Why They Chose a Franchise Over Starting From Scratch (Real Owner Questions) Fries with Franchisees - Unemployable with Jeff Dudan

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Unemployable with Jeff Dudan

Episode: Why They Chose a Franchise Over Starting From Scratch (Fries with Franchisees)

Date: January 16, 2026
Host: Jeff Dudan
Guests: Matt & Alicia (Franchise Owners with Homefront Brands)
Location: Sparkman's Wharf, Tampa

Episode Overview

In this “Fries with Franchisees” segment, host Jeff Dudan sits down with Matt and Alicia, franchisees with Homefront Brands, to discuss their journey into franchising, the considerations behind their decision to buy a franchise rather than start a business from scratch, and the value of leveraging franchise resources for rapid business growth. The conversation offers candid insights for aspiring entrepreneurs looking for alternative paths to business ownership and explores the personal and generational impact of entrepreneurship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Choose a Franchise Over “From Scratch” Entrepreneurship

Research and Fit:
- Matt emphasizes the abundance of franchise opportunities and the importance of finding one that aligns with personal and family goals.
  - Quote:
    
    “Just find the one that makes the most sense for you and your family. Do your due diligence, you know, interview other franchise owners.”
    – Matt [00:56]
- Visiting the franchisor, meeting the team, and speaking with current owners were critical steps for Matt and Alicia’s decision-making process.
  - Quote:
    
    “After doing all those things, we knew this opportunity with Homefront and Top Rail was the best fit for us.”
    – Matt [01:18]

2. Accelerating Success: The Leverage of a Franchise Model

Speed to Market:
- The duo selected franchising because they needed their business to be operational and profitable quickly, rather than spending months or years figuring things out themselves.
  - Quote:
    
    “We wanted to have our business, but we couldn’t take six months or a year or several years to figure it out. The franchise made a lot of sense for us because it’s kind of like they’ve done a lot of that testing and trying and knowing, like, this works. Well, this doesn’t.”
    – Matt [01:40]
Turnkey Systems:
- Essential business elements like websites and marketing tools were already in place.
  - Quote:
    
    “The main things you need to build a business, like a good website, all those things are done for you. Getting started from day one.”
    – Matt [02:11]

3. Community & Support

Not Just a Number:
- Alicia shares feeling welcomed and valued, with personal support from Homefront Brands’ leadership.
  - Quote:
    
    “We really didn’t feel like a number. We felt like it was really us coming into being a part of an organization that was truly there to help us.”
    – Alicia [02:20]
Access to Leadership:
- Specific mention of being able to call key contacts directly for help.
  - Quote:
    
    “We call them up and they’re right there to help us with anything that we need help with.”
    – Alicia [02:38]

4. Leveraging Franchise Efficiency for Local Growth

Shared Resources Drive Efficiency:
- Jeff describes franchising as a “leverage play,” where centralization allows franchisees to focus on the local market while benefiting from efficiencies and shared insights.
  - Quote:
    
    “You get those leaps in efficiency, you get those leaps in customer acquisition, you get those leaps and insights.”
    – Jeff (Host) [02:57]

5. Business Ownership as Legacy and Diversification

Taking Control of Destiny:
- Matt and Alicia sought the independence and control offered by business ownership, with the support and trust of a franchisor.
  - Quote:
    
    “We wanted something where we were in control of our own destiny…we have a partner that we can trust in Homefront and Top Rail. But ultimately we’re kind of in control of…our success.”
    – Matt [03:40]
Diversifying Family Assets:
- Franchising as a complementary asset to traditional investments in real estate and the stock market.
  - Quote:
    
    “With real estate can go up and down, stock market as well…This is a tool that we can use to diversify things.”
    – Matt [04:02]
Involving Family, Building Generational Impact:
- Alicia talks about legacy, involving their children in business discussions, and exposing them to entrepreneurship.
  - Quote:
    
    “We involve our kids in our discussions about, you know, fences in general. It’s not necessarily the funnest thing for a six-year-old to talk about, but he definitely has been a part of conversations…He’s definitely learning more, just as we are.”
    – Alicia [04:30]

6. Setting an Example & Inspiring Others

Entrepreneurial Exposure:
- Early life exposure to entrepreneurship can influence the likelihood of future entrepreneurial success, which Jeff highlights as a benefit for franchisee families.
  - Quote:
    
    “People that have an early entrepreneurial experience generally are more likely to have success as an entrepreneur later in life. So you’re giving them something, a vision of something that they could never have been exposed to otherwise.”
    – Jeff (Host) [05:08]
Conclusion with Encouragement:
- Jeff thanks Matt and Alicia for sharing their experience, reinforcing the educational and inspirational value of their story for others considering franchising.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

On accelerated learning:

“The franchise made a lot of sense for us because it’s kind of like they’ve done a lot of that testing and trying and knowing, like, this, this works. Well, this doesn’t.” – Matt [01:40]
About personal support:

“We really didn’t feel like a number. We felt like it was really us coming into being a part of an organization that was truly there to help us.” – Alicia [02:20]
On building a family legacy:

“It’s something that we involve our kids in our discussions about…He’s definitely learning more, just as we are.” – Alicia [04:30]
Jeff on entrepreneurial exposure:

“People that have an early entrepreneurial experience generally are more likely to have success as an entrepreneur later in life.” – Jeff [05:08]

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:56 – Matt on the importance of due diligence in franchise selection
01:40 – The benefits of franchising for speed and risk reduction
02:17 – Alicia on support and not feeling like “just a number”
03:40 – Matt and Alicia on control, diversification, and building a legacy
04:30 – Alicia involving their child in the business journey
05:08 – Jeff on the generational impact of entrepreneurship

Tone & Style

The conversation is warm, encouraging, and down-to-earth. It blends practical advice—delivered in an accessible, conversational style—with aspirational messages about ownership, family, and legacy. The focus is on actionable insights and honest reflections, making the episode highly relatable for aspiring franchisees and entrepreneurs alike.

