
Episode #7
Lessons from 'The Godfather' of Franchising: The Spark Session with Todd Evans & Brittany Thoms
Todd Evans, widely known as 'The Godfather' of franchising, sits down with Brittany Thoms in this episode of The Spark Session. Evans has years of stories and hard-won wisdom under his belt, and we're grateful to have the opportunity to learn from them and share them with you! 00:00:00 Todd Evans's Franchising Career Overview 00:06:03 Building Great Teams in Franchising 00:08:52 The Art of Deal-Making and Client Relationships 00:11:47 Innovative NASCAR Marketing Campaign at Aaron's 00:16:28 uBreakiFix's Fast Cell Phone Repair Model 00:19:53 Jeff's Bagel Run: Tech-Driven Franchise Growth 00:21:52 Todd Evans' Entrepreneurial Roots and David & Goliath Story With nearly 40 years in the industry, Todd shares how he helped scale Aaron’s from just 24 stores to more than 2,200 locations, grew uBreakiFix to nearly 600 stores before its major acquisition, and is now building momentum with the fast-rising Jeff’s Bagel Run brand. Along the way, he breaks down what it really takes to build high-performing teams, the simple power of listening when making deals, and why a great idea combined with selfless, ambitious people can create generational impact.You ’ll also hear about one of the wildest marketing moves in franchising history: the time Aaron’s sponsored a NASCAR race and successfully pushed to add 12 extra miles to the event, turning a standard 300-mile race into a headline-grabbing 312-mile spectacle. From “dream big and double it” leadership lessons to the David-and-Goliath mindset that has fueled Todd’s entrepreneurial journey, this episode is for anyone looking to scale a brand, lead with intention, or turn a smart concept into something truly epic. The Spark Session is a storytelling podcast from See Spark Go, a national agency specializing in Brand Strategy, Performance Marketing, PR, and Content & Creative. Co-Founder and President, Brittany Thoms, will take you behind the scenes into the stories and careers of people who bring a Spark into the lives of others in each episode, published bi-weekly. Work with us: seesparkgo.com © 2026 See Spark Go





