Franchisee Growth Formula Podcast

Hosted by April Porter

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275

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Oct 2026

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About the show

Welcome to the Franchisee Growth Formula Podcast, where franchisee performance meets real-world business strategy. Hosted by April Porter—attorney, former judge, multi-unit franchisee, & leading authority on franchisee performance—this weekly show delivers actionable insights, proven growth strategies, & candid conversations with top entrepreneurs & franchise leaders. Designed for franchisees, you’ll learn how to scale sustainably, increase profitability, and achieve SWAG: Sanity, Wealth, And Gratitude—success without sacrifice. Learn more at AskAprilPorter.com and Secretsos.com

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October 27, 202634 min

275. Why Do Franchisees Stop Trusting Their Franchisors?

In this episode of The Franchisee Growth Formula, April Porter welcomes David Cutillo , CEO of BeBalanced Natural Hormone Weight Loss Franchise , to discuss building stronger franchisor–franchisee relationships and finding growth through strategic partnerships. David explains why communication, trust, and understanding both sides of the business matter when introducing changes across a franchise network. David shares lessons from franchising BeBalanced since 2015, including the brand’s expansion into an add-on model for gyms and wellness businesses. Together, they explore how listening to franchisees, moving beyond scarcity thinking, and partnering with established communities can create opportunities that benefit the brand, business owners, and customers. Key Takeaways: Why running a franchise brand differs from running an independent business How expectations, emotions, and perception affect franchise relationships Why franchisees should be involved before major changes roll out How collaboration and abundance thinking support business growth How complementary services can meet unmet customer needs Why strategic partnerships should create a win for everyone involved Episode Timestamps: [00:00] - Opening Teaser & Introduction to David Cutillo and BeBalanced [01:27] - The Challenges of Becoming a Franchisor [05:07] - How Brand Decisions Affect Franchisee Trust [09:10] - Understanding Franchisee Fear & Expectations [12:55] - Communication, Feedback & Managing Ego [15:51] - Learning From the Wider Franchise Community [18:37] - Abundance Thinking vs. Fear of Competition [22:15] - Expanding BeBalanced Into Gyms & Wellness Businesses [29:32] - Building Partnerships Around Customer Needs [33:27] - How to Connect With David & Closing Remarks Connect with Guest, David Cutillo: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-cutillo-a79a8253/ Website: https://bebalancedcenters.com/ LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/bebalanced-natural-hormone-weight-loss/ Connect with April Porter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilporterbrands/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askaprilporter Submit a Question for April: https://info.secretsos.com/widget/form/9kjoRZJXsQJkZUmK2xpV More from Secretsos™: Website: https://secretsos.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/secretsos/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretsos_bia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SecretSOSofficial/ X: https://x.com/secretsos_bia Follow Franchisee Growth Formula: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/ask-april-porter-podcast/id1570422370 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0C440Ehj234DVNcFIYHjtd?si=f7f27743a3654c9a YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@askaprilporter

October 19, 202638 min

274. Your Franchise Is Growing. Why Is Cash Still Tight?

In this episode of Franchisee Growth Formula , host April Porter sits down with Alex Filipuk , Founder and CEO of Ideal Siding , to discuss why franchise ownership requires more than following a proven business model. They explore managing people, understanding cash flow, and making the shift from running daily operations to leading a business. Alex shares how a lack of trusted siding brands inspired his approach to franchising. He explains why a growing business can still put pressure on an owner’s bank account, how AI can help owners better understand their finances, and why peer accountability groups work best when franchisees face similar challenges. Together, they discuss realistic expectations of franchisor support and the personal growth needed to build a business that supports your goals. Key Takeaways: A franchise provides an operating model, but owners still need to develop financial knowledge, leadership skills, and resilience. Alex identifies three challenges in franchise ownership: learning the business, managing people, and moving from general manager to owner. Business growth can increase working capital needs before it increases take-home income. More sales do not automatically mean more available cash. Owners need to understand their numbers even when they have an accountant. Working longer hours cannot make up for poor financial management. Alex and April discuss using AI to explain financial concepts and identify questions worth investigating, while protecting sensitive information and checking its advice. Training and peer support are more useful when they match a franchisee’s stage of growth. Ideal Siding’s weekly mastermind groups connect owners facing similar challenges. Episode Timestamps: [00:00] - Introduction [02:04] - Building a Trusted Brand in the Siding Industry [08:13] - What Franchisor Support Does and Does Not Cover [11:14] - The Three Challenges of Franchise Ownership [15:44] - Why Business Growth Can Create Cash Flow Pressure [18:55] - Using AI Safely for Financial Understanding [22:01] - Stage-Based Training and Franchisee Accountability Groups [26:47] - The Realities of Franchising and Personal Growth [36:35] - How to Connect With Alex and Closing Remarks Connect with Guest, Alex Filipuk: LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/idealsiding Website: https://idealsiding.com/ Franchise Opportunities: https://idealsiding.com/franchise/ LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/idealsiding Connect with April Porter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilporterbrands/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askaprilporter Submit a Question for April: https://info.secretsos.com/widget/form/9kjoRZJXsQJk ZUmK2xpV More from Secretsos™: Website: https://secretsos.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/secretsos/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretsos_bia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SecretSOSofficial/ X: https://x.com/secretsos_bia Follow Franchisee Growth Formula: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/ask-april-porter-podcast/id1570422370 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0C440Ehj234DVNcFIYHjtd?si=f7f27743a3654c9a YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@askaprilporter

