The Global Franchise Podcast

How to create authentic franchise PR, with Sally Anne Butters and Lucy Archer of Rev PR

For some brands, public relations can seem like a marketing buzzword that crops up only on occasion. But for the real industry-leading franchises, a strong PR strategy is the backbone to both consumer awareness, and new franchisee acquisition. 
Nobody knows this more than Sally Anne Butters and Lucy Archer, whose public relations organization Rev PR has doubled its client base since last March when brands scrambled to solve problems presented by the pandemic.
On this episode, we speak with Sally and Lucy about the cornerstones of solid PR, and the pair share their essential tips that brands can start using from today, to ensure that they’re still a part of the conversation tomorrow. 
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.

Why you should invest in essential services, with Michael Pearce of Authority Brands

The term ‘essential service’ has gained traction this past year and has left the likes of ‘recession-proof’ in the dust. Some franchises previously listing the latter as a selling point struggled to conjure proof when the pandemic hit, but for names like those under the Authority Brands banner, the past year has only bolstered their success. 
On this episode of the podcast, we catch up with Michael Pearce, chief development officer for Authority Brands, to talk all things services. How has the group continued acquiring franchises during the pandemic? What does it look for when partnering with new brands? And how has it boosted those brands to industry-leading levels? Find out all of this and much more during our in-depth conversation. 
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.

Why franchises could fail internationally, with Natalie Brennan of Muffin Break

Everybody’s familiar with food delivery by this point, and terms like ‘curbside’ and ‘take-out’ have been staples of the F&B industry throughout the pandemic. But for a brand like Muffin Break, which primarily serves low-cost baked food and hot drinks, how do you adapt to the widespread shutdown of brick-and-mortar locations? 
The answer lies in the concept’s adaptability, and the varied investment models that have taken the brand from shopping centers to train stations, soft play areas, and even extensions of existing QSR businesses. 
It hasn’t always worked – with Muffin Break failing to make waves in countries like India and Indonesia – but for Natalie Brennan, general manager, Muffin Break’s versatility is its saving grace during these challenging times. 
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.

Turning customers into franchise endorsers, with Tom Epstein of Franchise Payments Network

When was the last time that a brand rewarded you for having a positive experience? For Tom Epstein and POLN8, the sister organization of Franchise Payments Network, this incentivization is crucial; especially in a year when brand loyalty can be the saving grace for some franchises facing financial turmoil. 
On this episode of the podcast, we speak with Tom, founder and CEO of both Franchise Payments Network and POLN8, about how his team set about “reimagining what loyalty should be”, and why over-rewarding customers should be on every franchise’s to-do list for 2021. 
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.

Franchising’s app-based future, with Eloi Gómez of Jeff

From a laundry aggregator in 2015 to an international multi-brand network of franchises today, the Jeff journey defies the usual success story conventions we’ve come to expect. 
In fact, the brand didn’t begin as a franchise at all, and was instead a tech company – something that Jeff franchisees are now benefitting from, with the group’s customer-focused software driving ongoing growth. 
On this episode, we sit down with Eloi Gómez, founder and CEO of the Jeff brand, to learn more about the multiple verticals on offer to franchisees, the benefits that come with each of its four concepts, and how those benefits led to its most recent round of funding that raised $21m, and put U.S. development on the 2021 schedule. 
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 keep business buoyant for education brands, with Julie-ann James of Aquababies

Did you know that babies are born with a natural ability to hold their breath underwater? Or that in Turkey, babies are required to wear woolen socks when swimming to prevent a chill? Julie-ann James does, because she learned these tidbits and much, much more on her journey to founding and growing international infant swimming school, Aquababies. 
On this episode of the podcast, we speak with Julie-ann about why she believes baby swimming schools remain a smart investment even during a pandemic, and how her brand-new consultancy, PABS Consulting, can help entrepreneurs to build their own brands within this buoyant industry. 
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.

Brand-boosting tips for building franchisee goodwill, with Ben Midgley of Crunch Franchise

We’ve spoken to many fitness professionals this year to get a clear understanding of the past, present, and exciting future of the industry. None of our previous guests, however, have opened co-branded locations with soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo or partnered with Apple to dominate the wearables market. 
To get the inside scoop on Crunch Fitness’ growth, we spoke with Ben Midgley, CEO and founding partner of Crunch Franchise, who has been immersed in big fitness for over a decade. It’s that expertise, and Midgley’s commitment to relationship building, that has allowed Crunch to open new locations every single month of this year’s pandemic, bar one. Because at the end of the day: “the overall offering of a gym will determine where a consumer chooses to go”. 
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.
This episode of the Global Franchise Podcast is brought to you by Expense Reduction Analysts, delivering cost-optimization solutions to help international business survive and thrive. For more information, visit expensereduction.com.

From food cart to franchise fame, with Ahmed Abouelenein of The Halal Guys

Few U.S. brands exemplify the American Dream quite like The Halal Guys. Starting as a New York food cart in 1990, the concept was then nurtured and grown into the international powerhouse it is today; with Asia now rivalling the States as a key market for the forward-thinking franchise. 
But how did The Halal Guys’ streetside beginnings lead to brick-and-mortar success, and what role do cloud kitchens play in turning it into a diverse, exciting, and tech-driven organization? 
Find all of this and more out on this episode of the podcast, as we sit down with CEO Ahmed Abouelenein to hear about how he’s evolving this conceptually niche franchise into a household name.
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.
This episode of the Global Franchise Podcast is brought to you by Expense Reduction Analysts, delivering cost-optimization solutions to help international business survive and thrive. For more information, visit expensereduction.com.

The dangers of low-cost fitness, with Adam Sedlack of UFC GYM

Any fitness concept, boutique or big-box, has a responsibility to the wellbeing of a population. At least, that’s the stance of Adam Sedlack, co-founder of MMA-centric workout brand UFC GYM, which has been conquering the global fitness market with its premium offering since it was founded just over a decade ago. 
Despite the pandemic, business has been booming. So much so that as well as consistent success in the more than 37 countries that UFC GYM already operates in, the brand is on track to open “more gyms in the next four to five months and in any stretch of the organization”. 
How have they managed it? By always following the brand’s “North Star”, and ensuring that UFC GYM’s premium price point offers the deepest value proposition in town. 
Find out about all this, the potential decline after the boutique boom, and the dangers of a low-cost model, on this 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.
This episode of the Global Franchise Podcast is brought to you by Expense Reduction Analysts, delivering cost-optimization solutions to help international business survive and thrive. For more information, visit expensereduction.com.

How to turn passion into profits, with Christine Kelly of Little Kickers

One of the main draws for franchising, especially for busy entrepreneurs trying to juggle life’s many responsibilities with a fulfilling career, is the ability to work for yourself, on your own terms. For Christine Kelly, the founder of children’s soccer franchise Little Kickers, this was the main motivator behind kick-starting her own brand. In 2002, her two-year-old son wanted somewhere to play soccer, and she wanted a new career. 
Fast-forward 18 years, and Little Kickers is now an award-winning international network. Christine’s new goal? “Making Little Kickers as important as breakfast.” She’s doing that by prioritizing communication, and making the end-user experience as convenient as possible – keeping students engaged, making sure parents can track their progress, and bringing the brand to the forefront of a family’s weekly schedule. 
On this episode of the podcast, find out how the brand managed to retain 96 per cent of its customers during lockdown, and why 2021 could be Little Kickers’ greenest year yet.
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.
This episode of the Global Franchise Podcast is brought to you by Expense Reduction Analysts, delivering cost-optimization solutions to help international business survive and thrive. For more information, visit expensereduction.com.