Franchise Today

"It's hard to tell our story and encapsulate everything we do at MaxOut Strength Studio into the typical one to two sentence vision statement. It's because to every one of our clients, MaxOut means something different. What doesn't change, however, is our commitment to their goals - fitness and personal - with deep appreciation for the trust our clients and their parents place in us. It's a privilege to share this unique opportunity with other entrepreneurs so they may develop their expereince and ultimately, write their own MaxOut story." - Jason Griggs, President & CEO, MaxOut Strength Studio

This week on Franchise Today, co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome Jason Griggs, President & CEO, MaxOut Strength Studio. Jason shares the story of developing a business model around very unqiue, state-of-the-art proprietary equipment only to stumble out of the box upon entering franchising. Stan and Paul dive into the challenges faced by this and other emerging brands while Jason shares the inside view on how, after several years of commitment, dedication and extreme passion in transforming the business, MaxOut re-enters the franchise arena stronger than ever. 

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes.

“I don’t do well with micro-management and bureaucracy. That’s not what I was raised on; it’s not who I am personally. If you give me a task and freedom, it will get done.” - Susan Beth

This week on Franchise Today, Susan Beth, Operating Partner at NRD Capital joins co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto. Susan sheds light on what her and her team at NRD Capital look for in a franchise brand around unit-economics, culture, technology and more - all cornerstones of a sustainable brand. In situations where brands are not hitting on all cylinders, Susan shares examples of her recommendations on how to make improvements to get the brand back on track and begin building [again] towards a solid future with focus on franchisee success.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes.

“For years, franchising has been the most popular path for those looking to open a small business, but with so many options in so many industries, deciding which opportunity is the best is an almost impossible decision." - Dr. John Hayes

This week on Franchise Today co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto are joined by internationally-recognized franchise speaker and author, Dr. John Hayes. Since 1979, Dr. Hayes has worked in the franchise community as a consultant, franchisee and franchisor. He is the author of a number of franchise-related books and countless articles that have appeared in media worldwide. Discussing the broad topic of how to buy franchises, Dr. Hayes not only shares his insight on how candidates should proceed through the process but also how franchisors should present their brands in the best light.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes.

"Every year tens of thousands of new franchisees open their doors for business and look to fulfill the American dream of success, and every year hundreds of new franchise companies announce their plans to be the next McDonalds, Subway Restaurants, Marriott, RE/MAX, or Great Clips and fail to reach that goal. Why?" - Lonnie Helgerson, Author, Five Pennies 'Ten Rules to Successfully Build a Franchise Mega-Brand and Maximize System Profits'

Well-known franchise professional and author, Lonnie Helgerson joins Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto on his second guest appearance on the show, almost four years to the date. Lonnie discusses his book, Five Pennies 'Ten Rules to Successfully Build a Franchise Mega-Brand and Maximize System Profits' and how many of the principles outlined can help new and mature franchisors alike and especially as the franchise relationship continues to be attacked, and questioned in the news and ultimately, in the courtroom. 

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes.

"Driving social media can be a valuable investment of time – however, ensuring that you approach social media with the same level of rigor, control and efficiency – as you would traditional marketing - is key.  With the right preparation, tools and evaluation – growing and protecting your brand and business on social media can be efficient, cost effective – and successful." - Anthony Owen (as posted on FranchiseExpo.com, Approach social media with rigor, control and management for success

This week on Franchise Today, Anthony Owen, CEO & Founder of Manalto, Inc. joins co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto for a riveting hour of discussion around social media and it's role in effectively building a franchise brand. Anthony provides his experience in managing social media acorss many franchise locations, enabling franchisors to control messaging while protecting brand integrity. He also shares his perspective on franchisees' involvement to ensure community-building at the local level while also maintaining consistency in messaging and appearance.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes.

