Franchise Empires

Meet Jamie Weeks, owner of more than 100 Orangetheory franchises and about to launch his own brand. The secret to his success? Risk taking. 

Jamie is a big personality and a phenomenal success. With 140 Orangetheory boutique fitness studios in his portfolio, and in the process of building 60 Dogtopia franchises, he’s also launching his own, Sweathouz.

The Wolf and Jamie talk about building an incredible culture despite having hundreds of businesses, how a private equity deal launched him from 12 to 140 locations, and why taking risks is at the heart of his approach to building a vastly successful business.

As well as hearing the wisdom behind owning multi-unit franchises, there’ll be a lot of laughs and you’ll get to listen to Jamie putting The Wolf through his patented interview process.

This is one you won’t want to miss.

Follow Jamie:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jamie-weeks-712543221

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

Wanting to become a franchisee is one thing, knowing which business model to invest in, quite another. Meet Brian Knuth, VP of Franchise Development at Raintree.

Brian educates potential franchise partners, identifying which franchise partnerships might work out best. But Brian is also a franchise owner of Footprint Floors, which he runs as a semi-absentee owner.

The Wolf and Brian get into conversation about representing emerging franchise brands, how Covid rocked his business and some of the struggles you face juggling your day job with your franchise business.

You’ll also hear why Brian knew he had to dive into Footprint Floors, and why he feels privileged to help people break away from the corporate grind and pursue a career they’re truly passionate about.

Twitter: linkedin.com/in/brian-knuth-06101654

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

Meet Alex Jones, former banker, triathlete, Olympic hopeful, and dad of two.

For 9/10 franchise owners, one unit just isn’t enough to generate the levels of income they’re aiming for. But, very rarely, a site and franchise comes along that performs so well, everything just falls into place. And that’s where Alex Jones’ CPR store comes in.

The Wolf talks with Alex about leaving the world of finance to chase his passion for windsurfing, why you should convert an existing phone repair shop into a franchise, and how to build a transparent culture in your team.

You’ll hear why Alex’s Bermuda franchise is the best performing location out of 850+ worldwide, why your customers are the best sales people, and why your internal customer service is crucial for success.

Follow Alex

Twitter: twitter.com/Rebelbanker

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

Zac Pennington has turned franchise ownership into a family affair. Find out why Anytime Fitness might be the perfect pairing, and why 8 gyms are just the start.

The fitness industry is highly competitive but that level of competition is exactly what fuels Zac’s passion for providing health and wellbeing. From working in jobs that ultimately left him unsatisfied, diving into franchise ownership has given him a business model that fits perfectly with his core values.

The Wolf and Zac discuss how growing up in a family of entrepreneurs was key to running his own business, why his creative freedom is so important to him, and why he knows exactly how to dominate the fitness market.

You’ll hear how Zac jumped on an opportunity to take over a struggling Anytime Fitness business and turned it around, how this kickstarted his chain of ownership, and why he’s always looking for more.

Follow Zac:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/zacari-pennington

Twitter: twitter.com/zacpennington

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

Unlocking franchise ownership is the defining mission of Kenny Rose and FranShares. Find out how he’s helping potential franchise owners get in on the ground floor.

After discovering Fundrise, a fractional share trading platform for commercial real estate, Kenny knew he’d found a gap in the market for franchise ownership.

FranShares was born and in those early days, Kenny spent his time diligently building an audience he’d later market the FranShares offer to.

The Wolf and Kenny talk all things franchise and founders. From building a company from the ground up with $1.4million in investments to what it’s like having more than 23,000 on the waiting list ready to invest.

You’ll hear how FranShares is dramatically lowering the barrier to franchise ownership. Why owning a piece of a local business is a powerful virtuous circle and how, at scale, FranShares will enable franchises to be traded like stocks.

When you’re looking to get in on franchise ownership, you need a team on your side to smooth the path. FranShares makes it easy to build, manage and grow your portfolio from as little as $500. Find out more: franshares.com

Follow Kenny:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kennyrose

Twitter: InvestLocally

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

From college drop out to multi-unit franchisee, the path of entrepreneurship isn’t always a straight one. Find out how Lucas Mitchell discovered his gift for restaurant management.

An entrepreneur from the start, Lucas made the decision early on to quit college and focus on building a web design business. To cover the bills, Lucas worked at his local Five Guys and his experience working at his parents’ restaurant quickly shone through.

The Wolf and Lucas discuss how the business of food and hospitality is in Lucas’ blood and why working for someone else was never going to be his dream

Lucas recalls his rapid rise from Location Manager to Territory Manager of 8 locations and the moment he realized it was time to put aside his web design business and pursue a career as a franchisee.

