The Global Franchise Podcast

How franchising can give back in a big way, with Shannon Wilburn of Just Between Friends

How does a small consignment sale in somebody’s home that brings in around $2,000 evolve into a vast franchise network that recently surpassed $28m in charitable donations? This is the journey of Shannon Wilburn and Just Between Friends; the retail events franchise that has expanded across the U.S. into a collaborative family of empathetic franchisees. 
In this episode, we speak with Shannon about how she grew the brand from a home-based sale to a 160-plus network of franchisees, as well as the key milestones and achievements that have defined this benevolent brand. 
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
This episode of the Global Franchise podcast is brought to you by franchisereorg.com, powered by Summa Franchise Consulting and Alexius Solutions, providing consulting and reorganization services to franchisors.

How brand experience will define the franchise world in 2021, with Justin Mink of Scorpion

With the ongoing pandemic showing no signs of suddenly vanishing overnight, franchise brands need to be continuously adapting and evolving in order to keep up with consumer expectations and business growth hurdles. 
Justin Mink, senior vice president of franchise growth at marketing specialist Scorpion, knows this all too well, having worked with hundreds of brands to make sure they deliver on brand experience to both consumers, but also prospective entrepreneurs looking to join only the best franchise networks.
On this episode, we speak with Justin about the current state of the franchise industry, why highlighting brand values is so important, and why franchises need to start looking “beyond the five minutes ahead of them”. 
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
This episode of the Global Franchise podcast is brought to you by franchisereorg.com, powered by Summa Franchise Consulting and Alexius Solutions, providing consulting and reorganization services to franchisors.

How the Papa John’s franchise rediscovered its flavor, with Amanda Clark, CDO

How does the fourth-largest pizza brand manage to bring on five million new customers during a pandemic, earn the continued support of a larger-than-life NBA icon, and achieve consecutive months of double-digit growth? 
That’s exactly what we sought to find out on this episode of the Global Franchise Podcast, as we sat down with chief development officer Amanda Clark to talk all things Papa John’s. With an exciting development pipeline including the likes of the new Shaq-a-Roni pizza and a growing presence in 47 countries, Papa John’s isn’t just thriving within the pizza scene; it’s defining it. 
This episode is brought to you by franchisereorg.com, powered by Summa Franchise Consulting and Alexius Solutions, providing consulting and reorganization services to franchisors.
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Thriving in the buyer's market, with Dan Rowe of Fransmart

To say that 2020 has been a difficult year for businesses would be putting it very lightly, but if approached from the right perspective, the past six months have opened new doors that could make the future very bright for emerging, proactive brands. 
This is the stance of Dan Rowe, CEO of Fransmart, who is basing his optimism off the back of a multi-decade career within the industry. Rowe’s enthusiasm for the current all-time high sales of Fransmart brands, and the availability of ideal locations, is infectious. While it’s been a rocky road so far, the latter half of this year onward could be the best yet.
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Boutique boxing’s battle against COVID-19, with Susan Boresow and James Lloyd of TITLE Boxing Club

Boutique fitness certainly hasn’t been immune to the impact caused by the coronavirus, but with the right level of adaptability and poise, it doesn’t have to spell catastrophe. This is the case for TITLE Boxing; a burgeoning fitness franchise that managed to pivot to an on-demand service, and has since seen an increased demand for in-person training sessions. 
 
On this episode of the podcast, we speak with Susan Boresow, president of TITLE Boxing Club, and James Lloyd, head of franchise development, about the ways in which this international brand has maximized its resources throughout the past months, and is now ready to come back swinging.
 
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Advocating for the future of franchising, with Robert Cresanti of the International Franchise Association

While the height of COVID-19 might have passed in several countries, franchises are still feeling the impact of lost business and may do so for months to come. Thankfully, associations such as the International Franchise Association have been fighting hard to advocate for the best interests of the franchise industry, and Robert Cresanti, president and CEO, is leading this charge. 
In this episode, we speak with Robert about the work the IFA has done so far to ensure franchising can stay afloat, as well as what the future holds for this seemingly unsinkable industry. While the road has been rockier than ever, there’s still a handful of silver linings guiding the way.
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Blazing a trail for cannabis franchising, with Mike Weinberger of Unity Rd.

Marijuana, weed, pot – whatever you call it, the cannabis industry is an undeniably enticing one for savvy entrepreneurs with their mind on the green stuff. The thing is, even with rapid legalization throughout the U.S. and evidence of huge profits off the back of this potent plant, regulatory hurdles and high entry costs can prove challenging. 
That’s where Unity Rd. comes in. We speak with Mike Weinberger, COO of the pioneering brand, about what it’s like to be the first franchise system for cannabis in the U.S., and the highs and lows that come with exploring uncharted ground. That includes the necessity of social equity, as well as why the framework of an established system trumps venturing alone every time. 
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

The challenges and opportunities facing the boutique fitness industry, with John Kersh, Xponential Fitness

Boutique fitness is booming. The luxury – typically more expensive – format of fitness is not only becoming a ubiquitous concept around the globe but is prompting many traditional gym-goers to trade in their memberships in favor of boutique fitness's small group focused, high energy, studio-based workouts.But with an exploding sector, comes a highly competitive business landscape. We caught up with John Kersh, chief international development officer at Xponential Fitness – a leading boutique fitness franchisor with eight brands including the likes of Club Pilates and Pure Barre – to find out what challenges and what boons the boutique field brings. In this episode, Kersh walks us through what impact the coronavirus crisis has had on the industry and whether it will ever be the same again, how Xponential Fitness's brands are starting to reopen studios, and much more.To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.