Franchise coach and author Adam Goldman joins Adrienne Barker for a lively and insightful conversation about how franchising can open doors to freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment. As the founder of FranchiseVisa and author of The Franchisee Lifestyle, Adam has guided hundreds of people toward successful business ownership through franchise opportunities.

In this episode, Adam explains what makes a great franchise fit, the power of proven systems, and how franchising can help people leave corporate life behind to build their own legacy. Adrienne and Adam also discuss unexpected franchise opportunities, the importance of mindset, and how passion meets profit when supported by the right structure.

→ 5 Key Takeaways → Franchising extends far beyond fast food, with more than 75 industries to explore including senior care, restoration, and pet services. → The best franchise owners are coachable, community-oriented, and thrive within proven systems that support growth. → Buying a franchise means gaining access to tested processes, training, and a built-in network of support. → Many people turn to franchising to design a lifestyle business that allows them to work on their own terms. → A franchise coach helps align your strengths, goals, and investment level with the right brand to ensure success.

Guest: Adam Goldman, Franchise Coach and Author Book: The Franchisee Lifestyle – available on Amazon Learn more: https://www.franchisecoach.net/houston

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Gamify Your Business: Turning Work into a Playable Adventure

What if your business plan felt more like an epic quest than a spreadsheet? In this lively conversation, Paul Pape shares how his Gamify Business system transforms entrepreneurship into an engaging, role-playing experience. From creating “character sheets” for your business to unlocking achievements that build momentum, Paul’s approach helps creatives and entrepreneurs make strategy fun again.

→ Learn how gamification boosts motivation and accountability → Discover why 90-day “quests” outperform traditional goal setting → See how storytelling reframes fear of failure into forward motion → Find out how teams use game mechanics to strengthen collaboration → Explore ways to bring play back into professional growth

“Business is an adventure. Don’t be an NPC — be the hero in your own story.” — Paul Pape

Guest: Paul Pape, creator of Gamify Business

Website: https://gamifybusiness.com

Free sample chapters: https://gamifybusiness.com/podcast

Books: The Creative Player’s Handbook to Business and The Game Master’s Guide to Business

Podcast: Gamify Business Tavern Tales

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What if your brand isn’t your logo — but the feeling people have when they think of you?

In this bold, heartfelt conversation, Adrienne Barker sits down with Rich Kozak, founder of Rich Brands and Impact Driven Publishing, to uncover what most entrepreneurs miss about branding — and how clarity becomes the foundation for both business longevity and legacy. Rich shares insights from his 49-year career helping individuals and companies “language” their brand so it speaks authentically to the hearts of those they serve. From defining your umbrella brand to avoiding the six consequences of unclear branding, this episode is a masterclass in purpose-driven impact.

Adrienne opens up about her own multi-passion journey — from etiquette to podcasting — and puts herself in the “branding hot seat” to explore how passion, energy, and clarity can finally align under one cohesive vision.

Key Takeaways

→ Your brand is not your logo or slogan — it’s a perception in the minds of those you want to impact.

The six consequences of unclear branding: confusion, misinformation, wasted marketing, lost credit, competitors pulling ahead, and lost time.

→ How to create an umbrella brand that connects every part of your business with authenticity.

→ Why branding is God’s work — when you align your gifts with the impact you’re meant to make.

→ The difference between “branding” and “marketing” — and why clarity must come first.

→ How defining and languaging your brand can transform your fulfillment, focus, and results.

💡 Join Rich Kozak’s next Branding You With Impact half-day experience at https://brandingyouwithimpact.com

🌐 Connect and explore more at https://richbrands.org

🎧 Subscribe to Adrienne Barker Speaks: No Prep Needed for more Brave, Bold & Brilliant conversations with the world’s most purpose-driven leaders.

Interested in Booking Great Guests:👉 https://www.joinpodmatch.com/adriennebarkerspeaks

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What if your next big career move wasn’t a job… but a franchise?

In this high-energy conversation, Adrienne Barker sits down with James Hilovsky, franchise matchmaker and founder of https://www.thefrandream.com/, to explore how everyday entrepreneurs, athletes, and professionals can turn proven systems into lasting success.

James reveals what really makes a business franchisable, why franchising accelerates growth, and how matching passion with structure creates unstoppable results. From athletes planning for life after the NFL to parents helping their kids launch jet-cleaning businesses, James shows that the dream of ownership starts with one mindset shift — betting on yourself.

