What if the fastest way to scale your business isn’t opening every new location yourself, but building a model that other entrepreneurs can help you grow?

In this episode of The Big Table, I sit down with entrepreneur Alex Smereczniak to break down how franchising can become a powerful vehicle for explosive business growth.

We break down what it actually takes to franchise a business, why you need a proven concept before you start, how franchise disclosure documents work, the role of franchise brokers and franchise sales organizations, and why having repeatable systems is critical if you want to scale.

Alex also explains why he generally wants to see a business prove itself across multiple locations before attempting to franchise. Franchising isn’t a magic solution, it’s a business model that can help a proven concept expand faster when the systems and infrastructure are there to support it.

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Check Out My Books: https://books.coachburt.com/books

What happens when you come face-to-face with death and get a second chance at life?

In this episode of The Big Table Podcast, I sit down with Rudy Montejo, a human development expert who experienced a life changing crossroads after an accident left him in the hospital, handcuffed to a bed, and fighting for his life. He stopped breathing, was intubated, and had to be brought back to life. That experience became the catalyst for a completely different path.

Rudy went on to study personal development, addiction sciences, clinical therapy, emotional intelligence, and human behavior. Today, he helps people navigate the crossroads of their lives and, more importantly, avoid self-destructing when life gets difficult.

In this conversation, we dive into why people repeat destructive patterns, how childhood experiences can influence adult behavior, the power of radical accountability, and what it takes to make a different decision when you're at a crossroads.

Chapters:
00:00 Teaser
01:02 The Crossroads That Changed Everything
03:17 Why People Hit Rock Bottom
05:12 Breaking Self-Destructive Cycles
07:02 Rudy's Personal Development Journey
09:39 Inside High Performers' Minds
12:09 The Power of Radical Accountability
14:09 Stop Being Your Past's Victim
16:20 Why Radical Honesty Matters
18:14 Building Your Mental Legacy
20:52 How We Build Emotional Toughness
22:15 Coaching High Performers Through Crossroads
23:29 Why Emotional Intelligence Matters
26:04 Making Better Decisions
27:24 When High Performers Self-Destruct
29:41 What Makes People Great?
30:16 What Legacy Will You Leave?
31:10 Traits of Top Performers
32:27 Navigating Life's Biggest Crossroads
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LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michealburt

How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

What separates entrepreneurs who constantly create new opportunities from those who struggle to gain traction? More often than not, it isn't talent, intelligence, or even marketing, it's influence.

In this video, I break down the timeless principles from Dale Carnegie's classic book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, and show you how I've applied them over the past 30 years of coaching entrepreneurs, executives, sales professionals, and business owners. This isn't a book summary, it's a practical look at how these principles create trust, strengthen relationships, and open doors that money alone can't buy.

In this video, you'll learn:
- Why genuine curiosity is one of the most powerful influence skills in business
- How to build stronger relationships with entrepreneurs, executives, and decision-makers
- Why asking better questions creates better business opportunities
- The leadership principle that helps people reach their full potential
- How great listeners uncover opportunities everyone else misses
- Why trust—not talent—is the foundation of long-term business success
- How strategic partnerships are built through influence, not persuasion

Throughout my career, I've found that the biggest breakthroughs didn't come from being the smartest person in the room. They came from learning how to build authentic relationships, create value for others, and consistently earn trust. These are the same principles Dale Carnegie taught nearly a century ago, and they're just as relevant in today's business world.

Chapters:
00:00 - Why Dale Carnegie's Principles Still Matter
01:19 - #1: Become Genuinely Interested
02:50 - #2: Talk in Terms of Their Interests
03:59 - #-3: Make People Feel Important
04:55 - #4: Become a Great Listener
05:55 - #5: Build Belief Instead of Criticism
06:39 - #6: Give People a Reputation
07:33 - #7: Why Influence Creates Opportunity
08:36 - Relationships Are Your Greatest Asset
09:38 - Final Thoughts
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Get connected with Coach Burt:
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