Behind the Franchise

In this episode, host Paul Ehlinger sits down with Kim Gubera, CEO of PIRTEK. Kim shares her journey from accounting and commercial landscaping into franchising, eventually becoming CEO of a 200+ location franchise system. From learning franchising by doing to leading PIRTEK through major growth and a private equity partnership, she breaks down what it takes to build a resilient franchise brand in a rapidly changing economy.

Listeners will hear:

• How Kim went from knowing almost nothing about franchising to becoming a CEO and Certified Franchise Executive.

• Why getting out into the field and visiting franchisees has shaped her approach to leadership.

• Why AI resistance has become one of the top reasons franchise candidates are exploring PIRTEK.

• How PIRTEK uses sales coaching and ongoing training to help franchisees grow across multiple customer verticals.

• How private equity changed PIRTEK’s approach to growth, marketing, franchise development, and infrastructure.

• Why Kim believes businesses should always be run as if they are for sale.

• How PIRTEK is using AI to create better tools, documentation, and data-driven insights for franchisees.

• Why continuous improvement is essential when a franchise system is growing quickly.

• Why franchise brands need to protect their culture and values as they scale.

🎧 A must-listen if you’re curious about building an AI-resilient franchise, scaling without losing your culture, and using technology to make franchisees more successful.

#BehindTheFranchise #PIRTEK #FranchiseGrowth #FranchiseLeadership #FranchiseSuccess #AIandFranchising #Franchising

In this episode, host Paul Ehlinger sits down with Amy Byrne, Marketing Director for BELFOR Franchise Group. Amy shares her unconventional journey from the music industry and life on the road to leading marketing strategy across a portfolio of franchise brands. Together, they explore what it takes to balance analytics with creativity, empower franchise owners, and adapt marketing strategies in an AI-driven world.

Listeners will hear:

• How Amy's background in the music industry shaped her belief that human connection is the foundation of great marketing.

• Why franchise marketing should be built for the average owner, not just experienced marketers.

• How BELFOR Franchise Group balances national marketing initiatives with local market flexibility.

• Why community involvement and personal branding are becoming more valuable than ever for franchise owners.

• How Amy uses data and analytics to make confident marketing decisions without overwhelming stakeholders.

• Her perspective on AI search, structured data, FAQs, and why conversion quality matters more than traffic volume.

🎧 A must-listen for franchise marketers looking to blend strategy, analytics, and authentic human connection while preparing for the future of AI-powered marketing.

#BehindTheFranchise #BELFORFranchiseGroup #FranchiseMarketing #MarketingAnalytics #FranchiseGrowth #AISEO #LocalMarketing

In this episode, host Paul Ehlinger sits down with Brian Gross, President of Bach to Rock. Brian shares how a summer rock band program evolved into one of the nation's leading music education franchises and explains why music is about much more than learning an instrument. From building proprietary technology and embracing AI to navigating private equity investment and preserving company culture, Brian offers an inside look at scaling a purpose-driven franchise while staying true to its mission.

Listeners will hear:

• How Bach to Rock grew from a summer camp into a national franchise with more than 60 locations.

• Why music education develops teamwork, confidence, creativity, and lifelong skills beyond the classroom.

• How Bach to Rock built its own technology platform to improve operations, curriculum, and the student experience.

• Brian's perspective on AI, digital learning, and why technology should enhance, not replace, great teaching.

• What the company's partnership with Spark Harbor means for the future of Bach to Rock and its ambitious growth plans.

• Why culture, transparency, and leading indicators are critical to successfully scaling a franchise system.

🎧 A must-listen for franchise leaders, educators, and entrepreneurs looking to build a mission-driven business that grows through innovation, strong culture, and a relentless focus on customer impact.

#BehindTheFranchise #BachToRock #Franchising #MusicEducation #YouthEnrichment #FranchiseGrowth #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Innovation

In this episode, host Paul Ehlinger sits down with Amy Freeman, Co-Founder and CEO of The Spice & Tea Exchange. Amy shares how she built a niche retail concept into a thriving 100+ location franchise by combining curiosity, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to quality. From sourcing spices and teas around the world to navigating supply chain disruptions, COVID, and rapid franchise growth, Amy reveals how culture and relationships have become the foundation of the brand's long-term success.

