Podcast
The Sidekick Life
Hosted by Franchise Sidekick · EN
The Sidekick Life podcast explores how successful entrepreneurs are building fulfilling lives by creating solutions that serve others. Co-hosts Ryan Zink and Tyler Altenhofen dive into real stories of franchise owners and business leaders who have transformed their own journeys into platforms for helping others thrive. In each episode, they dive into real-life challenges and inspiring stories from people who are changing lives and living life on their own terms. Tune in to discover how purpose-driven entrepreneurship can be the key to freedom, fulfillment, and lasting impact.
23episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Why this franchisee traded Microsoft for meaning
Apr 1500:39:43Tap to summarizeJosh Herscheid walked away from Microsoft chasing something more than just a paycheck—but nearly went down the wrong path in the process.In this episode of The Sidekick Life, Ryan and Tyler sit down with Josh to unpack his journey from corporate comfort to business ownership—and how what looked like a dream opportunity almost pulled him further away from the life he actually wanted.After falling in love with a fast-growing coffee franchise, Josh committed before fully understanding the realities of the business. What followed was a year of frustration, tough lessons, and the realization that the opportunity didn’t align with the lifestyle and freedom he was actually after.That’s when everything changed.With guidance from a Franchise Sidekick advisor, Josh pivoted to a completely different business—one that gave him something he couldn’t find at Microsoft: flexibility, alignment, and real meaning in his work.In this episode, you’ll learn:- Why chasing the “exciting” brand can lead you in the wrong direction- How to avoid costly mistakes when leaving corporate America- Why the right business fit matters more than the biggest opportunity- The emotional and financial reality of making the leap- What it actually takes to find a business that fits your lifeJosh’s story is a reminder: success isn’t about going bigger—it’s about getting aligned.If you’re thinking about leaving your 9–5, don’t make the wrong move before watching this.Free Training for Future OwnersWatch our 20-minute webinar: “10,000 Locations and Counting: The Franchise Buyer’s Blueprint.”Learn how we help you de-risk buying a business and find the right fit.https://webinars.franchisesidekick.com/ref/LDRCtfTNBbAhWhR
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The Therabody Story
Apr 101:03:54Tap to summarizeIs franchise ownership right for you? https://hubs.ly/Q03-pnR00Ryan and Tyler sit down with Dr. Jason Wersland, founder of Therabody, to share the real story behind the Theragun — an 8.5-year journey of persistence, setbacks, and belief.What started as a personal mission to solve chronic pain after a motorcycle accident turned into one of the most recognizable brands in wellness. But it didn’t start as a business idea — it started as a problem that couldn’t be ignored.This episode is a deep dive into entrepreneurship, resilience, and the realities of building something meaningful.Key takeaways:Solve real problems, don’t chase ideasSuccess takes longer than you expectEarly adopters are everythingTrust and education beat hypeMindset determines everythingEvery win comes with trade-offsA powerful conversation for anyone building, scaling, or searching for purpose in business.Free Training for Future OwnersWatch our quick 20-minute webinar: “10,000 Locations and Counting: The Franchise Buyer’s Blueprint.” Learn how we de-risk buying a business and help you find a brand you’ll love. (It’s 100% free.)https://webinars.franchisesidekick.com/ref/LDRCtfTNBbAhWhR
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From corporate job to 8 franchise locations
Mar 1800:42:25Tap to summarizeIs franchise ownership right for you? https://hubs.ly/Q03-pnR00What does it really look like to leave a stable corporate job, take on the risk of business ownership and build something bigger than yourself?In this episode of “The Sidekick Life,” Ryan Hahn shares exactly that journey. What started as a desire for more control and more purpose turned into an eight-location business with The Exercise Coach franchise across multiple markets.His story is one a lot of aspiring entrepreneurs are working toward.Ryan and his wife were doing what many ambitious professionals do: earning degrees, building strong careers and climbing the ladder at major companies in Omaha.But over time, Ryan realized the ladder still left too much out of his control. Promotions, leadership changes and company decisions could reshape everything overnight.“I wanted to be part of creating things, starting things and be on my own terms,” Ryan said.That desire became even more real when ConAgra moved its headquarters to Chicago. What looked stable on the surface no longer felt secure.Before buying a business, Ryan and his wife helped start their church, Grace Hill. That experience gave them clarity. They realized they loved building something together and wanted to create a life around that.But they also knew they did not want to start completely from scratch.“We’ve done enough reading and research to say franchising is a less risky way to become an entrepreneur,” Ryan said.That is what made franchising so attractive. It offered a path into business ownership with a proven system, established support and less trial-and-error than building an independent business alone.Free Training for Future OwnersWatch our quick 20-minute webinar: “10,000 Locations and Counting: The Franchise Buyer’s Blueprint.” Learn how we de-risk buying a business and help you find a brand you’ll love. (It’s 100% free.)https://webinars.franchisesidekick.com/ref/LDRCtfTNBbAhWhRw
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Stop overpaying IRS
Mar 401:00:01Tap to summarizeIs franchise ownership right for you? https://hubs.ly/Q03-pnR00What if tax season didn’t feel like a surprise bill you just accept … but a strategy you run on purpose?On this episode of “The Sidekick Life,” Ryan and Tyler sit down with Matt Bontrager, founder and CEO of TrueBooks, to talk about what most high earners get wrong about taxes – and how to legally keep more of what you make.This isn’t about gimmicks, loopholes or shady write-offs. It’s about understanding the rules, using them intentionally and building a plan that matches your goals.“TrueBooks is my baby … we focus on tax and accounting for specifically real estate investors and business owners,” Matt said.
