We are so excited to have Laurie Spivack, President of Goodbye Graffiti USA, on our show this week, especially since Goodbye Graffiti USA is one of our sponsors.

Listen to hear about Laurie’s path from stay at home mom to president of a franchise, and get details about her business. You may be surprised - even though it sounds gritty, it actually is an amazing, value-based business that’s a great opportunity for women.

 * Introducing Laurie Spivack, President of Goodbye Graffiti USA

 * Laurie’s journey from stay at home mom to Goodbye Graffiti USA

 * The factors that motivated Laurie’s entrepreneurial path

 * What it takes to be a successful Goodbye Graffiti owner

 * How she gets business

 * A franchisee’s role in her Goodbye Graffiti business

 * The factors that set Goodbye Graffiti apart from the competition

 * The best locations for a Goodbye Graffiti franchisee

 * Qualities of the ideal Goodbye Graffiti franchisee

 * Expected investment required to buy a Goodbye Graffiti franchise

 * Erin’s three questions

 * Goodbye Graffiti USA

 * Goodbye Graffiti Canada

 * 10,000 Small Businesses

 * “The idea that I could create a job for somebody that is challenging and satisfying, and that I could help to increase somebody's quality of life was very motivating to me.”

 * “I'm not interested in having 10,000 Goodbye Graffitis in the United States. There's going to be a limited number, and I want all of my franchisees to have the opportunities to reach their professional and personal goals.”

 * “One of the things that I've learned about franchising is that, in order to start your franchise, you pay a franchise fee and then you pay royalties based on your revenue. So, if there is a franchise brand that's making their money from franchise fees, that's not sustainable, and that also creates a scenario where they have to keep selling franchisees in order to stay profitable. That's not a successful model. I don't use the franchise fees to run the business. The royalties run the business, and that's how a successful franchise ought to work.”

 * “Culture is a big thing for me. I come from a culture where trusting in other people's abilities is important, and also supporting people is important. That's one of the things that I bring into my business. One of my goals is to allow people to reach their potential and support them as they do that.“

 * Of course revenue's important, but I kind of feel that if I support the people then the revenue's going to come because I'm supporting them to be successful and to reach their goals.”

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a review on iTunes. Your honest reviews help others discover the series and start their franchise journeys.

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Linda O’Keefe had a successful career as a therapist, coach, and entrepreneur, and was ready to enjoy retirement. But some unexpected financial changes made her rethink her course, leading her to explore the world of franchising.

Hear about her journey from solopreneur to franchisee in this week’s episode, filled with raw insights and helpful perspectives to help women considering a similar path.

 * Introducing Linda O’Keefe 

 * Linda’s career as a solopreneur

 * Reasons she considered making the switch to franchising

 * The power of instant alignment with a brand

 * Thriveworks’ unique systems and supports

 * Addressing her and her husband’s concerns about joining the franchise

 * Linda’s timeline from buying the franchise to opening her practice

 * The importance of partner support when joining a franchise

 * Linda’s goals for the future 

 * Erin's 3 questions

 * Thriveworks

 * Thriveworks Tucson

 * Hera Hub

 * "Let's put it this way. I could do the work I'd been doing as a solopreneur for the rest of my life, but at my age, frankly, I really would love to do other things."

 * "At some point, I realized that as much as I am an entrepreneur, when you're a solopreneur, it's not the same as building a business that could involve numerous other people to spin off some kind of passive income or the ability to step back.”

 * "I just went online and I Googled them and I found their website. I was like, holy cow. Even if before I looked at their setup, I just felt like 90% of what they stood for is what I stand for."

 * "It's a lot of work, but I will tell you that it's the kind of work where I feel like not only am I accomplishing something, but I'm building something."

Remember when we interviewed Bri Boos, Club Pilates franchisee? This week we chatted with Emily Hammett, the woman who inspired Bree’s franchise journey. 

Listen to hear about Emily’s transition from CFO of a financial services company to the owner of 4 Club Pilates franchises, plus a brand new business that you definitely want to hear about if you’re into pilates!

 * Introducing Emily Hammett

 * Working with her husband to open 4 Club Pilates locations

 * Emily's path from accountant to franchisee

 * The archaic nature of "9 to 5"

 * Emily's management philosophy

 * How Emily came across club Pilates

 * Apprehension before signing the franchise agreement

 * Deciding to become a multi-unit franchisee

 * The role of passion in franchise ownership

 * How the culture changed when Club Pilates came under new ownership

 * Emily's relationship with her staff and clients

 * What's next after Club Pilates?

 * Erin's 3 questions

 * Club Pilates San Clemente

 * Allison Beardsley

 * Bhakti Fest

 * Salt & Honey

 * "I was very clear on what I was looking for, which is definitely my recommendation for others who are kind of following in that path, is get crystal clear on what it is that you're looking for. And then once you are crystal clear on what that is, when the opportunity presents itself, it's a no brainer."

