June 10, 2025 • 46 mins
Brought to you by our friends at ClientTether – making follow-up, automation, and sales acceleration easier than ever. Thanks for sponsoring today’s episode!
In this jam-packed episode of The Advisory Board Podcast, host Dave Hansen welcomes the one and only Patti Rother—franchise development powerhouse, operator-at-heart, and founder of Root and Rise Franchise Development. With 18+ years of experience across brands like Panera, Blink Fitness, Scent Hound, and Garbanzo, Patti is redefining how smart brands scale—efficiently and sustainably.
🚫 Scaling Gone Wrong: The Pitfalls
Patti kicks things off by challenging the default mindset of "sell more units = scale." Instead, she advocates for intentional growth, built on robust operations, regional focus, and financial foresight. Her message? If your support systems aren't in place, you're not scaling—you're bloating.
She warns against:
Relying on franchise sales to fund ops (red flag 🚩).
High sold-not-open ratios, which kill validation.
Skipping backend readiness just to chase growth metrics.
Signing franchisees who aren’t fit to operate—or worse, never open.
⚙️ Build the Machine Before You Run It
Patti lays out a better path: build for where you're going, not where you are. From real estate to tech stack to operations playbooks, think 30-units ahead—even if you’re only at 3.
Her mantra: “Happy, open, profitable franchisees solve everything.” It’s the kind of advice you wish more brands followed.
💡 Tech & AI: The Silent Workhorse
As a self-professed "tech nerd" with AI developers on speed dial, Patti shares how automation, workflows, and smart CRMs can multiply your team without hiring.
Use automation to follow up with value—not just “checking in.”
Curate the discovery process for candidates with intentional content.
Stop letting six-figure video assets collect dust—use them to tell your story.
Franchise ops? Same playbook:
Create SOPs, organize them smartly in Google Drive first, then migrate to LMS later.
Use Looms, avatars, and mass video to teach, support, and engage.
Build for training, not just telling.
🧠 The Patti Mindset: People First, Always
Underneath it all, Patti’s heart is in operations. She believes in making systems serve humans—not the other way around. Give people bandwidth, and you unlock innovation. Burn them out, and you lose your best asset.
From chasing the no in FranDev to regional rings of growth to royalty self-sufficiency as the true north, Patti drops a masterclass in thoughtful franchising—with just the right mix of experience, wit, and tough love.
🎧 Listen now and learn how to grow your brand without breaking it—courtesy of one of the most trusted minds in the franchise space.
📍 Find Patti on LinkedIn (Patti Rother) or at franchise.dev to connect or collaborate.
And don’t forget to check out our sponsor ClientTether—for those who want their follow-up to actually follow through.
In this jam-packed episode of The Advisory Board Podcast, host Dave Hansen welcomes the one and only Patti Rother—franchise development powerhouse, operator-at-heart, and founder of Root and Rise Franchise Development. With 18+ years of experience across brands like Panera, Blink Fitness, Scent Hound, and Garbanzo, Patti is redefining how smart brands scale—efficiently and sustainably.
🚫 Scaling Gone Wrong: The Pitfalls
Patti kicks things off by challenging the default mindset of "sell more units = scale." Instead, she advocates for intentional growth, built on robust operations, regional focus, and financial foresight. Her message? If your support systems aren't in place, you're not scaling—you're bloating.
She warns against:
Relying on franchise sales to fund ops (red flag 🚩).
High sold-not-open ratios, which kill validation.
Skipping backend readiness just to chase growth metrics.
Signing franchisees who aren’t fit to operate—or worse, never open.
⚙️ Build the Machine Before You Run It
Patti lays out a better path: build for where you're going, not where you are. From real estate to tech stack to operations playbooks, think 30-units ahead—even if you’re only at 3.
Her mantra: “Happy, open, profitable franchisees solve everything.” It’s the kind of advice you wish more brands followed.
💡 Tech & AI: The Silent Workhorse
As a self-professed "tech nerd" with AI developers on speed dial, Patti shares how automation, workflows, and smart CRMs can multiply your team without hiring.
Use automation to follow up with value—not just “checking in.”
Curate the discovery process for candidates with intentional content.
Stop letting six-figure video assets collect dust—use them to tell your story.
Franchise ops? Same playbook:
Create SOPs, organize them smartly in Google Drive first, then migrate to LMS later.
Use Looms, avatars, and mass video to teach, support, and engage.
Build for training, not just telling.
🧠 The Patti Mindset: People First, Always
Underneath it all, Patti’s heart is in operations. She believes in making systems serve humans—not the other way around. Give people bandwidth, and you unlock innovation. Burn them out, and you lose your best asset.
From chasing the no in FranDev to regional rings of growth to royalty self-sufficiency as the true north, Patti drops a masterclass in thoughtful franchising—with just the right mix of experience, wit, and tough love.
🎧 Listen now and learn how to grow your brand without breaking it—courtesy of one of the most trusted minds in the franchise space.
📍 Find Patti on LinkedIn (Patti Rother) or at franchise.dev to connect or collaborate.
And don’t forget to check out our sponsor ClientTether—for those who want their follow-up to actually follow through.
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