October 12, 202623 min

273. The 5 Revenue Levers: How Franchisees Increase Sales Without More Leads

Most business owners chase revenue the hard way: more ads, more calls, more hustle. In this episode, April Porter breaks down the five levers that control business revenue -and explains why “more leads” is often the last lever to optimize , not the first. If you’re a franchisee, franchisor, or small business owner, this is a foundational training on where growth actually comes from and how to identify your next best move. What You’ll Learn The 5 ways to increase revenue in any franchise or small business Why more leads can be the most expensive, labor-intensive lever How cutting marketing spend can create a sales decline spiral The sales metrics that matter: booking rate, show-up rate, close rate Benchmarks for consultative sales close rate (good vs excellent) How to increase your average transaction value with pricing, upsells, bundles How to increase customer purchase frequency with a follow-up roadmap How to scale revenue by multiplying the owner (training staff to sell like you) The 5 Revenue Levers (Quick List) More leads (often the slowest lever first) Close more of the leads you already have (improve conversion rate) Increase average transaction value (raise prices, upsells, bundles) Increase purchase frequency (follow-up roadmap + retention strategy) Multiply yourself (train the team to sell at owner level) Action Step (Your Mission This Week) Pick the single most underdeveloped lever in your business right now and improve it by one level this week-before spending another dollar chasing more leads. Go Deeper For frameworks, tools, and step-by-step implementation: Subscribe to our Substack Get the full playbook inside Secretsos™ Academy Share This Episode Know a franchisee leaving money on the table by chasing leads? Send them this episode.

