Franchise Leader Spotlight
Insights from the leaders behind franchise growth.
From scaling operations to strengthening franchisee relationships, each episode highlights the strategies and mindset driving performance across multi-unit brands.
Season 1 Episode 1
How Mitch Cohen Defines a Great Multi-Unit, Multi-Brand Operator
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.
All Episodes
How Kathy George Outpaced the Industry
What does it actually take to lead an 80-year-old franchise brand through one of the toughest years in its industry — and come out ahead?
Kathy George, President of Spherion Staffing and Recruiting, sat down with Katherine LeBlanc at IFA to answer exactly that. In this episode of the Franchise Leader Spotlight Podcast, Kathy breaks down the leadership framework, communication strategy, and collective goal structure that helped Spherion outpace both its competitors and its parent company when the staffing industry was forecasted to lose ground.
In this episode:
The 20 Mile March: the Jim Collins framework Kathy adapted into a franchise-wide collective goal — and the weekly visibility structure that made franchisees start helping each other hit the number
Why transparency is an operating system, not a value — and what Kathy discovered when her internal surveys told her she wasn't going deep enough
How Spherion rolls out technology to franchisees: the "get the snipers out of the woods" approach to change management
The franchisee succession challenge hiding inside multi-generational franchise systems — and why Kathy has had to say no to protect the brand
What franchising gets wrong about unit growth, and what strong unit economics actually looks like on the ground
Who this is for: Franchise brand presidents, franchisors, COOs, and marketing leaders navigating franchisee adoption, operational alignment, and the communication gap between HQ and the field.
Guest: Kathy George, President, Spherion Staffing and Recruiting Host: Katherine LeBlanc, Fractional CMO | apollocmo.com
