Franchise Everything

Ep66 LINK Business Brokers Franchise Business Model, with Farzin Hesari, CEO

Farzin Hesari is the CEO of LINK Business Brokers, a franchised brokerage brand with over 120 brokers in the Australian market alone. He explains that LINK Business Brokers focuses on helping businesses enter and exit the market through leveraging market data combined with their proprietary systems and software.   LINK operates in several countries, with seven partner offices in Australia with its 120+ brokers in this market. Farzin details how they currently command over 20% of the business transactions market, handling between 3,500 and 5,000 businesses annually, with a total of $6 billion in business transactions.   Farzin focuses on explaining the important role and use of proprietary data and technology, particularly artificial intelligence. They gather data on transaction types, market conditions, buyer behaviour, and business performance, which is therefore exclusive to their network.   The brokerage model is franchise-based, and they provide extensive training and support to franchise partners and brokers. So much so, that the average business transaction fee according to Farzin,  is close to $50,000, and their list-to-sell ratio exceeds 48%, far above the industry average.   In terms of revenue for franchise partners, Farzin details the potential to offer services beyond brokerage, such as business valuations and advisory services for business growth and exit preparation. Their goal is to continue improving their transaction efficiency and expanding through new franchise partners.   In a key stretch goal, Farzin concludes by discussing the company's future, which will focus on leveraging AI to generate more seller leads and improve efficiency, with aspirations to further increase their list-to-sell conversion rates.   00:00  Introduction & Overview of LINK Business Brokers 00:49 Locations & International Presence 01:18 Market Share and Business Transactions 01:48 Importance of Relationships and Data in Business Brokerage 02:07 Role of Data and AI in LINK's Business Model 03:23 Broker usage of data and proprietary software and data analysis 04:13 Growth strategy, market positioning and business transactions 04:51 Franchise partnership model & broker support harnessing data through software and systems 06:06 Training and development for brokers 06:31 Franchise partner roles and collaboration into collective offices and re-branding from independent 07:12 Revenue streams for LINK & Franchise Partners 07:51 Challenges in business transactions & market conditions for brokers by state 08:35 Improving Transaction Timelines and Efficiency and list to sell ratio improvement 10:01 Specialisation in different business sectors 10:20 Broker success, brand power and sales process 12:24 Future Plans: AI Integration & business seller leads 13:31 Wrap up   Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au   Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website): www.franchisebuyer.com.au Listen or Watch on; Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/bdf9x28x Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/muj2n7zb Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/4yzsczfp YouTube:  https://youtu.be/FLMOWLxroXs

Ep65 Mobile Skips Franchise Business Model, with Jacob Spencer

An innovator in the waste disposal sector, Mobile Skips has built an entirely customer-centric service offer. In an industry that had been set up to service larger construction projects, Jacob Spencer, CEO, explains how the brand fills the gap that had traditionally been poorly serviced domestic waste disposal.   The discussion on the Mobile Skips Franchise Business Model centred on; A simple easy to operate business, which is actually down to just 2 days to show a franchise owner to run the business An innovative company, as a tech-based business looking for tech solutions for simplifying the business model Doing it differently, with their service somewhat of a disruptor early on in the waste industry. Fixed pricing when they started was broadly unheard of, but normal now. And focusing on domestic customers primarily The Bunnings Partnership, is a drawcard for franchisees with presence in 180 locations across the country.   0:00 Intro 0:28 What Mobile Skips does 0:59 The difference in their skip bins 1:30 The way the business operates under lens of simplicity 2:43 Innovation in the business and copycats 3:25 The gap that customers saw in the market and Mobile Skips responded to 4:27 Day in the life of a franchise owner and Bunnings 5:34 The thought of adding other services and offers and resisting it, but still adapting to the market 6:22 The often intimidating nature of having trades doing ‘deals’ on arriving at your house 7:52 The partnership with Bunnings and how that works 8:33 The ‘typical’ franchise owner in the system 9:50 The start process in reality with trailers and yard space 11:09 The future for the brand in growth and expansion 11:43 Wrap-up     Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website): www.franchisebuyer.com.au   Listen or Watch on; Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/ckyuh84j Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ym4dfub4 Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/aeumnp92 YouTube: https://youtu.be/fPAP1B6hrVI

