The Training Effect

The Training Effect explores how learning systems drive growth and efficiency in franchise and multi-unit businesses. Hosted by Douglas Mark of LearningZen, each episode features real stories and expert insights on how structured training boosts performance, reduces inefficiencies, and scales success. Whether you're a franchisor, business leader, or operator, you'll discover how learning can be your greatest ROI driver.

The Training Effect is a business podcast hosted by LearningZen, with 15 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

LearningZen hosts The Training Effect, a business show with 15 episodes published.

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  Episode #4

  Scaling a 50-Year Legacy Brand: Franchise Onboarding & QSR Operations with Alex Rosner

  Aug 6, 202640 minS2

  How do you turn a 50-year family-owned bagel empire into a rapidly expanding national franchise without losing quality or culture? In this episode of The Training Effect , host Doug Mark speaks with Alex Rosner , COO and Training Supervisor at Bagel Boss . Starting from the ground level—cleaning dining rooms and working counter shifts—Alex rose through the ranks to lead franchisee onboarding, store design, contractor build-outs, and hands-on operational training across Bagel Boss's 21+ locations in New York, Florida, California, and North Carolina. Alex pulls back the curtain on how Bagel Boss balances 50 years of bagel-baking craft with modern franchising systems. He shares how standardizing store design, introducing dedicated cashiers, and creating an "expo station" drastically cut order errors and boosted customer retention. Plus, he dives into the harsh operational realities of expanding into tough markets like California and why franchisors must over-communicate to ensure long-term franchisee success. In this episode, you'll learn: From Counter to C-Suite: How growing up in a multi-generational family business shapes hands-on franchise leadership. The End-to-End Onboarding Framework: How Alex guides franchisees from signing the FDD to site selection, architect design, and grand opening. Operational Excellence & Checks-and-Balances: Why implementing POS systems, ticket initials, and an "expo station" eliminated order mistakes during peak hours. Solving Market Disparities: Navigating labor, construction costs, and high minimum wages when scaling from New York to California. Protecting Brand Consistency: How shipping authentic Long Island dough keeps the core product consistent across state lines. Culture & Customer Service: Why being "the Chick-fil-A of bagels" and treating franchisees like family drives organic growth. Whether you're a franchisor, COO, franchise operations leader, or multi-unit franchisee looking to refine your training and onboarding playbook, this conversation is packed with frameworks you can put to use immediately. Connect & Learn More: Explore Bagel Boss franchise opportunities: bagelfranchise.com / bagelboss.com Connect with Alex Rosner on Instagram (@ACRosner) or LinkedIn. Subscribe to The Training Effect for more operational and franchise training insights!

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  Episode #3

  Operationalizing Training & Scaling Culture with Taylor Lemont

  Jul 23, 202637 minS2

  Culture does not scale by accident — it scales through intentional systems, leadership behavior, and a shared language across your entire organization. In this episode of The Training Effect, host Doug Mark sits down with Taylor Lemont, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner at Image Studios — recognized as one of America's fastest-growing companies and an Inc. Magazine Best Workplace, with 200+ salon suite locations in development across 29 states. Taylor, named the #1 Top Franchise Influencer, shares how Image Studios treats training as foundational infrastructure rather than a one-time event. Taylor breaks down how to build "rolling education models" that engage franchisees and independent beauty professionals ("Image Pros") from the exact day they sign, how to sequence onboarding to eliminate overwhelm, why occupancy is a lagging indicator of franchisee engagement, and why the first 18 months of franchise ownership require active leadership to unlock long-term predictable success. In this episode, you'll learn: Training as Infrastructure: Why training must be integrated across all 5 stages of franchise growth (Real Estate, Pre-Opening, Lease-Up, Ongoing Ops, and Multi-Unit Scaling). The Rolling Education Model: How Taylor applied lessons from 14 years at Steiner Leisure to eliminate waiting for "training semesters" and capitalize on peak emotional momentum. Sequencing & Tiered Onboarding: How to deliver exact playbooks when franchisees need them—moving from 360 Training to weekly Business Coaching. Passive vs. Predictable Franchising: Why the salon suite model requires active involvement during the first 18 months to build semi-absentee predictability. Leading vs. Lagging Metrics: Why occupancy is a lagging indicator and how tracking engagement and execution cadence prevents operational breakdown. Scaling Culture: How Image Studios earned Inc.'s Best Workplace award by establishing shared language and systems that sustain culture when no one is watching. Call to Action & Links: Learn more about Image Studios franchise opportunities at imagestudiosfranchise.com Connect with Taylor Lemont on LinkedIn

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  Episode #2

  Franchise Field Coaching 101 w. Stephanie Benze

  Jul 16, 202639 minS2

  Franchise field coaching is one of the most misunderstood roles in the industry and one of the most underinvested-in. In this episode of The Training Effect, host Doug Mark talks with Stephanie Benze, Director of Education at AC Inc., certified franchise executive, and certified field coach, about what it actually takes to build a franchise field coaching program that changes behavior instead of just checking a box. Stephanie breaks down why franchise field coaching works through influence and trust rather than compliance and authority, how AC Inc.'s 5-month Accelerator Program certifies field coaches, and how she used training and field support to drive 200% growth for a franchise brand in just three years. In this episode, you'll learn: The real difference between managing franchisees and coaching them How to measure whether field coaching is actually working (leading vs. lagging indicators) The two systems every franchise brand needs before scaling: a functional CRM and shared financial reporting Why "the system is the problem, not the people" when adoption fails Stephanie's favorite leadership analogy for balancing structure and flexibility: be the bamboo, not the oak tree Whether you're a franchisor, a field coach, or an operations leader trying to scale franchise support the right way, this conversation is packed with frameworks you can put to use immediately. Learn more about AC Inc.'s franchise field coaching programs and free weekly roundtables at fieldcoachexperts.com, or connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn.

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  Episode #1

  The Systems Behind High-Performing Franchise Operations w/Dave Leveque

  May 28, 202644 minS2

  <p>In this episode of The Training Effect, Doug Mark sits down with Dave Levesque to explore what it really takes to build high-performing franchise operations and leadership cultures that scale.</p><p>Dave shares his journey from becoming an 18-year-old franchise owner to leading operations for major franchise brands across North America. Together, they discuss franchise growth, coaching and accountability, EOS, peer-to-peer learning, operational discipline, and why great leadership is something you do with people — not to people.</p><p>Whether you’re a franchisor, franchisee, operations leader, or entrepreneur, this episode is packed with practical insights on building syst...

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  Episode #10

  The Road to Franchise Mastery w. Jeremy Morgan

  Feb 12, 202645 minS1

  <p>Most franchise training programs fail because they treat onboarding as a one-time event instead of an ongoing development system. Jeremy Morgan, Group President of Horsepower Brands, has spent nearly two decades proving there is a better way. In this episode, Jeremy reveals how he has launched several hundred franchisees into home services by building training systems that balance urgency with empathy, teaching with coaching, and structure with flexibility. He breaks down the three phases of effective onboarding, explains why confidence must be earned rather than given, and shares how he measures success beyond just metrics to include cultural buy-in...

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