Franchise Today

Clarissa Windham-Bradstock, CFE, CEO, CPO on transforming healthcare access and building a franchise model for the future

With a unique background that spans healthcare, franchising, and public policy, Clarissa Windham-Bradstock brings a bold, mission-driven leadership style to the helm of one of the nation’s most innovative direct-to-consumer lab testing brands. Under her guidance, Any Lab Test Now has not only expanded its nation...

Josh Wall is an accomplished brand leader with a stellarrecord of driving shareholder value through strategic acquisitions, innovative market development strategies, and dynamic team growth.  His passion is fostering high-performance cultures and delivering exceptional results. He is adept at steering organizations toward sustained success and market leadership.

Josh has been growing successful franchise brands for20+ years.  Sixtee...

This week I am joined by Don and Evonne Varady, a dynamic husband and wife team who are the founders and franchisors of Clean Eatz, one of the fastest-growing healthy food franchises in the country. Evonne and Don share their incredible journey — from launching their first café to building a purpose-driven brand, that’s changing lives across the nation.

We talked about:
✅ The early struggles and breakthroughs
✅ What it takes to build ...

True story: Transitioning from military life to the world of franchising can be a pivotal moment in one's career. Back in 1994, Mary Kennedy Thompson, a former Marine, embarked on this journey seeking stability for her family. Inspired by a simple franchise brochure from Cookies by Design, she took a leap that led to multiple successful locations and eventually to the role of President of the company. 

Throughout her career, Mary h...

True story: Navigating the challenges of a male-dominated industry can be daunting, but through perseverance and mentorship, it's possible to carve your own path. Lora Kellogg's inspiring journey from becoming the first female VP at Scotty's, a chain of home improvement stores, to the founder and CEO of Curious Jane, The Ad Agency for Franchise Brands.

Key insights from Laura's story and the podcast discussion:

1. Mentorship Matter...

This week on Franchise Today, host Stan Friedmanwelcomes John Teza, a franchising veteran with more than 20 years of leadership experience across top-tier brands.

John’s journey includes influential roles with Quiznos,Jersey Mike’s, and currently as CEO of Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa, one of the fastest-growing wellness franchises in North America. Known for his strategic vision, people-first leadership, and deep operati...

In this compelling episode of Franchise Today, Stansits down with Greg Muzzillo, founder of Proforma, a $600 + million provider of printing and promotional products, serving businesses of all sizes around the world. Through its network of more than 600 franchisees, distributors and affiliates, Proforma is a market leader in this $300 billion market segment. 

As Stan unpacks Greg’s amazing story, you will hear how mentorship, resili...

This week we hear from Scott Thompson, Chief DevelopmentOfficer at Radiance Holdings, the franchisors of Sola Salons and Woodhouse Spa.  Listen in, as Scott reflects on his unexpected journey into franchising, which began after he faced rejection in his initial career, as a cardiac rehab specialist. Pivoting to his passion for fitness, Scott joined Fitness Together, ultimately becoming a successful, multi-unit franchisee in New Yor...

Discover how a chance encounter with a mall retailer led Dawn Kane, co-founder and CEO of Hot Dish Advertising, to revolutionize franchise marketing. After managing an in-house agency for a mall developer, Dawn, along with two of her cohorts,  ventured out to establish her own agency, bringing her fast-paced retail expertise to the franchising world.

The Minnesota-based agency, named after the beloved regional casserole, transformed...

Discover how Alison and Marty Langenderfer, transformed her passion for wellness into Spavia, a thriving spa franchise with 60 locations nationwide. After leaving pharmaceutical sales, Alison and her husband Marty identified a gap in the market for a more comprehensive spa experience, leading to Spavia's launch in 2005.

What sets Spavia apart is their unwavering commitment to customer experience and community involvement. Through th...

Discover how right out of college, this architecture graduate had a change of plans, morphing from retail to restaurants. Over the course of some 30 years John Ramsay has become a restaurant and franchise industry leader. His unexpected path began with retail jobs and led to pioneering roles in major restaurant chains.

John Ramsey's fascinating career trajectory offers unique insights into the evolution of franchising, from tra...

Daryl Dollinger's journey began in his youth, working in the food service industry through high school and college. Hegained valuable experience in catering, cafeteria management, and campus dining with Aramark. His exposure to the food business, including opportunitieswith the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, sparked his interest and led him to leave Aramark and join a new restaurant venture in Buckhead called Country Star American Music...

This week, we'll discover how a family-owned after-school program morphed into a thriving franchise system, focused on empowering children through personalized education.

Stephanie Coppedge shares the fascinating evolution of Gideon Math and Reading, from its humble beginnings in 2004, as a licensing model, to its current success, with 30 total units open and operating and many more on the horizon.

Gideon Math and Reading, our Q...

This week on Franchise Today we break with our usual format and feature not one, but 25 voices… all, franchise movers and shakers.  Each will share their thoughts and perceptions about the impact of President Trump’sdecisive win on franchising. 

No personal feelings or biases were accepted.  The Question to these franchise pros: “What have you observed already andwhat do you see ahead, with Donald Trump in the White House.         ...

This week, discover how Keenan Fisher transformed his family's franchising expertise into a modern barbershopempire. As the driving force behind Tommy Gun's Original Barber Shops, Fisher brings a unique blend of edge, attitude, and confidence to the traditional barbershop experience.

Growing up in his family's successful Chatters hair salon franchise, Fisher recognized a gap in the men's grooming market. This led to ...

This week, we are back with Part 2 of myConversation with John Rotche.  Every nowand then, I happen upon a franchise biography that is so compelling that a single episode of Franchise Today just can’t do it justice. And, such is the case with John Rotche.  Last week we wrapped up approaching the Title Boxing Chapter of John’s storied career and we’ll pick back-up there today, but first a couple of reflections on some of what John s...

This week on Franchise Today, I welcome John Rotche, afranchise professional with a compelling story of overcoming adversity. John shares his journey from the expectations of beginning a promising college football career, to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the franchising world.

He discusses the importance of mentorship, the lessons learned from his experiences at Domino's and Krispy Kreme, and how he transitioned into the ai...

Greg George, Franchisor, CEO and co-owner of the Peach Cobbler Factory, reflects on his 35-year career in franchising and the personal transformation he underwent in his late 50s following a significant awakening.

The Peach Cobbler Factory has become the fastest-growing dessert chain in America, opening over 112 locations in less than three years. Despite this success, Greg shares his previous struggles and long history of drug an...