate office, but behind the counter as a Capriotti's franchisee. After...
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Tom Spadea: Treating The Franchise Agreement Like a Constitution, Not a Contract!
What happens when your first business collapses and leaves you deeply in debt? For Tom Spadea, it became the foundation for everything that followed. In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman welcomes Tom Spadea, co-founder of Spadea Lignana, one of franchising's most respected law firms....
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From Auntie Anne's to Taco John's: Heather Leed Neary's Franchise Story
What happens when a franchisor executive becomes a franchise operator? Everything changes. In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman welcomes Heather Leed Neary, President and CEO of Taco John's, for a candid conversation about franchising, restaurant leadership, labor challenges,...
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Scaling Impact, Not Just Units: Adam Sutton's Franchise Playbook
Ask Adam Sutton, “what matters more, your number ofunits or the numbers that your units produce?" Hands down, he will tell you, "it's the latter." In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman welcomesAdam Sutton, CEO of DX3 Brands and RNR Tire Express, for a conversation about servant...
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The End of Generic Franchising: Joe Malmuth on AI, Differentiation and Survival
What if the greatest threat to your franchise concept isn't competition...but irrelevance? In Part 2 of Stan Friedman's conversation with Batteries Plus Chief Development Officer Joe Malmuth, the discussion shifts from franchise development to franchise survival. Joe argues that many franchise...
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Franchise Rebellion: Batteries Plus CDO Joe Malmuth on AI, Innovation, and the Future of Franchise Growth
What happens when franchising keeps using playbooks written for a completely different generation? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman welcomes Joe Malmuth, Chief Development Officer at Batteries Plus, for a fascinating conversation about AI, franchise development, generational...
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How Outreach Genius Uses AI to Unlock Hidden Franchise Revenue
What if your franchise system is already sitting on millions of dollars in hidden revenue… and you just haven’t unlocked it yet? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman welcomes back David Owasi, CEO of Outreach Genius, for one of the most practical and eye-opening conversations yet…
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Scaling Smart: Nick Vojnovic on Growth, Simplicity, and Little Greek Fresh Grill
What does it really take to build a franchise brand that scales? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman sits down with Nick Vojnovic, CEO of Little Greek Fresh Grill, to explore the fundamentals of sustainable franchise growth. Nick brings a rare perspective to franchising—having…
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From McKinsey to Franchising: Jeff Helfgott on Building Profitable, People-First Franchise Systems
In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman sits down with Jeff Helfgott, CEO of Boardroom Salon for Men, to explore a leadership philosophy grounded in integrity, partnership, and disciplined growth. Jeff’s journey into franchising wasn’t planned. From ROTC to an MBA and a career at...
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Matt Friedman: Scaling Wing Zone from College Kitchen to National Franchise Brand
What does it take to build a franchise brand from scratch—and what does it feel like to be part of that journey? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman sits down with Matt Friedman, founder of Wing Zone, for a deeply personal and insightful conversation. Stan shares his own connection…
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No Shortcuts: Michael Haith on Building Teriyaki Madness the Right Way
What does it really take to scale a franchise system without losing control? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman speaks with Michael Haith, CEO of Teriyaki Madness, about building a franchise brand through discipline, infrastructure, and relentless execution. From his early days as…
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From Burger King to Woof Gang: Ricardo Azevedo on Building a 300+-Unit Pet Franchise
The pet services industry continues to experience strong growth, driven by consumers who increasingly view pets as members of the family. In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman speaks with Ricardo Azevedo, CEO of Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming, about building a franchise brand in one of…
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Scaling Trust Worldwide: Leadership Lessons from Ziebart CEO, Thomas A. Wolfe
After nearly four decades in the automotive aftermarket industry, Thomas A. Wolfe understands what it takes to keep a legacy brand relevant. Now, President and CEO of Ziebart International, Wolfe’s journey began in 1986 working in the Ziebart mailroom and working in the warehouse while attending...
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8. Garage Experts: The Next Wave of Home Services Franchising
What happens when a franchise system stalls — and how do you get it moving again? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman speaks with Mike Mushinski, President of Garage Experts. Mike joined the brand in 2024 to rebuild operations and restore momentum to a growing garage flooring and...
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Franchisee Profitability First: The HOTWORX Model
How do you build not one — but multiple — successful fitness franchise brands? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman speaks with Stephen P. Smith, Founder and CEO of Planet Beach and HOTWORX. Stephen shares how his journey began in independent gym ownership and evolved into launching...
