FranchiseU‪!‬ Dr. Kathy Gosser, Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence at the University of Louisville

In this episode of FranchiseU! (https://business.louisville.edu/about/learning-at-cob/yumcgfe/franchiseupodcast/), Kathy sits down with Randy Shacka (https://www.linkedin.com/in/randyshacka/), President of Two Men and a Truck (https://twomenandatruck.com/). Shacka shares the companies history from a one-location small business, to being a franchisor, to being acquired by an internationally-known company. Shacka specifically discusses Two Men and a Truck’s corporate values which has remained the same through all stages of their development.

In this episode of FranchiseU! (https://business.louisville.edu/about/learning-at-cob/yumcgfe/franchiseupodcast/), Kathy sits down with Pete First (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-first-97b3218/), Chief Development Officer with BrightStar Care (https://www.brightstarfranchising.com/). First discusses the business of In-home and Facility Personal Care. Then, First shares how well franchising serves this industry and how offering complimentary brands provide amazing opportunities to franchisees. First joined BrightStar Care in 2018 as the Vice President of Franchise Development and has served as the Chief Development Officer since 2022. In his current role, he is responsible for recruiting new franchise owners for all three brands under the BrightStar Group Holdings umbrella: BrightStar Care, BrightStar Senior Living®, and BrightStar® Care Homes™ and lead operations for start-up brands, BrightStar Senior Living, and BrightStar Care Homes. Prior to his time at BrightStar Care, he spent 14 years at Winmark Corporation, the franchisor for brands such as Play It Again Sports, Once Upon A Child, Plato’s Closet, Style Encore, and Music Go Round. During his tenure at Winmark, he secured dozens of new franchise agreements annually and helped build the system to over 1,200 locations across North America.

In this special edition of FranchiseU!, Kathy welcomes back Monica Rothgery to dive deeper into her book, "Lessons from the Drive Thru." Kathy and Monica discuss such pivotal lessons as the importance of saying yes to opportunities and creating memorable first impressions for new team members. They delve into challenges faced by modern managers, such as, navigating social media dynamics, addressing wage increases, and competing in a rapidly evolving market. Join Dr. Kathy Gosser and Monica Rothgery for an insightful discussion on leadership, teamwork, and navigating today's workforce challenges.

In today’s episode of FranchiseU! (https://business.louisville.edu/about/learning-at-cob/yumcgfe/franchiseupodcast/), Kathy sits down with Brian Belmont (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-belmont-a5757a1/), CEO of FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers (https://www.fyzicalfranchise.com/). Belmont discusses the benefits of franchising services that are not traditionally organized as franchises. Belmont shares his career history, a reminder of the multiple opportunities provided by franchising a business.

In this bonus episode of FranchiseU! (https://business.louisville.edu/about/learning-at-cob/yumcgfe/franchiseupodcast/), Kathy speaks with Michael Gray (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgray2?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BRM3hQl%2FUTiamw7M0FATQTA%3D%3D) about the recent ruling by the Federal Trade Commission that bans non-compete contracts (https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/04/ftc-announces-rule-banning-noncompetes) and the potential impact on franchises and employees. Mr. Gray serves as a Commercial Litigation attorney at Lathrop GPM (https://www.lathropgpm.com/). His 38 years' experience representing franchisors throughout the United States provides him a unique understanding of the new FTC rule.

In today’s episode of FranchiseU! (https://business.louisville.edu/about/learning-at-cob/yumcgfe/franchiseupodcast/), Kathy sits down with Jim Holthouser (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-holthouser/), CEO of GoTo Foods (https://development.gotofoods.com/). Jim Holthouser shares his career history as well as his thoughts on Leadership. Here is your opportunity to learn from a true success story in the Franchise Industry.