September 29, 202631 min

272. Can You Really Train Your Brain at Any Age? with Kim Hanson

In this episode of Franchisee Growth Formula, host April Porter sits down with Kim Hanson , CEO of LearningRx and co-author of The Purpose Directed Business and Unlock the Einstein Inside , to discuss how cognitive skills influence learning, confidence, performance, and business ownership. Kim explains the difference between what people know and how they process information, shares the family story behind LearningRx, and explores how individualized brain training can support children and adults. They also discuss different paths to franchise ownership, the importance of measurable results, and why entrepreneurs must make continuous learning a priority. Key Takeaways: What people know is only one side of intelligence. How they process information also affects how easily they learn and perform. Attention, memory, processing speed, visual processing, auditory processing, and related skills can improve through focused training. Professionals may need stronger business skills, corporate leaders may need training expertise, and experienced trainers can grow into directors and franchise owners. Kim explains that cognitive skills can be strengthened throughout life, including for adults and people in their 90s. LearningRx evaluates individual cognitive skills instead of treating a diagnosis as the complete picture, including working memory and processing speed challenges associated with ADHD. Measurable data, one-on-one attention, predictable routines, and game-like exercises help create a more personalized training experience. Business owners need to replace employee habits with strategic thinking and make learning a daily priority to avoid buying themselves an expensive job. Episode Timestamps: [00:00] - Introduction [03:30] - The Seven Cognitive Skills Behind Learning [07:53] - The Family Story Behind LearningRx [12:06] - Adapting Training to Different Learning Styles [15:22] - Brain Training, Purpose, and Lifelong Confidence [22:49] - Supporting ADHD, Autism, and Learning Challenges [26:53] - Why Research and One-on-One Training Matter [29:20] - Finding a Center or Exploring the Franchise Opportunity [31:11] - The Brainy Moms Podcast and Closing Remarks Connect with Guest, Kim Hanson: LinkedIn: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-hanson-cfe-bccs-2903729/⁠ Speaker Profile: ⁠ ⁠ ⁠https://www.learningrx.com/speaker-kim-hanson/⁠ The Purpose Directed Business: ⁠ https://www.purposedirectedbusiness.com/⁠ Unlock the Einstein Inside: ⁠ https://www.unlocktheeinsteininside.com/⁠ Connect with Guest’s Company: Website: ⁠ ⁠ ⁠https://www.learningrx.com/⁠ Franchise Opportunities: ⁠ https://www.learningrx-franchise.com/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/learningrx⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@LearningRxcom⁠ Brain Training Resources: ⁠ ⁠ ⁠https://www.learningrx.com/resources/⁠ The Brainy Moms Podcast: ⁠ https://www.thebrainymoms.com/⁠ Connect with April Porter: LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilporterbrands/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/askaprilporter⁠ X: ⁠https://x.com/askaprilporter⁠ Submit a Question for April: ⁠https://info.secretsos.com/widget/form/9kjoRZJXsQJkZUmK2xpV⁠ More from Secretsos™: Website: ⁠https://secretsos.com/⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/secretsos/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/secretsos_bia⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/SecretSOSofficial/⁠ X: ⁠https://x.com/secretsos_bia⁠ Follow Franchisee Growth Formula: Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/ask-april-porter-podcast/id1570422370⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/0C440Ehj234DVNcFIYHjtd?si=f7f27743a3654c9a⁠ YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@askaprilporter⁠

September 14, 202637 min

271. The Four Pillars Behind Every Scalable Franchise Business With Brendon Dennewill

In this episode of Franchisee Growth Formula, host April Porter sits down with Brendon Dennewill , Founder of Denamico , and host of the RevOps Champions Podcast , to discuss how franchise brands can align people, processes, data, and technology to drive scalable growth. They explore franchisee-franchisor alignment, scalable systems, technology, transparency, and the importance of planning an exit strategy. Key Takeaways: Technology Amplifies Existing Systems: Technology can strengthen a well-run business, but it can also amplify existing chaos and misalignment. People and Alignment Come First: Successful technology implementation starts with aligned people, clear responsibilities, and intentional culture. Franchisor-Franchisee Communication Matters: Transparency and communication are essential for reducing the gap between franchisors and franchisees. Processes Must Scale With Growth: Franchise brands need to understand when processes will break and plan for additional resources before those problems occur. Build Technology Around Franchisee Success: Technology should help franchisees succeed while creating better alignment and data flow across the entire organization. Plan the Exit Early: A clear exit strategy can help franchisees make better decisions about growth, renewals, and long-term business goals. Scalability Requires Early Planning: Building systems that can scale before a brand becomes too large can reduce future pain and improve alignment across stakeholders. Episode Timestamps: [00:00:00] - Teaser [00:01:20] - Introduction to Guest [00:04:03] - Why People and Alignment Come First [00:09:21] - The Franchisee-Franchisor Alignment Gap [00:12:37] - Creating Clarity Across the Franchise Network [00:20:35] - Building Technology Around Franchisee Success [00:24:54] - Transparency, Trust, and Working From the Same Side of the Table [00:30:14] - Why Every Franchisee Needs an Exit Strategy [00:35:17] - Scalable Systems and the Future of Franchise Connect with Guest, Brendon Dennewill: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendondennewill/ Connect with Guest's Company: Website: https://www.denamico.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/denamico/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Denamico RevOps Resources: https://www.denamico.com/resources Connect with April Porter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilporterbrands/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askaprilporter X: https://x.com/askaprilporter Submit a Question for April: https://info.secretsos.com/widget/form/9kjoRZJXsQJkZUmK2xpV More from Secretsos: Website: https://secretsos.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/secretsos/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretsos_bia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SecretSOSofficial/ X: https://x.com/secretsos_bia Follow Franchisee Growth Formula: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/ask-april-porter-podcast/id1570422370 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0C440Ehj234DVNcFIYHjtd?si=f7f27743a3654c9a YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@askaprilporter

