Episodes

From graphic designer to CEO of a national family of franchise brands, Ryan Parsons has built a career defined by creativity and purpose. As the co-founder of the ‘Brothers That Just Do Gutters’ and now CEO of Evive Brands, Ryan shares how he's leading five franchise systems that help people live and thrive from home care to home improvement. From graphic designer to CEO of a national family of franchise brands, Ryan Parsons has built a career fueled by creativity, purpose, and grit. As the co-...

What does it take to build more than 160 McAlister’s Deli restaurants, lead nearly 8,000 employees, and still live by the motto “Have fun. No regrets.”? In this episode of FranchiseU!, host Dr. Kathy Gosser interviews David Blackburn, founder, former CEO, and current chairman of Southern Rock Restaurants, the largest McAlister’s Deli franchisee in the United States. From his humble start at Bonanza to leading one of America’s top restaurant franchise groups, David shares an inspiring story of gr...

From winning a Super Bowl with the Raiders to building one of the largest Auntie Anne’s franchise groups in the country, Ed Muransky has lived two extraordinary careers. In this episode of FranchiseU!, host Dr. Kathy Gosser sits down with Ed Muransky, founder and CEO of the Muransky Companies, to discuss how lessons from the NFL shaped his approach to business and leadership. He shares how he grew his franchise portfolio—including Auntie Anne’s, Cinnabon, and Jamba Juice—while emphasizing the p...

What do combat missions, data analytics, and warm cookies fresh from the oven all have in common? That is all part of my guest's incredible journey. Today I am joined by Nicholas Jewel, who is a decorated veteran-turned-entrepreneur, and now a multi-unit franchisee of Crumbl Cookies. While earning two Bronze stars as a combat controller in the Air National Guard, Nicholas led with courage, innovation, and resilience. Now he is channeling those skills into one of the fastest growing brands in fra...

You know what's great about franchising? It is that almost any concept can be franchised. And there's one I hadn't thought about. That is in the world of beauty, determining what colors look best on you. It's something that maybe those of us knew in the 80s and 90s, but House of Colour USA really knows what they're doing today. And I had the opportunity to visit House of Colour in this podcast with Ally Van Iten who is the CEO. She walks us through the franchise, the possibilities, what they do ...

In this episode of FranchiseU!, host Dr. Kathy Gosser speaks with Shelly Berkowitz, the esteemed founder of BrightStar Care. Berkowitz shares her inspiring journey from her early days working in corporate jobs to founding BrightStar, a premier medical and non-medical home healthcare and medical staffing service franchise. She recounts the challenges and successes she faced while growing BrightStar into a nationally recognized brand, her strategic decision to franchise, and her recent transition ...

I have an opportunity, in my line of work, to talk to a lot of franchisees and a lot of franchisors. It's always enlightening, but it's very rare to be able to talk to someone who has been a franchisee of multiple brands and continues to give back even now with consulting. So join me in this episode of FranchiseU! when I talk with Ron Taylor. Ron has been a very successful franchisee of Edible Brands, and now is a franchisee of Nothing Bundt Cakes and SweatHouz and has his own consulting busines...

So many of us have heard about Magnolia Bakery. It's been famous from TV shows like Sex in the City; and Only Murders in the Building. They have delicious cupcakes and banana pudding, just all the wonderful things. But what's really exciting is… Magnolia Bakery has just announced that they are going to start franchising here in the US and there are so many opportunities available.In this episode of FranchiseU!, host Dr. Kathy Gosser welcomes Bobbie Lloyd and Jason Mattes from Magnolia Bakery as ...

The International Franchise Association does so much to protect, enhance, and support the franchise model. It's really pretty incredible the amount of work they do, but sometimes people don't know exactly what do they do. So join me in this episode of FranchiseU! where I have the privilege of sitting down with Matt Hower, the CEO of the IFA and Jennifer branding the COO of the IFA, or they talk about not only their journeys to franchising, but all the things that the IFA offers and has done to e...

Agape Capitalism. What is that and why would I be talking about that on a franchising podcast? Well join me in this episode of FranchiseU! as I talk with Jane Abell and Tony Capuano of Donatos Pizza. Jane is the chairwoman of the board, and Tony is her son, who is also the Senior Vice President of Franchise Operations and Training. They take us along the journey of Donatos when it was created by her father who started in 1963. They sold to McDonald's and then bought it back from McDonald's. The...

One thing that almost all of us have in common is the desire to live a healthy, long life. There is now a franchise to help with proactively taking control of your health. Join me in this episode of FranchiseU! as I talk with Scott Svilich, the COO of Next Health. The only large scale franchise providing medically backed healthcare services with a proactive approach to prioritizing health and fitness. Topics discussed include: · Meet Scott Svilich: From Trainer to COO · Scott's Journey in the...

Dr. Kathy Gosser interviews Amy Leclerc, co-founder of Sit Still Kids Salon franchise. The discussion covers Leclerc’s journey from advertising to leading a kids' hair salon franchise. Highlights Include: Tips from a successful professional path Benefits of intuition and risk-taking Sage advice for potential franchisees A case study in growth and expansion plans Qualities of an ideal franchisee Marketing strategies for franchisees Don’t miss out on all things FranchiseU!: Website: Fra...

