The Franchise Leaders Forum Podcast
Welcome to "The Franchise Leaders Forum," the ultimate podcast for entrepreneurs navigating the intricate world of franchising, brought to you by industry veterans Tracy Panase and Shannon Wilburn. This podcast is your go-to resource for franchise leadership insights, practical strategies to build and scale your franchise, and firsthand experiences from those who live and breathe franchising every day. Leading the conversation is Tracy Panase, the dynamic force behind the Just Between Friends Franchise System. Tracy, who previously excelled as a top franchisee, took over the leadership reins in December 2022. Under her guidance, the brand is reaching new heights, emphasizing a strong culture, supporting franchisees, and ensuring families across the country can say “YES” to everything their kiddos need and want. Her fresh perspective and unwavering commitment to excellence make her a formidable voice in the franchising community. By her side is Shannon Wilburn, the visionary co-founder of Just Between Friends. Starting from a simple idea in her living room in 1997, Shannon grew the company into a thriving network of over 150 locations. Her decision to pass the leadership to Tracy has infused the company with new energy and direction, and together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and passion to the podcast. In "The Franchise Leaders Forum," Tracy and Shannon dive deep into the good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly aspects of franchising. Each episode features candid discussions, expert interviews, and real-life stories from successful franchise leaders who have faced and overcome challenges. Listeners will gain valuable insights into effective leadership, growth strategies, and the nuances of franchise operations. Whether you're a franchisor, franchisee, or aspiring to enter the franchising world, this podcast addresses the pain points and challenges you face. From understanding franchise dynamics to learning how to support and grow your franchisees, Tracy and Shannon provide actionable advice and inspiration. Tune in to learn from the experiences of others, gain new perspectives, and equip yourself with the tools to navigate your franchising journey with confidence. Join us on "The Franchise Leaders Forum" and become part of a community dedicated to leadership, growth, and success in franchising. This podcast will provide answers to questions and topics like: Tips for Franchisees, Franchisors and vendor partners How to scale a franchise business Why is leadership important in franchising? How do I grow my franchise business? What are the trends in franchising? What is the challenge of franchising? How do I get involved in a franchise business? Franchise success stories Franchise marketing strategies
Episodes
What happens when you grow up in a franchising family and spend your career helping others avoid the mistakes you saw firsthand?
John Francis, better known as Johnny Franchise and the swiss army knife of franchising, has lived every role in the franchise world: franchisee, franchisor, executive, advisor, and board member. Today, he mentors 15–20 brands at a time, helping leaders reduce risk, improve results, and scale with conf...
What separates good franchisors from great ones? This episode unpacks the lessons behind building, scaling, and selling franchise brands that thrive long term.
Kevin Wilson has spent his career at the intersection of strategy and franchising, turning ideas into nationally recognized brands and scaling businesses others thought couldn’t be scaled. From growing Mosquito Joe into a 350-unit system before selling to Neighborly, to...
What does it really take to lead a struggling franchise brand back to growth and keep it thriving for more than a decade?
Steve White, President and COO of PuroClean, shares the hard-earned lessons from his career turning underperforming organizations into award-winning, rapidly growing franchise systems. With a military background that shaped his servant leadership approach, Steve opens up about how putting franchisees first b...
What’s really happening behind the scenes at the IFA and why does it matter more than ever right now?
In today’s episode, Matt Haller, President and CEO of the IFA, shares the growing role the IFA plays in protecting, enhancing, and promoting franchising. From Capitol Hill to convention halls, Matt explains how his team is helping franchise brands navigate policy, access education and build community.
Matt dives into how st...
What does it take to turn a simple idea born in a barn into a nationally recognized franchise empire?
Cathy Deano, the visionary behind Painting with a Twist and co-founder of Twist Brands, takes us back to post-Katrina Louisiana, where a desire to bring joy to her community led to a business that now spans 400+ locations. But her journey wasn’t linear and it definitely wasn’t typical!
From scrappy startup beginn...
Are you building a franchise and wondering how to scale without sacrificing your values, sanity, or family time?
Want to hear how the co-founder of the world’s largest swim school grew from a single pool to 170 locations and still finds time to coach Little League and be with his family?
Today’s guest, Paul Preston serves as the Co-Founder and President of Aqua-Tots Swim School, where he oversees strategic planning, growth...
What does it really take to build a franchise brand where record sales, loyalty, and work-life balance all go hand-in-hand?
