What does it really take to build a franchise brand where record sales, loyalty, and work-life balance all go hand-in-hand?
Today’s guest, Sam Ballas, is a serious numbers guy (his license plate literally says EBITDA!). And he is diving into his trademarked philosophy “driven by unit level economics”. Sam shares why focusing on the numbers at each location beats chasing super-sized national growth, and how regional relationships and relentless data tracking keeps his brands profitable and tight-knit. He also shares the importance of the quality of life (and ballet recitals!) even before expansion and how he stops franchise sales entirely when the time isn’t right.
Sam G. Ballas is the visionary Founder and Managing Partner of ZorAbility, Inc., as well as the President and Chief Executive Officer of East Coast Wings + Grill (ECW+G), Co-Founder of Sammy’s Sliders, Co-Founder/Investor of Dine Growth Group (DGG) and Vice Chair of the International Franchise Association (IFA). With over 40 years of experience in the restaurant industry and 31 years in financial markets and retail real estate development, Sam has cultivated a deep understanding of building successful franchise models. His leadership is grounded in blending traditional methods with innovative, proprietary strategies to create enduring brands.
So, if you want honest, battle-tested advice on franchising, balancing growth and happiness, and building teams that actually love what they do then this episode is for you!
Connect with Sam
Email - sam.ballas@eastcoastwings.com
Email - sgb@sammyssliders.com
Episode Highlights:
- Sam Ballas’ background and brand philosophy
- Building franchise brands and expansion strategy
- What are FSO’s and how do they function
- Data-driven strategies and supporting franchisees
- Leadership decisions during market challenges
- Vetting ideal franchise owners
- The realities and challenges of restaurant franchising
- Life-work balance and organizational culture
- Team structure and leadership model
- Validation and franchise system growth
- Franchisee support and operational consistency
Connect with Tracy
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-panase/
JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale
JBF Franchise System - https://jbfsalefranchise.com/
Email: podcast@jbfsale.com
Connect with Shannon
Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/
JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale
Website - https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/
Email - shannon@shineexecutivecoaching.com
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.