In this episode, Cliff Kennedy, CEO of Frios Gourmet Pops, shares how he went from being a franchisee to acquiring the entire brand, rebuilding the company from the ground up, and transforming it into a mobile-first dessert empire

Interested in

We unpack:

• Why Frios’ product was great, but the company was broken
• How COVID forced a shift from brick-and-mortar to mobile trucks
• The economics of a mobile dessert franchise (events, wholesale, and B2B)
• Why Cliff walked away from a massive CPG opportunity after taking a big swing
• How Frios scaled with limited capital, grit, and relentless focus on franchisee success

This is a raw, honest look at entrepreneurship: the wins, the near-misses, and the decisions that define long-term success.

If you’re interested in franchising, consumer brands, or building a business around real-world experiences, this episode is for you.

GET IN TOUCH:

Interested in buying a franchise? https://www.empirespod.com/buy-a-franchise

Are you a multi-unit franchise owner considering selling your business? https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/

Partnership Opportunities

https://www.empirespod.com/about#about-footer

• Franchisee → Franchisor transitions
• Mobile vs brick-and-mortar business models
• Franchise economics without item 19 hype
• Manufacturing + franchising under one roof
• Why focus beats chasing every growth opportunity

Building a business that prioritizes lifestyle + happiness

For multi-unit owners looking to sell their business: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/

Interested in buying a franchise? https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise

Get in touch with the host: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-buckley-%F0%9F%8C%AD-89539499/

Get in touch with Jack and Jake:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-foster-098030a8/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-mclaughlin-8a67a4126/

Jack Foster and Jake McLaughlin left careers in investment banking and private equity to build one of the fastest-growing Meineke platforms in the country.

In this episode, we break down:

• Why they chose Meineke and auto repair over flashier franchises
• The real unit economics and margins of a Meineke location
• How they scaled from 3 stores to 25 through small, disciplined acquisitions
• Why people, culture, and operator excellence mattered more than financial engineering
• What they’re building next beyond Meineke

This is a rare, transparent look at what it actually takes to scale a blue-collar, brick-and-mortar business.

00:00 – Leaving investment banking & private equity for entrepreneurship 02:40 – How prepared were they really to own franchise locations 05:00 – Why they chose partnership instead of going solo 08:10 – Why franchising (and why auto services specifically) 10:20 – Why Meineke stood out vs other auto concepts 11:05 – Meineke unit economics & margins breakdown 13:45 – Why these margins surprised most people 15:00 – How they sourced their very first Meineke acquisition 17:40 – Paying cash vs SBA financing for early deals 18:55 – What makes a Meineke location a “deal killer” 21:00 – The importance of car count & rent discipline 23:10 – Hiring a COO who changed everything 26:00 – Why they moved into their markets after acquisitions 29:30 – Scaling from 5 to 25 locations without breaking operations 32:00 – Buying single stores vs large portfolios 35:10 – How relationships drive their acquisition pipeline 37:30 – What Jack & Jake actually work on day-to-day 40:00 – Are they enjoying the journey? (honest answer) 42:30 – Exit strategy and long-term vision 44:00 – What’s next beyond Meineke

Raj Patel is one of the most prolific franchise operators in the country.

His family started with one Dunkin’ in the late 1980s — today, Raj oversees a 100+ unit portfolio across Dunkin’, Dave’s Hot Chicken, and several other brands.

In this episode, we go deep into:

• How Raj decides which brands to bet on
• Why leadership matters more than food
• What it’s really like to scale from 1 store to 100+
• How he evaluates new builds vs acquisitions
• Why Dave’s Hot Chicken felt like a “lottery ticket” — and actually paid off

This is a rare look into how elite multi-unit operators think about growth, risk, and long-term portfolio strategy.

If you’re serious about franchising, scaling restaurants, or building a durable operating business — this episode is for you.

• Growing from 1 Dunkin to 100+ stores
• How Raj evaluates franchise brands
• Dunkin as a portfolio “engine”
• Betting early on Dave’s Hot Chicken
• Why leadership beats product
• Development vs acquisition strategy
• Real estate, construction costs, and ROI
• The future of QSR and drive-thru brands

Most people think private equity “kills” franchise brands. But in this episode, Adam Lewin — CEO of Wonder, a holding company for franchisors and multi-site operators — explains why the truth is far more nuanced.

Adam breaks down:

• How Wonder evaluates franchise acquisitions
• Why they refuse the typical “platform” roll-up model
• What emerging franchisors get wrong
• Why franchise hype cycles (Dave’s Hot Chicken, Seven Brew) are dangerous
• How wonder decides when to build corporate stores vs. franchise
• Why franchise failures are often due to founder psychology, not the model
• How PE actually models deals, prices risk, and thinks about growth
• The real reason Rourke can pay outrageous multiples
• Why the public misunderstands how PE influences the brands it buys

If you care about franchising, small business, or private equity — this is a masterclass.

