Franchise Advisory Board | Expert Franchising Advice for Franchise Leaders

Every franchise needs expert advice. So, we're bringing the business strategy, marketing, sales, and franchise growth experts to you. Join franchising gurus to learn best practices in FranDev, franchise software, franchise marketing, franchise operations, and even motivation and franchisee relationship management. We'll deliver actionable, valuable insights each podcast from true experts in franchising that are really doing what they talk about, rather than just talking about it. It's a subtle but important difference that you'll feel when you tune in. This is a no chest-beating podcast as well. There are plenty of those available. We focus on what we know will help emerging, growing and even well-established franchise systems take the next step toward franchising nirvana. We'll publish a new episode every 10 days, and episodes should last between 25 and 40 minutes. Thank you to our sponsor ClientTether, the top Fran

Franchise Advisory Board | Expert Franchising Advice for Franchise Leaders is a business podcast hosted by Dave Hansen, with 176 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Dave Hansen hosts Franchise Advisory Board | Expert Franchising Advice for Franchise Leaders, a business show with 176 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #23

  Franchisees Don't Want Another Boss | How to Lead Independent Owners Well

  Sep 29, 202638 minS6

  Growing a franchise system means leading people who are already leaders themselves. In this episode of The Franchise Advisory Board Podcast, ClientTether CEO Dave Hansen sits down with Jason Sant, Owner and CEO of Team Up Athletics, for a practical conversation about franchise leadership, communication, technology, field support, and the lessons that come from growing a young franchise system. Team Up Athletics began franchising in 2022 and has grown to 46 operating locations. The business serves schools, recreation programs, athletic teams, and businesses with uniforms, equipment, apparel, promotional products, and related services. Jason explains that one of the earliest challenges of franchising was learning how to support owners with different personalities, professional backgrounds, experience levels, and approaches to business. Rather than treating that diversity only as a challenge, Team Up Athletics has worked to turn it into a strength.The company encourages owners to communicate with one another, uses its Franchise Advisory Board to gather feedback, stays connected through regular meetings and internal communication channels, and continually evaluates where systems and processes need to improve. Thanks to ClientTether, our episode sponsor. ClientTether provides franchise CRM software that helps franchise brands organize lead communication, automate follow-up, and maintain visibility across customer and franchise development processes. Jason also discusses Team Up Athletics' approach to technology. The brand has moved from spreadsheets and more manual workflows toward proprietary software designed to simplify the work happening behind the scenes. His guiding question when evaluating changes is straightforward: Will this make the franchisee's life easier? That philosophy applies beyond technology. Jason talks about using KPIs and milestones to know when an owner may need additional coaching, while recognizing that franchisees are independent business owners who need room to operate. He also shares why advice sometimes has more influence when it comes from another successful franchisee instead of the corporate office. Throughout the episode, listeners will learn: • How Team Up Athletics supports owners with different personalities and backgrounds • Why open communication with franchisees can strengthen the entire system • How Franchise Advisory Boards can help leadership hear different perspectives • Why peer-to-peer coaching can increase adoption of best practices • How KPIs help determine when a franchisee needs more support • Why staying connected to the field keeps franchisor leadership relevant • What Team Up Athletics looks for in franchise field support • How technology can simplify operations without replacing strong leadership For growing brands, franchise management software and other operating tools can provide useful infrastructure, but Jason's experience reinforces a larger point: systems are only as valuable as the people using them and the problems they solve. Jason also reflects on the reality of becoming a franchisor. Growth does not happen automatically once franchise agreements are signed. Leaders still have to show up, build relationships, refine the system, and support owners as they build their businesses. Thanks for listening to the Franchise Advisory Board Podcast, where we explore the ideas, strategies, and people shaping the future of franchising. If you found today’s episode valuable, please subscribe, rate, and share it with a fellow franchise leader. To learn more, connect with us on LinkedIn and Youtube. Until next time, stay curious, stay strategic, and keep building stronger franchise systems!

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  Episode #22

  Build the Business Before Selling Territories | How to Build a Scalable Home Service Model