 * "Something that was a really difficult transition for me was this idea of this huge laundry list of things that need to get done. My hardest transition in this is realizing that there will never be a day from now until the rest of forever where I get to everything on the to do list."

 * "For me personally, passion is everything. That's at the heart and soul, at the center of what we're doing. I really do believe in pilates, and the power that it has to heal people's bodies and for the longevity of the rest of their life. I believe in that."

 * "If I were to go open up a Papa John's, am I super passionate about Papa John's pizza? No. Could I open up one of those and be successful? Absolutely. But, for me, especially going back to my reason why I even made the shift and what I was really looking for, I wanted something that was more fulfilling."

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a review on iTunes. Your honest reviews help others discover the series and start their franchise journeys.

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We’re staying local this week! Erin chats with Emily Healy, a British Swim School franchisee based right here in Carlsbad, California.

In this episode, Emily shares the nitty gritty details about the franchise buying process - how she decided to become a business owner, why she selected British Swim School, what it took to get her business up and running, and her goals for the future.

 * Introducing Emily Healy, British Swim School Carlsbad owner

 * Emily’s path to business ownership

 * How she narrowed down her franchise options and decided British Swim School was the best fit

 * Her thorough research process

 * Questions she asked during validation

 * Taking the leap of faith to buy a franchise

 * Overall timeline of the franchise buying process

 * British Swim School’s Survival Week

 * Emily’s vision going forward

 * British Swim School Carlsbad

 * British Swim School Corporate

 * Roxanne Rapske

 * FranNet

 * LA Fitness

 * Email Emily

 * “The way that we found franchising was a bit of an accident. We weren't necessarily looking to start a franchise, we were just interested in business ownership.”

 * “We really liked the idea of starting a business that had a really good template for us and a lot of the kinks worked out, best practices figured out.”

 * “We were really looking for something that we could include our whole family, kids included. So that kind of narrowed down the options with franchises that primarily dealt with children.”

 * “We wanted to do something that people could value. Something that was of the highest quality and that would really give back to the community.”

 * “That has definitely been one of the bigger challenges - just that belief that, I'm capable of doing this. The whole thing is kind of a leap of faith.”

 * “After Discovery Day, we didn't have the “Yes, this is it,” feeling. It was really, again, back to that that leap of faith. But, there was so much positive feedback about the program and the company culture. There are people that truly do care and that really mattered a lot to us.”

 * “One of the reasons why we've always wanted to be business owners is to have that freedom to spend more time together as a family and to be the one to call the shots and say this is a family business.”

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a review on iTunes. Your honest reviews help others discover the series and start their franchise journeys.

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One of our favorite Franchise Risers is back on the show! Angela Coté returns tto bust a common franchising myth - that franchises are turnkey businesses.

Listen to get truth and to discover why franchises aren’t a “set it and forget it” type of business.

 * Welcoming Angela Coté and discussing her new role

 * Why franchising is NOT turnkey

 * Myth #1: You open your franchise and customers just come

      * The importance of hard work and grit

      * The role of marketing when opening a new franchise

 * Myth #2: You won’t spend more than the franchise fee

      * Ample working capital is essential

 * Myth #3: Once the franchise gets going, it becomes turnkey

      * Why you’ve got to stay involved as an owner

 * The other side: What franchisors need to know

 * Cultivate Advisors

 * Angela’s Facebook Page

 * Angela’s LinkedIn Page

 * Angela’s Instagram Page

 * Email Angela

 * Franchise Springboard

 * “You can go along and do the trial and error thing and make expensive mistakes, or you can hire an advisor - somebody that's been in your shoes that can guide you to make the decisions to help move you forward instead.”

 * “I get that comparing when it to starting a business from scratch it seems turnkey, but there's just so much more to it.”

 * “I'm trying to bust the myth about franchising being turnkey because I think it comes down to having like very realistic expectations from the start about what it takes to be successful.”

Erin connected with Radfield Home Care franchisee Jennie Bardrick over social media, and they had an immediate connection. It didn’t take long for Erin to realize Jennie’s journey from corporate consultant to award-winning franchisee was the perfect story to share on the Franchise Rising Podcast.

Listen to hear how Jennie got into franchising, what’s made her business so successful, and where she sees it all going over the next several years.

 * Introducing Jennie Bardrick, Co-CEO and Marketing Director for Radfield Home Care in Havering and Brentwood.

 * How Jennie and Lisa got into franchising

 * Her corporate background and experience

 * The importance of living your purpose

 * Objections she faced from family and friends and how she overcame them

 * How she selected Radfield Home Care as the best-fit franchise for her

 * What does good support mean as a franchisee in an emerging brand?

