“Back to Basics” with Rachael Nemeth

EP20: Scaling Consistency Across 3,700 Employees in Fitness

“When consistency is the product, simplicity becomes the strategy.” Chris Griebe, COO of VASA Fitness, joins Rachael Nemeth to break down what it takes to deliver a consistent, high-quality member experience across a rapidly scaling fitness brand where thousands of daily interactions determine whether members stay or churn. Stepping into 70+ clubs and 3,700 frontline employees mid-expansion, Chris shares how his team simplified operations to focus on what actually matters: equipment that works, staff that are welcoming, and clubs that feel clean and comfortable. He explains why most service failures fall into three categories and how distilling complexity into “fixed, friendly, clean” became the backbone of VASA’s operating model. They also dive into the operator’s role in a high-data environment, why more metrics don’t lead to better outcomes, how to identify the few numbers that actually drive behavior, and why frontline execution matters more than strategy. If you operate in fitness, hospitality, or any business where the experience is delivered by people in real time, this episode is a masterclass in simplifying operations to scale consistency. Key Takeaways * Consistency Is Built on Simplicity: Most service breakdowns come down to broken equipment, unfriendly interactions, or unclean environments. * Frequency Raises the Stakes: Frequent visits make small inconsistencies compound quickly. * Focus, Not Frenzy: Distill metrics down to behaviors that drive outcomes. * Train for Behavior: Short, targeted training outperforms long onboarding. * Talent Is the Constraint: Growth depends on recruiting and retaining strong teams. * Remove Friction: Great operations feel invisible to the customer. * Scale Breaks Systems: What works at 10 locations won’t hold at 70. Perfect For Fitness operators, multi-unit leaders, hospitality executives, founders scaling service-based businesses, and anyone managing large frontline teams where consistency is the core value proposition. About Chris Griebe COO of VASA Fitness, overseeing 70+ locations and thousands of frontline employees. Chris has spent his career in fitness, from personal trainer to executive leadership, scaling operations across national platforms. Time Stamp Chapters * 03:08 Industry growth and post-pandemic shifts * 04:44 What great service looks like * 06:26 The “fixed, friendly, clean” model * 10:03 Hidden drivers of member experience * 14:31 Cutting through data overload * 18:55 Rethinking training * 22:34 From personal trainer to COO * 27:00 Leadership lessons * 30:49 Mentorship and recognition * 33:55 Lightning round About Us Opus is the leading training operations platform for multi-unit brands with frontline workforces, helping operators deliver consistent, engaging training that delivers measurable results. Trusted in thousands of locations across restaurants, retail, fitness, healthcare and consumer services, Opus customers include Smashburger, Craveworthy Brands, Let’s Play Soccer, Shipley Do-Nuts, Sound Fun Entertainment, Big Chicken, York Building Services, Gordon Ramsay Group, Jose Andres Group and more.  Learn more at www.opus.so [https://www.opus.so] Have an idea or experience you'd like to share? Keep the conversation going with us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/opus-so/]!

