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Franchise Empires

By: The Wolf A Workweek Friend
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  • Summary

  • Most startups are doomed to fail. But there’s an alternative route to financial freedom for hungry entrepreneurs. One that involves far less risk, far more work-life balance, and just as much profit. Franchises. Franchise Empires gives aspiring franchise owners the playbook to build a multi-unit franchise empire of their own. Every episode we hear from guests who are building their franchise empire: Franchisees who started with one unit and aren’t stopping until they get to dozens, hundreds, or even thousands more locations. Hosted by The Wolf, you’ll hear exactly how to turn your ambition into tangible actions and take your first steps up the franchise ladder. We’ll break down the steps you need to take open your first franchise, your second location and beyond, along with the many pitfalls to avoid. Wolf answers all your questions about owning and running your franchise, and interviews guests with first hand experience like Greg Flynn, the multi-billion dollar restaurant franchisee, Jamie Weeks, the largest OrangeTheory franchisee in the world who’s launching his own fitness franchise SweatHouz, and Jason McGowan, Co-founder and CEO of Crumbl cookies. Want to get started on your franchise owning journey? Tune in every Tuesday for a new episode. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Interested in participating as a guest at Franchise Empires? Submit your request here!
    Copyright 2023 The Wolf, A Workweek Friend
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Episodes
  • S9 E3: Deb Merrill’s Jimmy Johns Journey

    S9 E3: Deb Merrill’s Jimmy Johns Journey
    May 7 2024
    Deb Merrill had no idea she was destined for franchise management until her brother-in-law asked if she’d be interested in running a Jimmy John’s. Realizing that stage management wasn’t the dream job she had hoped it would be, Deb left her theater career behind for the food service industry. In this candid conversation with the Wolf, Deb opens up about her rise from the bottom of the food chain to the top of the Jimmy John’s game. How did she take the dive into franchising with zero experience in the industry and eventually open 12 different locations? And what was it really like working with family? Deb also shares her wisdom into the daily rewards and challenges of running a Jimmy John’s franchise from the physical demands of the job to the importance of finding the right team members. What should the structure and setup of a fair franchise agreement look like? And what’s the importance of maintaining positive relationships with franchisees? Plus, learn about the early days of Jimmy John's, including the impact of the economic crash in 2008 and the struggles of balancing construction schedules and employee training. What kinds of unique opportunities does Jimmy John’s provide for franchise owners? Tune in now to find out! Workstream is the all in one tool for restaurants to run their HR, hiring, and payroll operations. Trusted by over 25,000 restaurant locations, Workstream is the people management tool built for managing hourly workers. Visit http://www.workstream.us/thewolf to learn more! 00:00:00 - Transitioning from Theater to Fast Food Franchise 00:03:06 - Navigating Responsibility and Control in Business 00:04:35 - Balancing Construction and Opening Schedules 00:07:03 - Corporate Training at Jimmy John's 00:08:47 - Opening Two Stores in Six Months 00:14:41 - Arranging Fair Structures for Collaborations 00:15:48 - Navigating Family Business Dynamics Successfully 00:18:59 - 16 Years of Steady Store Growth 00:21:57 - Expanding Store Locations: A Timeline Workstream is the all-in-one tool for restaurants to run their HR, hiring, and payroll operations. Trusted by over 25,000 restaurant locations, Workstream is the people management tool built for managing hourly workers. Visit http://www.workstream.us/thewolf to learn more! Follow The Wolf: Newsletter: https://workweek.com/brand/the-wolf-of-franchises/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewolfoffranchises Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf Website: https://www.krokit.com And for exclusive insider content, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel. Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com. And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!
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    35 mins
  • S9 E2: The King of Chicken and Beef: How Drew Gressett Opened 80+ Zaxby’s and Hat Creek Locations

