The Global Franchise Podcast

Why experiences are crucial in franchising, with Vanessa Yakobson of Blo Blow Dry Bar

Sometimes, franchise brands can ride the line between multiple industries to ultimately create something completely new and fresh. One such example is Blo Blow Dry Bar, which positions itself in both the wellness and beauty markets to deliver blowdrys and other beauty services to its customers; with a focus put on the experience that its guests receive.  
The brand’s CEO, Vanessa Yakobson, knows a thing or two about delivering exceptional customer service. She has grown the brand since acquiring it with her partners in 2009, and over the next 13 years, Vanessa and her team developed Blo from a humble Canadian concept into an international powerhouse.  
This year, Blo is celebrating its 15th anniversary, so what better time to catch up with Vanessa to reflect on the brand’s successful past, and look toward its ambitious future. 
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From homelessness to international acclaim, with Sanjeev Sanghera of Döner Shack

It’s always exciting to speak with the founder of a homegrown brand that’s just on the cusp of international success. This week, we’re joined on the podcast by Sanj Sanghera, co-founder and MD of the Döner Shack and Döner Haus franchise brands.  
Döner Shack was launched in Leeds in the U.K. back in 2019 and has since steadily grown with new openings in both Manchester and Leicester. Sanj has also spoken about putting plans in place to develop in the States, too, with New York and Florida being eyed as key initial markets.  
But how do you go from launching a brand, and three pandemic-stricken years later, look at taking it overseas? And what does it take to develop an idea from an initial seed to a portfolio of successful restaurant locations? Join us as we speak with Sanj about these questions and many more. 
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Bringing together property franchising and wellness professionals, with Brian Kelley of Phenix Salon Suites

The world of salon property management is surprisingly active within the franchising landscape, with brands such as Phenix Salon Suites opening up doors of opportunity to multiple entrepreneurs at once. On one level, you have the franchisee themselves, who can be in business for themselves but not by themselves. You then also have the beauty and wellness professionals who occupy the Phenix location; with each being presented with a slick, affordable venue to conduct their own business.  
It’s quite a unique proposition, but one that has found many years of success as well as international growth. Phenix first entered the U.K. market at the end of last year and has further plans for both the U.K. and Sweden following the signing of multiple deals across the continent.  
To learn more, we sat down with Brian Kelley, president and CEO of the brand. Brian has been with Phenix for over three years and has played a key role in its international efforts. Join us as we speak with him about his journey into the Phenix family, as well as the future of this acclaimed brand. 
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Will flexible workspace franchisors maintain momentum, with Paula Mercer of Venture X

The coworking space is one of franchising’s newest trends, and brands that have managed to perfect the essentials that workers want from these flexible sites are seeing returns that would make even the most established F&B frontrunners enviable. They may require hefty initial fees – which can climb to over $1m just to get started – but this sector shows no signs of stopping.  
Venture X is one competitor within the space that has managed to go from strength to strength since its 2012 founding. After joining the United Franchise Group in 2016 to begin franchising its concept, Venture X now has over 45 locations open around the world, with a total of 130 in development.  
But what is Venture X doing that its competitors aren’t, and how is it ushering in the ‘coworking 3.0’ evolution? To learn more, we caught up with Paula Mercer, vice president of operations for Venture X. Paula has been with UFG for over a decade, and has seen this coworking powerhouse grow from an idea into an international staple. 
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The international power of brand recognition, with James Williams of Mayweather Boxing + Fitness

Even those who don’t follow boxing all that closely are surely familiar with Floyd Mayweather, the now-retired champion whose name alone has become a profitable and attractive brand.  
It makes sense, then, that Mayweather Boxing + Fitness launched back in 2018 and is entirely based around ‘training like the champ’. With its high-intensity classes and virtual reality workout options, the brand is quickly rising as a leading contender in the fitness franchising space.  
But this is an industry that’s rife with competition, and some may argue that a huge name like Mayweather’s may not be enough to distinguish the concept. That’s why for this episode of The Global Franchise Podcast, we’re catching up with James Williams, CEO of the brand.  
Having worked with Mayweather for a number of years, Williams is deeply connected to the Mayweather brand and is acutely aware of what makes this franchise tick.  
Join us as we speak with him about the brand’s international growth plans, its tech enhancements, and whether the pull of the Mayweather name has been enough for its growing list of prospective franchisees. 
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Trends dictating the future of multi-unit franchising

Over the course of this multi-unit month, we’ve shone a spotlight on several of the key factors and challenges currently impacting multi-unit franchise professionals. We’ve spoken directly to multi-unit operators to learn about their daily opportunities, and have caught up with financial and legal experts to uncover the behind-the-scenes roadblocks that entrepreneurs can sometimes encounter. 
For this final episode of multi-unit month, we’re speaking to three industry heavyweights about the future of franchising.  
This means taking a look at trends to come in the months ahead, as well as learning from their experience of being embedded in the franchise world for a cumulative number of decades. 
Join us as we sit down with Dr. John P. Hayes, CFE, from the Titus Center for Franchising, Catherine Monson from Propelled Brands, and Jim Balis from Sizzling Platter to mine their insight and gaze into the future of the business model.
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Multi-Unit Month is brought to you by The DS Group, a multi-unit and multi-brand franchise group that prides itself on operational excellence, speed of service, and the growth of its people within the hospitality space. 

Funding and legal strategies for multi-unit growth

On this instalment of the Multi-Unit Month takeover of the Global Franchise Podcast, we’re learning more about the all-important strategies that are working alongside an entrepreneur’s drive for multi-unit growth; namely, the legal and financial nuances that support ambitious plans for expansion.  
We’re joined by three financial and legal experts to cover everything that an entrepreneur would need to know so that they can begin building a solid action plan before setting off. Join us as we sit down with Allan Dick from Sotos LLP, Michael O’ Driscoll from Homefront Brands, and Sherri Seiber and Shay Mora from FranFund to cover the fundamentals of building a strong franchising foundation. 
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up for our newsletter at global-franchise.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
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Multi-Unit Month is brought to you by The DS Group, a multi-unit and multi-brand franchise group that prides itself on operational excellence, speed of service, and the growth of its people within the hospitality space. 

A day in the life of a multi-unit operator

On this second episode of the Multi-Unit Month takeover of the Global Franchise Podcast, we’re taking the conversation directly to the people that know about the highs and lows of operating a multi-unit portfolio: the franchisees.  
We’ve spoken with three operators from varied industries and backgrounds to deliver a comprehensive package into the day-to-day lives of this kind of business owner. This includes the challenges, personality traits, and leadership skills that all entrepreneurs striving to build their own network will need to know about.  
Join us as we sit down with multi-unit and multi-brand owners Raj Patel, Martin Mellor, and Grady Hinchman to learn about what it takes to succeed in franchising, and what specific challenges are faced by operators in the QSR, retail, estate agency, and family entertainment sectors.  
To keep your finger on the beating pulse of franchising, sign up for our newsletter at global-franchise.com, subscribe to our definitive magazine, and join the conversation with our experts today on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
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Multi-Unit Month is brought to you by The DS Group, a multi-unit and multi-brand franchise group that prides itself on operational excellence, speed of service, and the growth of its people within the hospitality space.