Listeners will hear:

• How The Spice & Tea Exchange grew from a small concept with just 13 teas into a national franchise built around experience and education.

• Why Amy believes franchising is both an art and a science and how giving franchisees guardrails instead of restrictions fuels innovation.

• How building strong vendor relationships and controlling the supply chain helped the brand navigate tariffs, shortages, and economic uncertainty.

• Why curiosity, continuous learning, and finding work you genuinely love are essential qualities for successful franchise leaders.

• How franchisee collaboration has led to some of the company's most successful products and strongest culture.

• Amy's vision for growing from 100 stores to 400 locations by focusing on multi-unit operators and stronger franchisee connectivity.

🎧 A must-listen for franchise leaders looking to build a resilient brand, create an exceptional customer experience, and grow through collaboration instead of control.

#BehindTheFranchise TheSpiceAndTeaExchange #Franchising #Leadership #SupplyChain #SmallBusiness #Entrepreneurship

In this episode, host Paul Ehlinger sits down with Tom Mirabella, founder and CEO of Wingman Planning. Tom shares how he left corporate America to build a marketing agency from the ground up, eventually growing it into a team of more than 25 employees before expanding into franchising. From learning every role in the business himself to creating systems that help entrepreneurs succeed, he explains what it really takes to build a scalable service business while staying true to your values.

Listeners will hear:

• Why Tom believes the best franchisees are community builders, not absentee owners.

• How Wingman evolved from a local marketing agency into a franchise opportunity.

• The lessons learned from systematizing a business after 17 years of growth.

• Why AI should be viewed as a powerful tool, not a replacement for human relationships.

• How corporate layoffs are creating a new generation of entrepreneurs.

• Why staying humble, hustling hard, and remembering where you came from are the principles that continue to drive his leadership.

🎧 A must-listen for entrepreneurs, franchise leaders, and anyone looking to build a business rooted in service, relationships, and long-term growth.

#BehindTheFranchise #WingmanPlanning #Franchising #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #MarketingAgency #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #AI

In this episode, host Paul Ehlinger sits down with Bryan Vohsing, Franchise Marketing Manager at Oh Deer. Bryan shares how he unexpectedly found his way into franchising and grew from marketing coordinator to leading both local and national marketing initiatives for one of the fastest-growing all-natural deer, tick, and mosquito control brands. From building scalable marketing systems to balancing franchisee creativity with brand consistency, Bryan offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to grow an emerging franchise the right way.

Listeners will hear:

• How Bryan went from event marketing to leading franchise marketing strategy at Oh Deer.

• Why Oh Deer built its brand around lifestyle marketing instead of fear-based messaging.

• The importance of creating systems that empower franchisees without limiting local creativity.

• How franchisee ideas become repeatable marketing playbooks across the system.

• Why emerging brands should expect systems to break—and how to prepare for it.

• Practical ways AI can improve marketing workflows while keeping local marketing authentic.

• His advice for anyone breaking into franchise marketing and why relationships are the industry's biggest advantage.

🎧 A must-listen if you're interested in franchise marketing, brand building, local marketing strategy, and scaling systems without losing what makes a brand unique.

#BehindTheFranchise #OhDeer #FranchiseMarketing #LocalMarketing #EmergingBrands #BrandStrategy #AIInMarketing #Franchising #MarketingLeadership

In this episode, host Paul Ehlinger sits down with Paul Redman, President of Contractor Commerce. Paul shares how Contractor Commerce evolved from an online storefront for HVAC contractors into an AI-powered commerce platform that's reshaping how homeowners research, shop for, and purchase home services. From staying disciplined through years of product evolution to making bold bets on agentic AI, Paul offers an inside look at where contractor marketing and e-commerce are headed next.

Listeners will hear:

• How Contractor Commerce stayed focused on one mission while continuously evolving its platform.

• Why saying "no" to customers is just as important as listening to customer feedback.

• What agentic commerce is and how AI is changing the way consumers buy home services.

• Why contractors need to prepare for AI agents, not just human website visitors.

• How AI-powered optimization is replacing traditional A/B testing and manual website improvements.

