Franchise Interviews

We are meeting with Clay Sanger of JINYA Ramen Bar: JINYA Ramen Bar was founded by Tomo Takahashi in 2010. His parents were restaurateurs in his native Japan, but he frequently visited the United States. Throughout his teenage and college years, he became obsessed with the goal of opening an authentic ramen restaurant on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles. In 2010, Tomo made his vision a reality and opened the first JINYA Ramen Bar in Studio City, California. The restaurant was a communal eating experience utilizing community tables, a welcoming environment accompanied by modern interiors and an authentic Japanese menu. People were falling in love with the authentic Japanese noodles and broth, you couldn't find anywhere else. In 2012, Tomo and his team began franchising JINYA Ramen Bar - the first and only gourmet ramen franchise in the U.S. Fast forward to today and there are 35 locations from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. and everywhere in between. The franchise has received praise from prolific late L.A. Tim

This week (May 30 to June 1) Franchise Interviews will be visiting the International Franchise Expo in New York at the legendary Javits Center. Many refer to this show as the Super Bowl of franchising. Today you will hear numerous interviews on how to prepare for a franchise show.First you will hear our conversation with Tom Portesy, the President of Mart Franchise Ventures Expositions.  Mr. Portesy will discuss what aspiring frantrepreneurs can expect from a franchise show.  Next you will hear our interview with the franchise expert Terry Corkery who gives his advice to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to buy a franchise as well as some fantastic tips on attending franchise shows. The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, or Javits Center is a large convention center located on Eleventh Avenue, between 34th and 40th streets, on the West side of Manhattan in New York. http://www.ifeinfo.com/ Top 10 Reasons You Should Attend The International Franchise Expo: Meet face-to-face with over 400 of the top franchise

We have a great show today. We are speaking with the co-founders of the Central Bark® franchise system Jackie Jordan and Chris Gaba.  Jackie and Chris began this journey over 15 years ago with a vision that every dog deserves the very best care in a safe and clean environment.  Central Bark has taken day care to a whole new level with their unique “Whole Dog Care” approach, which integrates a full range of fun services specially balanced to nurture your dog’s whole health – their physical, mental and emotional well-being. These services and products adapt with your dog as they grow and develop, helping nurture and support them throughout their whole lifetime.  In part three we are joined by franchise expert Chris Simnick.   With over 2 million total dog visits to the Central Bark Doggy Day Care system and as the pioneer in creating the “UnKennel” franchise concept, the company has developed multiple streams of revenue, which includes grooming to training and retail ensuring that business is not limited to o

We are meeting with Bryan McMahon, CFO of Open Works.  When you compare OpenWorks to other companies in their industry, you’ll find that there is a clear difference. Unlike their competitors that simply maintain facilities, Openworks is the only facility services company that strives to create results that are measurable and add value to your business.  OpenWorks Difference Guaranteed customers, NO selling requiredWe train our franchisees on not only how to do the commercial cleaning, but how to manage a business and be a successful business ownerEquipment package includedInitial & ongoing training included The Brand OpenWorks is a trusted brand that was established in 1983Financially Strong: $30 million+ in revenueFull-time partnership opportunity The Commercial Cleaning Industry $150+ billion a year industryRecession-resistant industry & necessary service An OpenWorks franchise is not just about cleaning buildings when employees go home at the end of the day – it’s about harnessing your professiona

We are meeting with the founder of Delta Restoration Services Mike Mastous.  Delta Restoration Services has tripled its presence in the past 12 months and is set to add several dozen more locations this year. The property restoration franchisor is investing heavily in its training and support functions, including building a state-of-the-art flood house training facility in Denver. Mike Mastous conceptualized Delta after spending his career in the restoration industry operating restoration companies, adjusting for insurance carriers, and helping other brands expand into restoration. The full-service model was not an option for the customer or for insurance companies to use at the time. Micheal saw this opening and has been on a quest to fill it since 2006. Having our Founder and President driving the company’s daily operations and constantly looking for new opportunities for efficiency and profitability allows all franchises to take advantage of the native operational acumen and operational experience in real

We have a great show today.  We are meeting with Juliette Schmerler.  Juliette is the Creative Director and Founder of Sparktank Franchise Marketing. Sparktank's "franchise growth program" focuses on helping franchisors find new franchisees with powerful marketing materials and "outside the box" lead generation campaigns. Juliette's inspiration for helping franchises grow comes from the amazing opportunities she has seen her clients provide for new entrepreneurs to fulfill their dreams of business ownership. She loves being part of sharing each brand's story and spreading the word about their franchise opportunity. In part two, we play a clip with Michael Gerber from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.      

