Podcast
The Franchise Scale Up Show with Guy Coffey
Hosted by Guy Coffey · EN
Welcome to The Franchise Scale Up Show hosted by Guy Coffey. Guy is an entrepreneur, franchise veteran, and co-founder of a successful franchise brand.
Join Guy as he dives into real-world stories, strategies, and insights from inspiring entrepreneurs, industry experts, and thought leaders.
Discover actionable advice on launching, scaling, and sustaining a meaningful business while thriving in life. From solo episodes breaking down simple, effective strategies to candid interviews uncovering challenges, breakthroughs, and success secrets, this podcast is your go-to for honest, practical guidance.
Whether you’re just starting out or scaling to the next level, The Franchise Scale Up Show will empower you to build a business, and life, you love.
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
He Sold His Company, Then Climbed Everest. Here's What He Learned
2w ago00:36:55Tap to summarizeHe built Binary Tree over 26 years, sold it, and along the way completed 18 Ironman length triathlons and climbed Mount Everest. On this episode of The Franchise Scale Up Show, Guy Coffey sits down with Steven Pivnik, entrepreneur, exit advisor, and endurance athlete, to talk about what it actually takes to build something for decades and then walk away from it with clarity.Steven shares the real story behind Binary Tree, including the unglamorous project that turned into a $40 million line of business, the darkest stretches of near bankruptcy and missed payroll, and the moment he realized being the hardest worker in the room was actually holding the company back. He also breaks down the hub and spoke problem that quietly caps a founder's valuation, and the one scaling lesson he says takes years to learn but only minutes to explain: always hire someone who has already operated at twice the level you're trying to reach.The conversation moves into Steven's exit advisory work, including the three part exit ready assessment he takes founders through covering psychological readiness, personal financial readiness, and the eight drivers of enterprise valuation. He also talks about the unique retreats he now runs that combine endurance training in triathlon and mountaineering with one on one exit planning.Whether you're years away from an exit or actively planning one, this episode is full of grounded, hard won lessons on building, letting go, and defining success on your own terms.Connect with Guy Coffey:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/guycoffeyWebsite: www.guycoffey.comInstagram: @guycoffeyYouTube: @guycoffey
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He Went from Homeless to 12 KFCs and Airport Empires | George Tinsley Sr.
3w ago00:47:23Tap to summarizeGuy Coffey sits down with George Wm. Tinsley Sr., a 9x Franchising Hall of Famer, former professional basketball player, and one of the most inspiring entrepreneurial stories in franchising history.George shares how he went from a difficult childhood, being raised by a foster parent who couldn't read or write, to working directly alongside Colonel Sanders at KFC, building 12 KFC franchises, and eventually running award-winning airport concessions in Tampa, Miami, and Louisville. His TGI Fridays at Tampa Airport was the #1 location in the nation for nine consecutive years.Connect with Guy Coffey:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/guycoffeyWebsite: www.guycoffey.comInstagram: @guycoffeyYouTube: @guycoffey
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He Sold His Startup for Tens of Millions at 25. Now He's Fixing How Teams Communicate. | Guy Weis
4w ago00:40:25Tap to summarizeGuy Coffey sits down with Guy Weiss, co-founder and CEO of ZenZap, coming in from Tel Aviv, Israel. Guy W. is a serial tech entrepreneur who bootstrapped his first company at 23, generated billions in revenue for Amazon and eBay, sold for tens of millions, and spent years doing M&A for a London-based media group before stepping back entirely for four years.Now he's building ZenZap, a team communication platform purpose-built for non-tech, deskless, mobile-first businesses. Think gyms, restaurants, hotels, franchises, construction companies, and clinics. The ones running their entire operation on WhatsApp group chats right now.Connect with Guy Coffey:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/guycoffeyWebsite: www.guycoffey.comInstagram: @guycoffeyYouTube: @guycoffey
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The 3 Things That Will Double Your Franchise Conversion Rates | Dave Hansen, ClientTether
Jul 800:41:55Tap to summarizeGuy Coffey sits down with Dave Hansen, CEO of ClientTether, one of the most trusted CRM and sales automation platforms in franchising. Dave is a cancer survivor, dad of four,blacksmith, and former tech consultant who got roped into franchising by a neighbor at a camping trip and never looked back.ClientTether is purpose-built for franchise development and unit operations, and Dave has become one of the most well-connected and candid voices in the space. He doesn't sugarcoat what works and what doesn't.Connect with Guy Coffey:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/guycoffeyWebsite: www.guycoffey.comInstagram: @guycoffeyYouTube: @guycoffey
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How Kristin Oja Built STAT Wellness and Is Redefining Healthcare
