Meet the Franchise
Meet the Franchise
1851 Franchise
Meet the Franchise, the essential podcast for investors, entrepreneurs, and anyone exploring franchise ownership. Hosted by Nick Powills of 1851 Franchise, each episode takes you behind the brand in direct-to-CEO conversations. We bring you the latest franchise news, introduce you to compelling business concepts, and provide an exclusive look at investment opportunities straight from the leaders themselves. Get equipped for your journey! Discover how to buy or grow a franchise with Growth Club!
Meet The Franchise | Don Varady | Clean Eatz
Are you looking to invest in a health and wellness franchise? Discover how Clean Eatz maximizes profitability and mitigates market risk through five diversified revenue streams, a low initial investment, and a streamlined operational model that caters perfectly to the surging consumer demand for convenient, macro-balanced nutrition. On this episode of Meet The Franchise, 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills sits down with Don Varady, Co-founder and CEO of Clean Eatz, to discuss how the brand successfully engineered a $1.1 million Average Unit Volume (AUV) by establishing a highly sustainable, ethical franchise model that provides Meal Plans, Grab and Go Meals, In-Store Cafes, Catering, and Retail options. Currently scaled to over 120 locations across 23 states, Clean Eatz is executing an aggressive national expansion strategy targeting key high-growth markets including Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Charleston. Over the next 3 to 5 years, the brand is positioned to multiply its footprint and market share by capitalizing on the rapid consolidation of the healthy fast-casual sector. With over 13 years of executive experience in the franchise industry, Co-founder and CEO Don Varady has dedicated his career to fostering strategic planning, effective leadership, and exceptional operational integrity. His deep expertise in building a sustainable and credible franchise model bridges directly with Clean Eatz' aggressive 3-to-5-year scaling goals. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!
Jun 11
27 min
Meet The Franchise | Erica Tarnowski | Aroma Joe's
While major corporate chains rely on impersonal, transactional service, Aroma Joe's has emerged as a powerhouse industry disruptor by combining an insanely loyal cult following, ethically sourced craft coffees, and their proprietary AJ's Rush® Energy drink line to capture a massive share of the booming $80 billion U.S. coffee market. On this episode of Meet The Franchise, 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills sits down with Erika Tarnowski, Franchise Development Director at Aroma Joe's, to discuss how the brand has successfully weaponized an unmatched, franchisee-first support culture to achieve 25 years of sustained operational excellence and rapid multi-unit expansion. Celebrating over a quarter-century of fueling communities, the Aroma Joe's franchise system has grown to over 125 open shops spanning eight states. With consumer demand shifting aggressively away from legacy chains and toward premium, sustainable brands, Aroma Joe's is executing an aggressive 3-to-5-year growth mission to expand its footprint nationally. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!
Jun 11
29 min
Meet The Franchise | Seth Larsen | Cheba Hut
Are you looking to invest in a sub sandwich franchise? While traditional fast-casual brands rely on cookie-cutter, corporate-mandated blueprints, Cheba Hut has broken the industry mold by pairing industry-leading $2.3M+ AUVs with a high-margin, cannabis-themed experiential restaurant model that features a full-service bar and no expensive, complicated fryers or grills. On this episode of Meet The Franchise, 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills sits down with Seth Larsen, Chief Development Officer of Cheba Hut, to discuss how the brand secured a landmark intellectual property and trademark securitization deal with Diversified Royalty Corp, a massive validation of the franchise's proprietary value that allowed the brand to accelerate growth without sacrificing equity. Larsen has been a leader in driving Cheba Hut to maintain steady, disciplined system-wide growth, reaching over 75 active locations across the United States. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!
Jun 11
19 min
Meet The Franchise | Andrew Gibson | Tide Services
Meet Andrew Gibson, President and CEO of Tide Services at Procter & Gamble. While the $115 billion laundry and dry cleaning sector has spent decades defined by fragmented, outdated, local mom-and-pop operators, Tide Services delivers on two tech-enabled, premium models from the unmatched corporate infrastructure and brand equity of Procter & Gamble. On this episode of Meet The Franchise, 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills sits down with Andrew Gibson to discuss Tide Services' strategic transition from a rigid single-store design into two highly scalable, multi-format national out-of-home laundry and dry cleaning platforms - Tide Cleaners & Tide Laundromat. Tide Services has expanded past 225 locations across more than 30 markets, capturing massive market share in this essential service category. With a 3–5 year mission focused heavily on market consolidation, corporate conversions, and geographic expansion into hot multi-unit markets like California, Texas, and New York, the brand is targeting multi-unit operators looking to diversify away from high labor demands. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!
Jun 11
34 min
How Busy Bee Jumpers Franchisees Are Leaping Into A $6 Billion Event Services Industry
While many industries are seeing a reason to scale back right now, the event rental and outdoor entertainment industry is thriving. Busy Bee Jumpers has spent 25 years capitalizing on this need, completing more than 13,000 events each year and earning a status as an industry leader in reliability, safety, and service. The brand is now expanding nationally, fueled by strong roots in Massachusetts and New England. Nick Powills sits down with Gina Payzant, the brand's CFO turned first-ever franchisee, and Sal Longo , CEO, as they share how they transitioned a successful 15-year independent operation into a high-growth franchise system built on proprietary technology and "stress-free" logistics that consumers love. The brand is now focused on aggressive system-wide expansion, with a mission to scale 5x by 2027. Hands-on operators who want to run a meaningful, community-oriented business with strong growth potential are encouraged to reach out! Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!
