Franchise Everything

Ep46 Sonia Shwabsky, CEO, Kwik Kopy. Franchise Business Leader.

Starting in branding and marketing with King Gee workwear clothing, being a young female in a male dominated space, through to capital raising and managing a forestry business in Nicaragua, Sonia Shwabsky brings a diverse career experience to her role as CEO of Kwik Kopy.   Starting out in clothing retail while at University soon saw Sonia enjoy the opportunity to travel the world attending trade shows and factories in clothing and apparel. On a fast promotion track through the Pacific Brands business meant a variety of roles through to GM with working with a varied range of clients from large corporate client accounts, right through to small businesses.   A desire for a broader working experience and a sense for adventure ending up in Latin America, and Nicaragua specifically running a forestry business after initially just raising capital for it in and around the GFC in 2008. The first taste of franchising came a time after through attaining the Dale Carnegie Training license for the country.   A quick departure from Nicaragua came after internal turmoil, and re-entering corporate Australia in the print and digital franchise space, which soon led to the role of CEO Kwik Kopy Australia.   0:00 Intro 0:53 Key career start and experience in clothing with King Gee work wear 1:27 The start in clothing while working in retail at University 2:26 Seeing the world with trade shows globally in clothing and apparel 2:48 Starting with King Gee as a product and brand manager to GM 4:06 Working on large client corporate accounts for clothing workwear and everything in between 4:40 Working with small businesses while managing accounts with corporates 7:44 Offshore manufacturing of clothing and price points 9:24 A young female in a male dominated industry and finding that an advantage 10:49 The decision to be made to stay with corporate or move for more experience - looking for adventure overseas 13:28 Traveling and the entrepreneur in them finding an opportunity in lumbar in Nicaragua, raising capital then the GFC sees them having to run the business 15:00 What’s involved with running a forestry business in the 3rd world 16:48 Learnings from the Nicaragua experience and problem solving 18:38 Exiting the forestry business and into the training space and the entry into franchising with Dale Carnegie Training 20:35 Starting the franchise in Nicaragua as a new territory for the brand 22:35 The core training products being delivered 23:12 Leaving the training business and working in a digital marketing agency as COO 24:07 Nicaragua turmoil and time to leave 24:59 Moving back to Australia in 2018 in a hurry from Nicaragua and having to leave everything behind 27:42 Got into franchising with another print franchise as Chief Marketing Officer working on digital transformation and e-commerce 28:51 The appeal of the print and digital marketing space 30:02 Coming across to Kwik Kopy as CEO and the desire to get back into senior management 31:05 After 11 years overseas did Sonia feel any disconnection with corporate Australia 32:05 What’s the day to day like as a CEO of Kwik Kopy? 34:03 Keeping on top of tech development for the future 35:33 What is being worked on for the future of Kwik Kopy business 37:49 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/3pyrcrj9 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/yuru8usk Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/4f85afjt YouTube:  https://youtu.be/tGXm9b2NmTg

Ep45 Chenna Kuppyreddy, PACK & SEND, Marrickville and Newtown - franchise owner journey

Franchise owner journey: Chenna Kuppyreddy is a multi-store owner at PACK & SEND in Sydney, and started his working career in India on the family mango farm, moved onto mechanical Engineering in the global oil and gas sector, where he spent a lot of time on projects in Australia.   A desire to get to Australia and run his own business saw life here commence as a street sweeper in late 2016, and then eventually into his own franchise.   Chenna has probably seen more of Australia than many people born here! This is after the amount of times he travelled here as part of his role in the oil and gas industry.   Logistics was in his blood even before he realised it, when young, as part of the family  he had to get tonnes of mangos trucked across regions in India in 45deg heat to be in a condition for sale.   Eventually working on multi-billion projects in India, and experiences giving him a launch pad to enter Australia for permanent residency, his path lead to business ownership, and a franchise with support was a key factor in that process.   Now a multi-store owner with PACK & SEND, you’ll hear how Chenna has carved out a highly successful base here in his adopted home with a growing family.   0:00 Intro 0:20 What's it like owning two (2) PACK & SEND locations 0:57 Came from India and was a Mechanical Engineer in the oil and gas sector and where he used to travel 2:13 Does Chenna miss any aspects of mechanical engineering? 3:09 When he came to Australia and got permanent residency in 2016 after being in the family business owning and operating mango fields 4:35 What Chenna loves about having his own business and not staying in the family business 5:35 Learning logistics in mango farming as a child to make sure the mangos remain in a condition to be sold 6:27 Working on a $2.5Billion project for 4 years and learning so much 7:23 Arrives in Australia 2016 and the family remained back in India, his impressions 8:15 Started working in Australia sweeping streets as had $4,000 in the bank and a recession in mining sector 10:25 Taking every opportunity on offer and the 'dignity of labour' in Australia 12:16 Quitting his job and deciding it was time to get his own business and how he went about finding one 13:51 When he found PACK & SEND and the steps to starting thew process 15:11 First impressions of PACK & SEND and the support in particular being a focus for him 17:16 Chasing more and more information to support the decision to buy the business 18:17 What it was like when he opened the business after the training period 20:25 The vision and path to a second store with a partner 22:04 Buying out his business partner from the second store 23:17 What the future looks like, and the warehousing and retail focus difference between his stores, and possibly a third store as well 25:20 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/f2uyuzex Apple Podcasts: Amazon Music: YouTube: https://youtu.be/YNoeZLGvXmo