Jul 100:47:36Tap to summarizeWhat if healthcare focused on keeping people healthy instead of simply treating them when they're sick?In this episode of The Franchise Scale-Up Show, Guy Coffey sits down with Kristin Oja, Founder and CEO of STAT Wellness, a rapidly growing wellness company combining functional medicine, strength training, nutrition coaching, and preventative healthcare under one roof.Kristin shares her journey from personal trainer to nurse practitioner to entrepreneur, revealing why traditional healthcare left her frustrated and how that frustration became the foundation for STAT Wellness.Connect with Guy Coffey:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/guycoffeyWebsite: www.guycoffey.comInstagram: @guycoffeyYouTube: @guycoffey
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Franchising Myths, Dairy Queen Incentives, and the Future of Franchise Growth
Jun 2400:45:03Tap to summarizeGuy Coffey and franchise veteran Pete Ricciardi discuss Dairy Queen's unusual $150,000 franchise incentive, the economics of QSR brands, franchise successes and failures, customer experience, Wendy's breakfast challenges, Raising Cane's growth, and why franchising remains one of the most powerful business models in America.Connect with Guy Coffey:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/guycoffeyWebsite: www.guycoffey.comInstagram: @guycoffeyYouTube: @guycoffey
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The $2,000/Hour Rule That Fixes Founder Bottlenecks with Adam Spector
Apr 2800:37:02Tap to summarizeMost founders don’t have a growth problem.They have a time allocation problem.They’re stuck doing work they shouldn’t be doing—and it’s limiting their ability to scale.In this episode, Guy Coffey sits down with Adam Spector, founder of Chore, to break down how founders become bottlenecks—and how to remove themselves from that role.Founder Bottleneck: A situation where the business depends on the founder for execution, decisions, or operations—slowing down growth.Delegation: The process of assigning tasks to others so the founder can focus on high-impact activities like strategy, growth, and leadership.What You’ll LearnWhy doing everything yourself kills scalabilityHow to delegate effectively as a founderWhy back-office work should be systemizedHow to “buy back your time”What high-performing founders focus on dailyThe Real ProblemIf everything runs through you…You don’t have a scalable business.You have a job.Key TakeawaysYour time is your most valuable assetDelegation is a growth strategy—not a costSystems create scale—not effortFounders must move from operator → architectGrowth requires removing yourself from low-value workIf you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or buried in day-to-day work…That’s not a capacity issue.That’s a systems issue.Go to guycoffey.com and book a free strategy call.We’ll help you:Identify exactly where you’re the bottleneckRemove the tasks slowing you downBuild a business that scales without youIf you’re serious about growth, this is your next move.Connect with Adam Spector:Website: https://www.hirechore.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamspector2/Connect with Guy Coffey:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/guycoffeyWebsite: www.guycoffey.comInstagram: @guycoffeyYouTube: @guycoffey
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From Invisible Tech to Industry Leader: DevHub’s Pivot Story with Mark Michael
Apr 2100:49:48Tap to summarizeFor most of its existence, DevHub wasn’t a brand.It was the engine behind other brands.For over 16 years, Mark Michael and his team powered websites for agencies and marketing platforms—completely behind the scenes.No visibility. No recognition. Just infrastructure.Then everything changed.In this episode, Mark shares the story behind DevHub’s bold decision to stop operating as a white-label provider and go direct to franchise brands—a move that required them to “burn the boats” and completely reposition the company.Guy and Mark unpack:Why staying invisible eventually became a limitationThe trade-offs of relying on middlemenWhat happens when you take back control of your productHow franchisors can avoid the same mistakeWhy your website should never be outsourced as an afterthoughtThis episode is about more than tech—it’s about ownership, identity, and making the hard decisions that unlock the next level of growth.Key Takeaways:Being behind the scenes can limit long-term growthWhite-label success doesn’t equal brand equityGoing direct requires risk—but creates controlFranchisors must own their core infrastructureThe hardest pivots often create the biggest breakthroughsTimestamps:[00:00:00] – Why Most Franchise Brands Fail to Scale (10→100 Units) [00:01:30] – DevHub’s Origin Story: 16 Years Behind the Scenes [00:02:30] – The Bold Pivot: From White Label to Direct-to-Brand [00:04:30] – “Burn the Boats” Moment That Changed Everything [00:08:00] – The Co-Founder Dynamic That Built DevHub [00:12:30] – When Should Small Brands Invest in Tech Like DevHub? [00:33:00] – Brutal Founder Lesson: Hiring, Firing & Growth Pain [00:43:00] – Why Creativity & Side Projects Make You a Better CEOIf you’re serious about scaling your franchise—and you know something in your system needs to change—don’t wait until it becomes a bigger problem.Go to guycoffey.com and book a free franchise growth strategy callWe’ll break down:Where you’re stuckWhat’s holding your growth backAnd what it actually takes to scale without losing controlNo fluff. No theory. Just real strategy.Connect with Guy Coffey:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/guycoffeyWebsite: www.guycoffey.comInstagram: @guycoffeyYouTube: @guycoffey
