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Kayla went from working at Quiznos at 16 to helping Mike’s Red Tacos sell hundreds of franchises—and then buying a majority stake in a multi-unit portfolio spanning Arby’s, McAlister’s, and Little Caesars. We discuss her move from franchise sales to ownership, turning around a struggling restaurant group, and building Red Door Brands into an operating partner for other franchisees. OPEN NEW LOCATIONS IN WEEKS WITH CLOUDKITCHENS: https://l.cloudkitchens.com/empires Learn about Red Door Brands: https://www.reddoorbrandsllc.com/ --CONSIDERING SELLING YOUR BUSINESS?https://www.empirespod.com/for-multi-unit-owners This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Bron Launsby shares how he went from an initially skeptical franchise prospect to building a nine-location Sky Zone portfolio in under a decade. He explains why trampoline parks offered unusually attractive economics, how he kept locations relevant through constant reinvestment and new attractions, and why he ultimately sold the entire portfolio in 2024. Bron then tells the origin story of Slick City, an indoor entertainment concept built around dry slides. After installing an early slide prototype inside one of his trampoline parks, he saw it become one of the location’s most popular attractions. That insight led him to partner with slide inventor Gary Schmidt, invest in the manufacturing company behind the technology, and develop a completely new concept supported by nearly 70 patents. The conversation explores Slick City’s rapid growth from one location to nearly 50 in four years, along with its striking unit economics: the first three locations averaged just under $5 million in annual revenue with EBITDA margins around 40%. Bron also breaks down the business’s revenue mix, massive facilities, staffing requirements, safety systems, franchisee investment requirements, and strategy for continually introducing new attractions. Finally, he discusses Slick City’s international expansion and its potential to support 400–600 locations in the United States and approximately 150 across Europe. OPEN NEW LOCATIONS IN WEEKS WITH CLOUDKITCHENS: https://l.cloudkitchens.com/empires CONSIDERING SELLING YOUR BUSINESS?https://www.empirespod.com/for-multi-unit-owners This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Rick Vanzura draws on a career spanning Borders, Panera, Wahlburgers, GameStop, and GrowthFactor to explain why certain brick-and-mortar brands thrive while others lose their way. He breaks down Cava’s advantage over Sweetgreen and Chipotle, how Panera “optimized itself to death,” and why the majority of value in restaurants accrues to the category winner. Rick also shares remarkable stories from his career, including Borders turning down an agreement that would have included 5% of Amazon and working closely with Mark Wahlberg to scale Wahlburgers. The conversation closes with Rick’s framework for developing emerging restaurant concepts, choosing great locations, scaling without compromising the brand, and why aspiring restaurateurs should prioritize becoming an exceptional 100-unit business over an average 1,000-unit chain. OPEN NEW LOCATIONS IN WEEKS WITH CLOUDKITCHENS: https://l.cloudkitchens.com/empires CONSIDERING SELLING YOUR BUSINESS?https://www.empirespod.com/for-multi-unit-owners This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Sean Thomas is the grandson of legendary Wendy's founder Dave Thomas. Today, Sean not only owns multiple Wendy's locations, but he is also the co-founder of his own chicken and dirty soda chain, Minnie Bird. OPEN NEW LOCATIONS IN WEEKS WITH CLOUDKITCHENS: https://l.cloudkitchens.com/empires--CONSIDERING SELLING YOUR BUSINESS?https://www.empirespod.com/for-multi-unit-owners This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Charles Bonfiglio, founder and CEO of Tint World, shares how he went from growing up in his father’s Brooklyn clothing factory to becoming one of Meineke’s top franchisees and eventually building Tint World into a national franchise system. He explains how he learned franchising from the operator side, why he bought Tint World, and how he spent years refining the model before accelerating growth. Charles also breaks down his approach to leadership, unit economics, marketing, and why he ultimately brought on a private equity partner after decades of bootstrapping. Today, Tint World has more than 150 locations, with Charles aiming for 500 units within five years. OPEN NEW LOCATIONS IN WEEKS WITH CLOUDKITCHENS: https://l.cloudkitchens.com/empires--BUY OR SELL FRANCHISES WITH OUR TEAM: https://www.empirespod.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Eliot McDonald went from Raising Cane's shift manager to founding his own chicken tender concept. We discuss everything about chicken tenders & QSR, and how his restaurant chain is doing thus farOPEN NEW LOCATIONS IN WEEKS WITH CLOUDKITCHENS: https://l.cloudkitchens.com/empires--BUY OR SELL FRANCHISES WITH OUR TEAM: https://www.empirespod.