Max Emma's Journey From Bankruptcy to Building a Franchise Empire

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In this episode of "Nice to Meet You," host Rob Pene interviews Max Emma, a successful business owner and franchise expert. Max shares his journey from corporate accounting at Qualcomm to becoming the CEO of three franchise-related companies.

Key highlights from the episode:

• Max's background: Originally from the former Soviet Union, he came to the US 32 years ago. After working at Qualcomm, he left corporate life in 2002 to start his own businesses.
• Business evolution: He experienced both success and failure, including a construction business that went bankrupt during the 2008-09 housing crisis. This setback led him to start a bookkeeping business with his wife.

Current ventures:

1. A bookkeeping services company serving 100+ franchise brands nationwide
2. A bookkeeping franchise business (recently sold their 13th franchise)
3. A franchise brokerage helping people find and invest in franchises

Franchise insights:

• Max emphasizes the importance of persistence and consistency in business growth
• He discusses the advantages of franchising over starting from scratch (proven models, established systems)
• Current hot franchise sectors include pet services, senior care, and children's services
• Investment requirements vary widely ($35,000 to $1.5+ million)

Business philosophy:

• Believes in persistent follow-up until explicitly told to stop
• Emphasizes the importance of in-person connections
• Views past failures as stepping stones to future success

The episode provides valuable insights for anyone interested in franchising or business ownership. Max can be reached through his website https://franchisewithmax.com, which offers information about his three business verticals: franchise brokerage, bookkeeping franchise opportunities, and bookkeeping services.