Modrn Business

In this episode, Zack chats with Adam Contos, Partner of Area 15 Ventures and former CEO of RE/MAX on theory of everything. Between his background, his business philosophies, his perspective on the real estate market, his investment thesis at Area 15 Ventures and what he has learned from his mentor, RE/MAX Co-Founder Dave Liniger, there was lots to discuss! Don't miss this sneak preview of Springboard 2025's electrifying keynote speaker.

In this MB episode, Zack checks in with franchising's resident brainiacs, Edith Wiseman and Alicia Miller from FranData. We discuss how the perception of resales are changing, standardizing credit fund scoring to decrease risk for franchisees, how franchisors are using technology to become more “asset-light”, is the “low-investment” rush here to stay and much more!

In this episode, Zack chats with Kaleidoscope Growth Advisors' Ali McElroy about all things operations. We discuss pitfalls in growing a brand early, her recommended first hire for a young franchisor, the industries she believes give highest likelihood of “sustainable growth” and her methodology to building enterprise value.

In this episode Zack Fishman and Ryan Hicks break down a list of their top thoughts and six topics here in the month of April: 1) The Top Learnings From UnConference:
Game-Changing Insights on Value Creation & Growth. Featuring David Barr (Franchise Investor, Chairman of PMTD Restaurants, and former IFA Chairman) and Chris Dull (CEO of Freddy's Frozen Custard). 2) Sneak Peak: YoungCon Agenda Is Here! A quick thumbnail on what the event entails. Register here: https://franchiseyoungconference.com/ 3) Is Franchise M&A Heating Up?
 An industry update from Zack Fishman. 4) An Emerging Service Brand Growth Story. A great example for emerging and regional franchisors. 5) Zack's Advice On PR In 2025. As an expert on the topic he brings practical insights on PR for franchise organizations in the modern age. 6) Technology Corner: A discussion around 4 topical technologies to stay up to date on what's possible in todays fast pace world of technology advancements. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: Get the Hottest Franchise News & Trends, Every Month Franchise experts Ryan Hicks & Zack Fishman will be sharing their personal thoughts on industry headlines & trends. https://share.hsforms.com/2QTZETnIPReacZuTlRmmRoAdisk2

Join Ryan Hicks and Zack Fishman as they host Jamie Adams, Chief Revenue Officer of Scorpion, and Ryan Combe, Managing Partner of Cornerstone Franchise Partners. In this episode we dive into the latest chatter from the IFA convention and share behind‑the‑scenes insights on franchising trends, technology decisions, and the power of networking. From debating whether to build or buy tech to discussing economic forecasts and mentorship initiatives, this episode delivers a dynamic conversation peppered with franchise success stories and personal anecdotes that reveal the heartbeat of the industry. Episode Outline: 1) Intro & Sponsor Shout-Out: Candidate view is an innovative new way to streamline your hiring process and focus only on the best talent with one way video prescreening. Candidates respond on their own time so your franchisees can save their time. No more scheduling headaches, no more wasted interviews, just faster, smarter hiring. Join top franchise organizations already saving time, energy, and money with CandidateView. Visit CandidateView. 2) IFA Convention Recap: Insights on the event's energy, networking moments, and feedback on session formats. 3) Tech & Transaction Talk: Debates on building vs. buying proprietary technology and the impact on franchise value. 4) Economic Outlook & Industry Trends: Discussion of franchise growth statistics, employment increases, and GDP impact. 5) Anecdotes & Success Stories: Stories from the NFL to Hardee's, illustrating how small moves can lead to generational wealth. 6) Mentorship & Community Focus: Ideas on establishing mentorship programs to support franchise success and sustainability. 7) Closing Thoughts & Connect: Final reflections and a call-to-action to join the conversation on LinkedIn and subscribe to the newsletter.

In this Modrn Business episode, Zack chats with one of franchising's foremost experts on early-stage franchisors, Brian Luciani of SMB Franchise Advisors & Stadium Ventures. We talk about venture capital's increased prominence with franchisors, start-up category trends from 2024, what we'll be seeing in 2025 and how the new Trump administration will dictate the types of brands we see start franchising in the years to come.