Ep44 Exporting a franchise brand from Australia to the USA, with Tim Butters, Co-Founder, City Cave

The City Cave health and wellness brand is already a success story in the Australian market in a very short space of time. Tim Butters, Co-Founder, explained the planning and circumstances around the deacon to enter the American market - and how they’re doing it. Commencing franchising in 2019, and now with 70+ locations grown across a period of significant disruption, the brand is well-positioned for the future. With strong growth in both Australia and New Zealand, the US expansion is clearly a magnet for many brands Tim explains. However, having ‘zero ego’ as he puts it, is important. Tim addresses why Florida was the place for the first location, the strategic planning rationales, and the significant differences between the labour structure they have found, and the impact on the business’ profitability in comparison to Australia. An inspiring and informative story of a ‘young gun’ brand on a mission. 0:00 Intro 0:35 City Cave making the decision to enter the American market 1:37 In Australia we can learn a lot from doing business in America, and what City Cave do 2:18 How and who decided to expand in the USA, in a post-COVID market in particular 3:00 Developing a very tight franchise partner community within the business 3:38 The first step to enter America - zero ego 4:07 What Tim has found most different in the USA, and as an example the job roles within the business compared to Australia 5:22 How he sees the breakdown differences in costs to the point that it levels out 5:49 The reason to start in Florida partnering with the right franchisee 7:18 What the main challenges are that Tim has found, particularly in the franchise documents and legals 8:42 The work in the strategic approach exerting the country and doping themselves and not via a Master Franchise structure 9:57 Managing the growth in Australia v America between the two founders of City cave 12:02 The current status in America and the goals going forward 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/zeb58n7c Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/y8fmc7sh Amazon Music:  https://tinyurl.com/56dbaba9 YouTube:  https://youtu.be/QKdChC90uUQ

Ep43 How we got Jerry Seinfeld to represent our brand and how you can too, with John Dwyer

How do you get megastar to represent your brand? What’s that secret sauce that can lock the deal away? John Dwyer (JD), has a proven track record for consistently being able to present a case for involving celebrities with whatever it is he is doing, and here's his approach and why he went after Jerry Seinfeld to front a small regional bank - and got him! In this chat, JD gives us the background and key takeaways from his experience with Jerry Seinfeld and how he was able to boost a brand campaign with Jerry’s creative and brand power is a masterclass in marketing. The campaign ran over 3 years, involved building a Newcastle born bank branch in a little town in the USA just north of New York, and having Jerry Seinfeld create enough content and brand assets for dozens of TV adverts. JD’s vision and clarity for how his challenger brand needed to approach the market to build a point of difference is a must-see. 0:00 Introduction 0:31 JD’s background in marketing 0:50 The thinking behind securing Jerry Seinfeld for the Greater Building Society 2:41 Presenting to the board to get a spokesperson for the brand 3:13 Jerry was not always as accessible as he is now 3:48 Contacting Jerry’s management and the brief 4:30 The secret to why he did it if it was not for the money as at the time he only had done ads for two other large corporates 5:08 Extrapolate learnings from getting Jerry to rep the brand 6:22 The logistics of filming in the US for the adverts north of New York 7:51 What was Jerry like to work with? 8:51 How long the contract working with Jerry was and his tour to Australia 9:51 What was the impact of the campaign and having a brand representative 10:37 The mechanics of ‘the happy meal toy’ approach 12:29 Even with the success, why the campaign finished 14:23 Key takeaways in securing brand representatives 16:20 The formula to getting people to at least consider your brand 17:22 Hadn’t even watched much of the Seinfeld show before filming the campaign 18:01 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/4977nnt2 Apple Podcasts:  https://tinyurl.com/45pnwct7 Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/54wsd9vb YouTube:  https://youtu.be/DznnbUb6C70