Ep64 Rebecca O’Brien, PACK & SEND Multi-Store franchise owner journey

Rebecca O’Brien started working at 14 with Bunnings and moved into their leadership team opening stores across the country. Now a mum with three young kids, three businesses, and three dogs! Rebecca and her partner  are going full tilt in life and business, and are also close on their third PACK & SEND store on top of the others and the restaurant they also own.   Rebecca loved her time with Bunnings which was truly career defining in experience and even sending her through University. After wanting a change in direction after 14 years at Bunnings, Rebecca jumped into consulting to retail and restaurants to help with range and merchandising.   After children (twins) and working in their restaurant, Rebecca was looking to get back in to the workforce in ‘anything but hospitality’. The lack of flexibility in the industry and a desire to have a better lifestyle saw a broad criteria for a business search.   PACK & SEND was basically found by accident, and led to deep research into the logistics industry broadly before jumping in. A bit over 2 years into ownership, and a third store is clearly on the agenda!   Rebecca also has some insights on what she sees in her experience as the key to success in a PACK & SEND business.   0:00 Intro 0:27 Rebecca’s two franchise locations are a little way apart and her view on that 1:17 One main career prior to PACK & SEND, started at Bunnings when 14 years old 2:15 Career path through Bunnings 3:13 What it’s like setting up a new Bunnings store 5:01 Responding to a major competitor 7:04 After 14 years at Bunnings making the decision to leave and consulting to a restaurant 9:00 Retail consulting on merchandising and ranges 10:15 Helping partner in another restaurant while thinking about what next 10:40 Looking to get back into the workforce after kids, starting to think about life without hospitality industry’s inflexibility 11:29 Looking for a business in ‘anything but hospitality’ 13:13 Narrowing down a business and was not interested in a franchise initially 14:17 Discovered PACK & SEND basically by accident and understanding broader logistics industry 15:29 Impression of franchising very early on and not thought in depth about benefits and details 16:11 Looks at it as a true ‘network’ working with each other, not just a franchise brand 17:53 Why working together is so important to Rebecca 19:34 Process of enquiring and her research into the brand and visiting other stores before buying into the brand 20:58 The decision to proceed with buying a PACK & SEND 23:09 “We’re in a really high growth area” 24:04 Bought a 2nd location after 6 months which is a retail shopfront 25:57 What Rebecca’s day looks like and her decision to hire more staff to ensure she has a life 27:33 What Rebecca sees as the secrets to success in a PACK & SEND 28:25 Huge job moving military tanks to France and he she figured out how 29:53 Be honest with people and don’t pretend to know everything which is all how you build connections 31:13 Wrap up   Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au   Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website): www.franchisebuyer.com.au Listen or Watch on; Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/2hdwurns Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/mr3xsst7 Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/7rpfej85 YouTube:  https://youtu.be/otQbcDntOyA

Ep63 The Ultimate Franchising Success Formula, with Jan Timms - Franchise Books

Jan Timms authored "The Ultimate Franchising Success Formula," a comprehensive guide to best practice in franchising based on her 25 years of experience in franchising and a PhD study on success factors in the industry. In it, Jan identifies the best practices that distinguish the most  successful franchise brands.   After 7 years of research when Jan wanted to find out what made the successful franchises different from those that aren’t, the research was well-received academically, and it soon became obvious that putting it into a more practical and useful resource beyond the academic world was the best approach.   And the Franchising Success Formula was born!   Broken into five essential elements of success, as the key things good brands do well, and identifying the 12 silent killers to a franchise network, turns it into a true formula for franchise networks to follow and improve on what they do.   The five essential elements of success are; Getting the right people Knowledge management Culture communications systems Field support Learning and development.   These five essential elements when implemented successfully, are the key to counteracting the 12 ‘silent killers’ of a franchise brand that were identified through the research.   Designed to be a non-linear publication, franchise executives and owners can work on pieces of the elements or the silent killers piece by piece in their brands.   0:00 Intro 0:52 The reason for creating the Ultimate Franchising Success Formula 2:25 The process over 7 years with hundreds of interviews and research with a model emerging 3:42 How Jan got her thesis work into a book 4:39 Turning an academic piece into a business practical format in the model that emerged 5:09 Discovered in research the 12 ‘silent killers’ of a franchise system 5:44 The five essential elements for success introduced with the first element - getting the right people 7:44 Franchisors and their relationships with supplier partners 8:44 Second element is knowledge management and capturing and retaining the knowledge so it is easily accessible 11:14 Knowledge sharing moments in meetings 11:48 Third element in the formula is culture communication systems, having a healthy culture and it’s importance with the interdependence requirement of the franchise relationship 13:09 How you build a great franchise culture 15:00 Communicating in other ways than just sending emails and developing rich communication methods 16:10 Fourth element is field support and ensuring structured support and that it is not viewed as one size fits all 18:39 Fifth element is learning and development 20:12 Key ingredients for learning transfer WICKAM acronym 22:14 How is the book best used in a business or franchise network. The book is not linear so can grab parts of it 24:39 Wrap up Get the book: https://tinyurl.com/59nsf33t Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au   Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website): www.franchisebuyer.com.au Listen or Watch on; Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/2dbmzb5s Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/ycy7ea3a Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/mw528eyk YouTube: https://youtu.be/P7eaRd0qtEk

