In this episode, I’m joined by Ann Wiard, a Taste Buds Kitchen franchisee from Rhode Island, who turned her passion for food, education, and family experiences into a thriving business. She shares how she went from Executive Director of a soup kitchen to owning one of the most successful Taste Buds locations — earning 31% profit margins and out-earning her husband!

We talk about family cooking classes, hilarious date-night stories, how she paid off her investment in 2.5 years, and why following the franchise system is the ultimate recipe for success.

 

 

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to Eye on Franchising with Lance Graulich
01:12 – Meet Ann Wiard, Taste Buds Kitchen franchisee from Rhode Island
02:30 – Date nights, corporate events & “spicy” cooking stories
05:12 – Why Taste Buds Kitchen is a family favorite
07:48 – Teaching kids to love cooking (and eat broccoli tots!)
10:30 – Ann’s background: from soup kitchens to entrepreneurship
12:00 – Why she chose Taste Buds Kitchen over 4,000 other franchises
14:15 – Cooking camps, after-school programs & summer classes
17:00 – How much does it cost to open a Taste Buds Kitchen?
19:20 – Real numbers: $1.1M+ sales & 30% profit margins
21:45 – Ann’s journey to making $200K+ per year
24:10 – How she paid off her investment in 2.5 years
26:30 – Lessons learned: hire a general manager early
28:00 – Why some franchisees fail (and how to avoid it)
30:25 – Working with Taste Buds’ founder Jessie & the leadership team
32:40 – What kind of person thrives in this franchise
34:20 – The secret ingredient: building a passionate team
36:00 – Why Ann chose franchising instead of starting her own concept
38:10 – Advice for anyone considering a franchise
40:00 – Why talking to franchisees during validation is key
42:00 – Final thoughts & how franchising changed Ann’s life

 

 

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