In this captivating episode of Start With a Win, host Adam Contos welcomes franchise innovator Sam Ballas, founder and CEO of East Coast Wings & Grill. Sam shares his fascinating journey from Wall Street executive to thriving restaurateur and franchising expert, recounting how a single restaurant venture sparked a transformative career. Together, they delve into building enduring business systems, scaling horizontally and vertically, and what it truly takes to create and sustain a successful brand in the competitive restaurant and franchise industry. Alongside insightful personal stories and leadership lessons, listeners get an inside look at the strategies that set Sam apart in franchise innovation. Don't miss this deep dive into how vision, resilience, and the right systems can lead to sustained success.

Sam Ballas is the founder and CEO of East Coast Wings + Grill (ECW+G), founder of ZorAbility, Inc., and co-founder of Sammy’s Sliders. With over 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry and 30+ years in financial markets and real estate development, Sam has pioneered innovative franchise strategies centered on Unit Level Economics (ULE). His leadership has earned ECW+G accolades such as Franchise Business Review’s Top 50 Restaurant Franchises and Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 500 Franchise Systems. Sam serves on the International Franchise Association's Board of Directors and holds certifications as a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) and Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM).

⚡️FREE RESOURCE: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘞𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱?  ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/myleadership
Want weekly leadership content? Go here ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com

00:00 Intro
01:20 Came from Wall Street to Franchising…
06:05 Horizontal scale?
07:20 Can you franchise that?
11:05 What does the after look like?
12:15 If you think this, it is a huge mistake!
14:20 You have to have these pillars…
17:23 Biggest advice!
19:46 Founders Syndrome…
24:55 You have to take this and look through it in a different lens…
27:40 Key piece of advice…

===========================
Subscribe and Listen to the Start With a Win Podcast HERE:📱 
===========================
YT ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@AdamContosCEO
Apple ➡︎ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-with-a-win/id1438598347
Spotify ➡︎ https://open.spotify.com/show/4w1qmb90KZOKoisbwj6cqT

===========================
Connect with Adam:
===========================
Website ➡︎ https://adamcontos.com/
Facebook  ➡︎ https://facebook.com/AdamContosCEO
Twitter  ➡︎ https://twitter.com/AdamContosCEO
Instagram  ➡︎ https://instagram.com/adamcontosceo/

#adamcontos #startwithawin #leadershipfactory