Episodes

Matt Friedman started Wing Zone in a fraternity house kitchen with just $500—and eventually grew it to 140 locations across six countries. In this episode, Matt shares the lessons from his 27-year journey: the mistakes, the realities of scaling, why franchise growth shouldn't be rushed, and what both franchisees and emerging franchisors need to understand before jumping in. If you're considering buying a franchise, franchising your own business, or simply want to learn from someone who's actua...

Most people have strong opinions about franchising—but how many of those opinions are actually true? In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Wes Barefoot reacts to a podcast criticizing franchising and breaks down where they make valid points... and where they completely miss the mark. We cover: -The truth about franchise failure rates -Independent business vs. franchise ownership -Whether franchise fees are actually worth it -Why due diligence matters more than the brand name -The bigge...

Most people think franchise ownership is something you do later in life after climbing the corporate ladder. Brian Garvey proves otherwise. In this episode, Brian shares how he went from walking on at the University of Tennessee, to Enterprise Rent-A-Car, to becoming a franchise owner at just 25 years old through Express Employment Professionals' Emerging Entrepreneur Program. We discuss mentorship, leadership, taking calculated risks, and why business ownership isn't just for experienced execu...

Most people think real estate investing starts with houses. Brent Bowers built his business by focusing on something most investors completely ignore: land. In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Brent shares how he went from serving in the military to building a land investing business that generated enough income for him to leave the Army, create financial freedom, and help others do the same. We discuss land flipping, tax-delinquent properties, affordable housing, manufactured homes, cre...

Most people think buying an existing business is the safer path. After all, why start from zero when you can buy something that already has revenue, employees, customers, and cash flow? But here’s the part many people miss: when you buy a profitable business, you’re often buying high. You’re paying a premium for something someone else already built. And if your goal is to eventually sell, you have to ask a much bigger question: Where does the upside come from? In this episode of Franchise Un...

She was 23, miserable in her "dream job," and had never run a business in her life. Today, Anna Dey is a multi-brand, multi-unit franchisee who has owned six different franchise systems — and retired her parents in their 50s along the way. In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Anna breaks down exactly how she got started using her dad's ROBS (Rollover for Business Startups) funds, how she went from sweaty owner-operator grinding 7 days a week to building a team that runs her businesses witho...

Most people think committing to multiple franchise locations means opening all of them at once… and needing ALL the money upfront. That’s not how it works. In this video, we break down the truth about multi-unit franchising — including what actually happens when you commit to multiple locations, how development timelines really work, and why many experienced operators choose this strategy. If you’re considering franchise ownership, this is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Wat...

The wellness industry isn’t just growing—it’s exploding into a trillion-dollar global market. In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Wes sits down with Jeff Ono (Co-Founder & President of Pause Studio) and Lisa Tengbom (Strategic Oversight Director) to break down what’s driving this surge—and how Pause Studio is positioning itself within it. They unpack how modern lifestyles, increased stress, and a shift toward proactive health are fueling demand for recovery and wellness services. From cold...

In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, we sit down with Rosalie Black, founder and CEO of VibeHouse Hot Pilates, and Marisa Kochnover, Director of Franchise Development. Rosalie didn’t originally set out to start a fitness business. She was simply searching for a workout that didn’t exist — something that combined the intensity of hot yoga, the strength of Pilates, great music, and a strong sense of community. So she built it. VibeHouse is an infrared-heated, music-driven mat Pilates concep...

Franchising isn’t magic. It isn’t passive income. And it isn’t a shortcut. It’s a vehicle. Just like real estate. Just like the stock market. If you drive it correctly, it can take you exactly where you want to go. If you don’t? It won’t. In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Wes Barefoot sits down with Jake Hamburger, co-founder of Franchise Frameworks, to break down what a great franchise discovery process actually looks like—and why most candidates (and franchisors) get it wrong. We ...

In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Wes sits down with Kurt Landwehr, founder and CEO of OVO Salons, to break down a salon franchise model that doesn’t fit neatly into the usual categories. While OVO may appear to be an emerging franchise, the business itself has been operating successfully for 18 years in Atlanta, one of the most competitive salon markets in the country. What’s new isn’t the model...it’s the decision to franchise it. Kurt explains how OVO blends commission-based stylists...

I don’t say this lightly. In more than 12 years working in franchising, I’ve seen hundreds of brands launch—most of them look the same, follow the same playbook, and make the same promises. This one doesn’t. In this solo episode of Franchise Unfiltered, I’m giving you early, insider access to a brand that hasn’t even officially launched yet—and it’s unlike anything I’ve seen in the health and wellness space. This concept brings performance, longevity, recovery, diagnostics, and personalized ...

What if a single franchise could save homeowners months of chaos, prevent $40,000 kitchen replacements, and completely transform the disaster restoration industry? In today’s episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Wes sits down with Mike Pearce, Chief Development Officer of Renew Medic®, the first-mover franchise that’s disrupting restoration by solving the most expensive problem in any home disaster: cabinets. For decades, the industry assumed damaged cabinets had to be demolished and replaced — ca...