In this MB conversation, Ryan hosts the co-founders of Sales Chatz, a franchise development advertising technology that has disrupted the way franchisors use Meta advertising to attract franchise candidates.

In this episode, Zack sits down with CEO & Founder of Fransmart, Dan Rowe, to talk all things franchise sales. We get into his humble beginnings, what industries within franchising he has historically gravitated to, his opinions on how to build enterprise value through franchise sales, his secrets to sourcing MUMBOs leads (hint, it's not easy to replicate) and his outlook on how franchise sales will change in this decade.

In this episode, Ryan Hicks and Zack Fishman bring on guests Jamie Adams, (Chief Revenue Officer of Scorpion) and Ryan Combe (Managing Partner of Cornerstone Franchise Partners) to reflect on key winners and trends in the franchise landscape in 2024, and make predictions for 2025. We also explore significant leadership changes, lessons learned in 2024, and contrarian beliefs for the future of franchising, emphasizing the importance of franchisee profitability and the potential for franchising to grow as a percentage of GDP. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 03:12 - Reflections on 2024: Winners and Trends 05:58 - The Role of Institutional Investors in Franchising 08:53 - The Rise of Franchise Sales Organizations 12:06 - Predictions for 2025: Key Players and Trends 14:57 - Breakout Brands of 2024 and 2025 18:11 - Bold Moves and Disruptors in Franchising 21:06 - The Future of Health and Wellness Franchises 45:03 - Chick-fil-A's Bold Business Moves 51:10 - The Rise of Limited Service Restaurants (LSR) 57:54 - Innovations Shaping the Future of Food Service 01:09:32 - Leadership Changes and Their Impact 01:12:46 - Lessons Learned in 2024 01:17:00 - Contrarian Beliefs for 2025

In MB's first episode of 2025, Zack is joined by Serviceminder's new CEO, Berkley Simmons and their Founder & CTO, John Keene, to talk all things PE within home service. We discuss how technology plays a role in reaching your next stage of growth, predictions for how franchise technology will play a role in this second phase of PE investment, the right time to roll out a robust technology such as Serviceminder and the importance of recognizing franchising's uniqueness vs. other business models.

In this episode, Zack explores the new industry of smart home automation with the franchisor to market, Daisy CEO & Founder, Hagan Kappler. We discuss her decision to go the venture capital route, her “grow by acquisition” strategy, her plans for starting franchise development and the future of the smart home automation industry.

In the Modrn Business episode Ran chats with Gary Liskovich, Founder & CEO of Harmonyze.

In this episode, Zack chats with a local IL franchisor, Joe Tota, CEO & Founder of Tapville, about one of his favorite categories within franchising, bars. We talk through their differentiators, their model innovations, their ideal customer profile, the types of franchisees they attract, where they see the bar industry within franchising going and how data helps all of their franchisees win.

In this episode, Zack revisits one of his favorite categories within franchising, pet services, to talk with Scenthound Co-Founders Tim & Jessica Vogel. We get an update on the brand's progress since my last conversation with Tim, get into the inner-workings of the brand positioning with Jessica, learn how the brand's ideal candidate profile has evolved with their recent professionalization and about emerging services they believe will be a growth catalyst in the future.

After 1 year, a lot has changed for Protein Bar & Kitchen. Several new franchisees in the pipeline, non-traditional locations sprouting up across the country and suburban locations humming. What is inside this first-time franchisor rapid rise? Tune into this episode to hear from the sources, CEO Jeff Drake and VP of Franchise Development Jimmy McFeeters, on exactly how!

In this episode, Zack chats with the founder of the automotive franchise space's most exciting brand, Tint World. We delve deep into his meteoric rise, how his heritage of a multi-unit franchisee has helped his growth with fellow MUMBOs, how technology has played a role, why automotive after-market is the surest bet in the industry today and exciting news for 2025.

