Franchise Today

True story: Navigating the challenges of a male-dominated industry can be daunting, but through perseverance and mentorship, it's possible to carve your own path. Lora Kellogg's inspiring journey from becoming the first female VP at Scotty's, a chain of home improvement stores, to the founder and CEO of Curious Jane, The Ad Agency for Franchise Brands.

Key insights from Laura's story and the podcast discussion:

1. Mentorship Matters: Having a supportive mentor can significantly influence your career trajectory, especially in challenging environments.

2. Adaptability is Key: Letting go of revenue to focus on a niche market can lead to greater growth opportunities.

3. Why Franchisors Should Build Internal, Franchise Development Marketing Infrastructure. Relying solely on brokers or FSO's, may not yield the best results.

4. Engaging Franchisees is Essential. Involving franchisees in national campaigns fosters collaboration andcommitment.

5. Leverage Technology Wisely: AI can enhance your marketing strategies, but it should complement human efforts, not replace them.

"The Evolving Landscape of Franchise Marketing." Lora Kellogg, Founder and CEO of Curious Jane, The Ad Agency, for Franchise Brands, this week on Franchise Today.

This week on Franchise Today, host Stan Friedmanwelcomes John Teza, a franchising veteran with more than 20 years of leadership experience across top-tier brands.

John’s journey includes influential roles with Quiznos,Jersey Mike’s, and currently as CEO of Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, one of the fastest-growing wellness franchises in North America. Known for his strategic vision, people-first leadership, and deep operational knowledge, John has helped shape some of the most recognized namesin the industry.

In this episode, John discusses:

Pivotal Moments that shaped his career

What it takes to lead through transformation

How to scale franchise systems sustainably

His insights into the future of health and wellness

Whether you’re a franchisor, franchisee, or entrepreneur,John's story offers valuable takeaways and inspiration.

1Huddle is revolutionizing workforce training for franchises through its AI-powered, gamified platform, designed to engage franchisees, managers, employees and streamline onboarding processes. By transforming traditional training materials into interactive mobile games, 1Huddle enhances knowledge retention and accelerates employee readiness across franchise networks .

In this compelling episode of Franchise Today, Stansits down with Greg Muzzillo, founder of Proforma, a $600 + million provider of printing and promotional products, serving businesses of all sizes around the world. Through its network of more than 600 franchisees, distributors and affiliates, Proforma is a market leader in this $300 billion market segment. 

As Stan unpacks Greg’s amazing story, you will hear how mentorship, resilience, and smart pivots have shaped ProForma’s franchise success. From early rejections, to life-changing guidance... from mentors like Subway founder FredDeLuca and recruitment and franchising icon, Alan Schonberg, founder of Management Recruiters, Greg opens up about evolving his business from cold leads to a purpose-driven powerhouse.

Learn how his wife Vera, who just happens to be Proforma's CEO has provided the leadership that has been instrumental to their growth, as a woman-owned business. Learn too, why genuine connections—and asking the right questions—are everything in business.

Greg confesses that he never planned on building a franchiseempire—but how one simple conversation changed his life. He also shares the highs, lows, and transformative lessons behind Proforma's success. From spiritual growth, to philanthropic impact... from selling products, to empoweringpeople, Greg reveals how values and vision can turn a business into a legacy.

This week we hear from Scott Thompson, Chief DevelopmentOfficer at Radiance Holdings, the franchisors of Sola Salons and Woodhouse Spa.  Listen in, as Scott reflects on his unexpected journey into franchising, which began after he faced rejection in his initial career, as a cardiac rehab specialist. Pivoting to his passion for fitness, Scott joined Fitness Together, ultimately becoming a successful, multi-unit franchisee in New York City, before pivoting again to the corporate side of the business, as a franchisor.

Scott shares insights from his hands-on experiences, including the challenges of navigating the 2008 financial crisis, emphasizing his belief that determination and a willingness to learn are essential for success in franchising.

Discover how a chance encounter with a mall retailer led Dawn Kane, co-founder and CEO of Hot Dish Advertising, to revolutionize franchise marketing. After managing an in-house agency for a mall developer, Dawn, along with two of her cohorts,  ventured out to establish her own agency, bringing her fast-paced retail expertise to the franchising world.

The Minnesota-based agency, named after the beloved regional casserole, transformed from a consumer-focused marketing firm into a franchise development powerhouse. Their innovative approach replaced generic messagingwith data-driven strategies, setting new standards in franchise marketing.

The COVID-19 pandemic became a catalyst for positive change, as Hot Dish successfully transitioned to a fully remote operation. This move expanded their talent pool nationwide while maintaining team cohesion throughthe Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).

Ready to dive into the fascinating story of how mall marketing experience evolved into franchise industry expertise?

Listen to this episode to learn how Dawn Kane and Hot Dish Advertising are reshaping the franchise marketing landscape.

Discover how Alison and Marty Langenderfer, transformed her passion for wellness into Spavia, a thriving spa franchise with 60 locations nationwide. After leaving pharmaceutical sales, Alison and her husband Marty identified a gap in the market for a more comprehensive spa experience, leading to Spavia's launch in 2005.

What sets Spavia apart is their unwavering commitment to customer experience and community involvement. Through their "Spavia Cares" initiative, franchisees actively support local causes.

Spavia's focus on exceptional guest experiences and careful franchisee selection has driven their sustainable growth. The company's success stems from prioritizing quality over rapid expansion, ensuring franchisees are well-capitalized and aligned with the brand's values.

Looking ahead, Spavia plans to continue it's suburban expansion, while also launching an innovative urban brand called Sway, combining high-touch service with cutting-edge technology.

Tune in to hear how this power couple built a wellness empire while maintaining their commitment to community impact and exceptional customer service.

Discover how right out of college, this architecture graduate had a change of plans, morphing from retail to restaurants. Over the course of some 30 years John Ramsay has become a restaurant and franchise industry leader. His unexpected path began with retail jobs and led to pioneering roles in major restaurant chains.

John Ramsey's fascinating career trajectory offers unique insights into the evolution of franchising, from traditional restaurants to innovative virtual kitchens.

This episode showcases how diverse experiences andadaptability can lead to franchise success, while emphasizing the importance of strong partnerships and strategic growth.

Ready to unlock the secrets of franchise success? Listen to this episode for invaluable insights from a true industry veteran.

Daryl Dollinger's journey began in his youth, working in the food service industry through high school and college. Hegained valuable experience in catering, cafeteria management, and campus dining with Aramark. His exposure to the food business, including opportunitieswith the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, sparked his interest and led him to leave Aramark and join a new restaurant venture in Buckhead called Country Star American Music Grill.

This marked a pivotal transition as Daryl embarked on a path towards entrepreneurship and franchising. His journey in food and hospitality included stints at Einstein's Bagels and Planet Smoothie, before becoming the co-founder and creator of the Moe's Southwest Grill concept, which they launched in Buckhead in 2000 with a small team andlimited resources, but managed to build into a successful business through hard work and dedication, with more than 100 locations, before his successful exit in 2008. Today he is focused on the further development of his Flying Biscuit Cafe Concept, with more than 36 open and operating and many more on the way.

This week, we'll discover how a family-owned after-school program morphed into a thriving franchise system, focused on empowering children through personalized education.

Stephanie Coppedge shares the fascinating evolution of Gideon Math and Reading, from its humble beginnings in 2004, as a licensing model, to its current success, with 30 total units open and operating and many more on the horizon.

Gideon Math and Reading, our Q-1, 2025, "Rising Star of Franchising."