Ep62 How to work out the ROI of a new franchise, with Peter Knight - EXPLAINER

Many people looking to invest in a franchise business are not ‘sufficiently across the numbers of their investment’ according to Peter Knight, one of the country’s leading franchise Accountants.   In the first of our ‘Explainer’ series formats in the podcast, we asked Peter to join us to zero in in a succinct manner on the key factors in assessing the ROI of a new franchise business. That is one that has not traded before and is a new location.   This is as distinct from assessing an existing franchise business ROI which we will look at in a later episode.   The episode is a live recording from the Franchising Business Opportunities Expo in Melbourne, featuring Peter, and we focused on;   - Challenges with New Franchises: New franchise locations, or "Green Field" sites, lack existing financial data, making it challenging to predict profitability. Accountants have to estimate costs such as rent, wages, and other expenses from scratch.   - Cost Estimation Process: Key costs include rent, wages, superannuation, insurance, finance charges, and other operating expenses. Accurate estimation involves obtaining detailed information about these costs specific to the new location.   - Disclosure Document Limitations: Franchise disclosure documents provide general benchmarks and percentages but may lack specific details relevant to individual locations, making it crucial to gather precise figures for a new franchise.   - Decision-Making Styles: Potential franchisees often fall into two categories: those who are emotionally invested in a brand and those who over analyse every detail. Both approaches require careful balancing of passion and thorough analysis to make informed decisions.   00:00 Introduction to the podcast and guest, Peter Knight, The franchise accountant. 0:47 What Peter sees in the market and accountants view of new franchises 2:06 Benchmark data from existing franchises 2:58 How does a person enquiring for a franchise get the information? The problems with it. 3:44 Working out the wages and rent and cost of goods sold 4:16 Next step in the process to come up with the target sales figure for the owner to cover expenses, finance and how much the owner wants to make 4:48 The level of knowledge of buyers 5:22 How much do you want to earn and over what time frame? 6:29 Sees two approaches or types of people asking about a franchise 7:40 Identifying the key factors in information for profitability 9:22 If those numbers are not very good but people are still in love with the franchise 10:28 What does he tell franchisors in circumstances where the numbers are challenging 11:19 The benefits for the franchisors with a financial basis to work off 11:42 Wrap-up Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au   Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website): www.franchisebuyer.com.au Listen or Watch on; Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3e6x76e2 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/3m2tt92y Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/yk35zzu5 YouTube:  https://youtu.be/eEYyHb1uhhY  

Ep61 Meron Sleiman, Urban Clean, Master Franchisee Owner Journey

Meron Sleiman is the Master Franchisee of Victoria for the Urban Clean Commercial Cleaning brand.   Meron runs the business with his brother Kameran, and they have been in business together for 20+years.   They found Urban Clean almost accidentally when looking for a cash flow business while they were in the process of exiting their fast food franchise business that they owned.   The demanding hours and lack of family time is what led the brothers to look for another business and get some more control over their lives. Initially the desire was to purchase only a single unit exclusive territory franchise with Urban Clean while they planned their ‘next move’.   However, it was not long after getting involved with the business that they saw a much bigger opportunity was possible than they anticipated, and quickly purchased the Victoria Master Franchise rights.   The lure of the business of commercial cleaning became too strong after they quickly understood how the business can scale.   Meron’s story is one focused on family, and a desire to ensure his franchise partners are as successful as they can possibly be.   00:00 Introduction to the podcast and the live setting at the Melbourne Franchising and Business Opportunities Expo. 00:23 Meron’s position as the Master Franchise Owner for Urban Clean in Victoria. 00:50 Urban Clean Business Overview with a focus on commercial cleaning and the distinction from domestic cleaning. 01:27 The main differences between domestic and commercial cleaning. 2:24 Starting as a Master Franchise Owner Meron describes his initial plan to own a single territory and how it expanded to owning the entire state of Victoria. 03:19 Transition from a fast food business to cleaning with Meron's background in the food industry and the reasons for transitioning to the cleaning business. 04:36 Working with family as Meron discusses his experience working with his brother, Kameran, for over 20 years. 05:07 The process and reasons for exiting the fast-food franchise business. 06:06 How Meron discovered Urban Clean and why he decided to invest in it. 07:45 Early challenges in transitioning to the commercial cleaning business, including sales and operations and becoming the Master Owner of Victoria. 08:46 Supporting and mentoring franchisees, and the potential for financial growth within the Urban Clean system. 09:11 Money in cleaning as a service business and the goals franchisees set for themselves 10:41 Meron's role in recruiting and mentoring new franchisees in Victoria and what they look for. 11:24 Emphasis on building strong relationships with customers as a key to success in the cleaning business. 12:45 A day in the life of Meron and Kameran, including franchisee support. 14:42 Discussion on the growth potential for Urban Clean in Victoria and the ongoing recruitment efforts. 15:55 Meron’s vision for the next 3-5 years, focusing on dominating the commercial cleaning sector and helping franchisees achieve financial independence. 17:24 Wrap up   Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website): www.franchisebuyer.com.au   Listen or Watch on; Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/22yyzs5v Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/muza9h5u Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/2cn76amc YouTube: https://youtu.be/thN9ZWBvODM

