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Omar Simmons: On Value Creation, Scaling Franchises, And Opening Doors For Others

Omar Simmons: On Value Creation, Scaling Franchises, And Opening Doors For Others

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 On Episode 2 of NEXT, Omar Simmons—Managing Partner of Exaltare Capital Partners and former ECP CEO of Planet Fitness—dives deep into the realities of hiring, leadership, and risk in the franchising business. Drawing on his experience scaling Planet Fitness from 15 to over 100 locations and exiting via selling majority share to an institutional partner. He shares practical insights on interviewing for resilience, onboarding employees, reducing turnover, and building operating systems that work at scale across decentralized teams.The conversation also explores how experienced operators think about risk—not as volatility on a spreadsheet, but as something shaped by judgment, pattern recognition, and execution. Omar breaks down what makes franchising a uniquely powerful business model, how centralized learning and local ownership combine to drive performance, and how leaders de-risk growth through planning, diversification, and discipline. This episode is essential listening for founders, operators, investors, and franchise executives focused on scaling businesses, building durable teams, and making better decisions under uncertainty.Giving Moment:Join this season's philanthropic giving moment where every donation made in Q1 2026 will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $100 per gift ($10,000 per organization). Donate at ⁠www.muus.com/giving.Topics:(01:55) — Growing up in inner-city Boston: family, housing, and early lessons(03:55) — The role of love, community, and sports in shaping resilience(04:46) — Cold-calling Princeton: betting on yourself early(06:55) — Mentorship, peer groups, and learning without a traditional playbook(09:45) — Paying mentorship forward: coaching, leadership, and legacy(12:05) — What makes franchising such a powerful business model(15:00) — Centralized learning vs. decentralized ownership in franchises(16:10) — Can grit be taught? How Omar evaluates drive and adversity(18:40) — Hiring, leadership limits, and knowing when people won’t change(19:05) — Spotlight on Understood.org and supporting learning differences(20:55) — The “gold standard” franchisors and why fit matters more than brand(24:00) — Risk in the eye of the beholder: investing, intuition, and expertise(27:10) — COVID, concentration risk, and surviving extreme uncertainty(28:30) — Employee engagement, retention, and why caring actually scales(31:00) — Scaling Planet Fitness from 15 to 100+ locations(33:00) — Selling the business: timing, COVID shock, and liquidity decisions(35:30) — Life after the exit: identity, rhythm, and redefining purpose(38:00) — The Ascension Franchise Initiative: expanding ownership access(41:30) — Measuring success through ownership and wealth creation(44:00) — Racism, progress, and hope in America today(47:00) — Profit vs. purpose: why it’s a false choice(49:00) — Gratitude, giving back, and generational responsibility(50:20) — What’s next for Omar in this stage of life(51:30) — Advice to his younger self(52:30) — Tip jar: spiritual practice, history, and recommended readsMentioned:⁠TIGER 21 ⁠ is the premier peer membership organization for ultra-successful entrepreneurs, investors, and executives. Through confidential forums and shared experience, members gain perspective on wealth, leadership, and life beyond success.Omar's podcast recommendation: The Rest is HistoryFranchise Ascension Initiative: WebsiteFollow and Connect:Omar Simmons | ⁠WebsiteMichael Sonnenfeldt | ⁠LinkedIn⁠ | Email: michael@muus.comNEXT with Michael Sonnenfeldt Podcast | ⁠YouTube⁠ | ⁠Website
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