00:00 — What Wonder Actually Is

01:00 — Why Wonder Rejects the “Platform Play”

03:00 — How They Decide Which Brands to Buy

05:00 — Why Scaling Is Harder Than Founders Think

07:00 — The Hidden Challenges of Franchising

09:00 — The Founder Problem: Why Many Stagnate

11:00 — What “Differentiation” Actually Means in SMB

13:00 — Are Multi-Unit Franchisees a Risk?

15:00 — Wonder’s Long-Term Horizon (5–10 Year Holds)

17:00 — Are Hype Brands Like Dave’s/Seven Brew Overvalued?

20:00 — Why Unit Economics Matter More Than Hype

21:00 — Mistakes Every Emerging Franchisor Makes

23:00 — Why Hiring Franchisees Is Like Hiring Employees

25:00 — The Biggest Problem: Bad Early Franchisees

26:00 — Deep Dive: Why Wonder Bought Soccer Five

29:00 — How Soccer Five Actually Works

31:00 — Why Wonder Will Build Corporate Units for S5

33:00 — Why Franchising Is Attractive to PE

36:00 — What PE Gets Wrong About Franchising

39:00 — Growth at All Costs = System Failure

41:00 — How Rourke Pays Insane Multiples

43:00 — Why Rourke Can Hold Brands for 20+ Years

46:00 — Does Private Equity Ruin Franchises?

49:00 — Wonder vs. Traditional PE

51:00 — Where to Follow Wonder & Tucker’s Farm

Are you a multi-unit franchisee looking to sell your locations? https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/

Are you interested in buying a top new restaurant franchise? https://eatagape.com/franchise/

Keni’s story begins in 1982, when his family immigrated to the U.S. with nothing but visas and a network of distant relatives. Like many Patels from Gujarat, his family moved directly into a relative’s motel—18 people living on-site while working every role from housekeeping to front desk to maintenance. Over time, Keni watched his parents acquire and expand their own motel using a mix of friends-and-family financing, 12% interest bank loans, and extreme frugality. That model—a family living in the back unit, doing every job, and saving every dollar—became the backbone of how Patels came to own 40% of hotels in the U.S. and 80–90% of motels.

Today, Keni owns hotels himself and works as a data scientist at Driftwood Capital, a $5B hospitality investment firm that develops and operates Hilton and Marriott properties.

We break down:

• Why Patels dominate the motel industry
• How friends-and-family lending works in Gujarati communities
• What margins look like for economy vs luxury hotels
• Why a single family can run a 17-room motel with 60% margins
• When owner-operator models stop working
• The full economics behind ADR, RevPAR, NOI, and cap rates
• Why Hilton, Marriott & others keep inventing new sub-brands
• How COVID impacted economy hotels vs upscale hotels
• Why management companies exist (and why they don’t buy hotels themselves)

This is one of the clearest, most detailed walkthroughs of the actual business of hotels you’ll ever hear.

0:00 – Growing up in a motel with 18 family members 3:15 – How Patels finance their first properties 7:00 – The origins of the Patel motel network 10:20 – The “friends & family” lending system explained 12:45 – Life living in a 17-room motel 15:50 – Zero days off & never sleeping through the night 18:40 – Why the first motel is the hardest 20:30 – The true margins of economy hotels 23:00 – Converting to a Days Inn and what changes 25:30 – Keni’s portfolio today + Driftwood Capital 27:00 – How hotels actually evaluate performance (ADR, RevPAR) 31:50 – Why hotel data is so rich compared to other industries 33:40 – Revenue per key & top-line benchmarks 36:15 – Cap rates and valuation differences by hotel class 38:20 – Why owner-operator models break above ~60 rooms 40:00 – Corporate contracts & sales in economy hotels 41:15 – When you need professional hotel management 44:00 – Why hotel restaurants rarely make money 47:00 – The cap rate arbitrage in economy hotels 51:30 – Why hotel brands have 35+ sub-brands 55:00 – Keni’s long-term plans 56:00 – Where to follow Keni

• Agapé Restaurants: eatagape.com
• Franchise Info: eatagape.com/franchise

Matt started as a Subway employee at 13 — and by his twenties, he owned 12 locations. From there, he expanded into Cinnabon, Dunkin’, and Wingstop, learning hard lessons about unit economics, scaling challenges, and why some brands hit ceilings while others explode.

