Empires

Chris Hatch, founder of Dirt Dogs and Forza Commercial, breaks down the business of owning the land beneath America’s top franchises. From Dutch Bros and Raising Cane’s to the dirty soda craze, Chris explains how site selection, drive-thru culture, and brand “soul” shape billion-dollar outcomes. A masterclass on franchising, real estate, and what makes a location truly win.

 

Interested in Agape? https://eatagape.com/franchise/ 

 

Sell your franchise: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ 

 

Buy a franchise: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise

Follow and/or get in touch with Chris: 

 

Listen to his podcast: https://tr.ee/OYH_2bV-Ar 

Work with his company: https://www.forzacommercial.com/ 

X: https://x.com/chriswhatch

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hatch-5b100711/ 

 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Austin Smith started his career helping build Savory Fund into a powerhouse that scaled concepts like Swig, Mo’Bettahs, and R&R Barbecue. After years of investing in food & beverage, he made the leap from investor to operator — taking a massive bet on Big Blue Swim School.

Considering buying a franchise? Reach out: https://www.frandawgs.com/ 

If you’re a multi-unit owner considering selling your locations, get in touch: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ 

In this episode, we dive into:

• How Savory Fund spotted Swig and scaled dirty soda into a national brand
  
  


• Lessons learned from franchising hits and misses (like passing on Crumbl)
  
  


• Why Austin shifted from private equity to owning 21 Big Blue Swim School territories
  
  


• The economics of swim schools, territory buildout costs, and why drowning prevention drives demand
  
  


• His growth strategy to build $7–10M EBITDA and decide whether to flip or hold long-term

Whether you’re an operator, investor, or aspiring franchisee, Austin’s story offers a playbook on evaluating emerging brands and scaling brick-and-mortar businesses.

 

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
01:10 – Getting started with Savory Fund and early food & beverage bets
05:00 – How Savory Fund discovered Swig and why dirty soda works
12:00 – Lessons from Crumbl and when to franchise vs. corporate-own
18:00 – Drive-through culture and why convenience brands win
26:00 – Austin’s move from investor to operator
32:00 – Discovering Big Blue Swim School
35:00 – Why swim schools are insulated from tech disruption
37:00 – Buying 21 territories across Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, and Idaho
49:00 – The cost of Big Blue buildouts and lessons on efficiency
53:00 – Psychology of space: why a “busy” feel matters
61:00 – Growth strategy: scaling to $7–10M EBITDA
64:00 – Long-term vision: flip or hold Big Blue Swim School
1:05:00 – Closing thoughts & where to follow Austin

Links:
👉 Connect with Austin Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/austin-c-smith-a1755548/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Interested in buying a franchise? https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise

 

For multi-unit franchisees looking to sell their locations: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ 

Kal walked away from a Wall Street career to chase his dream of entrepreneurship — and went 5-for-5 picking winning brands. From butcher shops and pizzerias to Orangetheory, European Wax Center, Marco’s Pizza, Dave’s Hot Chicken, and Popup Bagels, he’s scaled to over 100 locations with a private-equity style approach. We dig into how he evaluates franchise opportunities, why diversification matters, how he handles scale and capital raises, and what it really takes to build brands that print cash.

If you want to learn how the best operators think about brand selection, growth, and exits — this is the playbook.

Follow Kal: 

Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kal-gullapalli-91a7525/ 

MPZ Holdings: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mpzholdings/posts/?feedView=all 

Timestamps (YouTube/Spotify Chapters):

 0:00 – From Wall Street to entrepreneurship

 3:00 – Buying butcher shops & early lessons

 7:30 – The bet on Orangetheory

 13:00 – Scaling European Wax Center to 50+ locations

 19:00 – Surviving COVID & raising capital

 24:00 – Why Marco’s Pizza became the anchor brand

 31:00 – Entering Dave’s Hot Chicken at the perfect time

 38:00 – Site selection, unit economics & the secret to growth

 44:00 – The rise of Popup Bagels and reinventing a category

 50:00 – Diversification vs. going deep in one brand

 52:00 – Kal’s daily routine & what’s next

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

For help evaluating franchises, reach out: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise 

 

For multi-unit owners considering selling their locations: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ 

 

Jon Benson’s journey into franchising wasn’t traditional. After scaling a Utah startup from $20M to $450M in sales, and later launching a COVID testing lab that served thousands of people a day, Jon stumbled across GameDay Men’s Health on LinkedIn. Within weeks, he went from curious prospect to signing a five-territory deal in one of the fastest-growing franchises of all time.

