In this powerful episode of Eye On Franchising, I sit down with Andrew Pudalov, the Founder & CEO of Rush Bowls, a booming fast-casual franchise redefining healthy food on the go. From Wall Street to wellness, Andrew shares the real story behind Rush Bowls' 21-year journey, why he left banking after 9/11, and how he's building a national health food empire—no private equity required.

🚀 Whether you're an aspiring franchise owner, a health-focused foodie, or a first-time entrepreneur, this episode breaks down why Rush Bowls is dominating the bowl-based food space, how their no-scoop, no-junk model sets them apart, and what it takes to succeed in franchising today.

✅ What You’ll Learn:

• Why Andrew believes franchising is the smartest path for business ownership
• The paint-by-numbers blueprint that Rush Bowls offers franchisees
• Major differences between Rush Bowls and competitors like scoopable acai chains
• What private equity gets wrong about franchising
• Advice for new franchisees: Follow the system!

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro: Meet Andrew Pudalov, Founder & CEO of Rush Bowls
01:24 - Why the restaurant industry seems sexy—but is hard work
03:17 - What makes Rush Bowls different from every other bowl brand
06:45 - The story behind leaving banking to build Rush Bowls
10:22 - Why scoopable bowls are not the same and what's really in them
13:48 - Andrew’s favorite bowls (get ready to get hungry)
15:20 - Why Rush Bowls has no private equity and how that benefits franchisees
18:36 - What Andrew learned after 21 years in business
20:50 - Why Andrew says he’d only buy a franchise going forward
23:01 - Traits of top-performing Rush Bowls franchisees
26:08 - Do you need restaurant experience to succeed? (Nope.)
28:52 - The unique, lean model behind Rush Bowls stores
31:10 - Community involvement is a must for franchise success
33:45 - Why customer feedback trumps the founder’s opinion
36:00 - Rush Bowls in 3 words
36:45 - Expansion plans: Where Rush Bowls is headed next
39:10 - Advice for first-time business owners
41:01 - Validation: Talk to real franchisees before investing
43:12 - Final thoughts & how to get started with franchising

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https://www.zorakle.net/assessment/welcome/ionfranchising

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