September 8, 202624 min

270. Inside One of America's Fastest-Growing Franchise Brands with Darren Wilstead

In this episode of Franchisee Growth Formula, host April Porter sits down with Darren Wilstead , Chief Revenue Officer at The Back Nine Golf , to discuss how one of America’s fastest-growing franchise brands is scaling while keeping franchisee success at the center of its mission. Darren shares how The Back Nine Golf expanded from launching its first franchise location in late 2022 to becoming a rapidly growing indoor golf franchise with hundreds of sold units across multiple countries. The conversation explores how the brand supports franchisees through every stage - from signing a lease and opening their location to building a successful business after launch. Key Takeaways: Rapid Growth Needs Strong Systems: The Back Nine’s growth shows that scaling a franchise requires more than selling units - it requires strong support systems for franchisee success. Support Starts Before Opening: Franchisees receive coaching from lease signing through launch, covering operations, marketing, sales, and memberships. Coaching Drives Accountability: Dedicated coaches and franchise success managers help owners track performance and improve results. Franchisees Must Shift to Ownership: Success comes from combining past experience with the franchise’s proven systems and strategies. Trust the Process: Franchise owners bring valuable skills, but following the brand’s playbook is key to growth. Growth Comes With Lessons: The Back Nine embraces challenges and continuously improves alongside its franchise network. Episode Timestamps: [00:00:00] - Teaser [00:01:53] - Introduction to Darren Wilstead & The Back Nine Golf [00:03:27] - Building a Franchise Brand That Supports Owners [00:06:02] - Training Franchisees for Success [00:08:04] - Sharing Success Across the Franchise Network [00:12:07] - Trusting the Franchise System and Managing Growth [00:16:02] - The Shift From Employee to Business Owner [00:19:51] - Why Franchisees Choose The Back Nine Golf [00:20:56] - Lessons From Scaling a Fast-Growing Franchise Brand [00:23:12] - Exploring The Back Nine Franchise Opportunity Connect with Guest, Darren Wilstead: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-wilstead-402a9752/ Connect with Guest's Company: Website: https://thebackninegolf.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-back-nine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebackninegolf/?hl=en YouTube: www.youtube.com/@thebackninegolf The Back Nine Golf Franchise Website: https://backninefranchise.com/ Connect with April Porter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilporterbrands/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/askaprilporter X: https://x.com/askaprilporter Submit a Question for April: https://info.secretsos.com/widget/form/9kjoRZJXsQJkZUmK2xpV More from Secretsos: Website: https://secretsos.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/secretsos/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretsos_bia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SecretSOSofficial/ X: https://x.com/secretsos_bia Follow Franchisee Growth Formula: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/ask-april-porter-podcast/id1570422370 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0C440Ehj234DVNcFIYHjtd?si=f7f27743a3654c9a YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@askaprilporter

August 31, 202621 min

269. Marketing Plan vs. Marketing Strategy: Why Most Franchisees Get This Wrong

Most franchise owners think they have a marketing problem. What they actually have is a strategy problem. In this episode, April Porter breaks down the critical difference between a marketing plan (the tactics) and a marketing strategy (the thinking underneath it) — and why confusing the two is quietly draining franchisee marketing budgets across the country. In This Episode, You'll Learn Why a $10,000 pre-opening marketing budget so often gets spent with little to no ROI The difference between a marketing plan (tactics, spend, timing) and a marketing strategy (vision, avatars, positioning) Why every ideal customer profile actually contains 3-5 distinct customer avatars — and why marketing to only one leaves money on the table A real example: how one franchise ran completely different ad campaigns at two locations based on the dominant customer avatar in each The "stranger to raving fan" journey every customer moves through, and why most marketing skips straight to the sale Why cutting your marketing budget after a bad ROI usually makes the problem worse, not better The 6-step order of operations for building a marketing strategy that actually scales Key Quote "A plan is the roadmap and the detailed steps, but your strategy is the bigger vision that guides every marketing decision you make." Next Step (Workshop) Ready to build a marketing strategy that actually converts strangers into customers?Join the Franchise Growth Formula Workshop: https://assets.secretsos.com/franchisegrowthformula Share This Episode With A franchisee who's spending on marketing but not seeing it convert — or a franchisor who's tired of hearing "the marketing isn't working."

