The Franchise Leaders Forum Podcast

Why Franchise Leaders Struggle to Get Franchisee Buy-In w/ Joel Worthington

Most franchise leaders think franchisees resist the system itself, but the real issue is often a lack of buy-in from the beginning.  In today’s episode, we sit down with Joel Worthington, former president of Mr. Electric, to unpack why franchisee buy-in is one of the hardest things for leaders to create and why communication is often the missing piece. After spending 16 years as a pastor before stepping into franchising, Joel shares how leadership, trust, communication, and curiosity shape the way franchisees respond to change  This conversation goes far beyond communication tactics. Joel breaks down why leaders often move too quickly into problem-solving, how curiosity creates better conversations, and why compliance alone is never enough and why franchisees are far more likely to buy into systems they feel connected to rather than systems they feel forced into. He also shares the GUIDE leadership framework he used while leading more than 200 franchise locations and explains how better communication helped transform culture, trust, and performance across the brand. We also dive into the leadership mistakes that quietly create resistance, why compliance alone is never enough, and how strong franchise systems still fail when leaders don’t know how to create emotional buy-in from their people. So, if you’ve ever wondered why franchisees push back, resist change, or fail to fully engage with the system, this episode will completely change the way you think about leadership in franchising. Connect with Joel: Website: https://www.joelworthington.com/ [https://www.joelworthington.com/] Episode Highlights: * Joel’s transition from pastor to franchise leader * Why franchising and pastoring are more similar than people think * The communication mistakes most leaders make * Why franchisees resist systems and processes * How to create buy-in instead of compliance * Joel’s GUIDE leadership framework * Why leaders solve problems too quickly * The role trust plays in franchise growth * How curiosity changes difficult conversations * Why leadership development drives long-term growth Connect with Tracy Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-panase/ JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale] JBF Franchise System - https://jbfsalefranchise.com/ [https://jbfsalefranchise.com/] Email: podcast@jbfsale.com [podcast@jbfsale.com] Connect with Shannon Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/]        JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale] Website - https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/ [https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/] Email - shannon@shineexecutivecoaching.com

The Disconnect Slowing Franchise Growth w/ Lorne Fisher

Most franchise brands don’t have a growth problem. They have a disconnect problem. You can have strong marketing, a solid development team, and still struggle to scale if those pieces aren’t working together. And for many franchisors, that misalignment between marketing and franchise development is the exact thing slowing growth without them realizing it.  In this episode, we sit down with Lorne Fisher, founder of Fish Consulting and F2 Advisory, to break down what’s actually behind that disconnect. From starting his agency with no clients to landing Dunkin after months of persistence, Lorne shares how his experience working with some of the most recognizable franchise brands shaped the way he thinks about growth, positioning, and strategy.  We also get into what this looks like in real time. From crisis situations to FDD changes, Lorne explains how breakdowns inside an organization, not external factors, are often what create the biggest problems. He shares why poor communication turns small issues into larger ones and how transparency can either strengthen a system or quietly erode it over time.  So, if your brand isn’t growing the way you expected, this episode will help you see where the disconnect is happening and what needs to change to move forward. Resources: Don’t Let Your FDD Renewal Trigger a Crisis - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dont-let-your-fdd-renewal-trigger-crisis-lorne-fisher-cfe-aedcc/?trackingId=U8mQe2BdSzarEQx8o1X3Cg%3D%3D [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dont-let-your-fdd-renewal-trigger-crisis-lorne-fisher-cfe-aedcc/?trackingId=U8mQe2BdSzarEQx8o1X3Cg%3D%3D] Connect with Lorne: LinkedIn: @lorne-fisher-cfe [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorne-fisher-cfe-6681a02/] Website: https://www.lornefisher.com/ [https://www.lornefisher.com/] Episode Highlights: * How Lorne Fisher built built his agency into one of the leading public relations and marketing agencies serving franchise and multi-location brands  * The role PR plays in franchise development and lead generation * Why marketing and franchise development are often disconnected * What high-growth franchise brands do differently * The biggest mistakes franchisors make during times of change * Why poor communication turns into internal crises * How to prepare your brand for crisis situations before they happen * The importance of transparency with franchisees * What franchisors should consider before making FDD changes * How to approach agency selection and strategic partnership Connect with Tracy Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-panase/ JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale] JBF Franchise System - https://jbfsalefranchise.com/ [https://jbfsalefranchise.com/] Email: podcast@jbfsale.com [podcast@jbfsale.com] Connect with Shannon Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/]        JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale] Website - https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/ [https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/] Email - shannon@shineexecutivecoaching.com