Key Takeaways

→ The journey from 25 years in restaurants to franchise matchmaker success

→ Why athletes and professionals turn to franchising for stability and legacy → What makes a business truly “franchisable” — systems, scalability, and support

→ Debunking the myths: control, cost, and creativity inside franchise life

→ How franchising saves time, money, and costly trial-and-error mistakes

→ Why the real dream of entrepreneurship is freedom and quality of life

Call to Action Discover your own franchise path at https://www.thefrandream.com/ and connect with James Haloski for a free consultation.

🎧 Subscribe to Adrienne Barker Speaks: No Prep Needed for more bold, brilliant, and business-smart conversations.

Interested in Booking Great Guests:👉 https://www.joinpodmatch.com/adriennebarkerspeaks

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What if a knife could give everyone back the joy of cooking?

In this inspiring and unexpected conversation, Adrienne Barker welcomes Doug Katz, Army veteran and co-founder of Nulu, the “new ulu” — a revolutionary, circular kitchen knife born from Doug’s own disability and desire to keep creating. Doug shares how a gift from his wife — a knifemaking class — sparked a journey from forge to startup, blending engineering precision, functional art, and inclusive innovation. From his West Point roots to founding Nulu Knives, Doug opens up about disability, universal design, and why the kitchen is ground zero for dignity, independence, and legacy.

→ Hear the real story behind a product changing lives one slice at a time.

Key Takeaways

→ The origin story behind Nulu Knives and its unique circular “new ulu” design

→ How Doug turned his own physical limitations into a breakthrough invention

→ The intersection of universal design, accessibility, and kitchen safety

→ Why inclusive product design benefits everyone, not just those with disabilities

→ How veteran resilience fuels innovation and entrepreneurship

→ Why functional art creates emotional legacy in everyday life

Call to Action Discover the full story at NuluKnives.com and follow Doug’s mission to make design accessible for all. Learn more: https://linktr.ee/dougkatz

Subscribe to Adrienne Barker Speaks: No Prep Needed for more bold, brilliant, and brave conversations.

This conversation will be turned into a book soon, courtesy of podtobook.ai

Interested in Booking Great Guests:👉 https://www.joinpodmatch.com/adriennebarkerspeaks

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Is your brain working for you—or against you?

In this revealing Adrienne Barker Speaks: No Prep Needed episode, Adrienne chats with Mitch Weisburgh, founder of MindShifting with Mitch, a neuroscience-based approach to transforming how you think, decide, and succeed.

Mitch breaks down the brain science behind our biggest blocks—from why we procrastinate to how we self-sabotage—and shares actionable tools for shifting your mindset toward clarity, calm, and creative problem-solving. Whether you're a teacher, entrepreneur, or parent navigating a world of noise, this episode will help you build inner trust and better decision-making skills by understanding the neuroscience behind your everyday habits.

🧠 PLUS: Adrienne and Mitch unpack how your “Part X” can hijack your potential—and how to disarm it.

➤ 6 Key Takeaways:

→ What is “Part X” and how it secretly runs your life → The connection between dopamine, distraction, and discipline → Why “sense-making” isn’t enough—and how “mindshifting” goes deeper → Real stories of transformation using Mitch’s method → How teachers and students can benefit from mindset training → The one brain-based strategy you can use today to reduce overwhelm

✅ Call to Action

🎧 Listen now to learn how to stop battling your brain—and start partnering with it. For more from Mitch Weisburgh, visit MindShiftingWithMitch.com and grab his book, courses, and free tools. Follow Adrienne Barker for more unscripted brilliance on business, life, and bold thinking.

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Are you Googling your way to invisibility? In this no-fluff, wildly informative episode, Adrienne Barker sits down with SEO expert Brandon Leibowitz, founder of SEO Optimizers, to decode the mysterious world of search engine optimization. If you've ever thrown up a website and crossed your fingers, this one's for you.

Brandon brings clarity, humor, and straight talk to a topic most of us fake our way through. Whether you're a business owner, blogger, podcaster, or just someone trying to get found online—this episode will give you a reality check (and a rescue plan).