We are meeting with Christy Wilson Delk  After 17 years in corporate sales and distribution, Christy Wilson Delk decided to risk it all. In 1996, she sold her house and cashed out her 401K plan for the down payment on the $1.7 millions dollar SBA loan needed to buy and build a Kids R Kids Academy franchise in Orlando, Florida. Over the next 15 years, she expanded twice and grew her business into one of the largest franchises in her industry before exiting successfully in 2012.  Now, an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Rollins College and contributing writer, Christy has turned her focus to helping others realize greater professional rewards through growing a successful business.   In Part Two, we discuss Chrity's book, "My Adventure In Franchise Ownership".  "I admit, there were many times that I felt tired, alone and frustrated about my ability to run my business consistently well. I was disappointed that there was nothing available to help me and other franchisees get through the tough times. I le

We are meeting with Anthony Amos of HydroDog.  Anthony Amos founded the mobile dog-grooming company HydroDog at age 21 during his off-time as a professional rugby player.  His franchise model achieved massive growth and success in Australia, and Anthony has introduced HydroDog to The United States through the extended, nationwide 50-state BatheToSave.com Tour that includes his entire family in public dog-washing events benefitting local shelters and raising awareness for rescue adoption of dogs at a time of epidemic-level canine euthanasia.  This tour’s legacy also continues beyond the Amos family tour, in the form of regular public dog-washing events conducted by local HydroDog franchises that continue to expand rapidly throughout the country. In part two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.  

There are only five days left before filing your taxes.  This time of year, we get many questions on franchises that provide tax services.  We are going to play clips from two very interesting franchises in the tax industry.  First, we play a clip from our interview with Dom Cirello of the BookKeeping Express franchise opportunity. Dom is a franchisee to BookKeeping Express. BookKeeping Express, a national organization and franchise that provides businesses with professional bookkeeping services. Bookkeeping Express was founded in 1984 in California.  Next we meet with Nick Rizzi of the Smart Tax franchise opportunity.  Smart Tax allows its franchisees to own a tax preparation business without requiring a background in finance, accounting, or tax law - it's a business that is easy to start up and operate, just by following the established and comprehensive Smart Tax franchise system. In Part Three, we are meeting with Tab Burkhalter: Founder and CEO of Numbers House, which specializes in helping entreprene

We are meeting with Mike Thakur of the Work Lodge franchise opportunity.  The Work Lodge designs, operates and grows all-inclusive work spaces.  According to a recent study, shared workspaces have grown at an incredible rate of 200% over the past five years. Their mission is to create environments that inspire, empower, and enable our members to do work that changes lives...including theirs.” Mike Thakur understands how to create healthy environments that lead to success in the workplace. After moving to Houston 14 years ago from the United Kingdom, Mike decided to utilize his degree in Theology Studies and launched a church with his wife. While on his journey, he went to work for a security company specializing in kidnapping for ransom and extortion. Because of the line of work, there was no central office, so Mike began to explore shared office spaces. Once he found one, it felt like solitary confinement. He knew there was demand for energized coworking workspaces and immediately began to look for rea

This evening you will hear our interview with Tom Scarda.  Tom Scarda is a regular guy who left the 9-5 world, with the promise of a pension and a gold watch to explore his desire to follow his dreams be an entrepreneur   Tom discusses how he got into franchising as well as his book, The Magic of Choosing Uncertainty. Tom discusses the following topics: What suggestions would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to buy a franchise? Why did you write the book "The Magic of Choosing Uncertainty"? What types of traits make successful franchisees? What do you like about franchising? Tom also discusses how franchising changed his life.  In Part Three, we play a clip form our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.   

We are meeting with Dustin Black, Founder and CEO of Black Tie Moving.  Dustin is no stranger to the moving industry. From the time he was a child, Black worked for his father’s moving company, learning the ins and outs of the industry while also getting a behind the curtain view of exactly who homeowners were trusting their belongings.  With eight locations open and 24 new franchise territories under development, Black Tie Moving is rapidly expanding across the nation.  Black was not impressed with caliber of movers available to consumers at that time, so rather than following in his dad’s footsteps, he turned his sights on baseball – even gaining a college scholarship before a knee injury sidelined him and removed him from school. After a terrible experience using a moving company that damaged $34,000 of his furniture, Black knew there was a hole to fill in the moving industry. In 2013, he founded Black Tie Moving, a luxury moving and relocation concept, with the goal to create the first professional mov

We are meeting with David Grossman of DMK Burger Bar.  DMK Burger Bar offers an elevated dining experience centered on a popular American classic, burgers. Every detail of the burgers is closely scrutinized and it's that focus on the product that gives DMK its sterling reputation.   Each of their award-winning burgers is made up of 100% grass-fed beef, artisanal cheeses, freshly-cut vegetables, and house-made sauces. With world-renowned fries, house-made sodas, gourmet milkshakes, and partnerships with your local breweries, DMK Burger franchises are garnering attention, nationwide.   David Morton, son of Arnie Morton of Morton’s Steakhouse, and five-time James Beard Award Nominee, Chef Michael Kornick, have teamed up with franchise guru David Grossman to bring DMK Burger Bar franchise to locations all across the world. Together, these three gentlemen provide experience and a service that is unrivaled in the Restaurant Industry, let alone the burger franchise niche.