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Why Pillar To Post Leads the Home Inspection Category
What does it take to lead a category-defining franchise in a cyclical industry? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman sits down with Charles Furlough, President & CEO of Pillar To Post Home Inspectors. Charles shares how the brand continues to grow by focusing on franchisee…
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How Cookie Cutters Created Sustainable Franchise Growth
What happens when a franchisor prioritizes franchisee survival over growth—and comes out stronger on the other side? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman sits down with Neal Courtney, CEO of Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids and Snip-Its, to explore a franchising journey shaped by...
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Scaling Without Losing Soul: Paul Flick on Growth, Grit, and Giving Back
From a college painting business to a multi-brand franchise empire with more than 1,100 locations—this episode of Franchise Today dives deep into the entrepreneurial journey of Paul Flick, founder and CEO of Premium Service Brands and Extraordinary Brands. Paul’s story began nearly 40 years ago...
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How Ideal Siding Built a Profitable Construction Franchise
What happens when you ignore everything that industry tells you to do—and it works? On this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman sits down with Alex Filipuk, Founder and CEO of Ideal Siding, to unpack one of the most unconventional and successful franchise models in home services today.…
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Jessica Wescott: Building Franchise Success, Through Profitability and People
Success in franchising takes more than financial expertise — it takes relationships. In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman sits down with Jessica Wescott, CEO of Stellar Service Brands, to explore her unexpected journey from private wealth management to leading some 200+ franchise...
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From Massage Heights to Heights Wellness Retreats: Reinventing Through Demand
What if the best franchise systems aren’t planned—butdiscovered? In this episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedmansits down with Shane Evans, CEO of Heights Wellness Retreats, to explore how an unplanned franchise journey turned into a 120+ unit wellness brand built on organic demand…
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How Franchise Today Was Built—Live, Unfiltered, and Under Pressure
Franchise Today did not begin as a polished podcast… farfrom it. — it began as a live radio show in the middleof the Great Recession of 2009. In this special episode, Paul Segreto and Stan Friedmanlook back on the early days of Franchise Today, one of, if not the very first podcasts dedicated to...
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Authenticity Wins: How Two Founders Are Bringing Influencer Marketing to Franchising
What happens when two veteran franchisors look at the industry and realize that one of the biggest challenges of all at the unit level - is driving local traffic! You get Sweet Influencers, a first-of-its-kind platform built by Angela Olea and Liberty Bernal, designed specifically to connect...
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From Near-Bankruptcy to 107 Franchises/260 Territories: The VODA Comeback Story
After years in recruiting, franchise development, and lead generation, Dan Claps sold his company to build something else, on his own. That decision became the foundation for VODA Cleaning & Restoration — but the company nearly collapsed after launch. In this episode, Dan shares the gritty truth...
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Rebuilding Legacy Brands: Paul Damico Reveals His Perkins & Huddle House Blueprint
After 41 years in hospitality and franchising, Paul Damico has seen it all — scaling restaurant brands through explosive growth, navigating economic downturns, selling companies for a combined $90 million, and now revitalizing two iconic, 60-year-old legacy brands: Perkins and Huddle House. In…
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ENCORE: Nick Lopez, From College Painter to Franchise Innovator
Nick Lopez left Colorado as a wide-eyed first-generation college student, to work on a BS in Business Marketing at Michigan State. His plan was to "walk on" to the wrestling team, which would ultimately pay for the cost of tuition and living. The reality was that a scholarship was a couple of…
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Why Alignment Outperforms Valuation: Patrick Galeher’s Franchise M&A Philosophy
What separates a successful franchise exit from a costly one? In this week’s episode of Franchise Today, Stan Friedman sits down with Patrick Galeher, Founder, CEO and Managing Partner of Boxwood Partners, one of the leading M&A advisory firms focused on franchising and multi-unit brands. Patrick...
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ENCORE: From Bankruptcy Scare to Private Equity Crown Jewel
What happens when two brothers nearly lose everything—only to discover they were accidentally building a franchise model the entire time? In this Encore episode, host Stan Friedman sits down with Ryan Parsons, CEO of Evive Brands and co-founder of The Brothers That Just Do Gutters. What started…
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3. From Storytelling to Strategy: Monica Feid on AI, Franchising, and the Future of Marketing
What happens when a journalism graduate with no franchiseexperience gets assigned a PR client that changes her entire professional destiny? That’s exactly what happened to Monica Feid, co-founder and COO of Thunderly Marketing, Advertising and PR. What started as a random PRassignment to the…
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The Founder’s Dilemma: Shelly Sun on Scaling, Exiting, and Starting Again
"This week, Shelly Sun Berkowitz, founder ofBrightStarCare, joins host Stan Friedman for a deeply personal and inspiring conversation about the intersection of franchising, family, and female entrepreneurship. Shelly’s journey was born out of her personal need to find care for her grandmother....