Modrn Business welcomes franchise technologist and CEO of Serviceminder, John Keene, onto the show discuss all facets of the franchise technology world. Between PE in franchising, AI, point solutions vs. all-in-one and everything in between, this episode covers all of the major topics franchise brands grapple with when it comes to tech!

Supplier Wire 039: Kyle McEuen, SVP of ProfitKeeper by

The Incredible Story of Stephen Shields: The multi-unit Express Employment Professionals Franchisee put everything on the line at 26 years old. He moved to Joplin MO (where he knew nobody) and built the American Dream. Listen to this episode to hear his playbook. Share it with someone you know! This story needs to be told. Episode Summary: In this special edition of Modrn Business Podcast, Ryan Hicks sits down in person with Stephen Shields, a multi-unit franchisee and area representative for Express Employment Professionals. Steven shares his incredible journey coming from a small town in Missouri, moving to Joplin with a loan from family and friends to buy the territory and build an empire. They discuss the importance of following proven systems, staying disciplined, and "doubling down on the hustle" during tough times. Key topics include: - The early struggles of entrepreneurship and how Steven overcame them. - The value of the franchise support system and how Express University shaped his success. - Insights into what makes a successful franchisee in both good and challenging times. - The importance of giving back to the community and the lives impacted by franchising. - Personal stories of team development and the pride of seeing employees grow. Sponsor Shoutout: This episode is brought to you by Voxie, a cutting-edge conversational texting platform designed for franchise businesses. Voxie offers two-way conversational texting, powered by AI, and has been a leader in the space since before most people even knew about OpenAI. "The only Texting software built for franchise systems to boost revenue" Learn more at www.voxie.com. Special Announcement: We're thrilled to announce the upcoming release of the Franchise America Docuseries! Ryan Hicks is diving deep into the world of franchising through the eyes of operators. Be sure to catch teaser clips with the full series launching in October. Follow Ryan on LinkedIn and Twitter at @RyanThomasHicks for updates. Register now for Franchise Springboard, taking place September 18-20 in Philadelphia. It's a can't-miss event for anyone in the franchise industry. Learn more at franchisespringboard.com.

In this episode, Zack hops on with Bun Mee's CEO & Founder, Denise Tran. We discuss her founding story, how she went about educating consumers on Vietnamese cuisine, where she believes her best opportunities for growth are, where she sees the brand in 3-5 years and how she's creating franchising's first Vietnamese food powerhouse.

In this episode, Zack dives into all things “eatertainment” with one of franchising's foremost investigate journalists, Laura Michaels, Editor-In-Chief of Franchise Times. We discuss the industry's viability, which modulars will emerge, the international influences of the category, the types of franchisees these brands should target and the pitfalls we've already seen.

In this episode, Zack chats with the CEO & Founder of Best In Class, Hao Lam, to learn the inside scoop on his founding story, how they use AI in their business to educate children, their ideal franchisee profile and how they measure up to their competitors.

In this episode, Zack catches up Franchise Update Media's EVP & Chief Content Officer, Diane Phibbs. We dive deep into all things franchise marketing and franchise development; covering trends that have evolved the space for better (and for worse). Additionally, we get into how to take the data the Annual Franchise Marketing Report & Annual Franchise Development Report and make it actionable, how technology has helped in implementing these changes and how managing up has allowed brands to become more nimble.

In this MB episode, Zack dives into a vast array of topics with the Queen of Fast Casual (also the Editor of Fast Casual Magazine), Cherryh Cansler. We discuss technology within F&B, trends with sweets/treats, the rise (and fall) of different food trends and all about the events Fast Casual puts on each year.

In this episode, Zack discusses the role Bach To Rock, America's 2nd largest music education brand for children, plays in the massive influx of capital going into children's services today. We get into Bach To Rock's typical franchisee, why the market is so hot currently, the role children's enrichment plays in today's society and their plans for potentially starting to expand internationally.

In this episode, Zack dives into the world of private equity with one of franchising's biggest experts, Alicia Miller of Emergent Growth Advisors. We discuss her most recent book, Private Equity In Franchising, along with many of the concepts within that she explores. If you're looking to learn about the inner-workings of how this side of franchising works, this is the perfect episode to find out!

