On today's episode of Franchise Secrets, Erik Van Horn sits down with Nick Najjar—Cutco alum, Real Producers franchisee, multi-business owner, mobile home park investor, and all-around deal maker.

Nick breaks down the real roadmap from franchise operator… to entrepreneur… to true wealth builder.

You'll hear:

• How Cutco shaped some of the greatest operators in franchising

• How Nick launched multiple Real Producers markets

• Why his entire wealth journey changed the day he hired the right operator

• The truth about "passive investing" (and why it still takes work)

• How he bought a roofing company at a great multiple

• Why masterminds outperform mentors

• How to evaluate ANY home-services business—franchise or not

• What franchise buyers MUST compare: industry vs. franchisor

• His mobile-home-park deal flow (and how he wholesaled for massive assignment fees)

• Why your exit plan should be the FIRST question you ask

This episode is packed with strategy that applies whether you're a franchisee, an entrepreneur, or looking to acquire your first company.

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Timestamps:

00:00 – Why You Shouldn't Invest Too Early

06:06 – How a Franchise Became His Wealth Vehicle

08:40 – Hiring the Operator That Changed Everything

11:06 – Nick's Superpower: Deal Making

14:56 – Leveraging Offshore Talent to Scale Faster

18:37 – When True Mental Freedom Finally Clicked

22:03 – Why Masterminds Beat Mentors

25:46 – The Home-Services Deep Dive

33:32 – Operator Alignment vs. Industry Choice

47:27 – Your Exit Strategy Must Come First

Connect with Erik Van Horn:

🌐 Website - https://franchisesecrets.com/

📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erikvanhorn/

👍 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/erik.v.horn/

💼 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanhorn/

Best Franchise Starter Playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMlgRgsBAo4LWNCMSOthnK0r&si=TD1z25-ie2d23rGm

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMle5_OUXiuLbc_UPBtz1vTE&si=uCOgDya1VnnCarDf

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMk2Kw07KwZGWgF8UTx9N5_T&si=ZldjBOqFanGE-JUL

#Entrepreneurship #Franchising #Wealth