 * Profitability projections and reality

 * How Jennie and Lisa share responsibilities

 * Where their business is headed next

 * Erin’s three questions

 * Radfield Home Care

 * National Best New Business Awards

 * Havering Business Awards

 * Homecare.co.uk

 * Thames Gateway Business Awards

 * “To some extent, you’re always trying to get to that point where you’re living your absolute purpose. I definitely still on that journey. For me, I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing. So I thought about what do I love doing? What am I passionate about? And it’s helping other people.”

 * “If I can hang out with old people [which I love], do something that helps others, and make money from it, it’s worth a shot.”

 * “Do your own analysis, do your own research. Obviously, you need to seek advice from loved ones, especially if they’re financially supporting you or a big part of your life. But it’s your life and your decision.”

 * “To be honest, we always had a gut feeling that we’d go with Radfield. Going with your gut is a good thing, but make sure it’s backed up in facts.“

 * “We have a weekly meeting to make sure we’re both aligned. Sometimes it’s easy to not do that. I think even if you’re on your own, try to have a weekly strategy or planning meeting. Look at your targets. Plan out your week, what you want to achieve. It’s so easy to get lost in the doing and the day-to-day and not to be long-term strategic.”

 * “The facts and research are really important. Make sure you’re really clear about what you’re getting into financially and what the return is. But also think about how you feel about it deep down. There’s something to be said for your gut instinct.”

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a review on iTunes. Your honest reviews help others discover the series and start their franchise journeys.

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Shannon Wilburn is the co-founder and CEO of Just Between Friends, North America's leading children's and maternity consignment sales event franchise. Her business is so much more than a big sale - it’s changing lives for her franchisees, and for those who live in their communities.

Listen to hear her inspiring story, including the life-changing event that started it all, the impact her business has had on families across the country, and what it takes to be a Just Between Friends franchisee.

 * Introducing Shannon Wilburn

 * Overview of Just Between Friends and the inspiration behind it

 * Why Shannon decided to make Just Between Friends a franchise

 * The importance of digging into franchisee satisfaction

 * The benefits of buying a service-based franchise

 * The six stages of franchising

 * What it costs to become a Just Between Friends franchisee

 * Training and support Just Between Friends franchisees can expect to receive

 * Who is the ideal Just Between Friends franchisee?

 * Decoding Item 19 in the FDD

 * The importance of mission and values for Just Between Friends  

 * Erin’s three questions

 * Just Between Friends

 * Franchise Business Review

 * The Six Stages of Franchising

 * StrengthsFinder 2.0

 * Pinot’s Palette

 * “Franchisees need to be nurtured, they need to, they need hand holding sometimes, but you also have to be able to give the ones who need independence, independence.”

 * “People who are looking to purchase a franchise need to be aware that they're coming into a system with rules. It’s like coming into a family who already has the rules set. If you make the decision to join the family, you have to look at the rules and see if they’re something you feel like you can do, and if it’s something you feel like you want to be a part of.”

 * “I'm always giving the advice that you need to look at the franchise satisfaction because of the franchisees aren't satisfied in the brand, there's a reason they're not satisfied and you need to figure out why that is.”

 * “When you choose a brand to purchase, you are partnering with that brand and you're partnering with every other franchisee that's a part of that system, whether good or bad.”

 * “We're looking for someone who can operate an event and market the heck out of it because that's what it's going to take in our brand. Now, if you're looking at a different brand, maybe they need you to be great at finance and great at administration. So you need to look at that and think, okay, is this the right fit for my personality and my skillset?”

 * “I really encourage couples, especially married couples, to talk about their expectations when it comes to business ownership and see if the hours that are going to be needed and the brand are something that they really think that they could put into it.”

 * “You don't have to be good at everything because everyone is not good at everything. You have weaknesses and it's okay to have weaknesses, but you need to play to your strengths and work and your strengths and pay someone else to work in your weaknesses.”

 * “Look at your goals, like what do you want to achieve by purchasing the franchise and what do you want your life to look like?”

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a review on iTunes. Your honest reviews help others discover the series and start their franchise journeys.

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Jen Saxton came up with the idea for her business, Tot Squad, while she a student in business school seeking solutions for women trying to achieve the seemingly impossible - work-life balance.

Today, her business has grown into an emerging franchise, and could be a great opportunity for women or men looking to be “pioneers” within a new franchise concept. Listen to hear how she got started, how her business has grown, where she’s taking it next, and who could be the ideal franchisees to come along on the ride with her.

 * Introducing Jen Saxton

 * How her business began

 * Ways the business has changed over the years

 * Building strategic partnerships to enhance her brand

 * Jen’s experiences as a female entrepreneur in terms of funding and support

 * When and how Jen decided to turn her business into a franchise

 * Who would make the ideal Tot Squad franchisee?

