Franchise Today

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."

This week on Franchise Today we break with our usual format and feature not one, but 25 voices… all, franchise movers and shakers.  Each will share their thoughts and perceptions about the impact of President Trump’sdecisive win on franchising. 

No personal feelings or biases were accepted.  The Question to these franchise pros: “What have you observed already andwhat do you see ahead, with Donald Trump in the White House.                           

• Mike Kelly, Senior Director, AtmosphereTV

• David Owassi, Founder CEO Outreach
• Dave McDougal, VP We Sell Restaurants

• David Rawnsley, President, RobeksJuice

• Steve Greenbaum, IFA Legend
• Monica Feid, PR Pro

• Peter Holt. IFA Legend

• Erik Van Horn, Franchise Advisor, Entrepreneur,Podcaster

• Dawn Abbamondi, CMO, SMB FranchiseAdvisors

• Erin Fletter, Founder, CEO, Food GeekEmerging Franchisor, Sticky Fingers Cooking School

• Katrina Mitchell, Chief Matchmaker, FranchiseSpeakers

• Ford Saeks, “Featured Speaker,” FranchiseSpeakers.

• Matt Haller, IFA, President, CEO

The episode drops at noon EDT on Wed. 3/12/25 at www.franchisetodaypodcast.com, or wherever you chase podcasts.

This week, discover how Keenan Fisher transformed his family's franchising expertise into a modern barbershopempire. As the driving force behind Tommy Gun's Original Barber Shops, Fisher brings a unique blend of edge, attitude, and confidence to the traditional barbershop experience.

Growing up in his family's successful Chatters hair salon franchise, Fisher recognized a gap in the men's grooming market. This led to the creation of Tommy Gun's, a conceptinspired by 1930s Chicago and New York vibes, offering premium barbershop services on demand through proprietary technology.

The brand's success is evident in its rapid expansion to 85 locations across Canada and 15 in Australia and New Zealand by 2015. Under Fisher's leadership, Tommy Gun's hasrevolutionized the industry by investing in top talent, including global creative lead John Mosley, and embracing the growing artistry in modern barbering.

Ready to experience the future of men's grooming? Listen to this episode to learn how Fisher is redefining the barbershop experience and creating a community of passionatefranchisees who share his vision for excellence.

This week, we are back with Part 2 of myConversation with John Rotche.  Every nowand then, I happen upon a franchise biography that is so compelling that a single episode of Franchise Today just can’t do it justice. And, such is the case with John Rotche.  Last week we wrapped up approaching the Title Boxing Chapter of John’s storied career and we’ll pick back-up there today, but first a couple of reflections on some of what John shared with us last week. 

John quipped in wonderment about how he, athlete guy turned entrepreneur, managed to have the good fortune to be taken under the wings of not one, but two IFA Entrepreneur’s of the Year Domino's CEO Tom Monaghan and Service Brands International Founder, CEO and Serial Entrepreneur David McKinnon.  To that, I say this..., “When the student is ready, the teacher appears.  And oh, btw, it’s no coincidence that IFA awarded John those same prestigious honors in 2011. So, let’s pick back-up where we left off. Part 2: John Rotche, From Football to Franchising. 

This week on Franchise Today, I welcome John Rotche, afranchise professional with a compelling story of overcoming adversity. John shares his journey from the expectations of beginning a promising college football career, to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the franchising world.

He discusses the importance of mentorship, the lessons learned from his experiences at Domino's and Krispy Kreme, and how he transitioned into the air duct cleaning business, before ultimately founding Franworth.

The conversation highlights the significance of building teams, the impact of mentorship, and the drive to help others succeed in their franchising endeavors.

Takeaways:

·      Franchising is about building relationships andteams

·      Mentorship plays a crucial role in personal andprofessional growth

·      Overcoming adversity can lead to unexpectedopportunities

·      Understanding your business's core focus isessential for success

·      The importance of consistency and followingstandards in operations

·      Giving back to the community can create apositive impact

·      Franchising can be a path for those who haven’tplanned for it

·      Learning from industry leaders can shape yourcareer

·      The journey of entrepreneurship often involvesunexpected pivots

·      Creating a legacy involves helping othersachieve their dreams