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The Value of Franchising
Feb 1800:31:32Tap to summarizeWe sat down with Matt Haller, president and CEO of the International Franchise Association, to unpack a powerful new report on the value of franchising and why the future of this business model depends on smart advocacy, real data and bold storytelling.And yes … we also talk about the biggest event in franchising happening next week in Vegas. 👀The IFA partnered with Oxford Economics to create a comprehensive, data-backed report on the impact of franchising across the U.S. economy.But why now?“We’re always trying to create conversation about franchising … Data is really important for us to tell the story,” Matt said.In a world where opinions travel faster than facts, the IFA wanted something irrefutable. This wasn’t anecdotal. It includes:3,000 franchisees surveyedRepresentation across 300+ industriesPayroll data comparing franchise vs. non-franchise businessesThe goal? Ground the conversation in real numbers and protect a business model that creates wealth, jobs and opportunity.
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What do franchise buyers really want?
Feb 1100:34:32Tap to summarizeWhat if franchising wasn’t driven by hype, opinions and paid rankings … but by real buyer behavior?In this episode of “The Sidekick Life,” Ryan sits down with Sidekick COO Michael Judkins to unpack something the franchise industry hasn’t seen before: The Best Damn Franchise Report. It’s a first-of-its-kind look at franchising built on real buyer data.Instead of “top franchise lists” that often feel like marketing, this report pulls insights from 73,000+ prospective franchisees and 3,500 in-depth Franchise Fit Surveys to answer the questions that actually matter:- What do today’s franchise buyers really want?- What are they avoiding?- And where are the smartest opportunities hiding in plain sight?As Michael puts it, this wasn’t just a cool internal project—it became something bigger.“We had hundreds of thousands of data points … and we’d never macro-analyzed it. Once we got into it, there was some pretty compelling information.”
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Top franchise brands of 2025
Feb 400:28:39Tap to summarizeThe first episode of “The Sidekick Life” in 2026 kicks off with a look back and a look ahead. Ryan is joined by executive franchise advisor Anthony Hudson to break down the Top 10 franchise brands of 2025, based not on hype, but on real client demand.“These aren’t our favorites,” Ryan explains. “These are the brands clients actually chose after going through our process.”With over 300 vetted franchise concepts and thousands of buyers served, this annual list offers a rare, data-backed snapshot of where franchise ownership is really heading – and what opportunities still have serious momentum going into 2026.
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How to sell without selling
Jan 2100:33:43Tap to summarizeSales doesn’t have to feel like pressure, persuasion, or “closing.” In this episode, we sit down with Becc Holland, CEO of Flip the Script, to unpack a buyer-first approach to selling that builds trust fast—and actually protects the customer from making a bad decision.Becc shares why most sales training creates a power struggle, how to shift from pitching to diagnosing, and the simple talk ratio that changes everything: talk less, ask better questions, and earn trust through clarity—not charm.If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t want to be salesy,” this one’s for you.What you’ll learn:Why “people buy from people they like” is misleading (and what matters more)How to sell by diagnosing, not convincingThe #1 mistake companies make: not truly learning their buyerHow to break down “buyer walls” without manipulationThe ideal talk ratio on a first call (10–15% seller / 85–90% buyer)Why misaligned expectations are the silent killer in business decisions (especially franchising)More from Becc Holland:Flip the Script free sales training hub (200+ hours): flipthescript.com → Free Sales Training HubWant to explore business ownership (for free)?Sign up for our quick webinar: 10,000 Locations & the Franchise Buyer’s Blueprint: https://webinars.franchisesidekick.com/ref/LDRCtfTNBbAhWhRw
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From medical sales to franchisee
Jan 700:38:50Tap to summarizeJoin our webinar:https://webinars.franchisesidekick.com/ref/LDRCtfTNBbAhWhRwIn this “Advisors Takeover” episode of The Sidekick Life, Senior Franchise Advisors Anthony Hudson and Jason Rutledge step into the studio and sit down with Ben Burnap—Franchise Sidekick advisor and the owner of Pink’s Window Cleaning Services in Los Angeles.Ben shares his jump from high-pressure medical sales to business ownership, why Pink’s mission and brand made him go all-in, and how he validated an emerging franchise without tons of local data. You’ll hear what the Pink’s training and support actually looks like, the early “trial-by-fire” moments (yes… the no-water window job), and what changed over Ben’s first 12 months to make operations smoother and growth faster.They also dig into hiring for attitude and culture, building a team with a real career path, and how Pink’s customer experience + marketing engine helps win in a competitive market like LA. Plus: Ben talks Resi Brands, the Cody Sanchez effect, and why he says Pink’s is “a bazooka in a knife fight.”If you’re considering a service-based franchise—or want a real look at what year one can feel like—this one’s for you.
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How to run a successful franchise
Dec 1000:30:37Tap to summarizeJoin our free business blueprint webinar: https://webinars.franchisesidekick.com/ref/LDRCtfTNBbAhWhRwHow do you actually run a successful franchise?Franchise expert Angela Coté, founder & CEO of AC Inc., joins The Sidekick Life to break down the truth about franchise success—from following the system, to scaling beyond owner-operator mode, to building exit value through coaching, KPIs, and leadership.Angela has spent her entire life in franchising (18 years as a franchisee + decades inside a 500-unit brand) and today she trains the operations coaches who support franchise owners across North America. In this episode, she shares the exact frameworks, tools, and mindsets that separate top-performing franchisees from everyone else.
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