Let’s Talk Franchising

What does it take to build one of Australia's fastest-growing restaurant brands without franchising?

In this episode, Susanna sits down with Ravi Singh, CEO and Co-Founder of Kickin'Inn, to explore the journey behind a seafood concept that grew from a single restaurant into more than 30 corporate-owned locations across Australia.

Ravi shares how a 2 a.m. business idea, years of persistence, countless rejections, and an obsession with storytelling helped transform Kickin'Inn into a nationally recognized brand. Rather than rushing into franchising, he explains why he chose to retain ownership, focusing instead on building strong systems, developing leaders, protecting brand consistency, and creating an unforgettable customer experience.

The conversation also dives into leadership, business growth, data-driven decision-making, customer loyalty, and what aspiring entrepreneurs can learn about building a brand that lasts.

Whether you're a franchisor, franchisee, entrepreneur, or business owner, this episode is packed with practical insights on scaling a business while staying true to your vision.

Ravi Singh is the CEO and Co-Founder of Kickin'Inn, one of Australia's fastest-growing seafood restaurant brands. Before launching Kickin'Inn in 2018, Ravi built an international career in business leadership and consulting, helping companies across more than 60 countries develop their culture, leadership, and growth strategies.

Driven by a passion for creating memorable customer experiences, Ravi transformed a simple late-night business idea into a nationally recognized restaurant brand with more than 30 locations across Australia. Rather than rushing into franchising, he has focused on building strong systems, developing exceptional leaders, and protecting the culture and consistency that define the Kickin'Inn experience.

An educator, leadership expert, and psychologist by background, Ravi believes great businesses are built on storytelling, transparency, relationships, and empowering people to think like entrepreneurs. His leadership philosophy continues to shape Kickin'Inn's rapid expansion as the brand prepares for international growth.

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Today's guest is Luke Frey, a franchise growth strategist, founder of the 94X Movement, and passionate advocate for business ownership. With almost 30 years in franchising and extensive leadership experience in both the fire service and corporate world, Luke helps founders scale through franchising and empowers professionals to transition from the corporate ladder into successful business ownership.

In this episode of Let's Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Luke to explore what truly makes a business franchise-ready—and why having an operations manual and legal documents alone isn't enough.

Luke shares the critical role of systems, infrastructure, and strategic planning in building a scalable franchise, along with the common pitfalls brands face when expanding too quickly. He also offers valuable insights for Australian businesses looking to enter the US market, covering everything from franchise readiness and ideal partner profiles to protecting intellectual property and creating the right support structure for long-term growth.

Whether you're considering franchising your business or planning to expand internationally, this episode offers practical advice to help you build a stronger, more sustainable franchise system from the very beginning.

In This Episode

Luke Frey is a franchise growth strategist, founder of the 94X Movement, and a passionate advocate for business ownership. With nearly 30 years of experience in franchising and an accomplished leadership background in both the fire service and the corporate world, Luke has dedicated his career to helping businesses scale through franchising.

He works with startup and emerging brands to determine whether they're truly ready to franchise before they invest significant time and capital into expansion. By evaluating their systems, infrastructure, operational readiness, and long-term scalability, Luke helps founders build franchise networks that are positioned for sustainable growth.

Luke is also passionate about helping experienced professionals transition from corporate careers into successful business ownership and is currently developing an independent franchise evaluation framework that aims to bring greater transparency and confidence to the franchising industry.

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Can you really build a successful franchise if you don't understand your numbers?

In this episode of Let's Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Trudy Heins, business coach and strategist, to explore one of the most overlooked drivers of franchise success: financial clarity.

Drawing on more than 36 years of experience in finance, business strategy, and coaching franchisees, Trudy shares why understanding your numbers, developing a CEO mindset, and making commercially sound decisions are essential for long-term business growth.

Together, they discuss everything from unit economics and profitability to leadership, hiring, franchisee support, culture, and the importance of seeking expert advice before problems arise.

Whether you're a franchisor, franchisee, or business owner looking to scale, this episode is packed with practical strategies to help you build a more profitable, sustainable business.

In This Episode

Key Takeaways

Trudy Heins is a business coach and strategist with more than 36 years of experience in finance and business, including three decades as a Certified Financial Planner. She has built and sold multiple businesses and has worked with organisations including GIO, Perpetual, major Australian banks, and boutique professional firms.

Having coached franchisees inside one of Australia's largest franchise networks, Trudy specializes in helping business owners develop the commercial discipline, financial confidence, and strategic thinking needed to build profitable, sustainable businesses. She also works as a fractional business advisor, providing ongoing strategic coaching and commercial oversight to businesses looking to scale without the cost of a full-time executive. Based in Queensland, Australia, Trudy works with clients globally.

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What happens when a successful business owner decides to franchise—and discovers it's a completely different business?

In this episode of Let's Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Greg Rips, Founder and Franchisor of Third Wave, to discuss the realities of scaling a restaurant brand through franchising. From growing a single café into a nationally recognized brand to building franchise systems from the ground up, Greg shares the hard-earned lessons that every franchisor needs to hear.

