Eleven months ago I announced that I personally invested in another franchise.  Since that time I've received many inquiries asking - How it's going?  Are you open? Can you share an update? Well, I'm proud to announce that we are officially open for business. Our ‘official’ grand opening was l...

Today, we are inundated with videos, blogs, posts and yes, even newsletters discussing the path to success.  Most of the time there is limited real value in the content.  However, every so often, we run into something significant.  And often, it is the simple, short messages that have the largest...

It was the summer of 2019 when ‘D’ and I had lunch together.  We had met a few years earlier and he immediately impressed me as a young man with a vision and, potentially, the fortitude to see it through.  During our lunch together ‘D’ peppered me with questions.  I could see he was hungr...

Several weeks ago, as the Outgoing Chairman, I was honored to speak at the Manatee Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner.  During my remarks, I shared a story that resonated with many folks in the audience.   At their suggestion, I am sharing an abbreviated summary of my comments in this month's news...

A few years ago I subscribed to a free email newsletter called The Morning Brew. Often, I try new email subscriptions and quickly tire of them; however, The Morning Brew has become a standard part of my morning. The email newsletter covers all the top issues of the day with brevity and cutting humor...

Yesterday was an interesting day and it reinforced what I call 'power in doing'. Yesterday afternoon I was involved in an e-mail exchange with a fellow franchise coach. We were discussing a franchise system and their ability to create successful franchisees.  He shared the fact that is most polishe...

Last week I had the opportunity to hear a leadership specialist share her ideas on personal growth and leadership.  During her talk she discussed the importance of using VUCA as the starting point for all strategic leadership and planning activities. What is VUCA? VUCA stands for Volatility, Uncert...

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend some time with my wife's family in France. One evening my niece, who is currently a college student, asked me, ‘What is the American Dream’?  She had a paper that was due in a week on ‘The American Dream’ and wanted my thoughts. Interestingly...

Twice a year I attend a franchising conference where I have an opportunity to meet with hundreds of franchisors, learn the newest trends in franchising, and reconnect with old acquaintances. Last month the conference was in Saint Louis, and it is amazing how franchising is evolving. Key Takeaways Op...

A couple months ago my good friend and co-author of The Franchisee Playbook, Britt Schroeter, shared an interesting take on the passage of time.  Britt, and her husband Bill, have been traveling around the United States for a couple years now while Britt works from the RV.  Britt and Bill are livi...