In this episode of Scaling the Gap, host Madeleine MacRae sits down with franchise leader and lifelong entrepreneur Thomas Scott, founder of Home Run Franchises. With over 20 years of experience scaling businesses and empowering franchisees, Thomas shares his remarkable journey from a newspaper journalist in New Orleans to running three rapidly growing national franchise brands, (Up Closets, Dryer Vent Superheroes, and The Lighting Squad).

Thomas opens up about what he got wrong in partnerships, how learning to adapt his communication style transformed his leadership, and why he believes success is less about external validation and more about helping others win. He and Madeleine explore everything from generational leadership gaps to the unseen impact of mental clutter and the underestimated emotional labor of entrepreneurship.

This episode is packed with real talk about failure, trust, and how clarity of purpose creates unstoppable momentum.

Key Takeaways

• Why betting on yourself is the best investment you'll ever make
• How silence and listening can transform strained relationships
• The mindset shift every young entrepreneur needs in a post-COVID world
• Why doing $500/hour work starts with delegating $15/hour tasks
• How to lead a team that feels trusted, not micromanaged
• Why failure isn’t fatal and might be your best teacher
• The underrated value of helping others design the life they want

In This Episode

• [00:00] Introduction to Thomas Scott
• [03:55] The value and challenges of partnerships
• [04:45] Betting on yourself and early entrepreneurship
• [10:18] Mindset, capacity, and ripple effect of entrepreneurship
• [11:07] Developing talent and leadership in small business
• [12:09] The power and scale of small business
• [13:05] Profitability and redefining success in small business
• [19:35] Overcoming fear of failure and embracing setbacks
• [27:30] Defining and measuring success
• [32:19] Closing and where to find Thomas Scott

Notable Quotes

• [05:16] "The best investment you’re ever going to make, the best bet you’re ever going to make, is on yourself.”  — Madeleine MacRae
• [06:17] "If you’re really not afraid or you’re just not consumed with fear of failure, you’ll succeed because business isn’t that hard if you focus on the fundamentals." — Thomas Scott
• [09:57] “The worst people to ask for advice about starting a business? Your friends and family.” — Thomas Scott
• [11:43] "It’s very fulfilling to develop other people. If you focus on that as part of your business, it cascades way down to your customers."  Madeleine MacRae
• [20:46] "Failure is not final and it’s not fatal. In most cases, it’s just temporary." — Madeleine MacRae
• [28:43] "When you’re early, you feel like you have imposter syndrome. All these people know more than I do. They don’t. They’re just people like you." — Thomas Scott

Our Guest

Thomas Scott is the CEO and founder of Home Run Franchises, a franchise platform company behind fast-growing brands like Up Closets, Dryer Vent Superheroes, and The Lighting Squad. After launching his career as a newspaper journalist, Thomas transitioned into business ownership and has since helped hundreds of franchisees scale with purpose. He’s a coach, strategist, storyteller and a catalyst for prosperity in others.

Resources and Links

Thomas Scott

• Home Run Franchises- https://homerunfranchises.com/
• Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/officialthomasscott_/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomscott
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@officialthomasscott

Madeleine MacRae

• Website - https://mmmacrae.com/making-changes-training-motivating/
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/macraemadeleine
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/madeleine.macrae/
• Book – The Tenacious Pursuit of Peace: Where to Go When Success Isn’t Enough