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Andrea Huerta has been operating franchises since she was a teenager, starting as a crew member in her parents McDonald’s location. After helping her family grow a portfolio of El Pollo Loco locations, Andrea decided to go all in on Handel’s Ice Cream. Handel’s might just be the top ice cream business in America on a per unit basis, and Andrea shares everything there is to know about this concept, including her current economics. OPEN NEW LOCATIONS IN WEEKS WITH CLOUDKITCHENS: https://l.cloudkitchens.com/empires BUY OR SELL FRANCHISES WITH OUR TEAM: https://www.empirespod.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Harsh Ghai is one of the largest Burger King franchise owners in America. He's also one of, if not the, largest family owned franchisee with over 250 locations across Burger King, Taco Bell, & Popeye's. We discuss the Burger King comeback, as well his lessons operating over multiple decades....OPEN NEW LOCATIONS IN WEEKS WITH CLOUDKITCHENS: https://l.cloudkitchens.com/empiresBUY OR SELL FRANCHISES WITH OUR TEAM: https://www.empirespod.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Jay Rushin, owner of H&H Bagels, joins the podcast to break down the rise of the bagel category, why H&H has taken a different path from venture-backed competitors, and how the brand is scaling its New York bagel model through franchising. He shares the story behind acquiring H&H, rebuilding the business, launching breakfast sandwiches, building a Queens production facility, and creating a franchise model designed to bring authentic New York bagels across the country. FOR MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISE OWNERS CONSIDERING SELLING:https://www.empirespod.com/for-multi-unit-ownersWEEKLY FRANCHISE NEWSLETTER: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Bill Mathis worked for Subway starting in 1992, and eventually became a franchise owner in 2001. He's owned as many as 4 stores, and gives us an inside look at the brand over the past few decades. We dive into everything and everything, including the impact of the $5 footlong promo, the sandwich wars with Quiznos, what Fred DeLuca was like, and how the transition under Roark Capital has been. FOR MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISE OWNERS CONSIDERING SELLING: https://www.empirespod.com/for-multi-unit-owners WEEKLY FRANCHISE NEWSLETTER: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Prince Street Pizza went from a single NYC slice shop to one of the most viral pizza brands in America. In this episode, Prince Street Pizza CEO & co-owner Lawrence Longo breaks down how the brand exploded through Instagram, celebrity co-signs, and its iconic Spicy Spring slice. He’s now leading the brand's expansion across the U.S. with a highly selective franchising strategy.JOIN OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER: FOR MULTI-UNIT OWNERS WHO ARE SELLING:https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ 00:00 Intro01:11 How Sean Avery Introduced Lawrence to Prince Street Pizza02:33 How Instagram Made Prince Street Go Viral05:12 Why the Spicy Spring Slice Became Iconic06:32 The 2018 LA Pop-Up That Changed Everything08:03 The Crazy History of Original Ray’s Pizza10:40 How Prince Street Created Its Signature Pizza12:16 The Truth About New York Water & Pizza14:28 The Story Behind Off The Menu17:13 Secret Menu Items & Viral Food Marketing21:55 Why In-N-Out Calls It Animal Style24:55 Dave’s Hot Chicken & Secret Menu Innovation25:50 How the Prince Street LA Pop-Up Went Viral30:11 Convincing The Founders To Expand Nationally32:01 Lessons From Opening Restaurants With No Experience34:31 Opening Prince Street During COVID37:22 Why Frank Shut Down A Store Over Pepsi39:57 Todd Graves’ Advice About “Craveable” Food41:13 Expanding Prince Street Across America45:28 Scaling Premium Pizza Without Losing Quality48:46 Training Pizza Makers & Maintaining Standards51:22 The New “Naughty Slice” & Hot Honey Trend54:04 Pizza Wars, Haters & Restaurant Competition56:11 Why Prince Street Only Works With Elite Operators58:42 The Dave’s Hot Chicken Partnership01:03:27 What Prince Street Looks For In Franchise Partners01:06:24 The Home Alone Marketing Collaboration01:09:02 Why Pizza Chains Are Struggling Today01:12:49 Choosing The Right Locations For Growth01:16:30 The Future Of Prince Street Pizza01:17:38 Lawrence’s Biggest Influence & Final Thoughts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Kavrin McGuire operates 25 Jersey Mike’s locations alongside his father and brother. In this conversation, we break down:• How Jersey Mike’s maintains product quality at scale• What it’s actually like operating a high-volume sandwich business• Why Peter Cancro built such intense loyalty among franchisees• The truth about the Blackstone acquisition rumors• How Kavrin’s family scaled through acquisitions + development• Why they bought the entire state of Minnesota for Mike’s Red Tacos We also dive deep into staffing, operations, digital ordering, real estate strategy, small-town expansion, and what separates great restaurant operators from average ones. SUBSCRIBE TO EMPIRES WEEKLY FOR MULTI-UNIT OWNERS WHO ARE SELLING: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ CHAPTERS00:00 Intro00:54 How Kavrin’s family found Jersey Mike’s03:22 Learning