Franchise Today

David Bloom, Capriotti's and Wing Zone's Chief Operations and Development Officer  Two great brands, each primed for accelerated growth, with a Chief Development/Operations Officer that knows how to get it done.  David Bloom delivers, for both brands and their prospective and existing franchisees.

David oversees all aspects of franchise development, operations and training. His background includes senior leadership positions in a variety of high growth franchise brands. His early career in the franchise industry began as a multi-unit franchisee and included such milestones as serving as Senior Vice President of Brand Expansion for Quiznos, growing it from a small regional brand to opening over 5,000 locations in 28 countries.

In subsequent senior roles, he was responsible for the rapid growth of numerous enterprises, including Clockwork Home Services, which has system-wide revenues in excess of $2.5 billion; Bridge International Academies based in Nairobi, Kenya, which has schools throughout Africa and India; and Famous Brands International, which has approximately 900 franchised locations in over 30 countries

Jodi Boyce is a skilled consumer brand marketer with over 20 years of experience, She has worked on both the agency and client side, transforming marketing needs into consumer messages through POP, print, media, contests, promotions, packaging and digital.  Work at the C Suite level, she is a brand builder, skilled at turning complicated brand attributes into easy-to-understand consumer messages increasing sales for the brand and their franchisees.

Jodi is also the only guest to ever appear on Franchise Today, who began his/her career as a HOT DOGGER!  What is a HOT DOGGER you ask?  A HOT DOGGER is someone who has been priveleged to drive the 27 foot long, Oscar Mayer Wienermobile across country,doing promotions and participating in marketing events for the iconic brand. 

Jodi Boyce, this week, on Franchise Today!

After co-founding Wing Zone some 28 years ago, my friend and one-time partner, Matt Friedman recently took his exit from the brand. He and co-founder Adam Scott conceived and created the brand in a frat house kitchen, back in the erly 90's, while they were both students at the University of Florida.  Over the years, they grew Wing Zone from a regional concept into a global presence, before selling it to Capriotti's earlier this year.

Well, if the news of the sale was not news enough, Matt Friedman has just announced another bit of breaking news, regarding his plans for ACT 2 of his career.  Matt Friedman joins us this week, to share that and more, right here, on Franchise Today.

With more than 10 years of experience in the fitness industry and owning multiple Fit Body Boot Camp locations, Bryce Henson's passion is spreading fitness to the world, while also mentoring fitness professionals, on how to grow their businesses and make life-changing differences in their local communities.

Bryce also co-leads the Fit Body Boot Camp Mastermind Group, an exclusive coaching group for high performing fitness professionals.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Bryce grew up in Michigan, but has spent most of his adult life in California. He is a graduate of Michigan State University and speaks Brazilian Portuguese fluently, having lived in Florianopolis, Brazil. He holds citizenship in the USA and Portugal. He is a fitness expert, a coach, an author, speaker and an inspirational leader.  Today, he is right here, to tell us all about it. 

Fit Body Boot Camp is the world's fastest growing and most popular indoor fitness boot camp franchise. Each franchised location offers guided 30-minute group workouts that provide the accountability systems of personal training, along with the social benefits of group training. Relying on minimal equipment, interval and resistance training, the weight-loss centric workouts are designed to produce maximum results in the least amount of time.  Bedros Kullien founded Fit Body Boot Camp in 2008 and awarded Bryce multiple franchises, prior to inviting him to join the business as an executive, a partner and most recently, as CEO.

Ron Berger is the personification of success both in business and franchising.  But it wasn't always that way.  In fact his business career began with a bankruptcy. No, check that... Two bankruptcies: One business and the other personal.  But, out of the ashes arose the phoenix.  Today, ron is the Chairman and CEO of multiple pizza brands that he franchises: Nick and Willie’s, Pizza Schmitza and Figaro’s,  What's more, you’ll find nothing but happy campers in his franchise families, across all three brands.  A lot of that is tied to unit level performance, driven by effective systems and competent leadership.  But it is also because of Ron’s focus on relationships and caring deeply for his people.     

