After 14 years of building one of the highest-performing ShelfGenie franchises, Alan Regala sold his business and stepped into a brand-new chapter of life. In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Alan shares how he went from mechanical engineer to successful franchise owner — and what it really takes to build a business that’s actually sellable.
We cover:
✅ The mindset behind long-term success
✅ How to avoid burnout as a franchise owner
✅ The systems that make a franchise valuable
✅ Why most people don’t think about the exit early enough
✅ What Alan is doing now with Athlete2Owner
Whether you're considering buying a franchise, scaling your business, or preparing for a future exit, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.
🎯 Learn how to build a business with freedom, flexibility, and long-term value.
Timestamps:
00:00 – From Franchisee to Friend: Alan’s 7-Year Journey
03:10 – The Exit Strategy Most Franchise Owners Ignore
05:45 – How to Build a Franchise That Doesn’t Depend on You
08:30 – The Systems That Made His Business Sellable
13:20 – From Engineer to Entrepreneur: Alan’s Career Shift
16:00 – The Book That Sparked His Business Mindset
20:10 – Why Franchising Was the Perfect Fit (And Almost Didn’t Happen)
25:40 – Innovating Inside the Franchise System
44:00 – The Moment He Knew It Was Time to Sell
57:00 – Life After the Exit: Coaching New Franchise Owners
7 Steps to Owning a Franchise:
https://path2frdm-1.hubspotpagebuilder.com/path-to-freedom-about-franchising
🔗 Want help finding the right franchise? Book a free strategy call with Wes: https://calendly.com/wes-barefoot/introcallwithwes
Connect with Wes:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/path2frdm/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/path2frdm
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wesleybarefoot/
👍 Like, Comment & Subscribe for more insights on business, franchising, and financial freedom!
#Franchise #Leadership #Entrepreneurship
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