The Art of Turnarounds: The Magic Behind a $1M+ Per Store Growth at Wendy’s

On today’s episode of the Smart Franchising Podcast, we sit down with Kathryn Chayka, the powerhouse who built massive success in franchise turnarounds, taking 12 struggling Wendy’s locations and making a multi-million dollar success story.

Fresh out of college, Kathryn took over a territory of underperforming Wendy’s stores in Quebec and added over $1M in new revenue per location. She’s proving that smart strategy, strong leadership, and local marketing can drive explosive franchise growth.

Kathryn shares the secrets behind her success, including:

- How she transformed struggling stores into high-revenue locations

- The power of empowering leadership and supportive teams

- Her community-first marketing strategies that boost both sales & loyalty

- Post-COVID operational shifts that improved efficiency and profitability

- Why learning from top-performing franchisees is key to long-term success

“Delivering value doesn’t mean sacrificing quality. Customers want great deals on quality products—when they feel they’re getting value, sales follow.”

Whether you're a franchisee, franchisor, or an entrepreneur looking to scale, this episode is packed with game-changing insights from someone who’s built massive success in franchise turnarounds.