Today, Matt is the co-founder of Agapé, a fast-casual Mediterranean concept born in Columbus that’s now franchising nationwide. We unpack how his decades as a multi-brand operator shaped his playbook, why he only wants experienced restaurant operators as franchisees, and how Agapé plans to ride the same wave CAVA created — but with stronger economics.

If you’re an operator or investor eyeing the next breakout restaurant brand, this one’s for you.

• [00:00] Getting his start at Subway at 13
• [05:00] Buying his first store and scaling to 12 locations
• [10:00] Surviving the chaos of the $5 footlong era
• [15:00] Lessons from Cinnabon, Dunkin’, and Wingstop
• [25:00] Site selection secrets and real estate strategy
• [35:00] Selling Wingstop — and why he says he exited too early
• [40:00] Founding Agapé during COVID
• [45:00] Competing in the Mediterranean bowl category
• [50:00] The future of Agapé and its franchise strategy

“Subway taught me it’s a penny-profit business — you’ve got to scrape to make it.” “If you can do three times your build-out cost in sales, you’re in a good spot.” “We’re not trying to sell units. We’re trying to work with good people and build a kick-ass brand together.”

Franchising, Restaurants, Small Business, Fast Casual, Wingstop, Subway, Cinnabon, Dunkin’, CAVA, Entrepreneurship, Multi-Unit Operators, Emerging Brands

• Agape franchise opportunity: https://eatagape.com/franchise/
• Buy a franchise: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise
• Sell your franchise: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/
• YouTube: FranDawgs Podcast
• LinkedIn: Patrick Buckley

At just 28, Nico Verano walked out of a private equity job and into the heat—literally. After hearing SweatHouz founder Jamie Weeks pitch the sauna-and-cold-plunge concept, Nico became the first franchisee and built five booming locations across Boston. In this episode, he shares how his father’s legendary Italian restaurant launch (featuring The Sopranos cast) shaped his risk-taking mindset, why he built three studios at once, and how old-school hospitality still wins in modern wellness.

We also dive into his new restaurant, My Mother’s Cutlets, and how teaming up with Boston influencer Kevin Cooney through their new venture, Twin Oaks, is redefining what franchise partnerships can look like.

• Leaving a stable private-equity career to franchise SweatHouz
• Lessons from his father’s restaurant success (and The Sopranos cameo)
• The evolution from SweatHouz V1 → V2: turning wellness into luxury
• Building three studios simultaneously — and staying profitable month one
• Guerrilla marketing through mobile cold plunges and community fitness collabs
• How hospitality and human connection drive retention in a digital world
• Financial breakdown: margins, payback period, and unit-level performance
• The origin of My Mother’s Cutlets — “the Italian Chipotle” of Boston
• Partnering with Kevin Cooney to launch Twin Oaks Ventures
• Bringing SweatHouz to New York City and what’s next for Nico’s empire

“In order to be successful, you gotta lay it down to pick it up.” — Nico’s father “If you can’t find eight to nine people per hour in New York City, you’ve got a big problem.” — Nico Verano “All people want to feel is special. Whether you’re selling meatballs or saunas—it’s the same thing.” — Nico Verano

0:00 — The SweatHouz origin story 4:00 — The Sopranos and the restaurant that started it all 8:00 — Lessons from taking the ultimate entrepreneurial swing 10:00 — From first franchisee to multi-unit owner 14:00 — What contrast therapy really does for the body and mind 17:00 — Guerrilla marketing and how SweatHouz built hype offline 21:00 — Building community through hospitality 26:00 — Scaling fast: building three locations at once 33:00 — Real numbers: margins, revenue, and payback 41:00 — Why hospitality beats AI 43:00 — Partnering with Kevin Cooney and launching Twin Oaks Ventures 47:00 — The story behind My Mother’s Cutlets 50:00 — Running multiple ventures without burning out

• Instagram: @nicovaranojr, @mymotherscutlets
• SweatHouz Boston: sweathouz.com
• Twin Oaks Ventures: Coming soon

Chris Hatch, founder of Dirt Dogs and Forza Commercial, breaks down the business of owning the land beneath America’s top franchises. From Dutch Bros and Raising Cane’s to the dirty soda craze, Chris explains how site selection, drive-thru culture, and brand “soul” shape billion-dollar outcomes. A masterclass on franchising, real estate, and what makes a location truly win.

Interested in Agape? https://eatagape.com/franchise/

Sell your franchise: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/

Buy a franchise: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise

Follow and/or get in touch with Chris:

Listen to his podcast: https://tr.ee/OYH_2bV-Ar

Work with his company: https://www.forzacommercial.com/

X: https://x.com/chriswhatch

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hatch-5b100711/