We are meeting with  Chris Tomshack, CEO of HealthSource – America’s Chiropractor.  Since franchising HealthSource – America’s Chiropractor in 2006, Chris has grown the business to become the nation’s most trusted provider of pain relief and chiropractic care with more than 360 clinics serving more than six million patients. When Chris Tomshack was 14-years-old, his career compatibility test resulted in contradictory choices: a doctor and businessman. Now, more than 20 years later, this premonition has become a reality. Dr. Tomshack embarked on his own practice directly out of chiropractic school and quickly saw success. Unlike many other doctors, he had a particular knack for the finance, marketing and operations spectrum of clinic ownership. Employing 37 chiropractors in order to welcome new patients, Dr. Tomshack grew his one chiropractic clinic to four, each of which was five times the size of a typical chiropractic office and seeing more than 1,000 new patients each month. Recognizing the potential

We are meeting with  Lori Karpman.  Lori Karpman is a seasoned, multi- award winning management consultant (and former attorney) specializing in multi unit business development and professional coaching and training.  She is currently CEO of Lori Karpman & Company, a full service firm providing all the services a growing brand needs. She is also Head Coach at Coach Lori an executive coaching firm.  Lori also founded the wildly successful “Zyng Noodlery” franchise for which she garnered several prestigious marketing & branding awards including the pinnacle award from the Ontario Advertising Assn & the Canadian Franchise Association for “Outstanding Overall Corporate Image”.

We are meeting with Adam Robinson, co-founder and CEO of Hireology. Adam is a noted recruiting industry expert, speaker, and author with over 20 years of experience in the field of hiring and selection management, including numerous national franchise brands in the fitness, home health and B2B industries. He is the author of The Best Team Wins: Build Your Business Through Predictive Hiring.

We have a great show today.  We are meeting with Berekk Blackwell, President of Daily Jam. Daily Jam is a phoenix-based brunch franchise that was formerly Ncounter, but has rebranded as it seeks to grow through franchising. Berekk has an interesting background as well, he’s from the family that founded Kahala Restaurant Franchising and is using his experience with restaurant franchising to grow Daily Jam.

We are meeting with Bruce Lane, Vice President of Operations and Franchise Services at Quaker Steak and Lube.  As one of the most brand-differentiated restaurants in fun family casual, Quaker Steak & Lube® has been a successful concept for over 40 years. The unique, motorsports-themed décor – including vintage gas station memorabilia, classic cars, motorcycles, and race cars suspended from the ceilings – crave-able food, and high-octane events, have created a cult-like fan following for Quaker Steak & Lube®, often affectionately called The Lube®. Bruce is a serial entrepreneur.  Bruce Lane who has worked with and owned franchises with companies such as McDonald's, Waffle House, Checkers Drive-In and more.  Bruce will discuss how working with a large array of different franchise brands, as both a franchise owner and on the corporate level, has provided him with vast knowledge of the franchise space and has prepared him for his current role as the Vice President of Operations and Franchise Services at

We are meeting with Kim Musso…Kim started to notice that everyone in her neighborhood seemed to be a dog owner, which got her wheels turning. After doing a little research, Kim recognized the endless potential of the booming $70 billion-dollar pet industry. With her son and daughter embodying her same entrepreneurial spirit, Kim and her family decided to embark on a new family venture and open a Dogtopia.  Dogtopia is a provider of dog daycare and boarding and is opening franchises all over the United States. Customers can drop their dog off at Dogtopia and let him/her spend the day socializing with other dogs, running around and burning off plenty of pent-up energy. Kim Musso has been with Primrose Schools for 21 years. Kim started out as an assistant in the Franchise Department and worked her way up to Director of Franchise Recruitment. In 2012, she joined her husband Mike in owning a Primrose School in Alpharetta, Georgia.  In Part Two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

We are welcoming back Scott Walker, CEO of Screenmobile.  Screenmobile is the nation’s largest mobile window screen repair business, with over 100 franchise owners, and growing. Screenmobile specializes in window, door and patio porch screen and solar shading products. For over 35 years, with no national competitors, our franchise owners have enjoyed years of growth and success, as we continue to pioneer this industry. Learn more about the opportunities with our unique home services and home improvement franchise concept!  In part two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.