Franchise Today

“I think [our parents] wanted, and we continue as well to want, to reach as many children as we possibly can with our program and enrich their lives. It’s such a great feeling when you have a parent that is literally in tears coming up to you and talking about how much their child has learned over the years and how they are ahead of their peers going into school, and that really gives them an edge,” - Michael Brown, President, Children's Lighthouse Learning Centers Sitting in this week with Franchise Today co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto is Michael Brown, President of Children's Lighthouse Learning Centers, franchisor of the nation’s leading values-based early childhood educational schools. Michael shares the company story of the family business and how Children's Lighthouse has continued to help enhance the education of children since it was founded in 1997 by his father and uncle. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CDT / 12PM EDT with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM

"Although I now use the term ‘founder,’ that word didn’t exist for me nine years ago. At that time, I was known as, The woman stupid enough to open a restaurant that only serves chicken salad." - Stacy Brown, Founder, Chicken Salad Chick This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome as their guest, Stacy Brown, Founder of Chicken Salad Chick. Stacy shares her story as a stay-at-home mother raising four children who turned her door-to-door meal delivery service into a multimillion-dollar restaurant concept despite a number of challenges that would have caused many others to give up.  Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.   

"Success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure.” -  Dr. Saman Bakhtiar, co-founder of The Camp Trasformation Center  Alejandra and Luis Font, co-founders of The Camp Transformation Center join Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto to share the story of transforming peoples lives through the development of a gym franchise that has succeeded where others have failed. Within the past 7 years Alejandra has led a team in opening nearly 100 Camp locations nationally and in Mexico. Luis has played an important role in the development and expansion of The Camp Corporate Division, which owns and operates numerous gyms. Together with a third co-founder, Dr. Saman Bakhtiar they've developed The Camp Transformation Center, a franchise that is a groundbreaking fitness concept in an industry that generates more than $80 billion U.S dollars annually. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CDT / 12PM EDT with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry. 

"The opportunities are endless,  If franchising makes sense for you...then it's a matter of finding the right opportunity." - John P. Hayes, PhD, Titus Chair for Franchise Leadership and Director of the Titus Center for Franchising at Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida. There's a doctor in the house this week on Franchise Today as Dr. John P. Hayes joins show co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto to discuss his work at the Titus Center for Franchising at Palm Beach Atlantic University. John provides his perspective about assembling an Advisory Board at the Titus Center - bringing together some of the best executives in the franchising industry from across the country. He shares what his goal is for this leadership team, the current curriculum he is spearheading at the university for college students interested in franchising, the internship program he is creating to put the next generation of franchise talent into the workforce setting, and the programs he will be creating for profe

"The greatest reward from their 12-year-old venture has proved the “sense of discovery” they’ve had in taking an idea from concept to implementation and now, to expansion and growth." - Naomi & Jerry Hancock, Co-founders, Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream Just as Disney had a hit with the movie 'Frozen', Naomi & Jerry Hancock have a hit with 'Flash-frozen'. Of course, that's a reference to flash-freezing ice cream with liquid nitrogen. This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome to the show, Jerry Hancock, co-founder of Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream. Jerry shares how he and Naomi saw an article about using liquid nitrogen to freeze food and the proverbial light bulb went off, spurring the couple to boldly go where few ice creameries had gone before. The rest as they say, is history. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CDT / 12PM EDT with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.   

Joining co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto this week on Franchise Today is John Fistolera, Assistant Executive Director, Corporate and External Affairs of DECA, Inc. Fistolera is responsible for developing strategic partnerships that drive DECA’s mission of preparing emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. DECA’s strategic partners include the members of its National Advisory Board (NAB), Congressional Advisory Board (CAB) and DECA’s public affairs media partners. About DECA: DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CDT / 12PM EDT with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.     

Franchise Today enters its ninth year with co-host Stan Friedman interviewing fellow co-host Paul Segreto. As has been the case multiple times in the past, Segreto shares his story of near-catastrophic failure to help others who may be fighting through their own business challenges. Also, he shares the story as transparency to a time in his life that on occasion has spurred questions and rumors without all the facts at the foundation of the matter with the strong belief that others will only benefit by realizing the magnitude of fear and consequences of failure. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CDT / 12PM EDT with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.   

"We're constantly evolving. We started with traditional fruit flavors and over time our bakers started adding meat." - Dawn Nielsen, Chief Operating Offcier, Kolache Factory This week on Franchise Today, co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome as their guest, Dawn Nielsen, Chief Operating Officer at 35-year old Texas-based Kolache Factory. Dawn shares her experience working with the brand since she was nine years old. Her parents, John and Jerri Banks founded the company in 1982 to offer high-quality breakfast that could be "eaten on the run." Their venture turned out to be fruitful. Today, Kolache Factory has 24 company-owned stores and 28 franchises with annual sales closing in on $30 million. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.   

This week on Franchise Today co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome back to the show serial franpreneur, Lonnie Helgerson. Lonnie discusses his newest venture, Kix Mobile and the goal of changing the way consumers buy and repair mobile devices. The author of, Five Pennies - The Field Handbook for Building and Growing a Franchise Brand With the Right Mindset and Tools, Lonnie shares Five Pennies principles and its role in the development of a new franchisebrand. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.   

