Franchise Today

“Leadership starts with listening to your gut because it brings together your head with your heart. It’s about having enough heart to care, and enough mind to think through making smart decisions.” - Mary Kennedy Thompson, Chief Operating Officer, The Dwyer Group

Returning as a second-time guest to Franchise Today is Mary Kennedy Thompson, Chief Operating Officer of The Dwyer Group. Mary discusses with show co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto The Dwyer Group's journey from one brand with Rainbow International to 22 corporate brands today. Having been a franchisee, along with The Dwyer Group CEO, Mike Bidwell, Mary explains how that foundation has helped the company's growth.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 12 PM Eastern Time / 11 AM Central Time with on-demand access on iTunes and is proudly sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.

"The exit strategy for the business should be just as important as the price for entry. Whether it’s a resale, a nest egg that gets passed on to future generations, or other exit options unique to the business model, look at the staying power for a franchise opportunity long past the desired time you plan to stay involved yourself." - Ken Phipps, Director of Global Franchise Development, Gold's Gym

This week on Franchise Today co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome as their guest, Ken Phipps, Director of Global Franchise Development for Gold's Gym. Ken shares his insight on the demand for Gold's Gym is dominating new domestic and international markets how the results speak volumes not only for franchise owners and master developers but also for 3 million Gold's Gym members living stronger and healthier lives.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CDT / 12PM EDT with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.

This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome as their guest, Chris Fisher, Founder & CEO of Shine Window Care and Shine Holiday Lighting. Chris shares how he followed his grandfather's advice and instead of taking a sales job, he opened a window cleaning business in Austin, Texas. In 2011, he decided to franchise the business and rebranded as Shine Window Care and Holiday Lighting, and two of his longtime employees became his first franchisees. Then his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer; she recovered, but it convinced the couple to hit pause. They handed the business to friends, went to do missionary work in Uganda for two and a half years, then returned to the U.S. (and the business) in 2014.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.

“I think [our parents] wanted, and we continue as well to want, to reach as many children as we possibly can with our program and enrich their lives. It’s such a great feeling when you have a parent that is literally in tears coming up to you and talking about how much their child has learned over the years and how they are ahead of their peers going into school, and that really gives them an edge,” - Michael Brown, President, Children's Lighthouse Learning Centers

Sitting in this week with Franchise Today co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto is Michael Brown, President of Children's Lighthouse Learning Centers, franchisor of the nation’s leading values-based early childhood educational schools. Michael shares the company story of the family business and how Children's Lighthouse has continued to help enhance the education of children since it was founded in 1997 by his father and uncle.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CDT / 12PM EDT with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.

"Although I now use the term ‘founder,’ that word didn’t exist for me nine years ago. At that time, I was known as, The woman stupid enough to open a restaurant that only serves chicken salad." - Stacy Brown, Founder, Chicken Salad Chick

This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome as their guest, Stacy Brown, Founder of Chicken Salad Chick. Stacy shares her story as a stay-at-home mother raising four children who turned her door-to-door meal delivery service into a multimillion-dollar restaurant concept despite a number of challenges that would have caused many others to give up. 

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.

"Success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure.” -  Dr. Saman Bakhtiar, co-founder of The Camp Trasformation Center 

Alejandra and Luis Font, co-founders of The Camp Transformation Center join Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto to share the story of transforming peoples lives through the development of a gym franchise that has succeeded where others have failed. Within the past 7 years Alejandra has led a team in opening nearly 100 Camp locations nationally and in Mexico. Luis has played an important role in the development and expansion of The Camp Corporate Division, which owns and operates numerous gyms. Together with a third co-founder, Dr. Saman Bakhtiar they've developed The Camp Transformation Center, a franchise that is a groundbreaking fitness concept in an industry that generates more than $80 billion U.S dollars annually.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CDT / 12PM EDT with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.

"The opportunities are endless,  If franchising makes sense for you...then it's a matter of finding the right opportunity." - John P. Hayes, PhD, Titus Chair for Franchise Leadership and Director of the Titus Center for Franchising at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida.

There's a doctor in the house this week on Franchise Today as Dr. John P. Hayes joins show co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto to discuss his work at the Titus Center for Franchising at Palm Beach Atlantic University. John provides his perspective about assembling an Advisory Board at the Titus Center - bringing together some of the best executives in the franchising industry from across the country. He shares what his goal is for this leadership team, the current curriculum he is spearheading at the university for college students interested in franchising, the internship program he is creating to put the next generation of franchise talent into the workforce setting, and the programs he will be creating for professionals across the greater franchise industry at-large.  

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.

"The greatest reward from their 12-year-old venture has proved the “sense of discovery” they’ve had in taking an idea from concept to implementation and now, to expansion and growth." - Naomi & Jerry Hancock, Co-founders, Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream

Just as Disney had a hit with the movie 'Frozen', Naomi & Jerry Hancock have a hit with 'Flash-frozen'. Of course, that's a reference to flash-freezing ice cream with liquid nitrogen. This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome to the show, Jerry Hancock, co-founder of Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream. Jerry shares how he and Naomi saw an article about using liquid nitrogen to freeze food and the proverbial light bulb went off, spurring the couple to boldly go where few ice creameries had gone before. The rest as they say, is history.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CDT / 12PM EDT with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.

Joining co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto this week on Franchise Today is John Fistolera, Assistant Executive Director, Corporate and External Affairs of DECA, Inc. Fistolera is responsible for developing strategic partnerships that drive DECA’s mission of preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. DECA’s strategic partners include the members of its National Advisory Board (NAB), Congressional Advisory Board (CAB) and DECA’s public affairs media partners.

About DECA: DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CDT / 12PM EDT with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.

Franchise Today enters its ninth year with co-host Stan Friedman interviewing fellow co-host Paul Segreto. As has been the case multiple times in the past, Segreto shares his story of near-catastrophic failure to help others who may be fighting through their own business challenges. Also, he shares the story as transparency to a time in his life that on occasion has spurred questions and rumors without all the facts at the foundation of the matter with the strong belief that others will only benefit by realizing the magnitude of fear and consequences of failure.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CDT / 12PM EDT with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.