Advertise on podcast: The Dirt Dog Pod

In this episode of The Dirt Dog Pod, we sit down with Seth Larsen, Chief Development Officer at Cheba Hut Subs. Cheba Hut is a toasted-sub brand known for its laid-back, one-of-a-kind branding, and Seth helps decide where it opens next. Seth walks us through how Cheba Hut picks markets and sites, what makes a location work for the brand, and how they partner with landlords to bring each new shop to life. If you work in commercial real estate, franchising, or restaurant development, this one’s packed with real-world insight from someone doing the work every day. Listen now, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations from the people who build what’s next.

David Slavny, CDO of The Learning Experience joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod to discuss the rapidily growing daycare market. Discover how TLE navigated the challenges of COVID-19, the role of franchisees in their growth strategy, and the unique approach they take to site selection and development. We also explore TLE's innovative use of characters, like Bubbles and Friends, to create engaging and educational content that resonates with children and parents alike. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned real estate professional, this episode offers valuable insights into the dynamic daycare industry and the importance of strategic partnerships. Tune in to learn more about the future of TLE and the exciting opportunities ahead.

In this episode of the Dirt Dog Pod, we sit down with Shawn Nelson, the visionary founder and CEO of Lovesac. From a spontaneous idea on his parents' couch to a publicly traded company, Sean shares the incredible journey of Lovesac's evolution. Discover how a giant beanbag concept turned into a billion-dollar brand, the challenges faced along the way, and the philosophy of "Design for Life" that drives their success. Tune in for insights on entrepreneurship, resilience, and the power of taking action. Don't miss this inspiring conversation!

This week we have our first double guest episode! Robert Campos and Garrett Snyder join us to talk about the growth of Mountain Mike's Pizza. Garrett Snyder is the Vice President of Restaurant Development for Mountain Mike’s Pizza, where he oversees all aspects of site selection, design and construction. Since joining the brand in July 2020, Garrett has played a pivotal role in Mountain Mike’s rapid expansion, growing its national footprint from three states to ten, with a presence in 15 states expected by the end of 2026. Robert Campos serves as Vice President of Franchise Development at Mountain Mike’s Pizza, where he leads the brand’s efforts to identify, recruit and inform potential new franchise partners. In this role, Robert is dedicated to expanding the reach of Mountain Mike’s across the country by aligning with passionate entrepreneurs who share the brand’s commitment to quality, community and exceptional guest experiences. The Mountain Mike's team is passionate about bringing fun memories to communities across the US through their brand. Nothing like a classic arcade game, some time with family, and teacups of joy.

Dave Anderson, the Founder of Famous Dave's, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. Dave is an perfect example of the American Dream. Born to Native American parents, Dave worked to open the first Famous Dave's in his small town in Wisconsin. The rollercoaster ride for the brand from there is really something to behold. Dave lives for Barbecue and loves the experience that it creates bringing people together. He built the restaurants in his vision to create the ultimate place for people to gather together and have a fun meal. In this episode we discuss: Dave's upbringing around BBQ and how the brand begun.The vision that Dave had for the brand and how they focused on the smallest details to create his vision.Dave's inspirational view on the importance of failing and owning your failures.

Dok Kwon, the COO and President of Cupbop, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. Dok moved to Utah to join the Cupbop brand leaving behind his high paying finance life in New York. Dok made this big change in his life because of the goal that Cupbop is trying to obtain. Dok shares that the brand is trying to become the first national QSR to teach the US about Korean Cuisine. He is so passionate about this goal that he made the drastic change to move across country and join a new budding brand. In this episode we discuss: Dok shares his story of moving to the US and finding his path by working to help his family.The wild story of how Cupbop has become such a massive brand in a part of the world you would not expect.The view that the Cupbop team has towards growth and how they are going about growing without losing the brand's identity.

Bob O'Connell, A recently retired Senior Real Estate Manager for McDonald's, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. We are thrilled to have Bob join us on the pod to give us a glimpse into what has for a long time been the gold standard for quick service brands, McDonald's. Bob has been a longtime Dirt Dog for McDonald's having been with the company for nearly 32 years. Bob was over a team of real estate managers that focused on growing the footprint of the brand in the western states as well as a handful of US territories. In this episode, we discuss: Bob explains how McDonald's leverages their 70 year history and all the data from their stores when searching for new locations.Bob talks about McDonald's site selection process and how so much homework is done upfront that they rarely ever have to shut down an operating location.Bob gives his advice on how the business is changing but people are still central to everything in real estate.

Shelly Holt, President of First Community Bank Utah, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. We are thrilled to have Shelly on the pod because she provides a banker's point of view on the real estate and retail market. Shelly has been in banking her entire career starting as a teller for Zions Bank in College. Shelly gives some amazing advice about building up those around you as well as her take on the future outlook of the market. In this episode, we discuss: Shelly explains what goals she had for her time as President and how she is achieving them.Shelly gives us the inside look at how a banking institution runs and makes money.Her perspective on being a high ranking female in a very male dominated industry.