Ep42 Michael & Marlene Wallace , Kwik Kopy, Cheltenham - franchise owner journey

Franchise owner journey: Michael and Marlene Wallace are 11 year veterans in the Kwik Kopy franchise business. Michael came to business out of an extensive engineering career working with food machinery for a number of global brand names, and Marlene from a significant admin and accounts background. Michael became a little 'over' building businesses for other people, which also coincided with Marlene looking to re-enter the work force after being home-based raising the kids, and finding that re-entry difficult. With a firm grasp and clarity on what it means to get value from a franchise business model, Michael and Marlene are very focused on growth and the future of their business in new products and services where they see significant growth opportunity in their location. 0:00 Intro 0:46 In Kwik Kopy for 11 years 1:07 Background prior to owning the franchise, Michael as an engineer 3:06 Sick of working for someone else, and Marlene was out of the workforce for some time with the family so getting back into the workforce was difficult 4:05 Marlene previously managed payroll for a large company and worked in finance and admin 4:38 Managing accounts and also doing quoting and some finishing of projects in production 5:31 Detail and process oriented people 6:01 Difficulty getting back into the workforce for Marlene and what that was like, getting a business for more life control 7:06 The flexibility in the business for them for family as well 7:33 Your own small business and control and flexibility for yourself 8:46 How they found Kwik Kopy and finding no value in many other businesses they looked at 10:02 Why franchise business model was attractive for them 12:57 How they provide feedback to the franchisor in Kwik Kopy 14:29 The due diligence process on buying the franchise business 15:56 Found that the franchise owners are all very collegiate and tight in the system 16:30 Marlene's thoughts and nerves on getting their own business, and taking their time 17:26 Making sure your choice of franchise or business is right 18:58 Change in the structure of the system and territories 20:51 Talking to other people who are thinking of buying a Kwik Kopy 22:38 Main work that they do in their store 25:55 What the future looks like in the business and their location 28:52 Close out Podcast Produced by:  www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website):  www.franchisebuyer.com.au Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/bd22yuak Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/3hyrdmd8 Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/2s432yzs YouTube:  https://youtu.be/GaVPxId4TN8

Ep41 How craveable brands grows four fast food / QSR franchise brands in Australia

As a company with 600+ franchise stores under it's banner across four (4) brands, and all focused on serving chicken, Manal Haydar, Franchise Sales Manager explains how they navigate and approach the market with four (4) brands in the same food segment, and the differences between them. Craveable brands is the umbrella brand and the franchisor for Red Rooster, Oporto, Chicken Treat, and Chargrill Charlies. With Red Rooster being an iconic Australian brand at more than 40 years in operation, and the three other brands joining via acquisition over recent years, each have varying location and growth focuses. We discuss these factors as well as those around ideal franchise partners, diverse franchise partner backgrounds and experiences, as well as not often thought about fact that people relocate cities and states to open these types of businesses. 0:00 Intro 0:32 What is craveable brands 0:56 Why only chicken brands 1:16 Starting with Red Rooster and the drive-thru focus, and adding subsequent chicken brands 2:45 The Oporto brand with Queensland and Western Australian expansion in particular (plus national) with 3 store concepts 3:50 Chicken Treat, a WA born brand and all things fried with 61 stores in WA only and still growing 4:25 Chargrill Charlies acquired in May 2023, and franchising has been commenced sooner than expected given demand, 19 stores currently with NSW and QLD focus 5:05 Multi-brand franchisor how are people enquiring, via a specific brand or just into craveable brands 6:09 Differences in entry costs between brands and the impact between states which can vary, and results in people moving interstate for a business to open 7:04 The ideal type of people to become a franchise partner 8:01 What background to people usually come from to own a franchise 8:44 What is the training like to become a franchise partner between the brands and differences 9:50 Key factors in growing the individual brands - Oporto 11:05 Key factors growing Red Rooster and looking for regional growth 11:23 Chicken Treat key growth focus areas currently just WA 11:45 Chargrill Charlies staying tight in Sydney for now and Melbourne, but also looking for QLD as well 12:45 Locations being a key factor in growing well, and relationships built for a future with franchise owners 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/j92wx695 Apple Podcasts:  https://tinyurl.com/2ex5emtt Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/yc3mb92p YouTube:  https://youtu.be/MOJyudKgtzE