"We have built our entire firm by leveraging the best practices of the best in the business. Our Client Centric approach is unique and allows us to help our clients find the best available talent in the market. We are old school headhunters that attact a search and will relentlessly dig until we find and recruit the best. We treat all of our clients as clients, helping from entry to the executive suite." - Tom Johnston, CEO & Founder, SearchPath This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome to the show, Tom Johnston, CEO & Founder of SearchPath, one of the nation's top networks of talent acquisition professional service firms. Johnston shares his extensive executive search experience along with today's challenges in the industry. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.   

"Don't let your gender become an issue. If your company is a boys club then join the club. Remember, to be an equal, first, you have to prove yourself as an equal, then you can go on to become club president." - Marla Topliff, President at Rosati's Pizza This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome to the show Marla Topliff, President at Rosati's Pizza. Marla discusses the Rosati Family story, a tradition of quality for five generations and also provides perspective about the state of pizza today and what she sees ahead for the very competitive pizza industry. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.     

 "We’re working for franchisees so we make sure to take good care of them." - Eddie Flores, Founder & CEO of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome as their guest, Bryan Andaya, Chief Operating Officer of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue. In addition to sharing the history of the brand that was founded in 1976, Andaya provides insight into the culture and people behind L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, the brand that Nation's Restaurant News referred to as one of the '50 Regional Powerhouse Chains'. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.   

This week on Franchise Today co-hosts, Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome as their guest, Sam Ballas, CEO & President, East Coast Wings + Grill. Sam shares his focus on strong unit-economics as paramount to franchise success at both Franchisor and Franchisee levels, and within an extremely competitive industry segment. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.       

As past chair of the World, Asia Pacific and Australian Franchise Councils, John O'Brien is a very respected voice for franchising as a business format on an international scale. As a guest on Franchise Today with co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto, John offers great insight on franchising as a whole, and specifically shares the Poolwerx story for what he oversees today. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.

"The question to ask is not whether you can franchise (anything can be franchised), but whether you should franchise. - Michael Seid, Co-Author of Franchise Management for Dummies This week on Franchise Today we'll be discussing a new book on the market, Franchise Management for Dummies. Joining co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto are the book's co-authors Michael Seid, Managing Director at MSA Worldwide and Joyce Mazero, Co-Chair, Global Supply Network at Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP. Michael and Joyce share their motivation behind writing the book along with what readers may hope to gain from its content. From picking the perfect franchise for candidates to uncovering the secrets to continued success and future expansion for franchisors, Franchise Management for Dummies is a one source resource for all interested in or are already earning a living via franchising. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foun

This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome to the show Scott Lowery, co-founder of Buffalo Wild Wings. Scott shares the experience of how more than 30 years ago while traveling to Columbus, Ohio, he and friend, Jimmy Disbrow came up with the idea for Buffalo Wild Wings after they couldn't find a local restaurant that served the New York-style wings they craved. In a bit of irony, or maybe fate considering the brand's current motto of, 'Wings. Beer. Sports.' Jimmy was actually in town to judge an amateur figure skating competition and Scott had decided to join him for the trip. The rest, as they say, is history! Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.    

"I appreciate that people are serving healthier products now. We've been doing it for a long time. Eighty percent of our smoothies have no fat at all. "We want to be a healthy alternative to fast food." - Mike Weinberger, CEO, Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffee and Smoothies This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome as their guest, Mike Weinberger, CEO of Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffee and Smoothies. Weinberger discusses the continuing popularity of healthy alternatives to fast food and how Maui Wowi continues its growth trajectory and is now one of the largest brands bringing Hawaiian gourmet coffees and all-natural, fresh fruit smoothies to the world. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.  

"Successful franchisors know that franchising is based on the execution of a strategy, not the accidental discovery of the right path." - as quoted on franchisespirngboard.com This week on Franchise Today, co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome back to the show, Brad Fishman. Along with his role as CEO at Fishman Public Relations, Brad is co-founder of Springboard, A Special Event for Emerging Franchisors. Brad discusses the importance for emerging brands to attend this year's event and shares that attendees will receive valuable, actionable advice from experienced franchise founders who have been in their shoes, taken their lumps and went on to create successful franchise systems. The increasingly popular annual event will be held at the Westin Philadelphia Hotel September 25-27. The event is produced by Fishman Public Relations, FisherZucker and Entrepreneur Magazine. For more information franchisespringboard.com.    Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access

"Stan's passion for helping individuals and companies achieve their goals via franchising is evidenced by his service to the franchise community." - BeTheBoss.com about Stan Friedman, franchise industry expert This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto change things up a bit as it puts one of its own in the spotlight. Long overdue, Paul interviews Stan about his successful career in franchising, his many contributions to this great industry and his insight about technology in franchising today. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Franchise Foundry.  

"The challenge is that using franchise services or eating at a franchise location is far different than investing in a franchise. There are often significant differences between a good consumer franchise and good investment franchise." - Jeff Lefler, CEO, Franchise Grade.com This week on Franchise Today co-hosts Stan Friedman and Paul Segreto welcome as their guest, Jeff Lefler, CEO at FranchiseGrade.com, the leader in competitive market research and objective analysis for the franchise industry. Jeff provides insight into the FranchiseGrade.com process of assessment, grading and standardized reporting to provide industry stakeholders with critical data driven metrics to support growth. In addition, Lefler discusses how FranchiseGrade.com is a valuable resource for both first-time and sophisticated investors in evaluating franchise opportunities across every industry segment. Franchise Today airs LIVE Wednesdays at 11AM CT / 12PM ET with on-demand access on iTunes, and is sponsored by FRM Solutions and Fran