Franchise Interviews

We are meeting with Dave Schafers of Meineke, Sr. VP of Business Development Driven Brands Inc.  Formerly known as the muffler repair experts, Meineke has evolved its menu of product offerings to meet the demands of the changing marketplace.  Formerly known as the muffler repair experts, Meineke has evolved its menu of product offerings to meet the demands of the changing marketplace. Today, the Charlotte-based franchise has emerged as the one-stop shop for tires, brake repairs, tune-ups, alignments, shocks and struts, routine maintenance and more. The brand evolution is paying off in a big way. The average age of cars on the road has climbed from 8.2 years in 2000 to 11.2 years in 2013, and general, non-warranty automotive repairs and maintenance is projected to cost consumers $1.6 billion in 2014.

Today Franchise Interviews is celebrating 7 years and our 350th show with the Aaron's franchise opportunity. Aaron's is North America's leader in the sales and lease ownership of household necessities which includes brand name furniture, appliances, electronics and computers.  Today we are meeting with the Vice President of Aaron, Todd Evans. Aaron's was ranked #21 in Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500® out of thousands of franchise concepts. Aarons was also ranked #3 by Forbes magazine among Top 20 "Franchise for the Buck."  Today they have more than 2,000 showrooms across the U.S. and Canada.  Aarons has provided consistent, reliable financial results for over 57 years. Today’s Anniversary Show is broken into 4 segments: Segment 1 - One of our most memorable shows was from seven years ago with Todd Evans, who is the VP of  Aaron's.  In part 1, you are going to hear clips from that interview 7 years ago. In segment 2 we are going to bring Todd Evans of Aaron's back into the studio and discuss where A

Their Co-founder believed America needed a unique exercise environment specifically for people 50 and over. He was aware of the movement towards active aging and the push to maintain independence. At the same time, he recognized that traditional gyms are often intimidating and don’t provide the guidance and direction needed to help those 50 and over achieve their best health. This was the beginning of Welcyon, Fitness After 50. We are meeting with Suzy Boerboom to discuss the Welcyon franchise opportunity.

Over the last month, Franchise Interviews has focused on the pet industry.  Here’s why: According to the June 3, 2011 issue of USA TODAY, “There are now more households with dogs (43 million) than children.” The American Pet Products Association’s 2013-2014 National Pet Owners Survey reveals:     68% of U.S. households own a pet, equaling to 82.5 million households.     56.7 million households own a dog. Largest number of households, in the pet category, with the next closest being over 11 million less.     83.5 million is the total number of dogs owned in the U.S.     Total U.S. pet industry expenditures have continued to grow since 1994 and are expected to reach $55.53 billion in 2013.     47% of owners consider their pets full-fledged family members.     Basic dog boarding/kenneling annual expenses are $327, on average         $4.54 billion is expected to be spent on pet grooming/boarding this year, up $380 million from last year The pet care industry continues to grow due to Americans love for t

After graduating from Wake Forest University, where she played four years of scholarship basketball, Gretchen Hollifield went to school to become a dog trainer. But she didn’t make enough to live on. So she juggled dog-training gigs, a paper route, restaurant jobs and occasional work for her father’s land-surveying business. After a few years, she decided her workload was unsustainable and decided to parlay her passion for dog training into a full-time business: The Dog Wizard.   Since its launch in 2005, The Dog Wizard has produced successful results for hundreds of dogs and continues to offer dog lovers with a tremendous business opportunity in the more than $50 billion pet industry. In fact, The Dog  Wizard has more than doubled in size over the past two years, growing to 12 locations in nine states. Through a unique franchise opportunity that begins with four months of extensive training, Gretchen plans to add as many as 18 new locations annually. Six new franchises have already opened since the beginni

We are meeting with  Dan Remus and Jef Strauss, Co-Founders of Wag ‘N Wash Healthy Pet Center.   Founded in 1999 and franchising since 2006, Wag ‘N Wash Healthy Pet Center is a full-line specialty retail destination for cats and dogs that has created a community for pet enthusiasts to come and be pet people. With a mission to recognize, promote, and foster the positive impact that companion pets and their humans have on each other, Wag ‘N Wash provides the full experience – fresh dog treats baking in the oven, natural food, high-end supplements, clean grooming and wash facilities and cool toys

We are meeting with  Shayne Smith, motivational speaker to the Why Factor and Tutor Doctor President Frank Milner. Tutor Doctor, a worldwide tutoring franchise that provides individualized home-based instruction to learners of all ages, has become the foundational sponsor of “The Why Factor”, a non-profit community outreach program created to spark inspiration in students, parents, and educators alike to help break through the barriers that hold them back and get inspired. The one-on-one, in-home tutoring service is on a mission is to fuel student dreams through motivation, inspiration and collaboration.  Shayne shares his story, obstacles and ongoing success with young students across the world, to prove that you write your own rulebook. Just like in his game, Shayne offensively plays his strengths, instead of focusing on negatives. He achieves these personal victories with an unbeatable spirit and by putting a dedicated effort into achieving his goals. The goal of “The Why Factor” is to make students feel

Over the last decade, Franchise Interviews has spoken about the tremendous growth in the non-medical senior care industry. Interesting enough, there are now subcategories to the non-medical senior care industry. This show we are meeting with Amramp and Express Medical Transporters. First we are meeting with the Express Medical Transporters. First, you will hear our interview with Express Medical Transporters franchise we are meeting with Express Medical Transporters, was founded in 1995 by its President/CEO, Bernard A. Squitieri. With more than 30 years of experience in the transportation industry, Mr. Squitieri started the company with one vehicle. Today, Express Medical Transporters is the largest for-profit non-emergency transportation company in the state of Missouri. By completing thousands of trips per year, Express Medical Transporters is able to provide the very best in price, quality and efficiency when it comes to transportation anywhere in Missouri.  Next, you will hear our interview with the Amra

We are meeting with Meredith Hillman, VP and Account Director, ePrize and Annica Kreider, VP of brand development, Mellow Mushroom. For 39 years, Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers has been serving up fresh stone baked pizzas to order in an eclectic, art filled and family friendly environment. Each Mellow is locally owned and operated with a unique vibe focused around great customer service and high quality food. We are speaking with Meredith and Annica on how mobile marketing has made a positive impact on their franchise.   

We are meeting with  Larry Flaherty, director of franchise development with Pet Supplies Plus. With more than 275 locations in 23 Eastern states, Pet Supplies Plus has earned the reputation as America’s Favorite Neighborhood Pet Store by offering a wide array of pet food, pet products, grooming services and animal expertise in a welcoming environment.  With a friendly, pet-centered culture, where store managers and associates actually know the names of hundreds of their pet customers and their pet parents, each Pet Supplies Plus is large enough to house a broad selection of food and equipment, yet small enough to still feel neighborly.  The company, headquartered in Livonia, MI., has earned its success by understanding the unique bond between humans and their pets, while championing the conviction that ‘People Don’t Own Pets, Pets Own People.’  

We are meeting with James Markham the architect of the fast-casual pizza segment.  James will share how and why he designed something out of nothing and proves that innovation is never-ending.  Markham, a longtime pizza business veteran and big Chipotle fan, came back from opening pizza restaurants in China in 2007 and thought, "Why can't pizza be customizable, fast and fresh?"  So, he opened the first ever fast-casual pizza place, MOD Pizza, in Seattle in November of 2008 before moving on to found Pie-ology in Fullerton, Calif. Taking lessons from each concept, Markham launched Project Pie in 2012 - a culmination of his best ideas for the ultimate custom pizza establishment, where customers get to choose unlimited toppings for one price and watch their pizza being made and served all in under five minutes.  Currently with two locations - the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and San Diego - Project Pie has four more about to open and international expansion into the Philippines is happening this year.

 I can't think of a better word but "cool".  The technology in franchising today is truly amazing.  Find out why by listening to today's show.  We are meeting with Mary Kennedy Thompson, President of Mr. Rooter (The Dwyer Group), Paul Martino from A&W Restaurants Paul Martino, Chief Operating Officer of A&W Restaurants, Inc. and Keith Gerson Keith Gerson, FranConnect President of Global Operations. Some of the questions we will address are the following: 1. What are the most common tech or operation challenges franchise brands face today? 2. What tech innovations have emerged to improve franchise systems and franchisees profitability? 3. How much of an impact does tech advancements have on franchise brands ability to grow?

We are meeting with John Pelletier, Founder and CEO of Margaritas Mexican Restaurant. Margaritas Mexican Restaurant has become an experience warmly embraced by people looking for a place to visit as well as a place to enjoy delicious Mexican food. Every visit to Margaritas is an individual journey, constantly evolving, always surprising and open for interpretation and discovery. Much like the subtle nuances that differentiate each hand-painted ceramic sculpture in our restaurants, no two Margaritas are identical and no two experiences are exactly the same. But every visit is undeniably Margaritas. Festive and fun.

We are meeting with Michael Mohammed, CEO of Chronic Tacos, Chronic Tacos is the fast casual concept that offers the taste of Mexican cuisine in a fun, laid back atmosphere.   Chronic Tacos was founded in 2001 by Randy Wyner and Dan Biello. The pair had an idea that fast, fresh, made to order Mexican food could be served up with authentic recipes in a fun and friendly atmosphere. They envisioned great Mexican food with California style. By 2004, Chronic Tacos became a local sensation and the owners found that customers were flocking not only from Newport Beach, where the first location opened, but from nearby cities as well. It was at this point they realized it was time to expand.

We are meeting the founder of the Your Pie's franchise  Drew French. Your Pie is the world’s originator of the quick-serve, brick-oven, customized personal pizza concept. Your Pie owner and originator Drew French tapped his restaurant background and knowledge of the conveyor-driven quick-serve and married it with brick oven technology to create the highest quality pizza available at incredible speed. Drawing from family recipes from the island of Ischia, Your Pie uses only fresh ingredients, homemade pizza sauces and salad dressings, and offers vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free pizzas, as well as traditional pizzas. Customers who dine at Your Pie have come to expect a custom-made and delicious pizza delivered to their table well within 10 minutes of ordering – the definition of fast casual. As a result, the Your Pie brand is synonymous with success and a fan favorite of families in the communities it serves. For more information about Your Pie or franchising opportunities.

We are meeting with Chuck Schwalbe, Director of Marketing, for Erbert & Gerbert’s.  Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop is a quick service restaurant serving up the best sandwiches on the planet. In a complicated and fast-paced world, our operation is simple, proven, efficient and easily trainable. Find out how and why their unique and engaging brand is growing.

We are meeting with Dave Messanger, who is the director of market expansion, About ServiceMaster Clean ServiceMaster Clean is part of the ServiceMaster family of brands, one of the world's largest and most versatile service networks. The ServiceMaster family of brands include TruGreen, Terminix, American Home Shield, ServiceMaster Clean, Merry Maids, Furniture Medic and AmeriSpec. ServiceMaster Clean is committed to its franchise owners. The ability to offer qualified prospects up to 80 percent financing through its affiliate, a ServiceMaster wholly-owned finance company, ServiceMaster Acceptance Company, is only one of the benefits of a ServiceMaster Clean franchise.  In part 2 we hear from the legendary Michael Gerber from our Great Quotes in Franchising Podcast.

We are meeting with Bill Chemero, Executive Vice President of Jake’s Wayback Burgers. Wayback Burgers began in 1991 as Jake's Hamburgers with a single restaurant in Newark, DE which still occupies its original location on Route 273. Home to the University of Delaware, Newark is also known for its automotive plants (little known fact: reggae icon Bob Marley worked in one) and Main St. shopping district. A simple, unassuming "burger joint," Jake's soon became several stores and home to one of the region's favorite burgers. Jake’s Hamburgers had always served big, juicy hand-made burgers and real milkshakes, crafted to order by a friendly staff. Delivering the freshest, most delicious food possible was Jake’s only philosophy. Fast forward 20 years: many fast-food chains are selling some version of a “premium” burger. Most of these are just larger versions of their frozen “hockey-puck” burgers, mass-produced and shucked at customers from under heat lamps. Celebrity chefs got in on the act too, selling overpric

We are meeting with Brian Cygan, Founder and CEO of Exercise Coach The Exercise Coach franchise is a comprehensive, turnkey business system that is extremely rewarding to those who are passionate about delivering high-quality service that truly helps people.  We provide custom solutions in each and every area of the business operations.  The Exercise Coach system allows franchisees to operate a personal training studio with no previous fitness experience, and to deliver the most advanced and effective workouts in the world. Personal training has always been a personality-driven industry.  If a trainer leaves a gym or area, the clients are left trying to find the next trainer they can trust with their fitness goals.  The Exercise Coach advantage over traditional training is our proven process of service delivery.  Our studio owners and clients are not reliant on a superstar trainer to make the studio successful.  It is about the process and protocols, not the trainer.

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., French Fry Heaven was created in 2010 by Scott Nelowet and is first and leader in the “Gourmet Fry” market – home to the World’s Best French Fries. The mission of French Fry Heaven is to serve the best fries on earth, be everywhere people are hungry, leave you with a smile on your face and make a significant positive impact on the world.