Franchise Interviews 4.0

Franchise Interview with Dante Vespignani
We are meeting with Dante Vespignani from Turma Inc., also known as The Entrepreneurs Source. Dante Vespignani has dedicated his entire career to the food and restaurant industry. His journey began in 1973 with an Arby's franchisee, where he helped expand the franchise to 21 restaurants and introduced two full-service concepts, Tequila Junction and the Samari Steakhouse. Transitioning from franchise to company operations, Vespignani held various senior management roles. By 1993, he had risen to the position of Director of Operations for the Northeast United States, overseeing 800 restaurants with 227 franchise groups. Before establishing his own restaurant consulting firm, Vespignani served as the Director of Franchise Operations/Sales for a startup full-service restaurant chain, contributing to its growth to over 100 restaurants.
Turma, Inc., doing business as The Entrepreneurs Source, emerged as a response to the needs of many franchise operators with diverse concepts. These operators lacked expertise in crucial areas such as marketing, operations, P&L, and cost analysis. Furthermore, there was a demand for Vespignani's extensive consulting and coaching skills to guide aspiring business owners through the complexities of business ownership.

Franchise interview with Author Danny LyonOn today's episode, Franchise Interviews sits down with author Danny Lyon to delve into his book, "The Color of My Underwear is Blue." The title of his book reflects his own business background and his engagements with fellow business owners, groups, associations, and individuals.
Hailing from a family deeply rooted in small-town business ownership and boasting over 25 years in the telecommunications industry, Danny has dedicated the past 20 years to his own business. A significant aspect of his work involves assisting individuals in starting their own businesses and providing ongoing support for their operations and expansion. Reflecting on his journey, Danny remarked, "It has been an amazing learning experience for me and an honor and a privilege to see people from so many walks of life create such diverse levels of business success." To learn more, tune in to the show by clicking the play button below.

Franchise interview with Craig Cody
As a Certified Tax CoachTM, Craig Cody is part of a specialized group of professionals nationwide who undergo extensive training and ongoing education in various tax planning techniques and strategies to attain and maintain certification. Within this organization, Craig has co-authored an Amazon bestseller, Secrets of a Tax-Free Life.
Apart from tax planning, Craig's practice offers traditional tax services and off-site CFO services. With a dedicated and passionate team, they provide daily guidance and advice to business clients, emphasizing their efficiency through a team approach. Their clients include Medical Professionals, Clothing Sourcing Businesses, and Commercial Electrical Companies. Craig addresses the following questions:
What is the most common mistake you see small business owners making regarding taxes?
How can business owners leverage their CPA to their advantage?
How frequently should a business owner communicate with their CPA, and why is this communication so crucial?
 
 

We have a great show.  We are meeting with Shaina Denny, CEO of Dogdrop. Dogdrop is focused on delivering consistently high levels of care, a vastly improved parent experience, and an extended network of locations so that more people can access great and convenient dog care no matter where they are. Dog daycare is not new, but the way Dogdrop is doing it is new. In part two, we play a clip from Tom Scarda featured on our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast. Interestingly, Tom uses the analogy of a hound dog to understand the notion of franchising better.

An Evening with Christy Wilson Delk
We have a podcast scheduled with Christy Wilson Delk. After working in corporate sales and distribution for 17 years, she decided to take a leap of faith. In 1996, she sold her house and withdrew funds from her 401K plan to make the down payment on a $1.7 million SBA loan, which was necessary to purchase and develop a Kids R Kids Academy franchise in Orlando, Florida.
Over the following 15 years, she expanded her business twice, transforming it into one of the largest franchises in her industry, before successfully exiting in 2012.
Christy Wilson Delk, now a speaker, entrepreneur, and educator, serves as an Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Rollins College and contributes as a writer. She has shifted her focus to helping others achieve greater professional success by building successful businesses.