Ron Berger joins me to talk about his bumpy start, and how it's led to his ultimate success.  Moreover, about how everyone that hitches their wagons to his engine, is rewarded both culturally and economically. This Berger talkspizza.  Ron Berger on Franchise Today!

Gerry Henley is well respected and loved by all who know him.  His motto is, scale to get BETTER, before you scale to get BIGGER!  Gerry’s mantra is that Franchisor success is not only about systems – but that it is also about the soul of the people involved and he deploys the only proven franchisor roadmap that shows you how to drive unit level success across your entire franchise organization and its culture.  With the firm belief that the success of the franchisee, is what dictates the success of the franchisor, he has created Launch to Growth, a consultancy that helps emerging franchisors get it right, building Win-Win Franchise Models and creating pathways for defining, aligning and achieving sustainable growth, for franchisees and franchisor alike.  

Gerry believes that a Franchisor's success is not just about systems – but that it is also about the soul of the people involved.  Utilizing the System and Soul system platform and tools, he deploys the only proven franchisor roadmap that shows how to drive unit level success across an entire franchise organization, strengthening its culture.

Peter Holt is the President and  CEO of  the JOINT, the nation's largest network of chiropractors, The JOINT Chiropractic prides itself on providing convenient and affordable chiropractic care focused on the unique needs and goals of their patients. Whether its pain relief or preventative care, patients of the JOINT can expect their patient-centric approach to be new and different from any healthcare experience they’ve encountered before. With more than 600 Locations, 1.000 plus licensed Doctors of Chiropractic, and greater than 12,000,000 patient visits, these guys must be doing lots of things right.  

Peter himself, has been active in the franchise community for some 35 years, helping iconic companies such The UPS Store, Tasti D' Lite and Planet Smoothie manage their franchise systems in both domestic and overseas markets.  For the past several years, he has been at the helm of The JOINT, guiding the growth and prosperity of the NASDAQ  traded brand and the largest franchised network of Chiropractic clinics in the world. 

 

Peter Holt, this week on Francise Today.

Our show opens with a quick visit from Wing King Drew Cerza, Founder and Promoter of The National Buffalo Wing Festival, the world’s largest chicken wing festival,talking about this year's Festival and my induction into the NAtional Buffalo Wing Hall of Flame.  Then, my guest is Stacy Peterson, Chief Technology Officer for WingStop, the world’s largest chicken wing restaurant chain. There’s no wingin’ it there, when it comes to their investments in technology.  Just as their more than 1,400 restaurants deliver great take home value for their guests, as my guest, Stacy does the same here today, with many nuggets of take home value.   

Please forgive the puns... Like their wings, they were simply irresistible!

The IFA has a new President and CEO, but Matt Haller is hardly a stranger to any of us that have known him in his Government Relations roles at IFA, for the past many years.  Who better asked the IFA Board, to assume the role vacated last year by Robert Cresanti.  The answer to that speaks for itself.  As President & CEO of the IFA, Matt will be responsible for the overall leadership and management of the association, working  closely with the Board, committees and staff, to further develop and implement IFA’s strategic vision, policies and programs.  All this, to advance the  interests and protect and promote the organization’s reputation as the preeminent representative of franchising, across the country and around the world.

This week I present an encore performance with my friend Brian Sanders, Chairman and CEO of i9 Sports, the nation’s largest multi-sport provider focused solely on high-quality, community-based youth sports programs. I9 Sports offers youth sports leagues, camps and clinics for boys and girls ages 3 and up in, featuring programs in some of today’s most popular sports.  These include flag football, soccer, basketball, baseball, volleyball and ZIP Lacrosse™. Their mission is to help kids succeed in life, through sports. I9 Sports provides a youth sports experience unlike any other.  They teach the importance of good sportsmanship on the court, in the field and in life. Their commitment is to provide age-appropriate instruction, making sports fun for kids and convenient for today’s busy families.

And in case you’re wondering about the origin of the brand’s name.  Founder Frank Fiume created the brand’s name to represent 9 words beginning with the letter I, that define the very essence of what the brand stands for, in terms of the lessons it instills.  These are for their kids to be: Imaginative, Innovative, Interactive, Integrity-driven, Impassionate, Inspirational, Instructional, Insightful and lastly, Inclusive.