Franchise Fit Podcast

Can a preschool become a million-dollar business, a real estate play, and a business that holds up during tough economies? Drew McWilliams explains how he built Ivybrook Academy and what he learned after roughly $500,000 in mistakes.

How did a dog wellness business grow to 170 open locations while building recurring revenue around a problem most dog owners overlook? In this episode of the Franchise Fit Podcast, Lance Graulich sits down with Tim Vogel, co-founder and CEO of Scenthound, to break down the business model behind one of the fastest-growing concepts in dog wellness. Scenthound isn't positioned as a traditional dog grooming business. Tim explains why routine hygiene, including skin, coat, ears, nails and teeth care, is an overlooked part of responsible dog ownership. He also shares why Scenthound turned that need into a membership-based business designed around predictable monthly visits.

What happens when a successful automotive executive leaves the car business and jumps into body sculpting AND nails? In this episode of the Franchise Fit Podcast, Lance Graulich sits down with Uli DiMartino, franchisee of The TOX and incoming franchisee of The Shade, to talk about his move from automotive retail into the rapidly growing beauty, wellness, and aesthetics space.

A duct-cleaning franchise doing more than $2 million in annual revenue? Modern PURAIR founder Lane Martin explains how this overlooked home-service business scales. More than half of Modern PURAIR franchisees are generating over $1 million in revenue, according to the financial performance discussion in this episode, while the top operator exceeded $2 million.

Can you own a franchise without quitting your job? Dean explains why “semi-absentee” shouldn’t mean handing the keys to a general manager and checking the bank account once a month. Owners still need to lead. The difference is that they don’t necessarily have to perform one of the major day-to-day jobs inside the company. In Five Star Bath Solutions and Five Star Flooring, the owner can oversee the business rather than personally running sales calls or completing installations. Technology also allows many management responsibilities to happen outside traditional business hours or from almost anywhere. That makes this conversation especially relevant for corporate executives and first-time franchise buyers researching semi-absentee franchises, home service franchises, executive franchise models, and businesses they can build while transitioning out of corporate America.

In this episode of the Franchise Fit Podcast, Lance Graulich sits down with Jon Floyd, owner and operator of HOODZ, to talk about building a commercial kitchen cleaning franchise from the ground up. Jon’s path into the business started in an unexpected place: aboard U.S. Navy ships in 1997, where cleaning kitchen hoods was sometimes handed to him as punishment. Years later, after retiring from his military career and exploring several business ideas, Jon found HOODZ while researching franchise opportunities. He launched his franchise in 2023 and has since expanded his interests across multiple states.

Can a kids art franchise become a profitable business while making a meaningful impact on families? Justin Nihiser explains how Kid Create Studio combines youth enrichment, community involvement, and a proven franchise system.

How do you franchise your business without weakening the company that made it successful? Brian Luciani explains the economics and founder mindset that separate scalable concepts from expensive mistakes. In this Franchise Fit Podcast episode, Lance Graulich sits down with Brian Luciani, Chief Growth Officer and Venture Partner at SMB Franchise Advisors, to answer the question many independent business owners ask: Is my business ready to franchise? Brian explains product-market fit, repeatable operations, unit economics after royalties, and founder responsibilities. He explains why becoming a franchisor means moving from player to coach, why the first franchisee can shape the culture for years, and why accepting the wrong candidate can cost more than walking away from a check.

Can a youth enrichment franchise teach three-year-olds chess and produce strong unit economics without a storefront? Story Time Chess has built its business around that exact idea. In this episode of the Franchise Fit Podcast, host Lance Graulich sits down with Jon Sieber, co-founder of Story Time Chess, and Elise Morales, Director of Franchise Development at Franchise FastLane, to examine a children’s education franchise that combines storytelling, chess instruction, school partnerships, and a low-overhead operating model.

Home service franchise ownership can look passive from the outside. Alex Filipuk explains why semi-absentee ownership only works when capital, cash flow, time, and operational complexity support the owner’s expectations. Can a Siding Franchise Become Semi-Absentee? Lance Graulich sits down with Alex Filipuk, founder and CEO of Ideal Siding, to discuss how a technology professional with no siding installation experience built a specialized home services franchise with nearly 100 locations across the United States and Canada. Alex explains why siding is an essential service, why it is more complex than roofing, and how that complexity can create opportunity for owners who follow a proven system. This episode is for tech executives, first-time franchise buyers, and investors researching home improvement franchises. You’ll also hear why professionals concerned about AI replacing corporate jobs are moving toward local service businesses. For another example, watch Why Tech Executives Are Choosing Home Care Brands .