EP19: Scaling the Experience Economy, From Escape Rooms to 100 Units of Play

“When the product is the experience, service isn’t support — it’s the show.” Jason Thompson, COO and Co-Founder of Sounds Fun Entertainment, joins Rachael Nemeth to unpack what it really takes to scale experiential brands where technology, energy, and frontline teams collide in real time. As the parent company behind Activate Games and Breakout Games, Sounds Fun operates 50+ locations with plans to double. Jason shares his unconventional path from frozen yogurt to escape rooms — and why entertainment ultimately proved easier to scale than restaurants. This episode dives into the art behind great service in location-based entertainment: creating “hero moments,” delivering perfectly timed clues, and designing wow experiences that feel effortless to the guest. Jason explains why barrier-to-entry saturation reshaped the escape room industry, how Activate became their next growth engine, and what changes operationally when you go from 10 to 50+ units. Key Takeaways * The Guest Is the Hero: The best service feels invisible. Design experiences so customers feel like they won — even when your team guided the way. * Barrier to Entry Changes Everything: Easy-to-copy concepts create fast saturation. Long-term advantage comes from operational discipline and brand scale. * Build for Extensibility Before Scale: Make early decisions that can replicate across markets — from training to real estate to tech systems. * Empower “Create Yes” Culture: Policies are flexible. Judgment is not. Hire people who want to serve, not enforce. * Visibility Is the Founder’s New Job: At 50+ units, success depends on seeing the whole system — data, metrics, maintenance, and morale — in one place. * Iterate Relentlessly: What worked at 10 units will break at 30. Proactive iteration beats reactive fixes. * Entertainment Is Recession-Resilient: In a digital world, people crave in-person connection more than ever. Perfect For Multi-unit operators, entertainment & hospitality leaders, founders scaling experiential concepts, franchise groups, and anyone building a brand where frontline teams are the product. About Jason Thompson COO & Co-Founder of Sounds Fun Entertainment, the parent company of Activate Games and Breakout Games. Jason helped grow the business from a single escape room to 50+ units nationwide, leading expansion, operational systems, and culture across a rapidly scaling experiential platform. Time Stamp Chapters * 01:05 From frozen yogurt to escape rooms * 03:10 Why entertainment is easier to scale than restaurants * 06:14 Inside the daily operations of an escape room * 15:07 Designing “hero moments” and invisible service * 18:02 When training systems break — and what to fix * 20:42 Scaling from 10 to 50+ units * 23:34 Tech overload and the visibility challenge * 26:02 Where the entertainment industry is headed * 30:06 Letting go as a founder * 36:32 Advice for operators scaling fast * 37:21 Lightning round About Us Opus is the leading training operations platform for multi-unit brands with frontline workforces, helping operators deliver consistent, engaging training that delivers measurable results. Trusted in thousands of locations across restaurants, retail, fitness, healthcare and consumer services, Opus customers include Smashburger, Craveworthy Brands, Let’s Play Soccer, Shipley Do-Nuts, Sound Fun Entertainment, Big Chicken, York Building Services, Gordon Ramsay Group, Jose Andres Group and more.  Learn more at www.opus.so [https://www.opus.so] Have an idea or experience you'd like to share? Keep the conversation going with us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/opus-so/]!

EP18: Great Service Isn’t Expected in Recreational Sports and That’s Why It Works

EP18: Great Service Isn’t Expected in Recreational Sports and That’s Why It Works “In service businesses, the win isn’t the task—it’s the relationship.” Gary Archer is CEO and President of a leading indoor soccer facility with 19+ locations across 9 states, built on a simple idea: great service is relational, not transactional. In this episode, Gary joins Rachael Nemeth (Opus CEO) to break down what customer service looks like in recreational sports—and why it’s a surprising blueprint for any service-driven business. He shares how LPS uses technology to remove friction so staff can focus on what actually matters: human connection, retention, and community. Gary also unpacks how they hire “specialists” who live by one job description—get teams, keep teams—and the interview method that reveals self-awareness, coachability, and the mindset of an A-player. From scaling via acquisitions to rebuilding standards, he explains why people are the competitive advantage—and why training only works when you can practice it. Key Takeaways → Relational Beats Transactional: Move paperwork and payments to tech so human interactions can be genuine and memorable. → Retention Is the Real Moat: When customers are regulars, service becomes community—and that’s hard to replace. → Hire for Talent, Train for Refinement: Look for curiosity, listening, and coachability—not just experience. → The Interview Reveals Everything: Role practice + feedback shows self-awareness, defensiveness, and growth mindset fast. → Acquisitions Expose Standards: Most integrations fail on people and culture, not strategy. → Practice Drives Behavior Change: Training only matters when it’s reinforced through practice and accountability. Perfect For Service operators, recreational sports leaders, multi-unit operators, training & L&D teams, and founders scaling culture through growth, acquisitions, and workforce development. About Gary Archer President & CEO of Let’s Play Sports (Let’s Play Soccer), a leading indoor soccer facility with 19+ locations. Gary began at the company at 16, worked every role, and has spent 38 years building a service-first organization centered on relationships, operational discipline, and people development. Time Stamp Chapters 01:06 What Let’s Play Sports is + who it serves 02:32 What great service looks like in recreational sports 03:02 Removing transactional friction to build relationships 04:39 Workforce model + hiring for relational talent 06:56 The interview method that reveals self-awareness 09:43 Scaling through acquisition + operational consistency 12:45 Switching training systems + why Opus worked 16:32 Why change didn’t happen sooner 18:36 Why service is declining—and why that’s opportunity 21:04 Lessons from the ground level + leadership evolution 26:36 Succession, leadership development, and the next chapter 30:43 Lightning round About Us Opus is the hospitality training platform purpose-built for the frontline. Train 100% of your team in 101 languages on the job to quickly get About Us Opus is the leading training operations platform for multi-unit brands with frontline workforces, helping operators deliver consistent, engaging training that delivers measurable results. Trusted in thousands of locations across restaurants, retail, fitness, healthcare and consumer services, Opus customers include Smashburger, Craveworthy Brands, Let’s Play Soccer, Shipley Do-Nuts, Sound Fun Entertainment, Big Chicken, York Building Services, Gordon Ramsay Group, Jose Andres Group and more.  Learn more at www.opus.so [https://www.opus.so] Have an idea or experience you'd like to share? Keep the conversation going with us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/opus-so/]!

