Franchise Empires

By The Wolf, A Workweek FriendBusiness Entrepreneurship Investing Management

Franchise Empires episodes

August 02, 2022 S2 E7: Sylvan Learning: How Mike Kelley Ditched Corporate And Became a Multiple Franchise Owner
Mike’s franchise journey is a fascinating one. Find out why he left his corporate 9-5 to open multiple Sylvan Learning Center locations, via Chick-a-Fil and senior care.
When corporate life is sucking your soul away, it’s time for a change. Now a franchise owner of 10 Sylvan Learning units, Mike shares his story.
The Wolf and Mike dive right into how he left his job to work in the family jewelry business, why he turned down a Chick-a-Fil franchise, and how he ran two brands before optimizing for Sylvan Learning.

You’ll also hear why being a franchise owner plays into Mike’s ambitions of working less, earning more, and why he values a hierarchical structure.

And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Mike:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mike-kelley-b84a55132

Check out The Wolf’s newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

The Wolf is a friend of Workweek, working together to produce amazing podcasts. Find out more, visit: www.workweek.com
41 min
July 26, 2022 S2 E6: Go Mini Storage: Meet The Entrepreneur at The Start of His Franchise Journey
How do you launch your own franchise empire from scratch? Meet Matt Stapleford, the entrepreneur one year into building his niche business with Go Mini Storage.
The Wolf and Matt get straight into it, discussing how his background as a numbers guy persuaded him towards franchise ownership, why he loves the autonomy and freedom franchises offer, and his ambitious plans to expand across Pittsburgh.
You’ll also hear why getting the right franchise is essential, how to crunch the numbers for due diligence, and why Matt’s priority is always family first.

And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Matt:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/matthew-stapleford-831688ba

Check out The Wolf’s newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

The Wolf is a friend of Workweek, working together to produce amazing podcasts. Find out more, visit: www.workweek.com
33 min
July 19, 2022 S2 E5: Wingstop Franchise: Everything Michael Horowitz Knows About Owning 20 Franchise Units
Why does a Wall Street professional switch to Wingstop franchise ownership? Michael Horowitz explains how he made the crossover and why it’s the best move he ever made.
The Wolf gets straight into it with Michael, who in his quest to become a franchise owner, researched and spoke to every big name, every fast food franchise brand in the industry.
He finally settled on Wingstop and is now the owner of 20 units. You’ll hear Michael’s opinions on traditional business routes versus franchises, how to get a shot at buying into a big brand, and how to evaluate your business model.

And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Michael:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mahorowitz
Twitter: twitter.com/mahorowitz

Check out The Wolf’s newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

The Wolf is a friend of Workweek, working together to produce amazing podcasts. Find out more, visit: www.workweek.com
44 min
July 12, 2022 S2 E4: Why the Mayweather Boxing Franchise is Landing Punches
David Weis has made one mistake in his franchise journey. He won’t make it again. Find out how the Mayweather Boxing franchise has found its place in LA.
After working in the fitness industry for decades as a trainer, David launched his own chain of gyms in the Boston area. Beacon Hill Athletic Club is still hugely successful and David has turned his attention to a franchise with a powerful boxing name attached.
Daniel and David launch straight into how David missed out on an Orange Theory franchise opportunity, but jumped straight in as the first owner of Mayweather Boxing in 2018.
You’ll hear why boxing training is the workout with long-term stayability, the power of a name, and how customer service is the biggest differentiator.
David also shares his plans to build 5 other sites in Los Angeles and his ambitions to expand into Boston, Tokyo, and Tel-Aviv.

And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow David:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/david-ilan-weis-a5009062

The Wolf is a friend of Workweek, working together to produce amazing podcasts. Find out more, visit: www.workweek.com

Check out The Wolf’s newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
40 min
July 05, 2022 S2 E3: The Mathnasium Franchise: How One Couple Went All In
The Speers are natural entrepreneurs. From owning an auto-motive business to homeschooling, this power couple knows the value of franchising a great education product.
After watching one of their daughters struggle to get to grips with mathematics, James and Jennifer Speer sought help with the Mathnasium teaching method. Impressed with the product, they created the first Mathnasium Learning Center franchise in 2011. And they haven’t looked back.
The Wolf gets into conversation with Jennifer and James, talking about how they’ve expanded to 10 locations around Texas, why you should burn your ships and go all in, and why buying is easier when you get your first location right.
You’ll also hear why you should get to know your business inside and out and how that makes buying easier than building.

And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow James:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/james-speer-78432955

Check out The Wolf’s newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

The Wolf is a friend of Workweek, working together to produce amazing podcasts. Find out more, visit: www.workweek.com
46 min
June 28, 2022 S2 E2: The Secret to Owning 29 Midas Franchises With Brian Beers
Brian Beers is the Swiss Army Knife of franchisees. From buying to scaling and selling, he pulls no punches. And as the owner of 29 Midas locations, Brian knows entrepreneurship inside and out.
When the family business is franchises, you know you’re in the hands of an industry expert. Brian’s family founded Midas, the auto repair franchise, in 1976. Now Brian runs multiple units, all within an hour of Philadelphia.
The Wolf and Brian dive right into how Brian leverages owner finance to buy locations, why a profit first approach should be every business owner’s priority, and how to identify a franchise system that has plenty of acquisition opportunity.
You’ll also hear how the Baby Boomer generation plays a role in Brian’s acquisition strategy and his ambitious goals for the future.
And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!
Follow Brian:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brian-t-beers
Twitter: twitter.com/brianbeers