For anyone contemplating franchise ownership, this episode offers first-hand stories about the advantages, early challenges, and lasting rewards of choosing a franchise over starting from scratch—all through the voices of those living the journey.

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Transcript15 lines

[00:00]
Singer
This life like swinging vines Swing my heart across the line in my face is flashing signs Seek it out and you shall find hold but not there.
[00:11]
Host
Hey, we're at swing of a jig. It's Sparkman's Wharf, Tampa, getting ready to have fries with franchisees Matt and Alicia.
[00:18]
Singer
Heck, I feel something so right Doing the wrong thing.
[00:24]
Host
Hey, well, there's some fries for you.
[00:27]
Singer
Oh, my goodness.
[00:28]
Matt
Cheers. Cheers.
[00:29]
Host
Oh, does that put in your mouth? Okay. Little segment fries with franchisees. And just really appreciate the time that we've been able to spend with you here in Tampa. It's been incredible, and we're so proud of the work that you're doing for the local community. Is there anything that you wish you would have known before you got into this that could help advise somebody who might be considering franchise ownership for their next season of life?
[00:57]
Matt
Yeah, I'd say just there's a lot of franchise opportunities out there. Just find the one that makes the most sense for you and your family. Do your due diligence, you know, interview other franchise owners. We really enjoyed being able to talk to other owners and be able to go to meet the team day. And after doing all those things, we knew this opportunity with home front and top rail was the best fit for us.
[01:20]
Host
What have you realized or what have you learned about the overall organization and how the franchise business model can really help somebody get into business faster, accelerate the time, the speed to first dollar, and really help you identify the things that you need to learn and be good at early on?
[01:40]
Matt
Well, for us, this is our livelihood. So we knew we wanted to have our business, but we couldn't take six months or a year or several years to figure it out. So when we were, you know, the franchise made a lot of sense for us because it's kind of like they've done a lot of that testing and trying and knowing, like, this, this works. Well, this doesn't. And so that's one thing that really appealed to both of us, was we could get. We could build this business very, very quickly because all the things were pretty, you know, the main things you need to build a business, like a good website, all those things are done for you. Getting started from day one.
[02:18]
Alicia
And we really felt like Homefront Brands had put so much into it already. Us coming into it, even though fairly new, we really didn't feel like that. We didn't feel like a number. We felt like it was really us coming into being a part of an organization that was truly there to help us. And with talking with Brad And Jacob and Todd, I mean, we call them up and they're right there to help us with anything that we need help with. And there's a lot of things to learn. Yes, yes. With owning a new company and obviously doing fencing and trying to work different mindsets together to make it work for.
[02:58]
Host
Us, franchising is really kind of a leverage play, you know, and if everybody does their job, look, everything's no business, everything's smooth all the time. But if everybody's working towards those right things, you get those leaps in efficiency, you get those leaps in customer acquisition, you get those leaps and insights. And, you know, that's where if you're focused on the things that you do locally in the marketplace and a lot of the things are centralized, they can be centralized. It really builds a powerful growth opportunity for everybody involved. How do you think about business building inside of a franchise as part of your legacy, as part of your ability to have a diverse portfolio of assets?
[03:40]
Matt
We thought a lot about it early on what we wanted to do next. And I think for Alicia and I, we wanted something where we were in control of our own destiny. You know, we didn't want to, you know, hitch a ride to someone that was trying to start a company or go find a job. We wanted something that we knew we have a partner that we can trust in Homefront and top rail. But ultimately we're kind of in control of what, you know, our success, you know, and that really appealed to us. I think it's a great point about diversifying because, you know, with real estate can go up and down, stock market as well. We've gone up and down with all those things. I definitely think this is a tool that we can use to diversify things. We thought a lot of. We're in the thick of things right now, so we don't think about it daily, but that's definitely something we thought about.
[04:31]
Alicia
I think it's something to definitely consider when you're looking at what you want to do and how you want your life to be and how you want your legacy to be for even your kids and for the rest of your family for decades. And it's something that we involve our kids in our discussions about, you know, fences in general. It's not necessarily the funnest thing for a six year old to talk about, but he definitely has been a part of conversations and talking with our neighbors and about our new business venture. He's definitely learning more, just as we are.
[05:08]
Host
People that have an early entrepreneurial experience generally are more likely to have success as an entrepreneur later in life. So you're giving them something, a vision of something that they could never have been exposed to otherwise. We didn't do a very good job on these fries. We talked a lot, but we can take them with us. Thank you for being a part of fries with franchisees. We hope to use this to help other people be educated and maybe even inspired by you, to follow in your footsteps and change your life through business ownership, with franchising and maybe even with home front brands.