David Roberts, COO of Hangry Joe's Chicken & Wings, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. David is an operations guru and a great guest that shows us another side of what is important to get right in the retail game. David comes and shares his expertise on how operators streamline their stores and keep them running as smoothly as possible. David also shares the amazing story of Hangry Joe's that has burst onto the scene in the last few years after starting out at the beginning of COVID. In this episode, we discuss: David explains how his job may focus on small things but, those small things add up to a much bigger picture.We talk about the growth of chicken concepts and what Hangry Joe's is doing that is setting them apart.David gets the chance to talk directly to different groups involved in the brand and give them one piece of advice

Jeremy Carlson, Founder and CEO of Crispy Cones, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. Jeremy created Crispy Cones after a dream he had of bringing a desert traditional in the Czech Republic back to his friends and family in the US. From there Jeremy perfected his take on the chimney cone and started selling them out of a pop up tent in college 7 years ago. From there it has been an absolute whirlwind of growth for the brand, from being featured on "Shark Tank" to expanding across the US with new locations opening frequently. Jeremy shares his passion for his brand and thoughts on what makes entrepreneurship worthwhile. In this episode, we discuss: Jeremy shares the rollercoaster of events that have gotten him and the Crispy Cones team to where they are today.The importance of image and branding when starting a concept from the ground up.The difficulty that comes with being your own boss but, how when done right it is extremely rewarding.

Matt Smith, The Founder & CEO of Snooze Sleep, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. Matt has over 25 years of experience in the industry and is a relentless serial entrepreneur. He’s owned and scaled over 10 businesses and was featured on Discovery Channel’s "Undercover Billionaire", where he built a $5.5 million marketing agency in just 42 days during COVID. With experience as both a franchisee and franchisor, Matt is committed to creating prosperous in-store experiences that truly make a difference in the lives of our customers and communities. Matt was put here on this earth to sell sleep...which is ironic because he doesn't sleep. In this episode, we discuss: The need that everyone on earth has for a good sleep and how Snooze is helping them find it.Matt's insane journey with Grant Cardone on "Undercover Billionaire."The vision that Matt has for Snooze and how they are changing how the whole world looks at sleep.

Nate Minnis, Head of Real Estate for Smalls Sliders, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. Nate has spent over 15 years working with different brands learning all the ins-and-outs of the franchise business model. Nate has spent time working and consulting for many brands like: Great Clips, Jimmy John's, and Orange Theory Fitness before joining Smalls Sliders in 2023. Nate shares his expertise and shows the passion and drive that the "Smalls Squad" has for their quickly growing brand. In this episode, we discuss: Nate shares his view of searching for sites and the importance of being a hands-on dirt dog.The importance of working to take emotion out of business decisions like opening a new store location.The distinct look and design that sets Smalls Sliders apart as it works to grow its fanbase.

Andrew Smith, Managing Director & Co-Founder of The Savory Fund, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. Andrew spent the begining of his career in tech before being pulled in the resturaunt world by his wife in '08/'09. Since that change he dove in and never looked back starting the savory fund alongside his wife Shauna. The Savory Fund leverages their extensive experience in resturaunt operations to help emerging brands grow faster than they could on their own. A few notable brands that Savory has partnered with include, Swig, Mo' Bettahs, and Houston Hot Chicken. In this episode, we discuss: Andrews wild transition from tech guru to washing dishes for his wifes resturaunt.The growth of some of the amazing brands under the Savory fund's umbrella.Andrew's mindset on how to grow a company quickly but in a way that it is stable for the future.

Don Ikeler, Director of Development - West Region for Chick-Fil-A, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. Don has spent the last 17 years working for Chick-Fil-A after spending the early years of his career with a couple other notable QSRs including McDonald's. Don has seen Chick-Fil-A grow from an unknown brand to the leader in the fast food world and has been a big part of their expansion in the western US. Don shares his wealth of experiences with us and gives us a glimpse under the hood of the chicken giant. In this episode, we discuss: Don's early experiences with the brand before it became what we know it as today.Don's thoughts on developing in different markets across the West including Hawaii.What Don believes is the next big frontier of growth for Chick-Fil-A in the near future.

Garrett Reed, the CEO of Layne's Chicken Fingers, joins us on the Dirt Dog Pod. Garrett spent years of his career developing real estate building over 500 different projects. After an extremely successful career in development, Garrett and his family made a drastic change when they purchased Layne's Chicken Fingers and started to grow the brand. Garrett has now been the owner-operator of Layne's for over 7 years and is extremely passionate about the brand. In this episode, we discuss: - Garretts choice to leave his thriving development company to buy and run Layne's. - The passion and excitement that the Reed family has for the brand. - The level of thought that Layne's team puts into the tiniest of details to get stores running as successfully as possible.