Ep60 Andy Pham, Soul Origin, multi-store, franchise owner journey

Andy Pham is a Soul Origin multi-store franchise owner. Soul Origin’s mission is to bring ‘good times and delicious food and barista, crafted coffee’ in over 150 locations across Australia.   We explore Andy's journey from working as a barista in Sydney to owning multiple Soul Origin stores across Queensland.   Andy started his journey with Soul Origin eight years ago, initially working for franchise partners before opening his own store.   He moved from Sydney to Queensland and gradually expanded his operations, starting with a store in Helensvale and later acquiring stores in Garden City and Brisbane Uptown (Previous Myer Centre CBD). He is currently preparing to open his third store at Fortitude Valley train station.   Andy emphasises the importance of effective staff training and trust in managing multiple stores. He believes that training and empowering staff are key to successful multi-site ownership, as it allows him to delegate responsibilities and focus on growing the business.   He also discusses the differences between operating in suburban shopping centres and high-traffic CBD locations, noting that each requires a tailored approach to maximise opportunities.   Andy shares insights into Soul Origin's franchise model, highlighting the strong support from the brand's central kitchen and the streamlined production process that allows franchisees to focus on customer service and business growth.   Also covered are the brand's expansion plans, including ventures into international markets like New Zealand and potential new sites in universities.   00:00 Introduction and Background 00:21 Introduction of Andy Pham 00:43 Andy’s Journey with Soul Origin 01:13 Starting in Sydney and Moving to Queensland 01:42 First Franchise Store and Experience 02:08 Challenges of Opening a New Store 02:30 Training and Trusting Staff 02:58 Growing the Business at Helensvale 03:26 Soul Origin’s Support System 03:59 Importance of Training and Staff Development 04:25 Managing Multiple Store Locations 05:18 Andy’s Second and Third Store Locations 05:50 Operating in Different Environments: Suburban vs. CBD 07:15 Soul Origin Expansion to Train Stations 07:43 Day-to-Day Operations as a Multi-Store Owner 08:16 Empowering Store Managers 08:44 Discussion on Soul Origin’s Popular Dishes 10:03 Soul Origin’s Production and Kitchen Setup 11:24 Multi-Site Franchise Ownership 12:17 Bringing Family into the Franchise Business 13:15 Future Plans and Expansion Goals 13:54 Training Future Managers 14:22 Conclusion and Wrap-Up   Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website): www.franchisebuyer.com.au Listen or Watch on; Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/56s3h48n Apple Podcasts: Amazon Music: YouTube:  https://youtu.be/GZbvatAQjyI

Ep59 Mail Boxes Etc Franchise Business Model with Clayton Treloar, CEO

The Mail Boxes Etc (MBE) franchise business is a B2B business service centre that provides a wide range of services to the SME market. The services on offer from franchise owners in MBE range from printing, which is a large part of the business, to graphic design, street address postal service and more. In our discussion with Clayton Treloar, CEO Australia, he provides insight into  the fact that printing technology has enabled the business to dispel the ‘myth’ that printing services are in decline to SME’s. The larger printing offset type press in massive volume has declined significantly, while the fit-for-purpose printing such as brochures, booklets, flyers and more for business is well and truly in demand. MBE fills this need along with many other services and support elements to the market. Our discussion focused on; What the MBE brand is and does The size of the brand on a global scale The 3 businesses in 1 nature of the brand offer Expanding the brand footprint and type of person best-suited to be a franchise partner The features and benefits of a B2B business 0:00 Intro 0:31 What MBE does as a business service - a business service centre 1:15 Since covid the need for a business address while still working from home has become a key offer 1:41 MBE number of businesses globally, a large business 2:15 Types of locations in Australia, suburban and CBD 2:38 Services an MBE franchise owner offer to the market in the B2B space 3:37 Clayton was originally franchisee and eventually bought into the business 4:25 A misconception that printing is diminishing, but with digital printing the technology is enabling growth 5:35 Describing the ideal MBE franchise partner 6:32 The benefits of owning a B2B business compared to other business types 7:55 Day in the life of a franchise owner 8:40 The future and the change Clayton sees in technology in the business 9:42 Expansion and key growth states 10:32 Entry cost to invest in an MBE store is lower than likely expected   Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website): www.franchisebuyer.com.au Listen or Watch on; Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/p4fn683n Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/22ntb5m9 Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/2sth4376 YouTube:  https://youtu.be/F2-tVZnUwsk