 * Exciting new business developments for Tot Squad

 * Erin’s three questions

 * Tot Squad

 * Tot Squad Facebook

 * Tot Squad YouTube

 * Tot Squad Twitter

 * Tot Squad Instagram

 * Service Brands International

 * Dwyer Group

 * Molly Maid

 * Mr. Handyman

 * Whole Foods

 * Buy Buy Baby

 * Bugaboo

 * Bob Strollers

 * McDonald's

 * International Franchise Association (IFA)

 * NextGen

 * “If you can find a dirty job that nobody else wants to do and do it for them, there is money to be made there.”

 * “There was a great Fortune article a couple weeks ago that said women do more with less. We actually generate more revenue per dollar raised than men do on average. So any investors out there listening, invest in women!”

 * “I really believe in having a diverse workforce and being able to support people in pursuing their passions and their dreams at all stages of their life. And I think that that builds a better company culture that helps you deliver better customer service.

 * Ultimately, happy employees or happy customers come from happy employees. If you have angry, disgruntled employees, you're not going to deliver.”

 * “It's all about the people. Surround yourself with people who complement you. Surrounding yourself with a great team is the secret to success.”

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a review on iTunes. Your honest reviews help others discover the series and start their franchise journeys.

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Have you ever considered buying or investing in a franchise, but don’t want to go at it alone? If so, you have to hear this week’s episode with Michele Lewis and Sara Mooser, co-owners of FIT4MOM SF Peninsula.

Michele and Sara share their experience buying the franchise, and the three key qualities that helped them grow their business that started as a hobby into a growing, profitable one.

 * Introducing Michele Lewis and Sara Mooser

 * How their business partnership began

 * Aspects of the business that caught them by surprise

 * The power of building a community around your brand

 * Ways franchisor support has improved throughout their years as franchisees

 * How sales training transformed their business

 * Their business goals for the future

 * The role of a franchise advisory council

 * Networking opportunities, both within the FIT4MOM brand and outside of it

 * Erin’s three questions

 * FIT4MOM - SF Peninsula

 * FIT4MOM

 * FIT4MOM - SF Peninsula Facebook

 * FIT4MOM - SF Peninsula Instagram

 * FIT4BABY®

 * Michele’s LinkedIn

 * Sara’s LinkedIn

 * “Know your why. Know your purpose, what you're doing. For me, that is the most important thing is knowing why I'm here, what I'm doing, and reminding myself of that day in and day out.” (Sara)

 * “That’s the most important thing is growing the community, right? If you don’t know why you’re doing it, it’s really hard to invite people to be included in it.” (Michele)

 * “Learn about other franchises. Take some time to research what is out there and learn what kinds of training they have for their franchisees. It's worth taking the time to learn about what else is out there, even if you know that's what you want to do.” (Sara)

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a review on iTunes. Your honest reviews help others discover the series and start their franchise journeys.

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One of the greatest benefits to buying a franchise is the brand recognition, systems, and processes you inherit right off the bat. But, what happens if some of those systems aren’t fully functioning? What if the brand lacks a streamlined sales system?

This week, Emily chats with Violet Rainwater, sales strategist and founder of Rainmaker Way, on the importance of sales systems. They cover the questions you need to ask and the answers you should hope to hear to ensure a franchise’s sales systems are running smoothly and efficiently so new owners can make it rain.

 * Introducing Violet Rainwater, sales strategist and founder of Rainmaker Way

 * Real-life example: the yoga studio without a sales process

 * Questions to ask when evaluating a franchise opportunity

 * How sophisticated should a franchise’s sales system be?

 * What to look for when hiring a sales person or team

 * The importance of trusting your intuition

 * Sales strategies Violet implemented to help the yoga studio

 * Business advice for women considering franchise ownership

 * Rainmaker Way

 * “The important thing is to walk in eyes open and understand where you’re going to need to spend time, resources, and money.”

 * “The most important thing [to figure out if someone’s a good fit for your team] is how they make you feel in the interview process. What’s their energy? What’s the vibe you get from that person? Chances are, whatever you’re feeling is what your customers will feel as well.”

 * “Sales systems and processes are there to enable sales professionals to make it rain, to tap into new income streams and revenue streams, and to really maximize the brand’s sales efforts.”

 * “It’s spending the time, strategizing, and coming up with ways to drive connection. I really believe the more you can connect with your prospects, the more likely they’re going to convert and become customers.”

 * “Fall in love with the sales process. Get super excited about sales. The more positive energy you can put on that aspect of your business, the more it’s going to pay off for you.”

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a review on iTunes. Your honest reviews help others discover the series and start their franchise journeys.

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