"Success can be defined in a multitude of ways but in franchising, success is about being the right kind of person who makes the right kinds of decisions that help those in their sphere of influence become the right kind of people." - Jerry Darnell 

This week on Franchise Today co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome as their guest, Jerry Darnell, CEO of Jerry Darnell & Associates. Often referred to as the “Mayor of Franchising” and recognized by many, as the creator of franchise “Discovery Days,” Jerry has worked through an illustrious 35 year-long franchising career that has seen him build new franchise division infrastructures for multi-billion dollar companies like the Medicine Shoppe and develop successful franchise programs for such well-known brands as Physicians Weight Loss Centers and Sterling Optical.  Perhaps best known for his years as a consultant to MAACO Founder Tony Martino, or as a senior executive with Guidant, Benetrends or Bob Gappa’s Management 2000, there is nobody in franchising who has served so long, brought so many people together and can still remember each and every second of his amazing 35 year-long career, as if it all just happened yesterday. 

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes.

"We are forecasting that for the sixth consecutive year, franchise businesses will grow at rates that exceed the economy-wide growth of industries where franchises are concentrated. Franchise businesses are showing tremendous capability to provide new jobs for working families and new businesses for first-time business owners across all sectors in local communities, despite the fact that franchisees are facing many new regulatory threats at all levels of government." - Robert Cresanti, President & CEO, International Franchise Association

A tradition continues this week on Franchise Today as Robert Cresanti, President & CEO of the International Franchise Association provides his perspective on the state of franchising and outlook on the upcoming 56th Annual IFA Convention, this year in San Antonio, Texas. This marks the fifth year in a row the leader of the IFA is a guest on the show LIVE and just ahead of the industry's annual convention. Co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome Robert Cresanti in this, his first appearance on Franchise Today, having been appointed to the IFA top spot this past September.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes.

"Our business has morphed into attendees who have done research and are on step 3. They’ve cleared a number of different hurdles before they get to one of our franchise expos. They’ve done so much research, they’ve talked to franchisors, they’ve looked at some of the costs and industries, and are really in a different mindset by the time they attend an expo. They’re way more educated. It’s the biggest comment we hear time and time again, that the quality of the attendees at these shows is just off the charts. It’s so much different than it was 10 years ago." - Tom Portesy, CEO, MFV Expositions, when asked how the internet has changed how people today research franchise opportunities.

This week on Franchise Today, co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto discuss the world of exploring franchise opportunities with their guest, Tom Portesy, CEO of MFV Expositions. Just ahead of Franchise Expo South in Houston, TX, an event produced by MFV with the International Franchise Association, Tom shares his perspective on how individuals have become more educated in the process of researching franchise brands and how the internet has changed the process from just a short ten years ago.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes.

"The phrase [Content is King] has been replaced with "Content is Queen," "Audience is the King," "Content is the Servant," "Social Media is the Kingmaker," and several others. The message is the same. Quality content delivered to your audience will produce results. Interesting and new information provided on a brand's social platforms will mark the brand higher in search engine results." - Deb Evans, Franchising World 2013

This week on Franchise Today, Deb Evans, President of Deb Evans Consulting and Founder & co-host of the popular podcast, Social Geek Radio shares her insight and perspective on the increasingly complex, yet now mainstream digital world. Deb, along with Franchise Today co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto explore the importance of sharing quality content online in order to be heard through the maze of chatter that occurs on a daily basis. From social media to personal branding, brands and their leadership alike should be 'actively' utilizing the digital world to remain relevant in the eyes of stakeholders at all levels - and utilizing technology makes it easier than ever before.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes.

“Bridging Worlds” focused on combining current and future business environments, new business models, the Internet of Things, disruptive technologies and unique ideas that are particularly relevant for marketing, media, advertising and customer communication. - DMEXCO 2015 - Digital Marketing Expo & Conference, 

This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome as their guest, Steve Baxter, Managing Director of eKomi, Inc. North America. Focusing on challenges facing many small businesses today, Steve discusses how social commerce technology is used to enable trust, increase sales, reduce returns & complaints and drive organic traffic. This is the world of reviews and recommendations. From a larger perspective it's also the world of protecting the brand.

Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes.