Beyond Food Franchises: Exploring Non-Food Opportunities While food franchises are undeniably our most popular category, franchising extends far beyond the realm of food. Over the years, we’ve featured numerous exceptional franchises in the service industry. These businesses, though often highly profitable, present unique marketing challenges. Our podcast begins with a discussion inspired by Dr. Martin J. McDermott’s LinkedIn article, "You Had Me at Hello: The Power of the Follow-Up." This piece highlights the critical role of post-service communication in fostering customer loyalty. Using compelling anecdotes—like a dentist’s thoughtful follow-up call or a repairman’s check-in after servicing a refrigerator—Dr. McDermott underscores how small gestures can leave a lasting impact. He also introduces the RATER model (Reliability, Assurance, Tangibles, Empathy, Responsiveness) as a framework for assessing service quality, emphasizing how even brief interactions can strengthen customer relationships. Drawing from his expertise as a marketing professor and franchising authority, he concludes by celebrating the often-overlooked importance of a simple greeting and timely follow-up.
Next, we sit down with Jon Ostenson, a consultant, entrepreneur, and author specializing in non-food franchising. As a former Inc. 500 Franchise President and multi-brand franchisee, Jon offers invaluable perspectives on this sector. We explore insights from his latest book, Non-Food Franchising: The Better Path to Franchise Ownership. Finally, in the second segment of the episode, we feature an excerpt from our celebrated podcast series, Great Quotes in Franchising.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Boysober
Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you stopped worrying about being wanted, and focused on understanding what you actually want? That was the question Hope Woodard asked herself after a string of situationships inspired her to take a break from sex and dating. She went "boysober," a personal concept that sparked a global movement among women looking to prioritize themselves over men. Now, Hope is looking to expand the ways we explore our relationship to relationships. Taking a bold, unfiltered look into modern love, romance, and self-discovery, Boysober will dive into messy stories about dating, sex, love, friendship, and breaking generational patterns—all with humor, vulnerability, and a fresh perspective.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.