August 24, 202625 min

268. The Franchise Gap, Part 3 of 3: What Franchisors Must Fix in Discovery

Franchise disclosure documents (FDDs) help you understand the franchise offer — but they don't tell you the one variable that predicts performance inside almost every system: franchisee capability. In the final part of this series, April Porter explains how the Franchise Gap is created during the discovery process, when franchisors unintentionally oversell "everything you need," and candidates assume their skill gaps will be solved by training and support alone. In This Episode Why capability (not brand, market, or work ethic) predicts franchisee outcomes Capability vs. potential: why approval decisions get distorted The hidden assumptions that create the Franchise Gap before day one What franchisees think they're buying when they buy a franchise Why "training & support" must be treated like the franchisor's product The capability categories candidates must develop: finance, sales, marketing, hiring/HR, leadership, resilience, and money mindset The discovery conversation that prevents overwhelmed single-unit operators and creates more multi-unit owners Free Training Join the Franchise Growth Formula Workshop to close the capability gap and install the skills that drive growth. Register here: https://assets.secretsos.com/franchisegrowthformula Series Note This wraps our 3-part series on the Franchise Gap. Catch up on Part 1 (why growth stalls despite identical training) and Part 2 (why growth plateaus after the honeymoon phase) if you missed them. Share This Episode With A franchisor rethinking their discovery process, or anyone evaluating whether to buy a franchise.

August 17, 202642 min

267. The Franchise Gap, Part 2 of 3: Why Growth Plateaus After the Honeymoon Phase

Most franchisees and small business owners don't fail because they're lazy. They fail because they hit the same invisible wall: early momentum fades, leads slow down, hours go up, and the business becomes emotionally heavy. In Part 2 of this series, April Porter explains why growth often declines after the grand opening, and how "employee identity" shows up inside business ownership — keeping smart, driven owners stuck on a hamster wheel. In This Episode, You'll Learn Why the grand opening surge fades (and what replaces it) The real reason owners work harder and still plateau How employee-style thinking creates burnout, inconsistent revenue, and decision fatigue The 3-step path to shifting into true owner execution: Free Training (Recommended Next Step) Join the next Franchise Growth Formula 3-day workshop (open to non-franchise owners too): https://assets.secretsos.com/franchisegrowthformula Mentioned in the Episode The pattern: honeymoon phase → plateau → burnout or cash squeeze Why traditional training (even franchise training) often under-prepares owners for real execution The core question that changes everything: "Who do I need to be?" vs. "What do I need to do?" Series Note This is Part 2 of a 3-part series on the Franchise Gap. Missed Part 1? Start there for the concept behind the Franchise Gap and why identical training produces different results. Coming up in Part 3: what franchisors must fix in discovery to reduce failure before it starts. Share This Episode With A franchisee, franchisor, or business owner who's working harder than ever — but not seeing the business grow.

August 10, 202621 min

266. The Franchise Gap, Part 1 of 3: Why Franchisee Growth Stalls (Even With the Same Playbook)

Most franchise brands think they're qualifying franchise candidates properly — but they're skipping the most important variable: capability. In this episode, April Porter explains why two franchisees can receive the same playbook, training, and support — and still produce dramatically different outcomes. The answer isn't motivation. It's the Franchise Gap: the space between operational training and the internal development required to execute like an owner. In This Episode, You'll Learn The hidden question discovery fails to address: "How capable are my franchisees?" Why Item 19 can look like two different businesses inside one franchise brand The system-wide pattern: 20% top performers / 60% stuck / 20% struggling The "SWAG" outcome franchisees are actually buying: Sanity, Wealth, Gratitude Why employee conditioning makes franchisees default to effort over leverage The 4 factors that shape franchisee capability Key Quote "The franchise model is replicable, but results are not — because capability is not evenly distributed." Next Step (Workshop) Want to close the Franchise Gap and build capability with a repeatable approach?Register for the Franchise Growth Formula Workshop: https://assets.secretsos.com/franchisegrowthformula Series Note This is Part 1 of a 3-part series on the Franchise Gap. Next up (Part 2): why growth plateaus after the honeymoon phase — and the mindset shift that gets owners unstuck. Then in Part 3: what franchisors must fix in discovery to prevent the gap before it starts. Share This Episode With A franchisee working 60–80 hours a week who feels stuck… or a franchisor trying to protect validation and flatten performance variance.