If you've ever tried to find the right music teacher for your kids, you already know how overwhelming it can be. Musicologie fixes everything parents hate about traditional private lessons — with certified teachers, a warm community environment, and a proven system that helps kids (and adults!) fall in love with music. Today on Franchise Unfiltered, Joseph and Kay Barker reveal how they reinvented music lessons and turned it into a scalable franchise model that parents rave about. Whether you’r...

Modern PURAIR® has quietly dominated the Canadian indoor air quality (IAQ) space for years — and now they’re finally expanding into the United States. In this episode, founder & CEO Lane Martin shares how he scaled from a single duct truck to a nationwide IAQ brand known for world-class customer experience and a powerful sales center that converts 86% of residential calls. We break down why the U.S. market is the perfect storm for growth, how Modern PURAIR® blends residential cash flow with com...

Discover how WOW WindowBoxes grew from a simple idea in a garage to a multi-million-dollar franchise that’s transforming the home services industry. In this episode of Franchise Unfiltered, Wes sits down with Bret Schneider the founder and CEO of Wow Window Boxes, to talk about how a passion project turned into a $5 million brand — without subscriptions, without outside investors, and with 87% customer retention. You’ll learn: 🌱 How Brett’s mom sparked the original idea 🚀 What changed when t...

When most people think of franchising, they picture burgers, coffee, or car washes. But Joshua Tree Experts proves there’s massive opportunity hiding in your own backyard — literally. In this episode, Wes Barefoot sits down with Josh Malik, Founder and CEO of Joshua Tree Experts, to talk about how he built a high-growth, multi-service franchise brand around tree care, lawn care, and pest control. Josh started as a climber and crew leader, working his way up from the bottom of the industry to own...

Ever think the “sexiest” franchise would be… drains? In this Franchise Unfiltered episode, Wes sits down with Jim Foley, Brand President of Zoom Drain, to unpack a focused service model that’s creating massive opportunities in franchising. You’ll learn why Zoom Drain is thriving with B2B and B2C demand, how “truck math” makes scaling predictable, and why plumbers actually refer business to Zoom Drain instead of competing with them. Topics we cover: -Why specializing in drains beats being a ge...

Franchisors are drowning in stale Zooms, dead Facebook groups, and unread newsletters. Enter Studio F—our internal podcast model that turns franchise communication into binge-worthy, high-engagement episodes your system will actually consume. From peer-to-peer “masterclass” wins, to hiring/retention playbooks, to FAQ Unplugged that answers once and scales forever—we show how private podcasts boost culture, speed up SOP adoption, and even power candidate marketing with repurposable clips. Featuri...

What happens when the guy who built Club Pilates, UFC Gym, and a multi-billion dollar franchise empire decides to start over? 👀 Enter Anthony Geisler and Sequel Brands—the “third choice” in franchising. Forget sold-out territories and underfunded startups… this is McDonald’s-level support with ground-floor access. In this episode, Anthony reveals: ✅ How he scaled brands from 12 units to 1,300+ ✅ Why no private equity + no debt is a game changer ✅ The portfolio (Pilates Addiction, iFlex, BODY...

🚀 Burned out from corporate America, Ryan ditched banking layoffs and the acquisition rat race to take control of his future. Instead of buying a business, he chose a Cabinet IQ franchise — and the results have been incredible. In this episode, Ryan shares why franchising beat acquisitions, how he scaled fast, and the systems that changed everything. 💡 If you’re tired of corporate burnout and dreaming of building something of your own, this episode shows what’s possible. 7 Steps to Owning a Fr...

Most people don’t know this franchise even exists—but it’s one of the most impactful and emotionally intense businesses you’ll ever hear about. BioOne franchisees clean up crime scenes, drug houses, and trauma sites with a mission-first mindset. In this episode, Wes sits down with Danessa Itaya and Cheryl Chason to uncover the powerful, gritty, and purpose-driven world behind BioOne. Timestamps 00:00 – What is BioOne? 02:30 – “Help First, Business Second” philosophy 06:45 – How Cheryl got in...

🍕 Is This the Smartest Food Franchise Model in America? Cascadia Pizza might just be the best-kept secret in franchising. In this episode, Thomas Reinhard, co-founder of Cascadia Pizza Co., breaks down how they turned a mobile wood-fired pizza truck into a booming franchise with brick-and-mortar stores, high-margin catering, and massive community buzz — all while offering a launch runway in just 12 weeks. We cover: Why small towns are outperforming big cities How one high schooler became a ...

Raisa Zovklaya didn’t have the money to start a franchise—so she entered a $20K fitness contest. She lost… but kept going anyway. In this episode, Wes sits down with Raisa to unpack her bold leap from nursing into franchise ownership with Project Lean Nation, how she funded it, built community, and found purpose. This is what betting on yourself really looks like. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Wes mispronounces Raisa’s last name 😅 00:44 – Meet Raisa: Ukrainian-born, Syracuse-raised 05:13 – From Cro...