Ep58 The Town & Country Pizza & Pasta Franchise Business Model with Joe Rossi, CEO

Joe Rossi is the CEO of Town & Country Pizza & Pasta franchise business which is a family-owned, premium positioned food business in the market for more than 30 years now. The Town & Country business is a premium positioned, yet high volume pizza and pasta offering that has had what Joe refers to as 'humble family beginnings' in regional Victorian markets. With a solid brand built and franchise model in 13 locations throughout regional Victoria (as at Aug 2024), the timing is right for expansion of the offer into metro markets and beyond. In our discussion around the brand on the franchise business model, we focused on; The family beginnings with grandmother’s recipes still in the business The approach to quality and excellence Growth strategies built around growing properly, not quickly Sustainability and cost control in not using 3rd party delivery apps and having that capability internally Comparative lower entry and fee costs to the market 0:00 Intro 0:32 How the Town & Country Pizza & Pasta brand started 1:42 The growth of the brand to 13 locations so far today 2:00 The menu and product range in pizza and pasta with family recipes still part of the business 2:51 Quality control in an ever-expanding franchise business 4:09 Planning around growth strategies as they have kept local so far 5:24 The location strategy for the brand and focusing regional, now looking to metro 6:30 Premium offering of the business yet still in high volume, and the role of delivery in the network 7:28 Chosen not to partner with 3rd party delivery apps and why 8:55 The impact of the cost base of having their own delivery resource 11:23 Positioned premium and how a tighter economic climate is managed 13:17 Wrap up Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website): www.franchisebuyer.com.au Listen or Watch on; Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yeykak26 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y45cs53m Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/2tma2au4 YouTube: https://youtu.be/5FqjUDy50Tg

Ep57 The Houseproud Cleaning Franchise Business Model with Paul Mitchell

Paul Mitchell is Founder of the Houseproud Cleaning franchise business which has been operating for more than 25 years now.   When many talk about ‘low barriers to entry’ in business, they are for the most part thinking of low cost of entry. Paul is very aware that in the cleaning industry, those low barriers to entry that are just as important are the ability to start a business without a certain qualification or skill or strong english language skills in many cases.   The key focus of the Houseproud business model according to Paul is to ensure the business is as simple as possible, and with as much support as is needed by newer franchise partners in particular.   Paul focused our chat on the franchise business model on; Low entry costs and wider reduced barriers to entry The model structure with fees and heavy support for new owners Family oriented aspects of the business with 80% of sales at a time from referrals The support ratio with a designed ‘Priority Program’ in place for those who are not 80% booked for work The preferred supplier status after 25+ years of good will in the business 0:00 Intro 0:38 Low barriers to entry nature of the business and especially suitable for first time business owners and new Australians 1:51 Type of customers and the types of work in domestic, strata and insurance work along with NDIS and aged care 2:22 Not just cost but barriers to entry around things like language is crucial 3:50 Business sales through referrals, at 80% at one point 4:25 The model and fee structure including a no fee period while they are building income 5:21 Marketing for new owners to make sure their business gets up and moving quickly and focusing on an area close to where they live 6:10 How Paul builds his close relationships in the business with franchise partners after 25 years in the business 7:48 Franchise partner respect for Paul and the leadership in the business 9:03 What sort of support does the business provide and what ongoing help is mostly needed 10:40 The Priority Program and structured support to assist franchise partners requiring it 11:21 The operations manual of the business and the detail required 12:07 The focus for the brand into the future after 25 years in the market, and what the future looks like 13:16 Wrap up   Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website): www.franchisebuyer.com.au   Listen or Watch on; Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/3u6hyv9h Apple Podcasts:  https://tinyurl.com/yxwcwt46 Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/4zfbshn3 YouTube:  https://youtu.be/omOStEiN_vU