Franchise Unfiltered

Modern PURAIR® has quietly dominated the Canadian indoor air quality (IAQ) space for years — and now they’re finally expanding into the United States. In this episode, founder & CEO Lane Martin shares how he scaled from a single duct truck to a nationwide IAQ brand known for world-class customer experience and a powerful sales center that converts 86% of residential calls.

We break down why the U.S. market is the perfect stor...

Discover how WOW WindowBoxes grew from a simple idea in a garage to a multi-million-dollar franchise that’s transforming the home services industry.

In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Wes sits down with Bret Schneider the founder and CEO of Wow Window Boxes, to talk about how a passion project turned into a $5 million brand — without subscriptions, without outside investors, and with 87% customer retention.

You’ll learn:

🌱 H...

When most people think of franchising, they picture burgers, coffee, or car washes. But Joshua Tree Experts proves there’s massive opportunity hiding in your own backyard — literally. In this episode, Wes Barefoot sits down with Josh Malik, Founder and CEO of Joshua Tree Experts, to talk about how he built a high-growth, multi-service franchise brand around tree care, lawn care, and pest control. Josh started as a climber and crew ...

Ever think the “sexiest” franchise would be… drains? In this Franchise Unfiltered episode, Wes sits down with Jim Foley, Brand President of Zoom Drain, to unpack a focused service model that’s creating massive opportunities in franchising.

You’ll learn why Zoom Drain is thriving with B2B and B2C demand, how “truck math” makes scaling predictable, and why plumbers actually refer business to Zoom Drain instead of competing with them.

Franchisors are drowning in stale Zooms, dead Facebook groups, and unread newsletters. Enter Studio F—our internal podcast model that turns franchise communication into binge-worthy, high-engagement episodes your system will actually consume. From peer-to-peer “masterclass” wins, to hiring/retention playbooks, to FAQ Unplugged that answers once and scales forever—we show how private podcasts boost culture, speed up SOP adoption, an...

What happens when the guy who built Club Pilates, UFC Gym, and a multi-billion dollar franchise empire decides to start over? 👀 Enter Anthony Geisler and Sequel Brands—the “third choice” in franchising. Forget sold-out territories and underfunded startups… this is McDonald’s-level support with ground-floor access. 

In this episode, Anthony reveals:

✅ How he scaled brands from 12 units to 1,300+

✅ Why no private equity + no debt ...

🚀 Burned out from corporate America, Ryan ditched banking layoffs and the acquisition rat race to take control of his future. Instead of buying a business, he chose a Cabinet IQ franchise — and the results have been incredible. In this episode, Ryan shares why franchising beat acquisitions, how he scaled fast, and the systems that changed everything. 

💡 If you’re tired of corporate burnout and dreaming of building something of ...

Most people don’t know this franchise even exists—but it’s one of the most impactful and emotionally intense businesses you’ll ever hear about. BioOne franchisees clean up crime scenes, drug houses, and trauma sites with a mission-first mindset. In this episode, Wes sits down with Danessa Itaya and Cheryl Chason to uncover the powerful, gritty, and purpose-driven world behind BioOne.

Time...

🍕 Is This the Smartest Food Franchise Model in America?

Cascadia Pizza might just be the best-kept secret in franchising.

In this episode, Thomas Reinhard, co-founder of Cascadia Pizza Co., breaks down how they turned a mobile wood-fired pizza truck into a booming franchise with brick-and-mortar stores, high-margin catering, and massive community buzz — all ...

Raisa Zovklaya didn’t have the money to start a franchise—so she entered a $20K fitness contest. She lost… but kept going anyway. In this episode, Wes sits down with Raisa to unpack her bold leap from nursing into franchise ownership with Project Lean Nation, how she funded it, built community, and found purpose. This is what betting on yourself really looks like.

⏱️ Timestamps:

In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Wes Barefoot welcomes back Andy Fuller, founder and CEO of Mosquito Hunters — now expanded into Pest Hunters and Humbug Holiday Lighting. Andy shares the story behind the rebrand, the mindset shift from seasonal hustle to empire-building, and how his franchise model grew from a $2B niche into a $31B multi-service powerhouse.

Whether you're a franch...

After 14 years of building one of the highest-performing ShelfGenie franchises, Alan Regala sold his business and stepped into a brand-new chapter of life. In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Alan shares how he went from mechanical engineer to successful franchise owner — and what it really takes to build a business that’s actually sellable.

We cover:

✅ The mindset behi...

In this episode of the Franchise Unfiltered podcast, Wes Barefoot sits down with Larry Oglesby—a former corporate executive turned fast-scaling franchisee. Larry shares how he transitioned from a 30-year corporate career into owning two franchise businesses in just 18 months: Redbox Plus Dumpsters and Cool Bins.

We dive deep into how Larry built his franchise portfolio under the Belfor um...

Is boutique fitness oversaturated? Discover Strength doesn’t think so — because they’re doing it completely differently.

In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Wes sits down with Scott Breimhorst, VP of Franchise Development for Discover Strength, a cutting-edge fitness brand redefining what it means to own and operate a premium fitness franchise.

With a sc...

In this episode of the Franchise Unfiltered Podcast, Wes sits down with franchise veteran Zach Beutler to talk about his latest venture: Jungle Driving — a groundbreaking driver’s education concept that's saving teen lives and reshaping what franchising looks like in the education space.

We dive deep into: 

✅ How Jungle Driving blends UPS safety methods with teen-focused learning

✅ What it takes to scale a franchise from one co...

In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Wes sits down with Tim Dougherty, the founder and CEO of Project Lean Nation, for one of the most jaw-dropping comeback stories in franchising.

In 2006, the FBI walked into Tim’s office and charged him with conspiracy to commit securities fraud. He served time in federal prison—and came out with nothing. But out of that brokenness, Tim rebuilt his ...

In this episode of the Franchise Unfiltered Podcast, Wes Barefoot chats with Susan, a former teacher turned franchise owner, who started her Gotcha Covered window treatment business in the middle of the 2008 recession.

Now, 17 years later, Susan shares how she created a successful and flexible business that gives her control over her time, lifestyle, and legacy. If you're thinking about f...

In this episode, Wes sits down with Mike Bahun, founder and CEO of Fundraising University, a fast-growing franchise that's transforming the way schools and sports teams raise money.

Mike shares how he turned his coaching background and entrepreneurial drive into a scalable business model that’s helped raise over $11 million for schools—while building a high-retention, high-impact franchis...

In this episode, I sit down with Shideler Bennett, a multi-unit Crumbl Cookies franchisee, SaaS founder, and business builder who scaled a $12 million portfolio by the age of 30. From cold-calling insurance agencies to building a 10-unit franchise empire and launching a software company that’s changing how franchisees operate — Shideler shares the gritty, behind-the-scenes truth of what it really takes to grow fast, take risks, and...