In this episode, Jon shares:

• How his early startup and healthcare experiences prepared him for the complex operations of a medical franchise.
  
  


• Why GameDay’s simplified “one-hour testosterone optimization” model is a breakthrough compared to traditional healthcare.
  
  


• The financing and deal structure he used to secure five territories — and why he approached it like a venture deal.
  
  


• What it really takes to open and operate a GameDay clinic: site selection, buildout, staffing, and customer acquisition.
  
  


• The emotional stories of patients whose lives were transformed — including one man who told Jon, “You saved my life”.
  
  


• His exit strategy, what makes franchising attractive to him, and whether he’ll expand into other brands in the future.
  
  

This is a deep dive into how a first-time franchisee can leverage entrepreneurial experience to thrive in one of the fastest-selling franchises in history.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

If you’re a multi-unit franchisee considering selling your locations, get in touch https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ 

Interested in buying a franchise? Reach out here: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise 

Episode Summary:
In this episode of FranDawgs, Patrick sits down with Margarette and her husband Richard - franchise operators who turned their passion for resale into a thriving multi-unit Uptown Cheapskate business. They share how they went from running large independent thrift shops to building one of the top-performing portfolios in the system, with four Uptown Cheapskate stores across Oklahoma.

We dive into:

• The economics of resale vs. thrift shops (staffing, inventory sourcing, square footage).
  
  


• Why Plato’s Closet rejected them—and how that led to Uptown Cheapskate.
  
  


• How they fill 10,000 sq. ft. stores without ever running out of clothes.
  
  


• The proprietary pricing software that keeps them on-trend and profitable.
  
  


• Hiring and retaining fashion-forward staff compared to high-turnover fast food.
  
  


• Scaling from one store to four, funding growth with SBA loans and profits.
  
  


• Why Uptown Cheapskate (and sister brand Kid to Kid) are outperforming most franchise concepts today.
  
  

This is a masterclass in how to scale in the booming resale market—while also building a team and culture that lasts.

Guest(s):

• Margarette & Richard  (multi-unit Uptown Cheapskate franchisees, Oklahoma)
  
  

Host:
Patrick Buckley, founder of FranDawgs

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

🎙️ Guest:
Jacob Horton, Multi-Unit Franchisee at Scenthound and Co-Founder of SBA Source

📍 Location:
Birmingham, AL & Nashville, TN

If you’re a multi-unit franchisee considering selling your locations, get in touch https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ 

 

Interested in buying a franchise? Reach out here: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise 

🔥 Episode Summary:

Jacob Horton went from PowerPoint presentations to puppy baths, and built the #1 Scenthound location in the country.

In this episode, we unpack:

• Why Jacob left nuclear engineering and consulting to dive into franchising
  
  


• The turning point that made him abandon a traditional acquisition search in favor of building a pet grooming empire
  
  


• How he evaluated over a dozen franchises before choosing Scenthound
  
  


• The systems he built to drive over 1,000+ active members at a single location
  
  


• What he’s learned from scaling to 6 stores (on the way to 20)
  
  


• How a homegrown call center and sales CRM became his unfair advantage
  
  


• His new startup: SBA Source, the software platform simplifying SBA loans for franchisees
  
  

Jacob’s business is proof that boring, recurring revenue models—paired with operational excellence—can create serious compounding growth.

