Pizza, Hot Chicken, and Hustle: A Playbook for Explosive Franchise Growth

What Does It Take to Scale from Two Gyms to 100+ Stores Across America?

n this episode of Retail Retold, Chris Ressa welcomes franchise powerhouse Kal Gullipali — the man who turned two Orange Theory studios into a 100-unit empire spanning Marco’s Pizza, Dave’s Hot Chicken, European Wax Center, and more. From Wall Street to wellness centers to hot chicken, Kal’s story is a masterclass in bold moves, smart capital, and relentless growth.

Kal reveals how selling his first franchise lit the spark for scale — and how COVID became the ultimate wake-up call to diversify. Today, his group operates across multiple states, building new stores, buying portfolios, and driving more than $35–40 million in annual growth. He breaks down the numbers, the strategy, and the mindset it takes to play at this level.

This episode dives into what it really takes to win in franchising: sharp site selection, patient capital, and powerful partnerships. Kal also calls out a coming shift in the fast-casual world — the return of true customer service — as brands rediscover that speed means nothing without hospitality.

What You’ll Hear:

• How Kal built a 100+ unit, multi-brand portfolio in under a decade
• Why diversification saved his business model
• The real economics behind scaling franchises
• Why the next big franchise trend is a return to the human touch

Chapters

00:00 – Meet Kal Gullipali

From Wall Street to Main Street — how a former Merrill Lynch analyst became a franchise powerhouse.

02:00 – The First Franchise Bet

Why Kal’s first leap into Orange Theory Fitness changed everything.

04:00 – From Two Gyms to a Hundred Units

The mindset, capital, and partnerships behind explosive growth.

06:00 – Lessons from Selling and Scaling

How selling early wins funded a smarter, more diversified empire.

07:45 – Enter the Pizza and Hot Chicken Game

Why COVID turned Kal into a believer in delivery-driven, resilient brands.

09:30 – Building vs. Buying

The strategy behind mixing acquisitions with ground-up new builds.

10:30 – Why Dave’s Hot Chicken Took Off

High AUVs, hot branding, and a cult following—Kal breaks down the magic formula.

13:00 – The Numbers Behind the Empire

A candid look at performance, diversification, and what drives profitability.

15:00 – The Power of People and Process

Inside Kal’s shared-services model and how he scales culture across brands.

18:00 – The Franchise Trend No One’s Talking About

Why customer service—not tech—will define the next era of QSR success.