The Global Franchise Podcast

How the Papa John’s franchise rediscovered its flavor, with Amanda Clark, CDO

How does the fourth-largest pizza brand manage to bring on five million new customers during a pandemic, earn the continued support of a larger-than-life NBA icon, and achieve consecutive months of double-digit growth? 
That’s exactly what we sought to find out on this episode of the Global Franchise Podcast, as we sat down with chief development officer Amanda Clark to talk all things Papa John’s. With an exciting development pipeline including the likes of the new Shaq-a-Roni pizza and a growing presence in 47 countries, Papa John’s isn’t just thriving within the pizza scene; it’s defining it. 
This episode is brought to you by franchisereorg.com, powered by Summa Franchise Consulting and Alexius Solutions, providing consulting and reorganization services to franchisors.
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Thriving in the buyer’s market, with Dan Rowe of Fransmart

To say that 2020 has been a difficult year for businesses would be putting it very lightly, but if approached from the right perspective, the past six months have opened new doors that could make the future very bright for emerging, proactive brands. 
This is the stance of Dan Rowe, CEO of Fransmart, who is basing his optimism off the back of a multi-decade career within the industry. Rowe’s enthusiasm for the current all-time high sales of Fransmart brands, and the availability of ideal locations, is infectious. While it’s been a rocky road so far, the latter half of this year onward could be the best yet.
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Boutique boxing’s battle against COVID-19, with Susan Boresow and James Lloyd of TITLE Boxing Club

Boutique fitness certainly hasn’t been immune to the impact caused by the coronavirus, but with the right level of adaptability and poise, it doesn’t have to spell catastrophe. This is the case for TITLE Boxing; a burgeoning fitness franchise that managed to pivot to an on-demand service, and has since seen an increased demand for in-person training sessions. 
 
On this episode of the podcast, we speak with Susan Boresow, president of TITLE Boxing Club, and James Lloyd, head of franchise development, about the ways in which this international brand has maximized its resources throughout the past months, and is now ready to come back swinging.
 
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Advocating for the future of franchising, with Robert Cresanti of the International Franchise Association

While the height of COVID-19 might have passed in several countries, franchises are still feeling the impact of lost business and may do so for months to come. Thankfully, associations such as the International Franchise Association have been fighting hard to advocate for the best interests of the franchise industry, and Robert Cresanti, president and CEO, is leading this charge. 
In this episode, we speak with Robert about the work the IFA has done so far to ensure franchising can stay afloat, as well as what the future holds for this seemingly unsinkable industry. While the road has been rockier than ever, there’s still a handful of silver linings guiding the way.
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Blazing a trail for cannabis franchising, with Mike Weinberger of Unity Rd.

Marijuana, weed, pot – whatever you call it, the cannabis industry is an undeniably enticing one for savvy entrepreneurs with their mind on the green stuff. The thing is, even with rapid legalization throughout the U.S. and evidence of huge profits off the back of this potent plant, regulatory hurdles and high entry costs can prove challenging. 
That’s where Unity Rd. comes in. We speak with Mike Weinberger, COO of the pioneering brand, about what it’s like to be the first franchise system for cannabis in the U.S., and the highs and lows that come with exploring uncharted ground. That includes the necessity of social equity, as well as why the framework of an established system trumps venturing alone every time. 
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

The challenges and opportunities facing the boutique fitness industry, with John Kersh, Xponential Fitness

Boutique fitness is booming. The luxury – typically more expensive – format of fitness is not only becoming a ubiquitous concept around the globe but is prompting many traditional gym-goers to trade in their memberships in favor of boutique fitness's small group focused, high energy, studio-based workouts.
But with an exploding sector, comes a highly competitive business landscape. We caught up with John Kersh, chief international development officer at Xponential Fitness – a leading boutique fitness franchisor with eight brands including the likes of Club Pilates and Pure Barre – to find out what challenges and what boons the boutique field brings. 
In this episode, Kersh walks us through what impact the coronavirus crisis has had on the industry and whether it will ever be the same again, how Xponential Fitness's brands are starting to reopen studios, and much more.
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. 

How to harness social media and reach the right audience, with Ryan Hicks of Rallio

Ever dressed up in a T-rex suit and danced to promote your brand? That’s precisely the kind of marketing that stuck in Ryan Hicks’ mind when we spoke to him about franchise social media and is the unique approach that brands should be taking when trying to distinguish themselves in a competitive, busy market. 
This approach might not work for every concept, of course, but in this episode of the Global Franchise Podcast, Ryan explains the multitude of ways in which brands should be putting themselves out there and the tools they can use to gain meaningful feedback from who matters most: their customers.
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How franchises can support their network and prepare for reopening, with Josh Wall of Urban Air Adventure Parks

While the franchise industry is still in the midst of international disruption, there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel. Nobody knows exactly when businesses will be able to return to the normalcy they thrived on during the pre-COVID world, but for franchise brands like Urban Air Adventure Parks, there’s still plenty of work to be done – even when it comes to recruiting new franchisees.
On this episode of the Global Franchise Podcast, we speak with Josh Wall, chief franchise officer for Urban Air, about how the activity center franchise is supporting its current network during turbulent times and preparing for exciting growth once things are back up and running. Virtual discovery days have been a great success so far, and for Josh, these might be a tool that’s here to stay.
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Proactive PR during a time of crisis, with Jamie Izaks of All Points Public Relations

Although most of us are now counting down the days until lockdown rules are safely lifted, it’s clear that the return to business as normal won’t be an overnight switch. Gradual steps need to be taken to ensure the hard work of frontline workers isn’t undone, and this means that franchises should be taking the time to plot out a multi-staged approach to reopening sites and serving customers once again. 
Jamie Izaks, president of All Points Public Relations, knows this all too well. In fact, he recently published a four-part plan that directs franchisors on how they should be handling franchise development and customer engagement – from now, until a complete transition to a post-COVID world. 
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

Aiming for the best and planning for the worst, with Sean Murphy of BDO USA

For better or worse, the current climate has exposed which brands have contingency plans when disaster strikes, and which have been caught less than prepared. The thing is, there’s never a bad time to prepare for the worst, and that includes during a global health crisis. 
Sean Murphy knows this more than anybody, having worked within the risk management industry for more than two decades. Now as the managing director of BDO USA, Sean works with businesses every day to assess the impact that something like COVID-19 might have on their brand, and prepare accordingly. This has exposed him to every kind of scenario you could imagine and has also equipped him with some expert tips for franchises that may need guidance when it comes to forward-planning. 
Feeling beaten down? Let’s not forget that a brand is often forged in the toughest of times. We talk about this, and much more, in the latest episode of the Global Franchise Podcast. 
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up to our newsletter at globalfranchisemagazine.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.