  Sep 22, 202640 minS6

  A business can have strong demand and a compelling service without being ready to franchise. Building a model that other owners can operate profitably takes a different kind of work.On this episode of The Franchise Advisory Board Podcast, ClientTether CEO Dave Hansen speaks with Ty McBride, Founder and CEO of Preservan, about the decisions, mistakes, and operating principles behind turning a home service business into a franchise system. Ty and his wife started a historic home renovation company in 2016. Over seven years, the business became more focused, eventually concentrating on wood rot repair. Preservan began franchising in 2023.Ty explains why he wanted to combine a shared mission and operating standards with local ownership. He also recounts the difficulties of expanding through company-operated satellite locations, where staffing problems and the absence of a local owner placed a heavy burden on the leadership team. The conversation moves into the economics of franchising. Ty discusses why he wanted to understand profitability for both franchisees and the franchisor, how Preservan approached financial disclosures, and why candidates should hear from owners across the performance spectrum rather than relying on the strongest results. Thanks to ClientTether, our episode sponsor. ClientTether is a franchise CRM software platform that helps franchise brands improve lead response, automate follow-up, and keep customer and candidate communication organized. For emerging franchisors, the discussion raises an important operational question: What support will owners need after they sign? A franchise development process can help organize candidate communication, but the long-term work also requires coaching, customer acquisition support, and a model owners can execute. Throughout the episode, listeners will learn: • Why Ty spent seven years refining the business before franchising • How local ownership became central to Preservan's expansion model • Why franchisee and franchisor profitability must both be understood • How financial disclosures and varied validation conversations support informed decisions • Why Preservan learned to prioritize management experience in franchise candidates • How mission alignment and meaningful candidate homework inform selection • Why Ty considers business coaching a franchisor's primary responsibility Ty also shares the reasoning behind his book, Damn, It Feels Good: Knock Down Your Cubicle Walls and Join the Built Together Business Revolution, and his belief that a franchise should work for customers, communities, employees, owners, and the franchisor. This episode is for home service founders considering franchising, emerging franchisors refining their model, and franchise development and operations leaders focused on owner readiness and long-term performance. Thanks for listening to the Franchise Advisory Board Podcast, where we explore the ideas, strategies, and people shaping the future of franchising. If you found today’s episode valuable, please subscribe, rate, and share it with a fellow franchise leader. To learn more, connect with us on LinkedIn and Youtube. Until next time, stay curious, stay strategic, and keep building stronger franchise systems!

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  Episode #20

  Better Franchise Operations Start With Franchisees | How to Reduce Friction and Improve Growth

  Aug 31, 202642 minS6

  Franchisee success is not just an operational priority. It is one of the strongest foundations a franchisor can build its business around. In this episode of The Franchise Advisory Board Podcast, ClientTether CEO, Dave Hansen, speaks with DeNita Carani, Chief Operating Officer at Apex Leadership, about why successful franchise systems are built by helping franchisees grow, earn trust, and understand the value behind the decisions coming from the home office. DeNita brings nearly 20 years of franchising experience and a perspective that spans both sides of the relationship. Before becoming a franchisor executive, she spent 10 years operating her own franchise, became a top 10 owner in that system, and later joined the franchisor’s executive team. That transition gave her a new appreciation for one of the biggest challenges in franchise operations: influence without authority. DeNita explains that when franchisees do not understand why a new initiative, process, or change is good for their business, they are much less likely to engage with it. That lesson now shapes how she approaches operations at Apex Leadership. Thanks to ClientTether, our episode sponsor. ClientTether is a franchise CRM software platform built to help franchise brands improve lead response, automate follow-up, and keep candidate and customer communication organized as they grow. The conversation also gets into the economics behind franchisee success. DeNita explains why franchisors should build their economic engine around healthy royalty revenue rather than depending too heavily on new franchise fees. When franchisees perform well, that can strengthen royalties, validation, retention, and future growth. She also discusses the operational consequences of bringing the wrong franchisees into a system. Underqualified or undercapitalized owners can require significantly more support, create pressure on field teams, weaken validation, and add friction across the network. For growing brands, technology and process can support that work, but they do not replace trust. A franchise management system may help organize information and operations, while DeNita’s focus in this episode is on how leaders communicate, involve franchisees, and build alignment around change. Throughout the episode, listeners will learn: • Why franchisee success should be a core franchisor KPI • How royalty revenue is tied to franchisee performance • Why poor franchisee selection creates operational ripple effects • How franchise advisory councils can surface issues before they become larger problems • Why FACs need clear charters, representation, and regular meeting cadence • How transparency can reduce friction and strengthen trust • Why franchisees should be involved in planning and rollout discussions • How annual roadmaps and quarterly accountability can improve communication One of DeNita’s central operating principles is simple: before asking franchisees to support something new, be able to explain why it is good for them. Thanks for listening to the Franchise Advisory Board Podcast, where we explore the ideas, strategies, and people shaping the future of franchising. If you found today’s episode valuable, please subscribe, rate, and share it with a fellow franchise leader. To learn more, connect with us on LinkedIn and Youtube. Until next time, stay curious, stay strategic, and keep building stronger franchise systems!