In this Modrn Business episode Ryan speaks with the Chair of the Supplier Advisory Forum, Thomas Portesy and the VP of development, Paul Rocchio on all things IFA.

Children's education is an inflection point. America's children are falling behind in reading, math and science like never before! In this episode, Zack chats with CEO & Founder of Brooklyn Robot Foundry, Jenny Young, about the role they're playing in trying to combat this issue. By teaching kids to fail gracefully, work with their hands and think critically; Brooklyn Robot Foundry is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about brands in franchising's children's education sector.

In this Modrn Business episode, Ryan chats with the CEO of Evive Brands, Ryan Parsons.

In this episode of Modrn Business, Zack chats with Co-Founder of K9 Resorts, Jason Parker, on all things pet services. We get into their differentiators vs others in the pet hospitality space, their recent $10M investment for a current franchisee, why the pet services industry has PE so interested and why pet services is one of franchising's best bets.

In this episode, Zack “slides” into the family entertainment center space with Bron Launsby of Slick City. Why is PE so interested in this space? What made this former franchisee become a franchisor? Why slides? We answer this and more in this interview!

In this Supplier Wire Series episode of Modrn Business Podcast, Ryan Hicks chats with Morgan Smith, President of SalesDesk. SalesDesk provides lead generation for franchise development and commercial lead generation for franchisees. Ryan & Morgan discuss how SalesDesk drives success for franchise systems through innovative lead generation strategies and impactful email marketing campaigns. Connect with today's guest: franchisesuppliernetwork.com/featured-supplier/salesdesk/ Register for the Franchise “UnConferences” at www.franchisors.com

In this Modrn Business episode, Zack sits down with QSR & FSR's Editorial Director, Danny Klein, to talk about all things restaurant M&A so far in 2024. We go through the deals that surprised us, the deals we loved, the reasons behind some of these bankruptcies and the rumors we're seeing in the space. M&A in the restaurant space is back, baby!

In this episode, Zack chats with REP'M Group Co-Founders Rob Cambruzzi and Nick Sheehan about the trends within franchising's health, wellness & beauty space. What's makes a brand grow? What prohibits one from taking off? What is PE looking for? All is that is covered here!

In this Supplier Wire episode Ryan speaks Brad Stevens, the founder and CEO of a company called Outsource Access, which is an offshore virtual services firm.

In this episode, Zack opens up the Modrn Business audience to the world of “red light therapy” with CEO & Founder, Terri Simpson and President, Andrea Dobkin, of Avanti Body. We discuss the founding story, the viability of red light therapy, how they educate their customers/franchisees/land lords about the industry, an exciting new announcement and all about where they're opening across the USA. To learn more, visit www.avantibody.com or www.avantibody.com/franchise!

In this Supplier Wire Series episode of Modrn Business Podcast, FSN VP of Business Development Jake Fishman chats with Lizzy Young, Director of Franchise Engagement for DevHub. DevHub is a CMS truly built for franchises - where you can scale and integrate freely with the support you need, when you need it. Jake & Lizzy discuss Lizzy's years of experience in franchising, and how DevHub's world-class CMS helps Zors and Zees scale & grow. Connect with today's guest: franchisesuppliernetwork.com/featured-supplier/devhub/ Register for the Franchise “UnConferences” at www.franchisors.com

In this MB episode, Zack chats with Paul Flick, founder of one of the original home service platforms, Premium Service Brands. We discuss the secret behind his shared service model, how he's adding revenue streams for his franchisees, his investment thesis, how they're taking advantage of the current economic climate and how they use technology to gain an edge.

In this Supplier Wire Series episode of Modrn Business Podcast, FSN VP of Business Development Jake Fishman chats with Oscar Wimshurst, Senior Partnerships Manager of NiceJob. NiceJob is a Reputation Marketing platform helping franchisees get 4x the reviews and 2x the sales. Jake & Oscar discuss Oscar's background, what "reputation marketing" is, and how NiceJob drives franchisee revenue. Connect with today's guest: franchisesuppliernetwork.com/featured-supplier/nicejob/ Register for the Franchise “UnConferences” at www.franchisors.com.