Today’s guest, Sam Ballas, is a serious numbers guy (his license plate literally says EBITDA!). And he is diving into his trademarked philosophy “driven by unit level economics”. Sam shares why focusing on the numbers at each location beats chasing super-sized national growth, and how regional relationship...
What does it take to build a franchise brand that puts people first and thrives for over thirty-five years?
In today’s episode, Paul Pickett, Chief Development Office of Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU), shares what has been key in making WBU successful over the last 35+ years.
The first key to success is having a strong values-driven culture. Paul shares how his mantra of “How you do anything is how you do everything” has helped...
What does it take to build an unstoppable franchise and lift others up along the way?
Today’s guest, Robin Gagnon, shares the transformative impact of having others believe in her talent before she believed in herself. And this personal insight is why she believes that belief is foundational to success.
Robin’s leadership philosophy revolves around learning, and lifting and leading others, which she credits for building mul...
What does it really take to build a franchise brand rooted in excellence, innovation, and world-class customer experience?
Clarissa Bradstock, CEO of Any Lab Test Now, shares a combination of strategies to really grow a franchise.
It starts with placing franchisees within 1 of 4 quadrants which helps you understand where they are in their business and their mindset. As well as listening to feedback, even when it’s tough to hear. And ...
Are you confused about the difference between the SBA franchise directory and the franchise registry and what recent changes mean for your brand's growth and funding?
We are diving deep into urgent changes in franchise funding, specifically around the SBA Franchise Directory, a topic you can’t afford to overlook.
We are joined by Edith Wiseman, President of FRANdata. Edith is breaking down everything from what FRANdat...
How does a “farm boy from Iowa” grow one struggling salon into a thriving empire of 33 locations?
Today on the podcast, we have Jerry Akers who is diving deep into the realities and opportunities within the franchise industry, and he’s getting straight to the point when it comes to the grit and growth mindset that is required to excel. Jerry is sharing how he took a single Great Clips location and expanded to 33 locations, and ...
What’s the secret sauce that propels franchising success and transforms entrepreneurs into industry leaders?
Today, we are joined by industry expert Steve Beagelman. Steve shares his early fascination with franchising that set him on a path to innovate and establish his own franchise, Black Tie Express, which predated companies like Uber Eats and Grubhub. And he’s diving into crucial insights for aspiring franchisors, emphasizi...
Are you a franchise leader feeling stuck and overwhelmed, searching for a system to help align your team and propel your business forward?
In today's episode, Justin Mink, is diving deep into the world of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).
He is covering all things EOS - a strategic tool designed to streamline your business and increase your success. If you've ever wondered what the heck EOS actually is,...
How can the intersection of franchise growth, impact and love create a powerful force for good?
Today’s guest, Paul Blavin, is sharing his journey from a conventional money-minded career into a mission-driven path focused on love, service and his venture into the franchising space. Paul shares his realization that business success is not just about money but about the character and passion of the people at the helm. Because at ...
How can mastering your mindset, implementing proven systems and elevating others through your business end up transforming your franchise journey?
Today's guest, Scott Greenberg, author of The Wealthy Franchisee and Stop the Shift Show, is sharing what sets successful franchisees apart from the rest. And it’s all about mindset, sticking to a proven system and using your business to elevate those around you.
...
Are franchise brokers a secret weapon to successful business ownership, or are they an unnecessary middleman?
When Sabrina Wall entered the franchise space and worked with a franchise broker she had a lackluster experience which she turned into an opportunity to create a better franchise broker system for everyone.
Today, we dive deep into what exactly a franchise broker does, the importance of maintaining ethics ...
How do you turn a passion into a business empire?
Today's guest, Frank Fiume, took his love of adult men’s softball and evolved it into a groundbreaking youth sports franchise.
Frank discusses the importance of focusing on a niche market and the pivotal moment he decided to pivot his franchising business. He shares some hard truths about why so many franchisors struggle to hit that 100-unit mark and he dives into the ...
What’s the secret to building lasting, impactful relationships in the fast-paced world of franchising? And how does a whirlwind of acquisitions reshape an industry and serve families better?
In today’s episode we are joined by Josh Wall. Josh serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Unleashed Brands, a leading franchise platform accelerator focused on youth enrichment and family-centric brands. With a presence in over 1,3...
What does it take to turn a struggling franchise into a billion-dollar retail empire?
Today, we have Steve Murphy, the mastermind behind Winmark Corporation's stunning transformation. Steve shares how inefficiencies in operations can significantly impact profitability and the importance of effective marketing and staff training in keeping inventory in check and maximizing margins.
Steve also underscores the i...
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