You’ll hear how he grew from one Five Guys location to 13 and why he’s still hungry for success.

When you’re looking to scale like Lucas, you need a team on your side to smooth the path. FranShares makes it easy to build, manage and grow your portfolio from as little as $500. Find out more: franshares.com

Follow Lucas:

Twitter: @LMitchellHQ

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

How do you create a wildly successful multi-unit franchise? You create synergy. Joe Johnson knows a thing or two about that with his car repair and parts businesses.Check out Joe’s playbook.

You learn a whole lot during 23-years in the military, and after retiring from the US Army in 2005, Joe has applied that knowledge to building his auto franchise empire. But what makes this portfolio unique is how his businesses interact.

The Wolf and Joe discuss how owning a Maaco auto-collision repair and paint shop, a Meineke auto-maintenance and repair shop AND a 1-800 Radiator franchise have created incredible synergy. Not only can he service just about any car problem,  he can also supply parts to both businesses. Cross selling at its finest.

Joe shares why horizontal integration allows you greater control over your destiny, why owning the dirt gives you more value and options, and the importance of doing a deep dive on potential franchise opportunities.

When you’re looking to launch your own franchise empire and, like Joe, want to make sure the research is done right, you need a great team. FranShares is the team you need, making it easy to build, manage and grow your portfolio from as little as $500. Find out more: franshares.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

What do you do when the bottom falls out of your property investments? You sell up and retire. Then you start over as part of a billion-dollar franchise. Meet Gavin McConnon, serial entrepreneur.

Still in his 20s, Gavin was riding high in Ireland on the back of selling 900 numbers and ringtones. Having invested millions in commercial real estate, he was hit by the 2008 collapse and forced to sell everything.

The Wolf talks to Gavin on how his semi-retirement to Australia triggered his interest in franchises and why F45 in particular caught his eye.

Gavin shares what it’s like being part of one of the fastest growing franchises across the globe, his experience as a serial entrepreneur who founded multiple tech startups and why franchises are so appealing .

You’ll hear the benefits of having a brand with an established playbook already in place, how to expand your team and grow your locations from one to three, six and even more.

When you’re looking to launch your own franchise empire, like Gavin, having a team behind you is a great place to start. FranShares is making it easy to build, manage and grow your portfolio from as little as $500. Find out more: franshares.com

Follow Gavin on

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinmcconnon/?originalSubdomain=mc

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gavinmcconnon?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

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

When you’re not ready to join the family business, franchises are a solid alternative. Usman Chaudrhy is now the owner of 6 locations and scaling fast.

Usman has made the transition from corporate worker to multi-unit owner, but not before he learnt all the lessons that have made him a success.

Now with 6 Dunkin’ Donuts stores under his belt and 3 more under construction, he has his eyes set on growth,

The Wolf and Usman discuss what it’s like growing up the son of entrepreneurs, why doing in-depth research is the foundation to building a successful business and how to assess lenders based on specificity, rather than emotional response.

You’ll hear why Usman is fine with paying royalties, how to tackle banks who may not want to lend to you and the advantages of opening a franchise near a college campus.

Deep thinking and research are Usman’s superpowers and this dedication to detail is something he shares with show sponsor FranShares, who are making it easier to build, manage and grow your franchise empire from as little as $500. Find out more at: franshares.com

Follow Usman on:

Twitter:  twitter.com/UsmanJazab

Check out The Wolf’s newsletter: https://workweek.com/brand/the-wolf-of-franchises/

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

It’s easier to sell 100 slices of pizza to one customer than one slice to 100 customers. This valuable lesson is just one element of Nick Panos’ highly successful franchise playbook.

As Vice-President of Panos Restaurant Group, one of the company’s main focus points is operating its highly successful Mellow Mushroom restaurant chain.

And if there’s one valuable lesson Nick is keen to share, it’s that catering is a game changer. It provides your business with a b2b revenue stream that, crucially, doesn’t cut into your peak operating hours but utilizes unused capacity.

Nick joins The Wolf talking about pseudo recurring revenue streams you can effectively build into your restaurant business. He also shares how positioning your business as the restaurant of choice for annual conferences should be at the top of your to-do list.

You’ll learn why playing long term games with long term people is the key to recurring revenue. And hear how to pick a franchise brand with longevity, plus why your long term success depends on you choosing great employees and taking care of them.

Monetizing franchises is a passion Nick shares with our sponsor FranShares, who are making it easier to build, manage and grow your franchise empire from as little as $500. Find out more at: franshares.com

Follow Nick on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nicolaospanos

Check out The Wolf’s newsletter: https://workweek.com/brand/the-wolf-of-franchises/

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