📌 Key Stats:

• Opened 6 Scenthound locations in 3 years
  
  


• Averaging $185K in four-wall EBITDA per location
  
  


• Built a 5-person in-house sales team + call center
  
  


• Generated 1,000+ members at his top location
  
  


• Recently launched SBA Source to fix the broken SBA loan process
  

🔗 Links:

• SBA Source


• Jacob's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-lee-9803a480/ 

🧠 Topics Covered:

• [00:00] Jacob’s journey from nuclear engineering to franchising
  
  


• [06:00] Why he abandoned the ETA path
  
  


• [09:00] The business case for pet grooming (vs. daycare)
  
  


• [13:30] Building trust and loyalty through health-focused grooming
  
  


• [15:00] Opening a Scenthound: real estate, pre-sale, and staffing strategy
  
  


• [19:00] How many members to break even (and to thrive)
  
  


• [20:00] The secret weapon: a custom-built call center + CRM
  
  


• [27:00] Evolution of store ops: from 2 units to 6 and beyond
  
  


• [33:00] His labor strategy—and how he built the best grooming team in town
  
  


• [39:00] The playbook for local marketing + Facebook lead gen
  
  


• [44:00] Why he started SBA Source and how it works
  
  


• [54:00] His long-term goal: 20 stores + building a legacy
  

 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

In this episode, Patrick sits down with Michael Horowitz to unpack his journey from venture capital and real estate to owning and operating 20 Wingstop franchises in Ohio. Michael shares the full story of how he sourced his initial 7-unit acquisition, competed for the deal, and navigated the franchise transfer process without prior restaurant experience.

They dive deep into the realities of QSR ownership: the challenges of managing frontline labor, the difficulty of being the sole operator, and how rapid same-store sales growth at Wingstop created a flywheel that fueled expansion. Michael also breaks down his deal structuring, debt strategy, and decision to eventually sell the business to sizzling platter — one of the largest multi-brand operators in the country.

They close with a frank discussion about the ETA boom, franchising as an asset class, and whether Michael would ever get back in the trenches of low-wage labor again.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Feghali, also known on X as the famous QSRguy, a powerhouse multi-unit franchisee who:

• Owns 33 Little Caesars across California, Oregon, and Arizona


• Operates a Jersey Mike’s
  


• Founded his own viral cookie-and-coffee concept, Coco Playa, which did $1.3M+ in its first year

We cover:
🍕 Ryan’s roots folding boxes in his dad’s Little Caesars and why he initially swore off franchising
🚀 How he went from buying two underperforming stores to scaling a 33-unit pizza empire
📈 The systems, tech, and hospitality strategy that help his stores outperform the average AUV
💰 What he looks for in acquisition deals—and why he’d rather overpay for a great location
🥤 How his new concept Coco Playa exploded with Gen Z fans and dirty soda diehards
🤝 Why franchising too early is a trap—and what he’s doing differently as a founder
📚 Plus, a teaser on the book he’s working on

If you're into QSRs, franchising, or just love a good operator story, this one’s packed.

Links: 

Buy or sell your franchise: https://www.frandawgs.com/ 

Ryan on X: https://x.com/QSRguy

Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rfeghali/ 

Check out Ryan’s coffee/cookie brand, Coco Playa:

https://trycocoplaya.com/

https://www.instagram.com/trycocoplaya 

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Jacob Jaber helped turn his dad’s corner store in San Francisco into one of the most beloved coffee brands in the country. In this episode, we break down how Philz became a Silicon Valley icon — without ever serving espresso.

We cover:

• How Jacob scaled from 1 store to 80+
  
  


• The real reason they refused to add espresso machines
  
  


• Why hospitality was always the product (not coffee)
  
  


• Their $100M raise — and the Naval Ravikant story behind it
  
  


• What Jacob looks for now as an investor in brick-and-mortar startups

This isn’t just a story about coffee. It’s about obsession, word-of-mouth, and building a brand so good, people tell their friends. If you’re building anything consumer-facing, this one’s a must-listen.

Links: 

Buy or sell your franchise: https://www.frandawgs.com/ 

Jacob’s investment firm: https://www.humblelion.co/ 

Follow Jacob! https://x.com/JacobJaber  

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Bret Borock co-owned 5 Orangetheory studios—including one of the top 10 locations in the country. At the peak, they were printing cash. But when COVID hit, he nearly lost it all.

The deal fell through. And Bret had to wait until 2024 to finally exit.

So what did he do next?

He went from boutique fitness… to garbage.
He bought into Smash My Trash—and then doubled down with a Heavyweight Waste franchise.

In this episode of FranDawgs Uncut, Bret unpacks:
– How he scaled top-performing Orangetheory studios
– What it’s like trying to sell a business during a crisis
– Why he bet on the unsexy world of commercial waste
– The surprising playbook that works across both fitness and trash

Enjoy!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com