Check out The Wolf’s newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf

The Wolf is a friend of Workweek, working together to produce amazing podcasts. Find out more, visit: www.workweek.com
45 min
June 21, 2022 S2 E1: How to Build a Franchise Empire Without Burning Out
Erik Van Horn has owned 6 franchise brands, built 43 locations and made some great sales. Now he works 3 days a week on things he loves. Find out his secret on this season premier.
As a veteran in the world of franchising, Erik knows how important it is to prioritize your time on things you enjoy doing, even more than making money. But he’s done both and is ready to share the secret sauce.
The Wolf dives into conversation with Erik about the process of building multiple Liberty Tax franchises across Austin, how he built, grew and sold Sola Salon studios in California, and why 15-20 hours a week is the work/life balance he loves.
You’ll also hear how Erik got into business through a gardening job and the realities of being a multi-brand owner.

And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!

Follow Erik:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/evanhorn
Check out Erik's podcast, community, and more here: https://www.franchisesecrets.com

Check out The Wolf’s newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
The Wolf is a friend of Workweek, working together to produce amazing podcasts. Find out more, visit: www.workweek.com
48 min
June 07, 2022 Franchise Empires: Season 2 Trailer
If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or already building out your franchise empire, finding the information you need can be tough. There’s plenty out there but so often it’s opaque and hard to access.
You already know the smart money lies in franchises, you just need to cut through the noise and get the inside scoop on how to choose, own and scale your business.

I’m The Wolf, and this is season 2 of Franchise Empires.

Whether you’re an aspiring owner or have one or two businesses to your name, you’ll get insight into raising capital, and hot takes on how to choose a business that resonates with your values and goals.

Last season I unlocked the playbooks of franchisees from killer brands like Orange Theory, Five Guys, and Dunkin’ Donuts, and this season’s line up is equally as stellar.

Every episode you can expect thoughtful takeaways from a successful franchise builder with practical insights like why you don’t need a ton of investment to get started, the secrets to running 100 stores, and why you don’t need to quit your day job straight away.

Owning a franchise might not be the most obvious path to entrepreneurship, but if you’re looking to build sustainable wealth using tried and tested models, your journey starts here.

With season 2 dropping on June 21, and new shows every Tuesday, tune in for everything you need to build your franchise empire.

Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
2 min
May 17, 2022 S1 E12: How Combining Franchises is Helping Build an Empire
Military veteran Betsy Erb has a vision. And she’s not going to stop until she’s built her pet franchise empire.
How is she going about it? By leveraging an established franchise brand, Dog Training Elite, to boost a newer opportunity: PetWellClinic.
The Wolf talks to Betsy about how PetWellClinic is solving a massive pain point for the owners of animals in need of urgent care, her short and long term plays, and how she and husband Ed are horizontally integrating in the pet industry.

You’ll also hear how Betsy plans to leverage the two brands, what it’s like taking on a multi-unit deal, and her vision as an entrepreneur.

Multi-units, multi-franchises - this is a business strategy you’ll want to take note of.

Follow Betsy on Instagram:@dogtrainingeliteselouisiana

Check out The Wolf’s newsletter

Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
39 min
May 10, 2022 S1 E11: Using A Low Cost Franchise Strategy To Open 39 Franchises
Early on in his banking career, David Schuck realized he really needed to be his own boss. He picked up a low cost franchise and hasn’t looked back.
If you’re unwilling to give up the day job straight away, owning a seasonal franchise like Liberty Tax that’s really only on during tax season, is the way to start.
The Wolf and David get into how he picked up his first low cost unit, how he eventually went all in on franchise ownership, and how he scaled by acquiring other franchisee’s businesses.
You’ll hear how he still owns 12 Liberty Tax franchises to this day, using them as a stepping stone to open 27 Club Pilates centers, and why he partnered with a private equity firm to fuel his growth.
David also shares his long-term vision of building an empire worth $100,000,000.
Follow David:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/david-schuck-spartanfitnessholdings
Check out The Wolf’s newsletter
Stay up-to-date on all things Franchise Empires by following The Wolf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf
47 min

About Franchise Empires

From the publisher's feed

Most startups are doomed to fail. But there’s an alternative route to financial freedom for hungry entrepreneurs. One that involves far less risk, far more work-life balance, and just as much profit. Franchises. Franchise Empires gives aspiring franchise owners the playbook to build a multi-unit franchise empire of their own. Every episode we hear from guests who are building their franchise empire: Franchisees who started with one unit and aren’t stopping until they get to dozens, hundreds, or even thousands more locations. Hosted by The Wolf, you’ll hear exactly how to turn your ambition into tangible actions and take your first steps up the franchise ladder. We’ll break down the steps you need to take open your first franchise, your second location and beyond, along with the many pitfalls to avoid. Wolf answers all your questions about owning and running your franchise, and interviews guests with first hand experience like Greg Flynn, the multi-billion dollar restaurant franchisee, Jamie Weeks, the largest OrangeTheory franchisee in the world who’s launching his own fitness franchise SweatHouz, and Jason McGowan, Co-founder and CEO of Crumbl cookies. Want to get started on your franchise owning journey? Tune in every Tuesday for a new episode. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.