Together, they explore the challenges of training franchisees, creating operational systems, generating quality franchise leads, hiring the right people, and why building a successful franchise requires far more than simply replicating a successful business.

Whether you're preparing to franchise your business or already growing a franchise network, this episode offers practical insights from someone actively building one of Australia's fastest-growing hospitality brands.

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What does it really take to build a franchise network that lasts for more than a decade?

In this episode of Let's Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Danie O'connor, Co-Owner of Ready Steady Go Kids, to discuss her journey from franchisee to franchisor, the lessons she's learned growing a national franchise network, and the realities of supporting franchisees for long-term success.

From choosing the right franchise partners to creating strong support systems, investing in technology, and building a thriving franchise community, Danie shares practical insights that every current and aspiring franchisor can learn from.

Whether you're launching your first franchise or scaling an established network, this conversation is packed with real-world experience and actionable advice.

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You're getting people to attend your franchise information sessions—but they're not taking the next step.

If prospects leave saying, "I'll think about it," instead of booking a fit call, submitting an application, or placing a deposit, the problem isn't your opportunity. It's how your information session is designed.

In this episode of Let's Talk Franchising, we break down why most information sessions educate instead of convert. You'll learn how to structure a session that creates clarity, builds certainty, filters out time-wasters, and moves serious buyers confidently through your franchise sales process.

Whether you're running discovery calls, virtual information sessions, or live franchise events, this episode will help you turn interested prospects into committed franchisees.

In This Episode

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What does it take to build one of Australia's most recognised franchise brands from the ground up?

In this episode of Let's Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Jim Penman, founder of Jim's Group, for a candid conversation about the journey from a one-man gardening business to a nationwide franchise network with thousands of franchisees.

Jim shares the mistakes, lessons, and philosophies that have shaped his approach to franchising over the past five decades. From selecting the right franchisees and building strong support systems to creating a culture where franchisees have a genuine voice, this episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how one of Australia's largest franchise networks operates.

The conversation explores why continuous improvement matters more than perfection, the role of leadership in building trust, and how franchisors can create systems that genuinely support franchisee success.

Beyond franchising, Jim also shares his thoughts on business ownership, health, housing affordability, personal responsibility, and the importance of building a legacy that lasts beyond the founder.

Whether you're a franchisor, franchisee, business owner, or someone considering franchising for the first time, this episode is packed with practical insights, strong opinions, and valuable lessons from someone who has spent decades building and evolving a franchise network.

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Most franchise buyers are not looking for the most exciting brand.

They are looking for the brand that feels the safest to trust with their money, time, and future.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands unpacks what is really going through a buyer’s mind before they commit to a franchise opportunity and why so many promising conversations quietly lose momentum.

From trust and support to proof, systems, and brand credibility, Susana shares the patterns she consistently sees in franchise sales conversations and the hidden concerns buyers are often too hesitant to say out loud.

This episode is especially valuable for franchisors who are getting interest but struggling to move prospects from “thinking about it” to making confident decisions.

If you have ever wondered why some buyers move quickly while others disappear after great calls, this conversation will give you a completely different perspective on what people are actually looking for before they say yes.

In This Episode, We Cover

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In this episode of Let's Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Joel Kleber, Chief Marketing Officer of Jim's Group, Australia's largest franchise network, to explore how content, transparency, and consistency have helped fuel the growth of one of the country's most recognised franchise brands.

Joel shares the story behind Jim's Group's shift from traditional franchise marketing to a content-first approach that now generates thousands of franchise enquiries every year. From podcasts and video content to founder branding and franchisee stories, he explains why trust has become one of the most valuable assets a franchise brand can build.

The conversation challenges many of the traditional recruitment methods still used across the franchising sector and explores why modern buyers are researching more, asking different questions, and expecting greater transparency before making a decision.

Whether you're an emerging franchisor, an established franchise brand, or simply looking for new ways to improve recruitment and conversions, this episode offers practical insights into what is actually working right now.

If you've ever wondered how to attract better franchise candidates, build stronger trust, and create a recruitment process that feels more natural and less sales-driven, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

📌 Connect with Joel Kleber

Website: https://franchisemarketer.co/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelkleber/ 

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A lot of franchise owners assume buyers walk away because of price.

But more often than not, buyers walk away because something about the opportunity does not feel certain enough to move forward with.

In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands dives into the hidden reasons franchise opportunities can feel risky to potential buyers, even when the business itself is strong.

From unclear messaging and inconsistent support to the subtle red flags that quietly create hesitation during the sales process, Susana unpacks what prospects are really looking for when they are deciding whether to trust a franchise brand with their time, money, and future.

This conversation is especially important for business owners who are getting leads but struggling to convert them, hearing “I need to think about it” too often, or watching interested prospects suddenly disappear after initial conversations.

Inside the episode, Susana shares practical insights into how buyers assess risk, what creates confidence during the franchise journey, and why small gaps in clarity can have a bigger impact on sales than most franchisors realise.

If you want your franchise opportunity to feel stronger, more credible, and easier for the right buyers to say yes to, this episode will give you plenty to think about.

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