    S9 E2: The King of Chicken and Beef: How Drew Gressett Opened 80+ Zaxby’s and Hat Creek Locations
    Apr 30 2024
    Drew Gressett’s sitting down with the Wolf to discuss his personal journey in the restaurant industry—from his journey founding Hat Creek Burger Company to owning 60+ Zaxby’s. Hear Hat Creek Burger Company’s humble origin story—from starting as a food truck in 2008 to now having 26 brick-and-mortar locations, Drew shares the challenges and triumphs of scaling his business. He shares how building a strong restaurant management team and securing financing helped fuel his exponential growth. What are the unique dynamics of running both independent restaurants and franchise locations? And does Drew have plans to expand into other franchise brands or industries in the future? Tune in now to find out! 00:00:23 - From Food Truck to Restaurant Success 00:07:13 - Lessons Learned from Hat Creek's Expansion 00:08:10 - Growing Hat Creek to 26 Locations 00:15:12 - Expanding the Zaxby's Franchise Portfolio 00:18:23 - Scaling Hat Creek 00:20:37 - Building a Strong Restaurant Management Team 00:24:36 - Leveraging Seller Financing for Growth 00:28:56 - Franchise Friction: Running Own vs. Franchise 00:33:03 - Exploring New Franchise Opportunities and Industries 00:34:37 - New Builds vs. Acquisitions: Pros and Cons Learn More About Zaxby’s: Website: https://www.zaxbys.com/franchise Learn More About Hat Creek Burger Company: Website: https://hatcreekburgers.com/who-we-are Follow Drew: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-gressett-96891621a/ Follow The Wolf: Newsletter: https://workweek.com/brand/the-wolf-of-franchises/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewolfoffranchises Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf Website: https://www.krokit.com And for exclusive insider content, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel. Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com. And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!
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    37 mins
  • S9 E1: How Adam Saxton Turned McAlister’s Deli Into an Unstoppable Franchise Beast

    S9 E1: How Adam Saxton Turned McAlister’s Deli Into an Unstoppable Franchise Beast
    Apr 23 2024
    You’ll never be able to operate 90+ franchises if your first franchise isn’t golden to begin with. Take it from Adam Saxton, operator of over 90+ McAlister’s Delis and co-CEO/Owner of the Saxton Group. With territories in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, Adam chats with the Wolf about his unusual philosophy for franchise expansion, including a unique organic unit model development approach entailing zero acquisitions. With over 20 years in the fast-casual space, Adam reveals why he remains optimistic about the ROI potential in this industry and explains how his family's background in restaurant franchising influenced his decision to join McAlister's Deli. How has he managed to maintain slow and steady growth since his first bought unit in 1999? Discover the importance of building a strong culture and brand within your organization, and how investing in internal development leads to long-term success. Adam discusses the growth opportunities that come with expanding your franchise and the value of promoting from within. Plus, what are Adam’s perspectives on investment levels and the potential return on capital for first-time franchisees? Tune in now to find out! 00:00:00 - Locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas 00:00:30 - Adam Joins Family Restaurant Business 00:08:17 - Organic Growth Strategy of the Saxton Group 00:11:46 - Community Outreach Boosts McAlister's Brand 00:13:34 - Fostering Growth and Opportunity at McAlister’s 00:17:13 - Franchisees Expand with New Brands 00:18:45 - Saxton Group Acquires Jaggers 00:22:29 - Staying Optimistic in the Fast Casual Industry 00:26:49 - Investment Returns for New Franchisees 00:32:54 - Room to Grow for McAlister’s Follow Adam: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgsaxton/ Follow The Wolf: Newsletter: https://workweek.com/brand/the-wolf-of-franchises/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewolfoffranchises Twitter: https://twitter.com/franchisewolf Website: https://www.krokit.com And for exclusive insider content, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel. Are you a future franchise entrepreneur? Find all of the tools you need to launch, operate, and expand your franchise empire with the platform created by The Wolf himself, Krokit.com. And if you’ve enjoyed listening to Franchise Empires, I’d be so grateful if you could drop me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast. Thank you so much!
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    38 mins
Leadership Management Economics Personal Finance
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