FranchiseU!
FranchiseU! is your inside track to the franchise world—whether you’re a franchisee, franchisor, investor, entrepreneur, corporate exec, or just franchise-curious. Hosted by Dr. Kathy Gosser, a leading voice in franchise education, the podcast features insightful interviews with industry pros and rising stars, from franchise owners to C-suite leaders, support specialists, scholars, and students. Each episode dives into real stories, lessons learned, and strategies that shape the franchise industry. Dr. Gosser brings her expertise and energy to every conversation, unpacking key takeaways and offering personal insights that connect the dots between theory and practice. It’s part conversation, part classroom, and all about helping you understand and thrive in franchising.
Episodes
What do combat missions, data analytics, and warm cookies fresh from the oven all have in common? That is all part of my guest's incredible journey. Today I am joined by Nicholas Jewel, who is a decorated veteran-turned-entrepreneur, and now a multi-unit franchisee of Crumbl Cookies. While earning two Bronze stars as a combat controller in the Air National Guard, Nicholas led with courage, innovation, and resilience. Now he is chan...
You know what's great about franchising? It is that almost any concept can be franchised. And there's one I hadn't thought about. That is in the world of beauty, determining what colors look best on you. It's something that maybe those of us knew in the 80s and 90s, but House of Colour USA really knows what they're doing today. And I had the opportunity to visit House of Colour in this podcast with Ally Van Iten who is the CEO. She...
In this episode of FranchiseU!, host Dr. Kathy Gosser speaks with Shelly Berkowitz, the esteemed founder of BrightStar Care. Berkowitz shares her inspiring journey from her early days working in corporate jobs to founding BrightStar, a premier medical and non-medical home healthcare and medical staffing service franchise. She recounts the challenges and successes she faced while growing BrightStar into a nationally recognized brand...
I have an opportunity, in my line of work, to talk to a lot of franchisees and a lot of franchisors. It's always enlightening, but it's very rare to be able to talk to someone who has been a franchisee of multiple brands and continues to give back even now with consulting. So join me in this episode of FranchiseU! when I talk with Ron Taylor. Ron has been a very successful franchisee of Edible Brands, and now is a franchisee of Not...
The International Franchise Association does so much to protect, enhance, and support the franchise model. It's really pretty incredible the amount of work they do, but sometimes people don't know exactly what do they do. So join me in this episode of FranchiseU! where I have the privilege of sitting down with Matt Hower, the CEO of the IFA and Jennifer branding the COO of the IFA, or they talk about not only their journeys to fran...
Agape Capitalism. What is that and why would I be talking about that on a franchising podcast? Well join me in this episode of FranchiseU! as I talk with Jane Abell and Tony Capuano of Donatos Pizza. Jane is the chairwoman of the board, and Tony is her son, who is also the Senior Vice President of Franchise Operations and Training.
They take us along the journey of Donatos when it was created by her father who started in 1963. They...
One thing that almost all of us have in common is the desire to live a healthy, long life. There is now a franchise to help with proactively taking control of your health. Join me in this episode of FranchiseU! as I talk with Scott Svilich, the COO of Next Health. The only large scale franchise providing medically backed healthcare services with a proactive approach to prioritizing health and fitness.
Topics discussed include:
· ...
Dr. Kathy Gosser interviews Amy Leclerc, co-founder of Sit Still Kids Salon franchise. The discussion covers Leclerc’s journey from advertising to leading a kids' hair salon franchise.
Highlights Include:
- Tips from a successful professional path
- Benefits of intuition and risk-taking
- Sage advice for potential franchisees
- A case study in growth and expansion plans
- Qualities of an ideal franchisee
- Marketing strategies for franchisees
Dr. Kathy Gosser interviews James Hilovsky, a dedicated franchise broker and the CEO of FranDream. Hilovsky shares his journey from spending 25 years at Del Taco to transitioning to franchise brokering.
Highlights Include:
- Hilovsky's Early Career at Del Taco
- Piology Pizza and Franchise Operations
- Differences Between Corporate and Franchise Sides
- Evaluating Franchise Opportunities and Client Profiles
- Exploring Franchise Opportunities
- ...
You should learn something new every day. Those words come from a new Potbelly franchisee, Hampden Keil, who started a multi-unit franchise with his father, Bryant Keil, the founder of Potbelly. Join me in this episode of FranchiseU! as we hear Hampden talk about his experience and how he and his dad are creating a Potbelly dynasty, starting with 13 restaurants with plans to add 15 more.
In this episode of FranchiseU!, I interview ...
I'm not the techiest person around. And so when I was approached to talk to a couple of folks about geofencing, I thought, geo what? So I had to take a look, find out what it was, but then it fascinated me, and it is a way for a small franchise to really maximize their foot traffic. So in this episode of FranchiseU!, I talk with Ernesto Cullari and Barbara Wardell, who've come up with an incredible concept.
In this episode of Franc...
In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser and Dr. Isabel Botero joined by Bonny and Marcus Shelton, who share their incredible journey as multi-generational KFC franchisees. The Sheltons recount the inspiring history of Bacon Enterprises, Inc., starting with Bonnie's father in the 1960s, through their significant contributions to the KFC community, and culminating in the successful exit from their family business. They discu...
In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser speaks with Jamie Krasnov, CEO of Apex Leadership Company, about his journey from finance to philanthropy-driven entrepreneurship. Krasnov discusses his background in private equity, his passion for franchising, and the innovative fundraising solutions provided by Apex Leadership. Apex conducts fun runs and other events at schools to raise funds significantly while teaching leadershi...
In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser has a speaks with Erika Wasser,
co-founder and CEO of Prospr, a groundbreaking app designed to streamline communication, shift management, and culture building in multi-unit operations. They delve into the challenges of effective communication within franchises, especially with hourly team members. Wasser shares her journey from TV hosting to entrepreneurial ventures, highlighting the...
In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser speaks with Michael Seaman,
co-founder and CEO of Swipesum, a comprehensive payment processing and merchant services consultancy delivering innovative auditing solutions to businesses nationwide. Seaman founded Swipesum in 2016 with his brother, Stephen, to serve as Chief Payments Officer for businesses nationwide, combining industry knowledge, AI and proprietary software to create a ...
In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser speaks with
Will Cantrell, a seasoned employment and franchise attorney, regarding the intricacies of franchise law.
Cantrell, Founding Partner of Cantrell Schuette, P.A. is a nationally recognized leading attorney in handling complex disputes, litigation, and trials. Apart from his background in general commercial litigation, he specializes the areas of employment law, partnership an...
In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser and Co-Host with Dr. Isabel Botero speaks with Aaron Engler, President of Border Foods, a large family-owned Taco Bell franchisee, and Mollie Sommer, Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist. Engler and Sommer share their backgrounds, professional journeys, and the roles they have undertaken in the family business which operates over 250 Taco Bell restaurants with 7,000 employees...
In this episode of FranchiseU!, Dr. Kathy Gosser speaks with Kenny Rose the Founder and CEO of FranShares. After Rose shares his experience on the TV game show, The Price Is Right, Gosser and Rose discuss how franchises represent amazing investment opportunities and uniquely benefit investors, operators, and local communities.
FranShares is an innovative investment platform democratizing access to franchise ownership. With over a d...
In this episode of FranchiseU!, Kathy speaks with Onyi Odunukwe. The discuss Odunukwe’s unique journey from studying nursing to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the tanning salon industry as CEO of Glo Tanning.
Despite initial family disapproval and an industry marred by bad press, Odunukwe’s perseverance led him to build over 100 salons that offer a range of services beyond tanning, including red light therapy. Odunukwe’s emp...
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