EP17: How to Build the Modern Franchisor Without “One Size Fits All”

“Modern franchising isn’t about more support—it’s about smarter, scalable support.” Jenna Henderson has spent nearly two decades inside franchise systems, operating across field ops, brand services, development, growth, and tech. After almost 15 years at Saladworks, she stepped into SaaS as COO at WorkMerk (helping build the ServSafe Ops platform), then returned to franchising leadership as Group Chief Operating Officer for NewSpring Franchise. Today, she oversees operations, marketing, and supply chain across Great Harvest Bakery Cafe, Duck Donuts, and Federal Donuts & Chicken. In this episode, Jenna joins Rachael Nemeth (Opus CEO) to break down what the modern franchisor must look like: agile, cross-functional, and intentional about franchisee support. She explains why “one size fits all” fails, how segmenting single-unit vs multi-unit operators changes outcomes, and why operations must help approve franchisees—because ops lives with what happens after the check clears. Jenna also shares the structural fix that instantly improves alignment between development and ops: an onboarding specialist connecting signing through opening day. She unpacks where franchisors still operate too manually, how tech and AI only matter when insights become action, and what private equity brings when done right: discipline, a clear North Star, and shared infrastructure. Key Takeaways → Smarter Support Scales: Modern franchising isn’t about more touchpoints—it’s about systems that scale support intelligently. → One Size Fits None: Franchisee support must be segmented by operator type and brand maturity. → Ops Belongs Upstream: Operations should help approve franchisees, not just manage post-sale fallout. → Onboarding Drives Alignment: A dedicated onboarding specialist linking signing → opening improves execution. → Tech Must Be Actionable: AI only matters when insights drive real behavior change at the unit level. → Discipline Beats Sprawl: Clear ROI, a North Star, and shared infrastructure outperform tool overload. Perfect For Franchisors building scalable support models, operators navigating growth, PE-backed leadership teams, and brand executives reducing tech sprawl. About Jenna Henderson Group Chief Operating Officer at NewSpring Franchise, overseeing operations, marketing, and supply chain across Great Harvest Bakery Cafe, Duck Donuts, and Federal Donuts & Chicken. Time Stamp Chapters 00:00 Intro + Jenna’s role 02:06 The modern franchisor 06:16 Development vs operations 09:26 The onboarding specialist 11:10 Tech debt, AI, and action 16:32 PE-backed discipline 21:34 Lessons from Saladworks 33:13 Lightning round About Us Opus is the leading training operations platform for multi-unit brands with frontline workforces, helping operators deliver consistent, engaging training that delivers measurable results. Trusted in thousands of locations across restaurants, retail, fitness, healthcare and consumer services, Opus customers include Smashburger, Craveworthy Brands, Let’s Play Soccer, Shipley Do-Nuts, Sound Fun Entertainment, Big Chicken, York Building Services, Gordon Ramsay Group, Jose Andres Group and more.  Learn more at www.opus.so [https://www.opus.so] Have an idea or experience you'd like to share? Keep the conversation going with us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/opus-so/]!