➡️ Key Takeaways

➤ What SEO really is (and why it's not just keywords)

➤ How to find out where your audience is actually searching

➤ The truth about blogging, backlinks, and Google's trust

➤ Why your old website might be your secret SEO weapon

➤ How to ethically hijack your competitor’s SEO traffic

➤ What gets you penalized by Google—yes, even JCPenney did it

🎁 Bonus: Brandon shares how you can get a free SEO strategy session and website audit 👉 Visit: SEOOptimizers.com

💬 Adrienne’s Favorite Quote from Brandon: “Google is watching all our moves. Just don’t try to trick them—they’ve been around longer than your website has.”

🎧 Listen now to find out if your site’s really doing its job—or just sitting there looking pretty.

🔗 CTA: Like what you heard? Be bold. Be brilliant. Be found.

💡 Subscribe, share, and visit AdrienneBarker.com for more episodes and visibility strategy!

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In this episode of Adrienne Barker Speaks: No Prep Needed, Adrienne welcomes Dominick Domasky, founder of Motivation Champs in Pittsburgh, PA. Known for helping everyday people share stories that elevate humanity, Dominick opens up about his family roots, his mom’s Alzheimer’s journey, and how those experiences shaped his mission as a publisher, speaker agent, and community builder.

👉 How do you actually get paid as a speaker—without chasing checks for 90 days? 👉 Do authors really need social media in 2025, or can a great book stand on its own?

Dominick shares hard-earned lessons on building author platforms, launching compilation books the right way, and creating opportunities through podcasts, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, and live events. He also explains why every story matters, how to practice speaking before going pro, and the power of collaboration over competition.

Whether you’re writing your first book, looking to book more stages, or trying to turn your story into impact, this episode is packed with practical advice and real talk from someone who has walked the walk.

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What if grief had a “light at the end of the tunnel”… and that light was legacy?

Episode Summary

In this zero-prep, all-heart conversation, Adrienne sits down with Patricia D. Freudenberg—known as Patty from New York—to explore how we can move from grief to revival through legacy. After 33+ years behind the chair in her salon, Patty witnessed how loss shows up in everyday life. That lived experience led her to create Miss-U-Gram, a free memorial platform, earn her end-of-life coaching certification, and write Live Your Legacy, a workbook-style guide to gently redirect grief into meaning and momentum. We talk practical tools, “grief etiquette,” and why being seen, heard, and validated is medicine.

About Patricia

Patricia D. Freudenberg is the founder of Miss-U-Gram, host of Legacy Café, a certified end-of-life coach, public speaker, and author of Live Your Legacy. She champions “death to life” recovery through legacy, community, and simple, doable practices that help people return to the “land of the living.” Learn more: https://miss-u-gram.com/patricia-freudenberg/

Highlights & Takeaways

→ Legacy as the 7th stage: Beyond acceptance and meaning, Patty frames legacy as the “light at the end of the tunnel.”

→ Seen. Heard. Validated. Why being witnessed is often what unlocks recovery.

→ Redirection beats rumination: Journaling, reading short chapters, and “coping with color” give the mind a new path.

→ Morning for mourning: A simple practice to face the hardest part of the day with intention. → Grief etiquette (teaser): The best phrase when words fail: “I’m here for you.”

→ The butterfly mark: Miss-U-Gram’s black/white butterfly symbolizes body + soul, endings + continuance.

→ Free starter tools: Patty offers a coupon for a downloadable “living will” to start vital family conversations.

Quotable Patty

Resources Mentioned

Connect with Patricia

Listen & Support

If this helped you (or someone you love), please follow, rate, and share the show. Your reviews help more people find conversations like this when they need them most. 💛

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How do you build a business someone actually wants to buy—without losing your sanity or your legacy?

Business coach and Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) Len Bruskowitz of FocalPoint Coaching shares how to create a company that thrives beyond its founder. From documenting processes to picking the right exit path, Len explains why most owners need 3–5 years of runway, how to escape the “everything lives in my head” trap, and the 40+ factors that drive real business value.

Key Takeaways

→. Document or discount. Five-minute screen-record SOPs beat a thousand sticky notes.

→. Spend time in the Strategic “I,” measure in the Managerial “I,” and delegate the Technician “I.”

→. Fire the wrong customers. Don’t hand a buyer low-margin, high-drama accounts.

→. Start early. Three to five years of prep protects your price and your peace of mind.

→. Match the exit to your goals. Cash-out, succession, or management buyout—each has trade-offs.

Quotes from Len

How to Reach Len Len Bruskowitz, CEPA –

FocalPoint Coaching 📞 617-356-8102

🌐 Search “Len Bruskowitz FocalPoint” to connect directly.

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