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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 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
  • S8 E10: Listener Mailbag: Negotiating Franchise Agreements, Back Office Solutions, & the Nashville Chicken Wars

    S8 E10: Listener Mailbag: Negotiating Franchise Agreements, Back Office Solutions, & the Nashville Chicken Wars
    Mar 26 2024
    Buckle up because the Wolf is taking another stab at your best Twitter questions in this solo question-and-answer pod. Should you be able to negotiate a franchise agreement? If so, how much of an agreement is negotiable, or are most franchise agreements a take-it-or-leave-it proposition? Then the Wolf uncovers his #1 recommendation for back-office franchisee solutions (hint: it’s a software that’s near and dear to his heart), before dissecting the differences between chains and franchises. Plus, who will win the Nashville Chicken Wars? Or do all chicken franchises come out the loser if the market has hit its peak saturation point? 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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    17 mins
Leadership Management Economics Personal Finance
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