Can you build a multimillion-dollar staffing franchise without recruiting or HR experience? Melissa Davis explains why sales ability, people skills, and operational commitment matter more than an industry résumé. Melissa Davis, Vice President of Franchising for Express Employment Professionals, joins Lance Graulich to break down the staffing franchise model, what separates top owners from low performers, and why this B2B business can scale within a single territory. Melissa shares that 95% of Express franchise owners enter without a background in staffing, recruiting, or human resources. She also discusses first-year owners approaching $1 million in revenue and territories open two or more years averaging $5.3 million in top-line sales.

Lance Graulich sits down with Del Salinas, Director of Franchise Development at Caring Senior Service, to explain how a non-medical home care franchise works and why demand is growing as more seniors choose aging in place over assisted living. This episode is for first-time franchise buyers and corporate professionals considering a recession-friendly service franchise. Del explains why successful owners must be coachable and committed to the system while building strong relationships.

In this episode of the Franchise Fit Podcast, Lance Graulich sits down at the International Franchise Association with Brian Jackman, President of Ziebart Corporation, and Nick Lambie, award-winning Ziebart franchise owner, Air Force veteran, VetFran Committee member, and Franchisee of the Year.

In this episode of the Franchise Fit Podcast, Lance Graulich sits down with Cory Albertson, co-founder of Wet Fuel, a mobile diesel fuel delivery franchise built around B2B recurring revenue, fleet fueling, proprietary trucks, and a small-staff operating model. Cory shares how Wet Fuel started, why America runs on diesel, and how construction companies, fleet operators, generators, and commercial businesses can save time, labor, and money by having fuel delivered directly to their vehicles and equipment. If you are looking for a franchise opportunity with no brick-and-mortar location, business-to-business customers, recurring revenue, and a first-mover advantage in mobile diesel delivery, this episode is a must-watch.

Lance Graulich sits down with Tony Hulbert, CEO of HorsePower Brands, to talk about why home service franchises continue to be one of the strongest categories in franchising. Tony breaks down the difference between buying an existing business and investing in a franchise, why culture matters in franchise ownership, how HorsePower Brands supports first-time business owners, and how AI is changing call centers, sales coaching, customer service, and lead generation.

In this episode of the Franchise Fit Podcast, Lance Graulich sits down with Art Coley of CGI Franchise at the International Franchise Association show in Las Vegas to discuss what is changing in franchise development in 2026. Art shares how franchisors can build stronger sales funnels, why organic lead generation matters, and why many brands do not have a lead problem — they have an appointment-setting and sales process problem. They also break down the Recruitment Operating System, the importance of data analytics, outbound prospecting, and why franchise development teams need better systems instead of chasing shortcuts.

In this episode of the Franchise Fit Podcast, Lance Graulich sits down at the International Franchise Association in Las Vegas with Kristen Denzer, Founder and CEO of Tierra Encantada, one of the fastest-growing childcare franchise brands in the early education space. Kristen shares how Tierra Encantada is redefining traditional daycare through Spanish immersion, a global meal program, full-time teacher career paths, and a strong recurring revenue model. With 13 corporate locations, multiple states, and impressive Item 19 performance, Tierra Encantada offers a powerful look at why childcare franchises continue to attract serious franchise candidates.

In this episode of Franchise Fit, Lance Graulich sits down with Don Tarinelli, Chief Development Officer of Franchise Fastlane, during IFA Week in Las Vegas. Don shares what makes someone a strong franchise candidate, why “too entrepreneurial” can actually be a red flag, the importance of franchise validation, and what first-time business owners need to know before investing in a franchise. They also discuss Franchise Fastlane, Carpool, semi-absentee ownership, franchise resales, acquisitions, and how to choose a brand that fits your actual skill set.

In this episode of the Franchise Fit Podcast, Lance Graulich sits down in Las Vegas during International Franchise Association Week with longtime franchisee Michael Solomon, a 32-year franchise owner with experience in Great American Cookies and Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop. Michael shares what he has learned from decades in franchising, including how to build strong teams, why franchise systems outperform many mom-and-pop businesses, what first-time franchise buyers need to know, and the biggest mistakes franchisees make when they put dollars over people. This episode is sponsored by SeoSamba — empowering franchises with predictable results and AI-driven marketing.

At the International Franchise Association Show in Las Vegas, Lance Graulich sits down with Dan Claps, CEO of Voda Cleaning & Restoration and founder of Franchise Playbook, shares how Voda almost went out of business in the beginning, what changed when the team started listening to franchise candidates, and how the brand grew to 110 franchise owners and roughly 300 locations.