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  Episode #18

  Better Broker Relationships, Better Candidates | How FranDev Teams Can Scale Smarter

  Aug 18, 202640 minS6

  Franchise development is not just about adding units. It is about building the right process, attracting the right candidates, and creating relationships that support the brand long after the franchise agreement is signed. In this episode of The Franchise Advisory Board Podcast, ClientTether CEO Dave Hansen speaks with Ari O’Brien, Chief Development Officer at Red Rock Franchise Development, about what responsible franchise development looks like when candidate quality, broker relationships, and long-term franchisee success take priority over short-term sales velocity. Ari brings more than a decade of franchise experience to the conversation and explains why Red Rock identifies itself as a franchise development organization rather than a franchise sales organization. Their focus is not simply on selling more territories. It is on helping franchisors establish a repeatable process for identifying, qualifying, and supporting franchise candidates who can strengthen the system. A special thank you to ClientTether, our episode sponsor. ClientTether helps franchise development teams manage lead response, candidate nurturing, and follow-up through franchise CRM software built for the franchise sales process. As brands grow, tools such as franchise development software, a reliable franchise sales CRM, and a connected franchise management system can help teams maintain consistent communication without losing the human relationships that drive trust. This conversation matters for emerging franchisors because the earliest franchisees can influence far more than unit count. They may become validators, help shape training and systems, contribute to culture, and influence how future candidates see the brand. Ari also makes the case that franchise brokers should not be treated like another digital lead channel. Strong broker relationships require communication, responsiveness, and trust. When brokers understand how a development team works, they can set better expectations with candidates and create smoother handoffs throughout the process. Throughout the episode, listeners will learn: • Why Red Rock focuses on franchise development rather than sales volume • How to identify whether a brand and development partner are truly aligned • Why candidate experience should stay human and flexible • How strong broker communication improves the development process • Why franchisors should build relationships with a smaller group of trusted brokers • What makes the first five to ten franchisees so important to an emerging brand • Why candidate fit affects culture, validation, training, and long-term growth Ari also shares why a candidate with enough money and a pulse is not automatically a qualified franchise owner. The right person needs to fit the business, the system, and the stage of growth the franchisor is in. Thanks for listening to the Franchise Advisory Board Podcast, where we explore the ideas, strategies, and people shaping the future of franchising. If you found today’s episode valuable, please subscribe, rate, and share it with a fellow franchise leader. To learn more, connect with us on LinkedIn and Youtube. Until next time, stay curious, stay strategic, and keep building stronger franchise systems!

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  Episode #17

  FranDev Built on the Right Fit | How Hospitality Culture Strengthens Franchise Growth

  Aug 10, 202647 minS6

  Emerging franchisors face a difficult balance: bringing in the cash flow needed to grow while staying highly selective about the franchise owners they bring into the system. In this episode of The Franchise Advisory Board Podcast, ClientTether CEO, Dave Hansen, speaks with Erin Fletter, founder and CEO of Sticky Fingers Cooking, about building a franchise system with enough discipline to choose long-term sustainability over short-term franchise sales. Sticky Fingers Cooking began at Erin’s kitchen table 15 years ago and grew through schools and communities long before franchising. The company eventually operated in thousands of schools before launching its franchise model in May 2023. At the time of this conversation, Sticky Fingers had grown to 28 territories across 12 states plus Washington, D.C. Erin explains why her team was taught early that territories should be awarded to partners rather than simply sold to buyers. That philosophy now shapes the company’s entire franchise development process. Six executive team members participate in candidate selection, unanimous approval is required, and existing franchise owners play an active role in validation. A special thank you to ClientTether, our episode sponsor. ClientTether helps franchise development teams improve lead response, candidate nurturing, and consistent follow-up through franchise CRM software designed for the franchise sales process. For emerging franchisors, this conversation matters because the pressure to sell another territory can be intense. Erin shares why Sticky Fingers instead focuses on building toward sustainable royalties, protecting culture, and selecting franchise owners who can strengthen the network over time. That long-term mindset also requires the right infrastructure. As brands grow, franchise development software, franchise sales CRM, and a reliable franchise management system can help teams organize candidate communication, maintain consistent processes, and support a growing network without losing sight of franchisee fit and culture. The conversation also covers Silver Spatulas, a new Sticky Fingers program that brings the company’s cooking experiences to older adults. Rather than turning it into another franchise brand or charging existing franchisees another fee, Erin chose to make the program part of the existing system so franchise owners could increase both their revenue opportunity and community impact. Throughout the episode, listeners will learn: • Why Erin believes franchisors should award partnerships instead of sell territories • How stronger expectations can actually make better candidates lean in • Why every Sticky Fingers executive team member votes on franchise candidates • How existing franchise owners influence candidate validation and final approval • Why sustainable royalties matter more than dependence on initial franchise fees • How the Silver Spatulas program expands franchisee opportunity within existing territories • Why Erin considers hospitality, gratitude, and servant leadership core business strategies Erin also shares one of the clearest summaries of the Sticky Fingers growth philosophy: “We don’t chase growth. We build it.” Thanks for listening to the Franchise Advisory Board Podcast, where we explore the ideas, strategies, and people shaping the future of franchising. If you found today’s episode valuable, please subscribe, rate, and share it with a fellow franchise leader. To learn more, connect with us on LinkedIn and Youtube. Until next time, stay curious, stay strategic, and keep building stronger franchise systems!

  ListenShow Notes

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