• Paul's thoughts on the future of home service pricing, consumer trust, and where AI can create better buying experiences.

• Why the companies that embrace technology today will be best positioned for the next wave of industry change.

🎧 A must-listen for franchise leaders, contractors, marketers, and anyone curious about how AI is transforming the customer buying journey, and what businesses need to do to stay ahead.

#BehindTheFranchise #ContractorCommerce #HomeServices #AgenticAI #Ecommerce #FranchiseTechnology #FranchiseAI #Entrepreneurship

In this episode, host Paul Ehlinger sits down with Doug Roberto, owner and design consultant of Gotcha Covered Los Feliz. Doug shares his journey from decades in corporate medical sales to becoming a first-time franchise owner. He opens up about why he left corporate America, how franchising gave him the confidence to pursue entrepreneurship, and the lessons he's learned during his first year of business ownership. From building relationships through networking to discovering the power of listening in sales, Doug offers practical advice for anyone considering making the leap into franchising.

Listeners will hear:

• Why Doug left a successful corporate career to become a franchise owner.

• How a franchise broker helped him find the right business opportunity.

• The sales skills that translated into entrepreneurship and the ones that didn't.

• Why listening is the most important skill every salesperson can develop.

• What surprised him most about owning a business, from HR to accounting and operations.

• The biggest lessons he's learned during his first year and why understanding your margins matters.

• His advice for anyone dreaming about leaving corporate America and starting a business.

🎧 A must-listen for corporate professionals, aspiring franchise owners, and anyone curious about what it really takes to trade the corporate ladder for entrepreneurship.

#BehindTheFranchise #GotchaCovered #Franchising #Entrepreneurship #BusinessOwnership #CorporateToEntrepreneur #SalesLeadership #SmallBusiness

In this episode, host Paul Ehlinger sits down with Jimmy Speyer, Founder and CEO of GlassHouse. Jimmy shares his journey from hospitality and SaaS leadership to launching a technology company that helps home service businesses generate demand through digital door knocking. Along the way, he explains why he and his wife bought a Pink's Window franchise while building Glasshouse, and how becoming operators themselves shaped the product they were creating.

Listeners will hear:

• How Jimmy transitioned from restaurant technology into scaling SaaS companies before becoming a founder.

• Why buying and operating a franchise gave his team the real-world experience they needed to build better software.

• The biggest shifts happening in home services marketing, and why creating demand is becoming just as important as capturing it.

• How AI, data, and neighborhood-level targeting are changing the way local businesses connect with homeowners.

• His perspective on competing in an increasingly crowded market without relying solely on Google and Meta.

• Why resilience, embracing failure, and "just keep going" have become his guiding principles as an entrepreneur.

🎧 A must-listen for franchise leaders, home service operators, and entrepreneurs looking to build smarter marketing systems, embrace calculated risk, and grow businesses that stand the test of time.

#BehindTheFranchise #Glasshouse #FranchiseGrowth #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusinessGrowth

In this episode, host Paul Ehlinger sits down with Jesse McBain, Chief Operating Officer of Pvolve. With more than 30 years of franchise leadership experience spanning brands like Papa John's and The Joint Chiropractic, Jesse shares how Pvolve is redefining fitness through clinically backed movement, premium brand experiences, and operational excellence. He dives into what it takes to scale a franchise system while protecting brand integrity, building community, and creating consistent experiences across every location.

Listeners will hear:

• How Jesse transitioned from scaling legacy franchise brands to leading the growth of Pvolve.

• Why Pvolve believes strength, mobility, and stability are the foundation of long-term health.

• How clinically backed fitness has become one of the brand's biggest competitive advantages.

• The systems and playbooks required to maintain a premium experience as a franchise grows.

• Why franchisees should be viewed as innovation partners, not just operators.

• How Pvolve connects digital memberships, e-commerce, and brick-and-mortar studios into one customer journey.

• Jesse's thoughts on community-building, hospitality, and where the future of fitness is headed.

🎧 A must-listen for franchise leaders, fitness entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in building a premium brand that scales without sacrificing the customer experience.

#BehindTheFranchise #Pvolve #Franchising #FitnessBusiness #BrandExperience #FranchiseGrowth #Leadership