EP16: How to Scale 19 Brands Without Breaking the P&L

"Brand building starts with your P&L, not your logo." Josh Halpern has one of the most unconventional careers in the industry: P&G, Clorox, Anheuser-Busch, CEO of Big Chicken, and now Chief Business Officer of Craveworthy Brands—leading strategy across 19 concepts while still running Big Chicken. In this episode, he joins Rachael Nemeth (Opus CEO) to break down what brand building actually means across chicken, pizza, coffee, taverns, Mediterranean, and more. Josh explains how Craveworthy acquires brands with strong IP but weak foundations, why unit economics must be fixed before scale, and how he uses real-time guest and employee feedback to remove friction. He shares their 6–18 month “fix before franchise” rule, why no sacred cows survive growth, and how quarterly goals (EOS) create the traction most restaurant companies lack. He also unpacks the CPG lessons that translate to restaurants, why hyper-customization is a non-negotiable for Gen Z + Gen Alpha, and the leadership framework—love + accountability—that drives cultures where GMs speak up, teams actually execute, and stores move from average to exceptional. Key Takeaways → Unit Economics First: Brand strength depends on prime cost, occupancy, and a working P&L. → No Sacred Cows: Anything dragging down results—recipes, vendors, or locations—gets reworked. → Fix Before You Franchise: Spend the first 6–18 months removing friction and stabilizing the model. → Mind the Bell Curve: Averages hide underperformers; weak stores define your real reputation. → Shopper vs. Consumer: Loyalty must target the decision-maker, not just the card swiping. → Hyper-Customization Wins: Gen Z expects full choice—chains must adapt. → Staff as Personal Brands: Under-40 workers sell better when their own identity is empowered. → Love + Accountability: High-performance teams thrive on care, clarity, and follow-through. → Train GMs Like Owners: Most need stronger financial and leadership skills. Perfect For: Operators deciding when to accelerate or tighten, franchisors preparing for scale, multi-brand leaders, and teams aiming to blend strong operations with disciplined growth. About Josh Halpern: Chief Business Officer at Craveworthy Brands and CEO of Big Chicken. Known for disciplined growth, turnarounds, and a leadership approach rooted in love, accountability, and traction. Time Stamp Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:09 Role at Craveworthy & the “restaurant vs. business” split 04:28 Brand building, unit economics & real loyalty 07:30 Fixing foundations: menu, locations & “no sacred cows” 10:47 90-day goals, EOS & driving traction with Opus 14:16 CPG lessons: data, bell curves & store-level performance 16:49 Shopper vs. consumer & targeting the right guest 19:08 When to scale vs. slow down (franchising & failed bets) 21:35 What brands will win by 2030: customization, chicken & everyday staples 24:32 Leaders who shaped Josh: love + accountability 30:23 Who thrives at Craveworthy: legacy, About Us Opus is the leading training operations platform for multi-unit brands with frontline workforces, helping operators deliver consistent, engaging training that delivers measurable results. Trusted in thousands of locations across restaurants, retail, fitness, healthcare and consumer services, Opus customers include Smashburger, Craveworthy Brands, Let’s Play Soccer, Shipley Do-Nuts, Sound Fun Entertainment, Big Chicken, York Building Services, Gordon Ramsay Group, Jose Andres Group and more.  Learn more at www.opus.so [https://www.opus.so] Have an idea or experience you'd like to share? Keep the conversation going with us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/opus-so/]!