Dr. Kathy Gosser interviews James Hilovsky, a dedicated franchise broker and the CEO of FranDream. Hilovsky shares his journey from spending 25 years at Del Taco to transitioning to franchise brokering. Highlights Include: Hilovsky's Early Career at Del Taco Piology Pizza and Franchise Operations Differences Between Corporate and Franchise Sides Evaluating Franchise Opportunities and Client Profiles Exploring Franchise Opportunities Negotiating Franchise Terms Success Stories in Franchis...

You should learn something new every day. Those words come from a new Potbelly franchisee, Hampden Keil, who started a multi-unit franchise with his father, Bryant Keil, the founder of Potbelly. Join me in this episode of FranchiseU! as we hear Hampden talk about his experience and how he and his dad are creating a Potbelly dynasty, starting with 13 restaurants with plans to add 15 more. In this episode of FranchiseU!, I interview Hampden Keil, COO of the Keil Group, LLC, to discuss his journey...

I'm not the techiest person around. And so when I was approached to talk to a couple of folks about geofencing, I thought, geo what? So I had to take a look, find out what it was, but then it fascinated me, and it is a way for a small franchise to really maximize their foot traffic. So in this episode of FranchiseU!, I talk with Ernesto Cullari and Barbara Wardell, who've come up with an incredible concept. In this episode of FranchiseU!, I ask Ernesto and Barbara to share their initial curiosi...

In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser and Dr. Isabel Botero joined by Bonny and Marcus Shelton, who share their incredible journey as multi-generational KFC franchisees. The Sheltons recount the inspiring history of Bacon Enterprises, Inc., starting with Bonnie's father in the 1960s, through their significant contributions to the KFC community, and culminating in the successful exit from their family business. They discuss the keys to their success, including family unity, clear commu...

In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser speaks with Jamie Krasnov, CEO of Apex Leadership Company, about his journey from finance to philanthropy-driven entrepreneurship. Krasnov discusses his background in private equity, his passion for franchising, and the innovative fundraising solutions provided by Apex Leadership. Apex conducts fun runs and other events at schools to raise funds significantly while teaching leadership, fitness, and wellness. Krasnov explains the franchise model, e...

In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser has a speaks with Erika Wasser, co-founder and CEO of Prospr, a groundbreaking app designed to streamline communication, shift management, and culture building in multi-unit operations. They delve into the challenges of effective communication within franchises, especially with hourly team members. Wasser shares her journey from TV hosting to entrepreneurial ventures, highlighting the creation of Prospr. The discussion covers the app's features, ...

In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser speaks with Michael Seaman, co-founder and CEO of Swipesum, a comprehensive payment processing and merchant services consultancy delivering innovative auditing solutions to businesses nationwide. Seaman founded Swipesum in 2016 with his brother, Stephen, to serve as Chief Payments Officer for businesses nationwide, combining industry knowledge, AI and proprietary software to create a transparent payments strategy that optimizes payment processing...

In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser speaks with Will Cantrell, a seasoned employment and franchise attorney, regarding the intricacies of franchise law. Cantrell, Founding Partner of Cantrell Schuette, P.A. is a nationally recognized leading attorney in handling complex disputes, litigation, and trials. Apart from his background in general commercial litigation, he specializes the areas of employment law, partnership and shareholder law, and franchisee/dealership law. Cantrell is...

In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser and Co-Host with Dr. Isabel Botero speaks with Aaron Engler, President of Border Foods, a large family-owned Taco Bell franchisee, and Mollie Sommer, Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist. Engler and Sommer share their backgrounds, professional journeys, and the roles they have undertaken in the family business which operates over 250 Taco Bell restaurants with 7,000 employees. Sommer details her transition from various positions in Chicago...

In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser speaks with Kenny Rose the Founder and CEO of FranShares. After Rose shares his experience on the TV game show, The Price Is Right, Gosser and Rose discuss how franchises represent amazing investment opportunities and uniquely benefit investors, operators, and local communities. FranShares is an innovative investment platform democratizing access to franchise ownership. With over a decade of experience in finance and franchising, Rose has worked ...

In this episode of FranchiseU!, Kathy speaks with Onyi Odunukwe. The discuss Odunukwe’s unique journey from studying nursing to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the tanning salon industry as CEO of Glo Tanning. Despite initial family disapproval and an industry marred by bad press, Odunukwe’s perseverance led him to build over 100 salons that offer a range of services beyond tanning, including red light therapy. Odunukwe’s emphasizes the importance of technology in running Glow Salons effi...

In this episode of FranchiseU!, Kathy discusses the critical role of family-owned businesses in the global economy with Dr. Isabel Botero, an expert in family business and a professor at the University of Louisville. Dr. Botero shares her insights on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by family-owned franchises, emphasizing the importance of early preparation, effective communication, and strategic planning for generational transitions. The conversation covers topics including onboard...