The Trust Gap Costing Your Franchise Growth w/ Michelle Rowan

You can have the right systems, the right strategy, and still struggle to grow if your franchisees don’t trust you.  Today on the podcast we have Michelle Rowan, President of Franchise Business Review, to share what’s really driving growth behind the scenes of high-performing franchise systems. From building the company as employee number one to analyzing data from thousands of franchisees, Michelle shares what actually separates brands that scale from those that stall. This conversation centers on one critical factor most leaders underestimate: trust. Michelle breaks down why trust is the strongest predictor of franchise growth, how a lack of alignment creates friction across operations and development, and why franchisees ultimately influence whether new deals move forward or fall apart through validation and real-world experience. We also dive into the role of transparency, how feedback should actually be used, and what leaders need to understand about the real experience inside their systems. So, if your franchise isn’t growing the way you expected, this episode will challenge you to look beyond strategy and take a hard look at the trust you’ve built with the people closest to your brand. Connect with Michelle: Franchise Business Review - https://franchisebusinessreview.com/ [https://franchisebusinessreview.com/] LinkedIn - @michellemonroerowan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellemonroerowan/] Resources: Auspicious Owl Group - https://www.auspiciousowlgroup.com/ [https://www.auspiciousowlgroup.com/] Episode Highlights: * Why trust is the #1 driver of franchise growth * What happens when franchisees don’t buy into leadership decisions * The hidden cost of ignoring franchisee feedback * How franchisees influence development and deal flow * Why transparency matters more than polished messaging * The shift from command-and-control to collaboration in franchising * How to use feedback as a roadmap instead of avoiding it * What strong franchise brands consistently do differently Connect with Tracy Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-panase/ JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale] JBF Franchise System - https://jbfsalefranchise.com/ [https://jbfsalefranchise.com/] Email: podcast@jbfsale.com [podcast@jbfsale.com] Connect with Shannon Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/]        JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale] Website - https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/ [https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/] Email - shannon@shineexecutivecoaching.com

Taking Over a Franchise Legacy Is Harder Than You Think w/ Anne Huntington Sharma

Stepping into a company your parents built sounds like a natural transition. It’s not. In this episode, Tracy and Shannon sit down with Anne Huntington Sharma, CEO and President of Huntington Learning Center, to talk about what it actually looks like to lead a nearly 50-year-old franchise brand into its next chapter. From growing up in the business to building experience outside of it, Anne shares what it took to step into leadership, earn credibility, and navigate the reality of leading a system where trust isn’t automatic.  This conversation goes beyond leadership titles. Anne breaks down what it means to act as a steward of a legacy brand while still pushing it forward, from leading through COVID and driving a system-wide shift online to managing large-scale innovation across hundreds of franchise locations. She also shares how Huntington is investing in the future, including building custom curriculum powered by both AI and human expertise, and what it takes to roll out change in a way franchisees will actually adopt. They also get into the parts most people don’t talk about, balancing family dynamics inside a business, making long-term decisions while franchisees are focused on today, and why consistency, communication, and local community presence still matter more than ever. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to lead, evolve, and protect a legacy brand at the same time, this episode will give you a much clearer picture. So if you’re building, leading, or stepping into something bigger than you, this is the episode to listen to. Resources: Business conference: https://chiefexecutive.net/ [https://chiefexecutive.net/] Connect with Anne: Website: https://huntingtonhelps.com/ [https://huntingtonhelps.com/] Franchise Info: https://huntingtonfranchise.com/ [https://huntingtonfranchise.com/] Phone: 1-800-CAN-LEARN LinkedIn: @anne-huntington-sharma [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-huntington-sharma/] Episode Highlights: * Growing up inside a franchise system and what that actually looks like * The decision to work outside the family business first * The moment that led Anne to join Huntington full-time * Navigating leadership as the founder’s daughter * Leading through COVID and system-wide change * How to introduce innovation in a legacy franchise system * The role of trust, consistency, and communication in leadership * Why local marketing still drives franchise success * Building credibility with franchisees over time * What franchisees need from leadership today Connect with Tracy Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-panase/ JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale] JBF Franchise System - https://jbfsalefranchise.com/ [https://jbfsalefranchise.com/] Email: podcast@jbfsale.com [podcast@jbfsale.com] Connect with Shannon Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/]        JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale] Website - https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/ [https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/] Email - shannon@shineexecutivecoaching.com

38 Years in Franchising & We Still Get This Wrong w/ Therese Thilgen

You think franchising is a proven path to success so why do so many people still get it wrong? In this episode, we sit down with Therese Thilgen, co-founder of Franchise Update Media and franchise veteran with 38 years of experience to unpack what actually happens behind the scenes of franchising and why so many people make the same costly mistakes, even when they think they’re doing everything right. Therese shares how she got started in franchising and what it really looked like to build something from the ground up. But what stands out most isn’t just the longevity. It’s the missteps, the trial and error, and the moments where things didn’t work that ultimately shaped how she approaches business today. We also get into her personal experience as a franchisee that didn’t go as planned and how that moment changed how she views research, transparency, and decision-making in franchising. Along with the early challenges of building Franchise Update Media, she shares what went wrong in those early stages and how those experiences forced her to rethink how value is created, communicated, and delivered. If you’re considering franchising, growing a brand, or trying to understand why some businesses scale while others struggle, this conversation will challenge how you think about opportunity, risk, and what it actually takes to get it right. So, if you want a more honest look at franchising and what people are still getting wrong after decades in the industry, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. Connect with Therese: Email - Thereset@franchiseupdate.com Episode Highlights: * Starting in franchising with no clear plan * The early mistakes that shaped her business * What went wrong when launching the first version * Lessons from a failed franchise investment * Why feedback can either break you or build you * The long road to figuring out what actually works * What most people underestimate about franchising * Why experience doesn’t guarantee better decisions * How the industry has evolved over time * What it really takes to build something sustainable Connect with Tracy Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-panase/ JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale] JBF Franchise System - https://jbfsalefranchise.com/ [https://jbfsalefranchise.com/] Email: podcast@jbfsale.com [podcast@jbfsale.com] Connect with Shannon Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/]        JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale [https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale] Website - https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/ [https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/] Email - shannon@shineexecutivecoaching.com