Jun 1
25 min
Meet The Franchise | Scott Kubec | System4
Are you looking to invest in a facility service management franchise? System4 began as a janitorial company but has evolved into a full-service facility management franchise by transforming traditional facility maintenance into a high-margin sales and service logistics management model. On this episode of Meet The Franchise, 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills sits down with Scott Kubec, Chief Operating Officer at System4 LLC, to discuss the opportunity behind the brand's proprietary technology platforms and expertise in streamlining priorities that make it simple to drive high-volume corporate contracts. As Chief Operating Officer, Scott Kubec brings a deep 18-year track record of success within the System4 organization to this conversation, having held pivotal leadership roles, including Director of Business Development and Vice President. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!
May 28
19 min
Meet The Franchise | Chad Hartley | Stella's Ice Cream
Stella's Ice Cream has redefined the traditional "mom-and-pop" shop by merging small-batch, artisanal quality with a high-performance, modern operational model. The brand offers both a vibrant, retail presence paired with a high-margin optional mobile ice cream truck and cart component, allowing franchisees to capture market share both in-store and at premium community events. Since launching its franchise program in 2023, the brand has already secured 12 franchised units alongside 4 corporate locations. On this episode of Meet The Franchise, 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills sits down with Chad Hartley , CEO and Founder of Stella's Ice Cream, to discuss how the brand successfully transitioned from a single community favorite in Idaho to a rapidly expanding regional powerhouse with 16 total units. With a mission to reach 50+ units over the next 3–5 years, Stella's is focused on domestic growth across the United States, targeting a 300% increase in unit count by 2027 through strategic partnerships with multi-unit investors and community-minded operators. Chad Hartley's career began in the high-stakes environment of emergency medicine as a paramedic. Chad founded Stella's Ice Cream with a vision to create an elevated, "cool" alternative to outdated dessert shops. His background in operational efficiency and vendor relations is the engine behind Stella's 5x growth mission. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!
May 14
28 min
Meet The Franchise | Todd Hillman | Always Best Care Senior Services
Meet Todd Hillman , Vice President of Franchise Development at Always Best Care Senior Services. What is Always Best Care? Always Best Care stands apart in the $430 billion home care industry by offering a unique "Continuum of Care" model that allows franchisees to secure three distinct revenue streams—non-medical in-home care, skilled home health, and assisted living placement—from a single protected referral source. On this episode of Meet The Franchise, 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills sits down with Todd Hillman, Vice President of Franchise Development, to discuss how Always Best Care has maintained uninterrupted systemwide sales growth for nearly a decade while providing over 184 hours of specialized training to ensure franchisee success. Operating more than 225 territories, the mission for the next 3–5 years is aggressive national expansion. Todd Hillman joined Always Best Care in 2025, bringing over 22 years of high-level experience as a franchisee, regional developer, and franchisor leader. Hillman has overseen double-digit growth for powerhouse brands like Massage Envy and various emerging concepts in the health and wellness space. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!
May 14
27 min
Meet The Franchise | Suzie Tsai | Bonchon Korean Fried Chicken
Meet Suzie Tsai / suzietsai , CEO of Bonchon Korean Fried Chicken. What is Bonchon? "Bonchon is a global phenomenon two decades in the making." FSR Magazine. Bonchon is a fast-casual restaurant franchise that specializes in Korean-style fried chicken and a variety of savory Asian fusion dishes. With more than 500 locations worldwide, Bonchon presents a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs and Multi-Unit operators who have experience in fast-casual restaurants and share the brand's vision to promote Korean hometown flavors to a global audience. Bonchon is consistently recognized as a leader in the franchise space. They are ranked on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, have been recognized as the “gold standard” for fried chicken by Business Insider, and have been spotlighted in FSR for their leadership in the larger conversations in today's booming market interest in Korean food and culture. The double-fried crunch and proprietary, founder-formulated hand-brushed sauces are the franchise's biggest differentiator, providing a premium dining experience that guests are willing to pay more for, as evidenced by an average ticket size of over $35. In 2025, 26 Bonchon locations reported an average unit volume of over $1 million. Suzie Tsai is one of Fast Casual's 2025 Top 25 Movers & Shakers and Lunchbox's 2025 Top 30 Women in Food. Under her leadership, Bonchon has redefined its menu with bold innovations, introduced new technology platforms, and broken franchise development records through unprecedented deal signings and new store openings. Deep dive into Bonchon's FDD here: https://franchising.bonchon.com/ Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!
May 7
34 min
Meet The Franchise | Brent Greenwood | Sport Clips
Own the top-rated men's hair franchise. In this episode, 1851 Franchise publisher Nick Powills sits down with Brent Greenwood, VP of Franchise Development at Sport Clips, to discuss the 2026 investment opportunity and the brand's path to 1,800+ locations. About the Sport Clips Franchise Opportunity: Sport Clips is a nationally recognized leader in the men's and boys' haircare category. Founded in 1993, the brand has scaled to over 1,800 stores by focusing on simple operations and a high-retention manager-run model. Key Financial & Investment Highlights: -Total Investment: $226,800 to $580,500 per store -Average Operating Profit: $126,281 (Based on 2026 Item 19 data) -Owner Profile: No haircare experience required; ideal for multi-unit executive owners. -Veteran Incentives: Significant discounts available for qualified veterans. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!
May 5
33 min
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