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Why Doesn’t Revenue Equal Enterprise Value in Business with Holli Moeini
Apr 1400:36:33Tap to summarizeMost founders think:👉 “If I grow revenue, everything else will work itself out.”That’s not how it works.In this episode, I sat down with Holli Moeini (CFO & M&A advisor) to break down what actually drives enterprise value—and why chasing revenue alone can leave you stuck, stressed, and cash poor.If you’re scaling right now, this is a conversation you need to hear.Revenue vs. ValueRevenue looks good.But it’s not what builds a valuable business.Earnings do.The Cash Flow ProblemA lot of brands are growing… but constantly tight on cash.If you’re not around 10% net income, growth gets harder—not easier.Where Profit Gets LostWe talked about SG&A and overhead.If that gets out of control:Margins disappearFlexibility disappearsGrowth slows downWhat Buyers Actually Care AboutIt’s not your top-line.It’s:Clean financialsConsistent EBITDAPredictabilityThat’s what drives valuation.Key TakeawaysRevenue ≠ valueProfit funds growthDiscipline drives scalabilityBuyers look at earnings, not hypeBuild it right early—or pay for it laterTimestamps[00:00:00] – Why Most Founders Stay Cash Poor[00:01:00] – Revenue vs Enterprise Value (Big Misconception)[00:02:00] – Why Earnings Matter More Than Revenue[00:03:30] – How Buyers Actually Value Your Business[00:05:00] – The KPI Founders Obsess Over (And Why It’s Wrong)[00:07:00] – The 10% Profit Rule for Sustainable Growth[00:08:30] – How to Reduce SG&A Without Hurting Growth[00:10:00] – The Hidden Cost of Scaling Too Fast[00:12:00] – What Smart Buyers Look for Instantly[00:14:30] – Why Deals Fall Apart in Due Diligence[00:17:00] – Accounting Mistakes That Cost Millions[00:18:30] – LOIs, Trust, and “Retrading” Explained[00:20:00] – Red Flags That Kill Deals Fast[00:23:00] – Why You NEED a CFO Before Selling[00:25:00] – Earnouts: Where Sellers Get Burned[00:27:00] – Working Capital: The Million-Dollar Mistake[00:28:30] – The #1 Trait of Billion-Dollar Operators[00:31:00] – Biggest Exit Mistake Founders Make[00:32:00] – How Buyers Lose Value After Acquisition[00:33:30] – The Right Way to Integrate a New TeamAsk yourself:👉 Are we building something that looks big… or something that’s actually valuable?If you want help building a franchise that actually scales:👉 Go to guycoffey.com and book a free strategy callI work with founders who want to scale without losing control or burning cash.Connect with Guy Coffey:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/guycoffeyWebsite: www.guycoffey.comInstagram: @guycoffeyYouTube: @guycoffey
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Are You Attracting Applicants… or Repelling the Right Talent with Andrea Hoffer
Apr 700:42:02Tap to summarizeHiring is one of the biggest bottlenecks in franchise growth — yet most founders approach it reactively instead of strategically.In this episode, Guy Coffey and Andrea Hoffer unpack the truth about recruitment in franchising and why the focus should shift from volume to quality.Andrea shares her proven frameworks for attracting better-fit candidates, improving hiring processes, and building systems that scale with your business.Key Topics Covered1. Why “More Candidates” Is the Wrong Goal Most franchisees believe hiring problems are solved by increasing applicant volume — but this often creates more noise, not better hires.2. The Dream Hire Framework: Start with Clarity Before posting a job, define:Your cultureThe role requirementsWhat success actually looks likeWithout this, hiring becomes guesswork.3. Recruitment Is Now Marketing Hiring today isn’t just about job boards — it’s about:Employer brandingSocial proofContent that attracts aligned candidates4. The Shift to AI-Driven Job Discovery Candidates are now using AI tools (like ChatGPT) to find jobs — meaning:SEO is no longer enough“Answer Engine Optimization” (AEO) matters5. Always Be Recruiting Building a talent pipeline before you need it:Reduces stressImproves hiring qualityCreates long-term scalability Timestamps:[00:00:00] – Why More Applicants Isn’t the Goal[00:01:00] – Recruiting Challenges in Franchise Growth[00:03:00] – The “Define First” Hiring Framework[00:05:00] – Why Most Hiring Funnels Fail[00:07:00] – Choosing the Right Hiring Platforms (ATS)[00:10:00] – Stop Wasting Money on Job Ads[00:13:00] – Recruitment Is Now Marketing (Here’s Why)[00:16:00] – Employer Branding That Attracts Talent[00:20:00] – Always Be Recruiting: Build a Talent Pipeline[00:24:00] – Group Hiring Events That Save Time & Money[00:30:00] – Hire Fast vs Hire Right (What Actually Works)[00:33:00] – Why Culture Beats Experience Every TimeIf this episode made you rethink how you approach hiring—don’t stop there.Take 10 minutes today and ask yourself:Are we attracting the right people… or just more people?Then start fixing the system behind it.And if you want help building a hiring and growth system that actually scales:Go to guycoffey.com and book a free franchise growth strategy callI only work with founders who are serious about scaling without chaos, burnout, or constant hiring problems.Connect with Guy Coffey:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/guycoffeyWebsite: www.guycoffey.comInstagram: @guycoffeyYouTube: @guycoffey
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