Franchise interview with Chris Hurn
This was one our most listened to podcasts. Chris Hurn is an entrepreneur, speaker, writer/blogger, and leader. His company, Mercantile Capital Corporation, specializes in financing commercial real estate for entrepreneurs and small business owners across the United States through the SmartChoice Commercial Loan program, also known as the SBA 504 loan. Christopher G. Hurn, the CEO of Mercantile Capital Corporation in Orlando, is the author of "The Entrepreneur's Secret to Creating Wealth: How the Smartest Business Owners Build Their Fortunes," his debut book. He also offers a special deal for entrepreneurs: purchasing two or more copies of his new book will result in all proceeds being donated to the NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation. Priced at $19.95, the book provides Hurn's distinctive insight into wealth accumulation, derived from his experience lending money—over $424.2 million in 2012—to support small business entrepreneurs in acquiring or developing their own facilities. Hurn, who frequently appears as a small business commentator on Fox Business News, The Huffington Post, PBS, and other media outlets, asserts that he understands the mindset of small business entrepreneurs because he is one himself. 

Franchise Interview with Cheree WarrickA common question we often receive is whether a business plan is necessary when purchasing a franchise. The simple answer is yes! Cheree Warrick, a business plan writer at The Profit Partner, is an expert in this area. You can learn everything you need to know about crafting business plans by tuning in to this podcast.
The Profit Partner specializes in writing business plans for entrepreneurs seeking funding from banks, angel investors, and venture capitalists. Their ambitious goal is to assist 1000 entrepreneurs in raising over $1 billion in capital for their expanding businesses. Securing funding for your business is highly competitive, with less than 40% of bank loans, less than 10% of pitches to angel investors, and less than 1% of pitches to venture capitalists being funded. To secure the funding you deserve, you must have an investable business plan, financial projections, and a pitch deck.
You can view samples of their work at https://writemybusinessplan.com.
In part two, we feature a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

Franchise Interview with Aicha Bascaro.
We have an exciting show lined up where we'll be meeting with Aicha Bascaro. Aicha is the Founder & CEO of the American Franchise Academy® (AFA) and brings over 30 years of experience in the franchise industry. She has worked in 14 countries with master franchisor organizations, led franchise companies, and managed franchise operations for renowned brands such as Domino’s Pizza, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, and Olive Garden. Her passion lies in assisting franchise leaders focused on growth, financial, and time freedom. Aicha is also a coach, speaker, and author of the Amazon Best-Selling books “The Franchise Fix” and “Multi-Unit Franchise Mastery”.
In 2024, the AFA is celebrating its 8th anniversary, continuing its mission to help franchisees transform their single-unit franchise jobs into multi-unit enterprises. The academy provides systems that enhance employee retention and productivity, lower costs, and boost profitability. Her clients hail from both the US and around the globe. In part two, we play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast. 

franchise interview with america's matchmaker careyann golliverToday's show is packed with excitement as we welcome Franchise Business Consultant Careyann Golliver. Known as America’s Franchise Matchmaker™, Careyann (Larson) Golliver's expertise stems from her success in growing her family's local handyman business into the top-rated national franchise in the handyman industry. Her achievements have been highlighted in prestigious publications such as Bloomberg Businessweek, Entrepreneur Magazine, and FORTUNE. Careyann is also a highly sought-after professional speaker, sharing her insights on national broadcast channels. In the second part of our show, we feature a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast.

Franchise interview with Zaxby's
We have a meeting scheduled with Zach W. McLeroy, President and CEO of Zaxby's Franchising, Inc., to discuss the success and future growth of the Zaxby's franchise, which is on track to transition from a regional favorite to a nationally recognized brand.
Zach McLeroy not only serves as the President and CEO of Zaxby's Franchising, Inc., but is also one of the co-founders of the Zaxby's concept. In 1990, Zach decided to pause his budding music career and sold his cherished drum set to open the first Zax location, which later became Zaxby's. It was at this inaugural store where he perfected the recipes that have become staples of the Zaxby's menu, including the original array of Zaxby's sauces.
Despite its humble beginnings, Zaxby's has grown significantly over the years and is now positioned for national prominence. Zach continues to be actively involved in the day-to-day operations of Zaxby's Franchising, overseeing brand development strategies and guiding its future growth. He is also a Zaxby's licensee, with ownership in over 95 Zaxby's franchise locations at the time of this interview.