Ep40 How to value a gym or fitness franchise business with Dustin Slypen

How do you assess the TRUE-value price of a gym or fitness franchise? After 200+ transactions of gym and fitness franchises, Dustin Slypen is a business broker who has found a niche where he adds tremendous value to understand this. In an effort to understand where the real value sits in these businesses, Glenn asked Dustin to zero in on the key components to valuing them in a purchase or sale process. The conversation included insights on fit-out cost 'blow outs', equipment supplier 'kick-backs', deals falling over at the last minute, and why, as well as advising sellers not to 'talk-up' their impact in the business too much. The key parts to value that we uncovered we're broken into broadly; Price expectation v reality, Franchise requirements, such as equipment modernisation and re-fits, Membership and income apportionment, The lease, and ensuring it's impact is clearly understood, The value based on a multiple of operating profit between business types, such as functional fitness, 24/7 gyms, Boutique, and Full service big box gyms. 0:00 Intro 0:52 The number of transactions and deals that Dustin has worked on in the industry (hundreds) 1:21 Price expectation versus the reality of what the business is worth. 2:51 Where do you see the valuation / cost 'blow-outs' beyond reality, and the costs of building a gym or fitness franchise 4:32 How the honest conversations go with sellers of businesses that need  to have a reality check on valuation. 5:29 The underestimation of costs of modernisation required by a franchise brand and their brand standards. 7:36 How often do franchises need them to update equipment and how this can be unfair. 9:25 Kick backs from suppliers of equipment back to franchisors. 9:54 Membership income and apportionment of it between ongoing (weekly) or up-front payments (annual) and its impact on valuation. 12:13 The focus of operators often to want to focus on the number of members as opposed to the yield per member. 13:26 The lease likely the most vital part of the equation in any sale. 15:13 Where the problems often begin, when owners come close to the end of their lease. 16:10 Deals falling over on settlement days due to the actions of landlords and the varying motivation of landlords. 18:24 Rent contributions by landlords and the risks with them. 19:54 Valuing the business based on a multiple that varies between 24/7 gyms, big box, functional training and boutique fitness businesses, and the staffing differences. 22:13 Advising vendors not to talk up how successful the business is based on what they have done. 22:49 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/43mwj8fu Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2wbpbcrr Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/mr45mhrd YouTube:  https://youtu.be/e5Ab8ISkPYs

Ep 39 Nicholas Woodward, Country Manager, PACK & SEND. Franchise Business Leader

As an 18+ year veteran in the business, commencing from an entry-level marketing role, to now the brand leader, Nicholas Woodward has played a key role in the evolution and growth of the PACK & SEND brand in the Australian and New Zealand markets. A degree in Information Systems saw Nicholas quickly realise it was not a field he wanted to pursue, but instead, that business was much more his career path. A progression of roles within PACK & SEND saw extensive direct field support function, and in particular at a key juncture in the business, spearheading multi-channel initiatives in offline / online, 'bricks and clicks' paths of the earlier years when online shopping strategy and usage was emerging quickly. The position of COO and helping to prepare the business for sale by the founder, saw Nicholas later emerge as Country Manager and the brand leader in Australia and New Zealand. 0:00 Intro 0:56 Unique experience as full career at the brand. 1:43 Study in IT at University. 2:33 Experience in grocery retail and logistics. 3:08 Finding PACK & SEND advert for a role. 4:10 First job in the business 'Assistant Manager'. 5:38 How lead generation worked back then. 7:03 Consumer behaviour change to online website traffic driving. 8:35 Challenges in managing local advertising by a local owner, and instead managing it for them. 10:05 Change in role in business systems including field support. 11:35 Working to support the NZ market. 12:30 The role PACK & SEND plays in the market. 13:55 The challenges for small business owner to sort shipping. 14:58 Business coaching to franchise partners and rolling out POS. 16:00 What franchise owners need in support and balancing entrepreneurialism. 19:10 Franchising and risk mitigation. 20:12 Move into senior leadership and his vision. 23:26 Resistance to change to online offerings. 25:29 Becoming COO in building strategy going forward including the business sale. 27:12 Being mentored by Michael Paul, founder of the business. 29:21 The business sale approach of a franchise brand. 30:08 Launching varying online strategies to continue business as usual. 31:23 The fast-growth of micro-fulfilment and adding warehousing. 32:49 The spike in demand through the covid period and selling the business during it. 33:55 Becoming Country Manager. 35:35 What MBE International owning the business means. 37:28 The future for the brand and growth goals. 40:16 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/ys5ef9pt Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/rekxrd3k Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/uhuhpx8c YouTube:  https://youtu.be/AB_e-_Dsvcg