restaurant ops from the ground up05:20 The reality of running a restaurant07:57 Why Jersey Mike’s ops are harder than Little Caesars11:10 Staffing a Jersey Mike’s lunch rush13:50 How Jersey Mike’s built its digital ordering system15:22 Why Jersey Mike’s became a breakout brand16:50 Peter Cancro’s obsession with sandwich quality20:26 Stories that explain why franchisees love Peter Cancro25:53 Kavrin’s role running 25 Jersey Mike’s27:31 Building a long-term leadership team29:26 Acquiring Jersey Mike’s locations31:58 Real estate strategy + buildout costs34:33 Can Jersey Mike’s work in small towns?37:17 Jersey Mike’s culture of giving42:31 Blackstone, Charlie Morrison & the future of Jersey Mike’s47:14 How much white space Jersey Mike’s still has50:59 Why they bought Mike’s Red Tacos54:38 Betting on birria tacos as the next big category57:17 Mike’s Red Tacos operations explained01:00:42 Comparing Mike’s Red Tacos vs Jersey Mike’s ops01:04:42 Long-term vision for both brands01:06:09 Final thoughts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Joe Pedatella is scaling one of the fastest-growing KidStrong empires in the country: * 16 locations open * 60+ in development * And a goal of 100 long term In this episode, he breaks down how he pre-sold 700 members before opening, built a culture that scales, and turned one gym into a multi-unit machine that is only just starting to hit it’s stride. Considering buying a franchise? www.empirespod.com/buy-a-franchise For multi-unit franchisees selling their locations: www.fdcapitalgroup.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Area 2 Farms, a venture backed start up, is trying to bring (vertical) farms into every town across America. They've learned from past mistakes of other vertical farm startups, and have changed the model, which they are now franchising... Considering buying a franchise? https://www.empirespod.com/buy-a-franchiseSubscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://empirespod.substack.com/For multi-unit franchisees selling their locations: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 0:55 What’s Broken with Food Distribution 2:43 Franchises in Disguise? 4:50 Why “Progress” Crushed Food Quality 7:22 The Machine of Food Distribution 8:50 Starting as a Government Spy 11:19 Pentagon’s Domino’s Pizza Tracker 11:50 What he learned from Hacking Countries 13:23 Becoming a Founder 14:43 Selling His Startup to Cloudfare 15:50 Starting Area 2 Farms 17:35 Why other Vertical Farms Failed 20:35 Why Area 2 is Different 23:09 Moving the Plants, Not Air 24:55 Live Look at Area 2’s Tech 25:57 The 3 Key Innovations 27:22 Location #1 28:50 The Farm Business Model 31:58 Do Customers like it? 32:52 Area 2 vs Grocery Stores 37:47 Turning Farms into a Business 39:46 Franchising the Farm 43:00 Area 2 Farms’ Unit Economics 46:30 The Target Franchise Owner 48:49 Franchise Launch Update 50:36 Is Energy Usage a Concern? 52:05 The Energy Myth in Vertical Farming 53:22 How the Model Evolves Over Time 55:08 Avoiding “Menu Creep” & Staying Focused 56:52 New Revenue Streams: Seedlings, Pumpkin Patches & More 58:10 What Franchisees Actually Need to Learn 1:02:31 Labor Model & Serving 400 Customers per Farm 1:04:10 Systems, SOPs & Avoiding Crop Failure 1:06:00 Why Farming Is the Original Franchise Model 1:07:53 The Mission Behind Area 2 Farms 1:09:00 Convenience vs Community 1:10:53 Real Estate Strategy (Why Gas Stations Work) 1:12:09 Making Each Location Feel Local 1:15:22 What Success Looks Like in 10–20 Years 1:18:00 Closing Thoughts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

Nothing Bundt Cakes was recently acquired for $2 billion dollars. Founded in 1997, the brand has quietly built one of the greatest franchises of all time. I explore how they did it, and what their unique X-factor is that has created such consistent success…. Listen to the full conversation with Nick (coming out next week): https://www.youtube.com/@EmpiresPod Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: Considering buying a franchise? https://www.empirespod.com/buy-a-franchise For multi-unit franchisees selling their locations: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro0:49 - The Founders1:27 - What’s a Bundt Cake?2:23 - Launching Nothing Bundt Cakes3:04 - Launching Franchising3:58 - Early Growth4:19 - The Craig Moore Era5:12 - Basics of the Model6:17 - Craig’s Impact7:31 - Selling the Business8:11 - The LLCP Era10:00 - Roark Capital Enters11:01 - Roark’s Insane Portfolio11:33 - Current Unit Economics12:20 - Why Do Bundt Cakes Dominate?13:15 - Reason #1: Narrow Menu X Variety15:02 - Reason #2: Simple Cost of Goods16:13 - Reason #3: Labor Model17:37 - Economic Durability18:39 - Reason #4: The X Factor20:25 - The Most Reliable “Edge”21:26 - The Magic of Bundt Cakes22:00 - Why Competitors Fail23:18 - Will KKR Ruin the Brand? NOTE:The material used in this video is meant to be used for educational purposes and fall within the guidelines of fair use. For all inquiries, questions, and complaints, please get in touch by filling out the contact form by clicking this link: https://www.empirespod.com/about#about-footer This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com