Season 1 Episode 1
Season 1 opens with a conversation with Mitch Cohen, a multi-unit, multi-brand franchise operator and industry leader who believes giving back is just as important as building systems. From supporting franchise associations to helping brands deliver what franchisees need most through Performax Franchise Advisors, Mitch sets the tone for this series with insight, experience, and perspective.
Season 1 is underway - stay tuned for more.
How Doug Flaig Stops the Shiny Object Trap | Stratus Clean CEO
Doug Flaig, CEO of Stratus Building Solutions, on leading a franchise through change — why answering the "why" before the "what" is the difference between alignment and a network full of speculation.
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How Alex Pericchi Is Cutting the Noise & Driving Franchise Adoption | PuroClean | VP of Marketing
PuroClean VP of Marketing Alex Pericchi on why franchising's biggest adoption problem isn't franchisees — it's the noise we're creating for them.
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How Kathy George Outpaced the Industry
Spherion President Kathy George on the 20 Mile March framework, radical transparency, franchisee succession, and how an 80-year-old staffing brand outpaced its parent company in one of the hardest years the industry has seen.
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How Kevin King Builds Systems That Free People to Lead | Donatos Pizza, President & CEO
Kevin King, President and CEO of Donatos Pizza, sits down with Katherine LeBlanc at IFA to talk about what the CEO job actually requires, why automation exists to create better human moments, and the leadership lesson from Chick-fil-A that changed how he thinks about every person on his team.
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How Paul Pickett Grows Sustainably with Care
37 years. One brand. Paul Pickett of Wild Birds Unlimited on why franchise development isn't sales — it's stewardship. And why that mindset is the difference between a clean Item 20 and a mess.
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How Mitch Cohen Defines a Great Multi-Unit, Multi-Brand Operator
What does it really take to become a successful multi-unit, multi-brand operator? Mitch Cohen shares his journey from entering franchising to building the infrastructure required to scale across multiple brands and locations.
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How Alex and Myriam Guerrero Built Trust, Culture, and a Tint World Empire in El Paso | Tint World Franchisees
Army veteran Alex Guerrero and his wife Myriam built a Tint World franchise in El Paso on trust, culture, and a belief that their franchisor is in it with them. Now they're scaling to three.
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How Jon Sica Builds the Foundation Everyone Else Skipped | President Batteries Plus
Batteries Plus President Jon Sica on AI infrastructure, franchisee exit strategy, raising net worth requirements, and why compliance conversations should start with wealth - not standards. Recorded live at IFA 2026
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How Jennifer Durham Lets the Numbers Lead | Potbelly SVP of Franchise & Development
Jennifer Durham, SVP of Franchise & Development at Potbelly, came on at IFA and said something I haven't been able to stop thinking about: "It's not about the sale. It's about does the shop open well?" 467 locations. Targeting 2,000. Positive sales and traffic when most of fast casual isn't. She's earned the right to have opinions about what the development headline should actually be.
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How Quinn Newhall Leads with Franchisee-First Mindset | Clean Eatz COO
As a former operator turned executive, Quinn Newhall shares how his experience in the field shapes his leadership approach, why local store marketing is the backbone of sustainable growth, and what franchisees need most from brand leadership in today’s competitive restaurant environment.
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How Chris Walls Drives Behavior Change
Your marketing is working. Your franchisees just aren't closing. Go Mini's CEO Chris Walls joins Katherine LeBlanc for an honest conversation about the gap between leads and revenue — and what franchise brands need to do differently in 2026.
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