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From Disaster Restoration to Franchise Leadership: The Jeff Dudan Story
What happens when a hurricane changes your entire life philosophy? For Jeff Dudan, a late-night drive home from Hurricane Katrina relief became the turning point that transformed him from a traveling restoration contractor into a franchise empire builder. Starting with a college painting business...
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Scaling Brands and Building Partnerships: Lessons from Jeff Sturgis
After five years as Chief Development Officer at Another Broken Egg, Jeff Sturgis is making another bold pivot—returning to independent consulting. In this conversation with host Stan Friedman, Jeff reflects on three decades in franchising, from his unexpected entry after leaving professional...
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“From Gas Station Attendant to Franchise CEO: Shirin Behzadi’s Unexpected Journey”
From exile at 17 to CEO of a billion-dollar franchise platform. Shirin Bezhadi’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and remarkable leadership. Hear how she scaled Budget Blinds/Home Franchise Concepts, survived a brain tumor, and turned adversity into her greatest advantage.📌 Key Takeaways...
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Carlos Hesano: Restoring More Than Homes at DRYmedic Restoration Services
Carlos Hesano is the brand President of Authority Brands DRYmedic Restoration Services, a company that steps in… when life takes unexpected turns. Whether it’s water, fire, storm, or mold damage, DRYmedic is there 24/7 to helpfamilies and businesses recover, rebuild, and reclaim their lives. And,...
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Fundraising Reimagined: Mike Bahun’s Journey from the Dugout to the Boardroom
This week we welcome Mike Bahun, founder and CEO of Fundraising University. His journey into fundraising and franchising began as a high school coach, igniting his passion for enhancing resources for schools in need. Mike shares his vision to revolutionize fundraising through a service-based…
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Outreach Genius Simplifies AI and Amplifies Growth for Home Svc. Franchises
“Welcome back to Franchise Today! I’m your host, Stan Friedman, and this week we’re exploring how AI is changing the game for franchising. My guest is David Owasi, co-founder of Outreach Genius, who has taken his experience as both a franchise owner and software engineer to tackle one of...
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Bob Gappa: Four Decades of Shaping Franchise Success
In this episode of Franchise Today, host Stan Friedmanwelcomes Bob Gappa, founder of Management 2000 and one of franchising’s most respected voices. Bob’s journey began in the middle of a recession with an unconventional move — offering free consulting — which soon grew into adecades-long career...
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Stephane Breault: Guiding Franchisors From Crisis Mode to CEO Mastery
In this powerful episode of Franchise Today, host Stan Friedman welcomes Stéphane Breault, a very highly respected leadership coach and award-winning figure in Canada’s franchise community. What began as a spark during an MBA lecture in 1983 has since evolved into a decades-longmission: helping...
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The Goldfish Effect: Turning Swim Lessons into a Franchise Legacy
This week, we hear from Chris and Andrew McCuiston, two of the dynamic leaders behind Goldfish Swim School, as they share their remarkable journey from a single swim school in Birmingham, Michigan, to a thriving franchise with nearly 200 locations across North America. What began as a spontaneous...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Franchise Today as it celebrates its 1th Season in 2025. Join host Stan Friedman, President of FRM Solutions every Wednesday at 12 PM ET / 11 AM CT as he serves up discussions with weekly guests, who will talk about best practices for scaling their franchise businesses for sustainable growth, through sensible franchising. Franchising remains an unintentional profession. Most people don't go to school to study about how to become involved in franchising. Rather, some life event causes it to find us. Each episode of the podcast begins with a look back at how franchising found that week's guest. This is followed by a walk through the milestones of their journey and career, up to and including the present day. My guests could be franchisors, franchisees or suppliers, who provide insights into high-level support services or top-quality products to better enable the franchise community. Each podcast will wrap with a look ahead to upcoming industry events, upcoming guests or imp
HOSTED BY
Stan Friedman
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Franchise Today have?
Franchise Today currently has 700 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Franchise Today about?
Welcome to Franchise Today as it celebrates its 1th Season in 2025. Join host Stan Friedman, President of FRM Solutions every Wednesday at 12 PM ET / 11 AM CT as he serves up discussions with weekly guests, who will talk about best practices for scaling their franchise businesses for sustainable...
How often does Franchise Today release new episodes?
Franchise Today releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 700 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Franchise Today?
You can listen to Franchise Today on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Franchise Today?
Franchise Today is created and hosted by Stan Friedman.
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