In this MB episode, Zack returns to the children's service space, this time with Jamie Krasnov, CEO of Apex Leadership. We discuss the viability of the children's service space as a whole, where Apex plays a role in its success, the massive addressable market for school fundraising, their ideal franchise candidate and much more!

In this special Modrn Business episode series "Inside the Mind of a Brand President" Zack speaks with Paul Ebert, President of HFC's Aussie Pet Mobile and Two Maids.

Zack welcomes back Bloomin' Blinds to the show, this time with COO Kris Stuart! We dive deep into the “build” vs “buy” technology stack discussion, how they've implemented AI in the brand, why Bloomin' Blinds is a viable investment today and updates on the brand since they last were on MB in 2020.

In this Modrn Business episode, Zack chats with restaurant aficionado Robin Gagnon (CEO & Co-Founder, We Sell Restaurants) to discuss all things F&B. We dive into trends we're seeing in the QSR, FSR, Fast Casual & LSR spaces, how macroeconomic pressures are playing a role in what MUOs are gravitating towards, how technology is helping MUMBOs decide which brands to invest in and why resales/transfers will become more prominent in the next 2-4 years.

In this episode, Zack gets inside the mind of Burn Boot Camp's Visionary Co-Founder, Devan Kline. We discuss his humble beginnings, how his athletic career translated to a successful franchisor, how Devan and his Co-Founder, CEO (and wife), Morgan, conquer franchising together and his opinions on the mark he wants to make on franchising as a whole.

In this episode Ryan chats with franchise veteran Keith Gerson.

n this episode, Zack chats with the CEO & Founder of franchising's first “mobile group fitness” concept, OutFit's Randy Hetrick. Being the Founder of TRX (based on his multiple decades as a Navy Seal), Randy and I discussed his ideal franchisee, the founding story, his growth strategy, why this brand is ripe for explosive growth and how he plans to handle bad weather & seasonality.

In this Supplier Wire Series episode of Modrn Business Podcast, Ryan Hicks chats with Raphael Rajan & Shray Mehra, Co-Founders of EZee Assist. EZee Assist is a platform that amplifies support and strengthens franchise relationships, by using AI to provide around-the-clock support to franchise owners and staff on all operational topics. Ryan, Raphael & Shray discuss why AI is the future of franchising, supporting franchisees better than ever before. Connect with today's guest: franchisesuppliernetwork.com/featured-supplier/ezee-assist/ VISIT EZEE ASSIST AT IFA BOOTH 330! Register for the Franchise “UnConferences” at www.franchisors.com.

IFA 2024 Preview with President, Matt Haller by

In this Supplier Wire Series episode of Modrn Business Podcast, Ryan Hicks chats with Dan Broudy, CEO of Clayton Kendall. Clayton Kendall's marketing supply chain program helps franchise communities and multi-location businesses scale rapidly, save money, and better manage their promotional products, signage, apparel, POP kits, and marketing collateral. Ryan and Dan discuss why it's more important than ever to centralize your marketing supply chain to help your brand succeed. Connect with today's guest: franchisesuppliernetwork.com/featured-supplier/clayton-kendall/ Register for the Franchise “UnConferences” at www.franchisors.com

In this Supplier Wire Series episode of Modrn Business Podcast, Ryan Hicks chats with Romain Dudek, U.S. Business Developer of Smappen. Smappen is the quickest and easiest territory mapping software you've ever had. Their all-in-one online platform helps you choose the best location by providing detailed demographics and competitor analysis. Ryan and Romain discuss Smappen's cutting-edge territory mapping solution, and what your franchise development strategy should look like. Connect with today's guest: franchisesuppliernetwork.com/featured-supplier/smappen/ Register for the Franchise “UnConferences” at www.franchisors.com

In this episode, Zack previews conferences, trends and exciting new Modrn Business announcements in Q1 of 2024