Ep38 Peter Knight, The Franchise Accountant. Franchise Business Leader

Peter Knight is a straight-shooting accountant who has established an enviable reputation as a key thought leader in accounting and financial education for the franchise sector, and in particular for franchise owners. While many might look to focus on larger corporate clients such as brand head office type consulting, Peter has zeroed in especially on helping individual franchise owners to ensure they are making the right decision BEFORE they buy a franchise. He came to this through a wide and varied career path. Having a father who was a national figure, a TV personality, Doctor and renowned philanthropist,  has given him key traits. A double-major degree in Accounting and Psychology saw Peter magnetically drawn instead to the certainty of accounting and numbers. Several years as a junior in a top firm, followed by a highly lucrative transition to sales in accounting software at the boom of personal computers, and the pre-cursor to MYOB SaaS software, Peter eventually found himself drawn back to professional accounting practice. Within 12 years, the firm was rated the 25th largest in Australia by BRW, and with offices in New Zealand as well. A desire to slow down the pace, and move back to a more boutique agency approach to accounting services, and away from the high volume client approach, saw Peter move to establishing a number of businesses and brands in accounting and financial support, primarily focused on the franchise sector. The Franchise Accountant is where he lands right now... 0:00 Intro 1:09 Degree qualified double majoring in Accounting and Psychology and the preference for certainty in Accounting 2:25 Deciding to focus solely on accounting and getting a job with a big firm and becoming a Chartered Accountant 3:30 What it was like as a young graduate into a big accounting firm after going to a small high school and track of Technical Tax focus that Peter worked on. 4:45 Exposure and finding a different career path to being an accountant in a big firm - a move into sales in software as a very early precursor to Xero and MYOB. 6:47 Developing skills in sales processes and broader life skills and becoming an award winning sales person. 8:23 Deciding to move back into accounting practice after having enough of sales as a manager in a small firm in Campbeltown with just 6 in the firm. 9:27 Growing the business and the plan going into the accounting practice and soon a goal to open a new office every year, eventually 10 in Australia and 2 in New Zealand. 10:58 Becoming the 25th largest Accounting practice in Australia, and how the growing accounting business was structured and ran. 12:31 The keys to growth in growing a business of that size. 13:13 Tiring of high volume approach to accounting and looking to step back to smaller boutique model, fewer clients, like a part-time CFO role. 14:48 Peter's famous father and the story of Dr James Wright (Dr John Knight). 17:44 The impact and impression on Peter by his dad. 18:36 How Peter focused on franchising. 21:00 Helping franchise business owners with their numbers. 21:29 What Peter has developed in the franchise sector for helping with conferences, Franchise Accountants Network (FAN), financial education and training. 24:21 Accountants that philosophically do not like franchising. 25:28 Writing a book on franchising with working title '37 things I wish knew before I bought a franchise' 27:26 How Peter learns from LinkedIn engagement in writing his book. 28:07 The main challenges in franchise financial education in the sector and some solutions. 29:58 Not seeing the whole picture when it comes to financial understanding in bigger corporates, and the impact of the 'tax man'. 30:53 Financial education and the role and responsibility of the franchisor. 31:45 ATO chasing debt right now. 33:23 Message to franchisors. 34:36 Wrap up Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au Franchise Stories: www.franchisebuyer.com.au Listen or Watch on; Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/y5dm69nz Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/5fxnbva3 Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/5wrj9d5b YouTube: https://youtu.be/jTA-BChKrwA

Ep37 Rating a franchise brand with Darryn McAuliffe

The ability to assess the value and risk of a franchise brand is crucial to the thousands of franchise prospects out there looking to into a business of their own. However, the sheer number of opportunities, and the amount of information can make it difficult to measure one brand opportunity against the other. Darryn McAuliffe, CEO of FRANdata Australia explains what their independent 3rd party 'Franchise Ratings Scale' is all about. He explains the fact that a clear way to measure performance is lacking across the sector. Also discussed is how rigorous the process is, what the criteria is and the weighting of the 'stars' and more. :58 Ratings of franchise brands, what is the Franchise Ratings Scale? 2:01 Why a 'star rating' measure 2:20 Why the ratings of franchise brands is needed in the Australian franchise market 3:19 How franchise brands leverage the fact that they have been independently rated 4:42 What creates a high rating in a franchise brand 5:28 How the rating process works 7:16 The reception of the ratings by franchise brands 8:43 The practical use of franchise ratings, in particular by people looking to invest in a franchise, but also feedback to brands 10:21 Brands often pleasantly surprised with what comes out of the rating process and result 11:03 The future with ratings and their place in the market 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/4sph9t7s Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2ej62f6d Amazon Music:  https://tinyurl.com/mr4fjjxr YouTube:  https://youtu.be/MmWXJwvztCc