The Franchat Podcast

Tim Morris, Natalia Shvarts and Kevin Aires
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  • Entrepreneurship
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Welcome to "The Franchat Podcast": Unpacking the Future of Franchising One Chat at a Time. A fun audio experience designed specifically for franchisors around the globe. As the franchising landscape evolves, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for success. Our podcast offers a lighthearted look at strategies, insights and success stories to help up your franchising game! In each episode, we dive deep into the challenges and opportunities facing today’s franchisors. From emerging trends in global markets to practical tips for enhancing franchisee relations, "The Franchat Podcast" covers it a

  1. 1d ago

    Episode 40 - Is It In the Box?

    When someone buys a franchise, what should they reasonably expect to receive from the franchisor? Initial training, operational systems and ongoing support are obvious answers, but where should the line be drawn? Should everything a franchisee needs to succeed be "in the box", or is lasting success dependent on seeking knowledge, coaching and personal development beyond the franchise system itself? In this episode, Kevin, Natalia and Tim explore one of the most important questions in franchising: what does great franchise support really look like? The conversation examines the balance between essential support and optional development, the growing role of coaching within franchise networks, and why the most successful franchisees rarely rely solely on what they were given on day one. They discuss how franchisors can help franchisees become stronger business owners, the commercial value of investing in personal development, and why support teams may increasingly need coaching skills alongside operational expertise. Whether you're a franchisor designing your support model or a franchisee looking to accelerate your own performance, this episode challenges conventional thinking about where responsibility begins, where support ends, and why the most successful businesses are often built by looking beyond the box. In this episode : - What support should be included within franchise fees. - The difference between operational support, training and coaching. - Why personal development is often the missing ingredient in franchise success. - How franchisors can help franchisees become better business owners. - The commercial return of investing in coaching across a franchise network. - Why the best franchisees continue learning long after initial training. If you've ever asked, ‘What support should we be giving’, or ‘What more support can we add to what we already do’  or ‘We give all this support and still the needle doesn’t move.’ Or "Should my franchisor be providing this?" or "Should I be looking elsewhere for support?" This episode is well worth a listen.

  2. Jul 16

    Episode 39 - I Don't Have Enough Time

    What if the biggest obstacle to growing your business isn't a lack of opportunity... but the way you think about time? With Tim away on jury duty, Kevin Aires and Natalia Shvarts are joined by guest host Nikki Senior for a practical discussion on one of the biggest challenges facing business owners and franchisees: time. Together they explore: Why it's your relationship with time, not just time management, that matters. How franchisors can help franchisees structure their days for success. Practical tools to identify where your time is really going. When to stop, outsource, delegate or automate tasks. Why working on your business, rather than constantly in it, is essential for long-term growth. Packed with practical ideas and thought-provoking insights, this episode is full of simple strategies that can help franchisees and business owners become more productive, reduce overwhelm and focus on the activities that really move their business forward.

  3. Jun 25

    Episode 38 - Pricing With Confidence

    In Episode 38 of The Franchat Podcast, Natalia , Kevin and Tim explore one of the most common and emotionally charged challenges in franchising: pricing. For many franchisees, increasing prices feels uncomfortable. There is often a fear that customers will leave, competitors will undercut them, or the market simply “won’t pay.” But as the conversation unfolds, the co-hosts challenge that assumption and discuss why price resistance is often more about the franchisee’s own mindset than the customer’s actual willingness to pay. The episode looks at the importance of understanding your target market, communicating value with confidence, and recognising that customers rarely buy on price alone. Natalia shares examples of how customers often accept reasonable price increases when they already trust the service and feel they are receiving genuine value. Kevin adds powerful insight around perceived value, reminding listeners that what something is “worth” depends heavily on the customer, the context and the problem being solved. Tim brings the conversation back to franchising, highlighting why pricing should not be treated as a nervous annual conversation, but as a key part of a franchisor’s growth strategy. From service quality and customer relationships to local market positioning and franchisee confidence, pricing is far more than a number on an invoice. The discussion also touches on the legal distinction between recommended pricing and price fixing, the dangers of franchisees assuming what customers can afford, and why small, regular price increases can often be more effective than large, infrequent changes. This episode is a reminder that strong pricing is not about being expensive. It's about understanding value, delivering consistently, communicating confidently, and helping franchisees build more profitable, sustainable businesses. For franchisors, this is a conversation worth taking seriously. Because when franchisees understand pricing properly, it can have a direct and powerful impact on network growth.

  4. Jun 1

    Episode 37 - Time Mastery

    In this episode of The Franchat Podcast, Tim Morris, Kevin Aires and Natalia Shvarts tackle one of the biggest challenges facing business owners, franchisees and franchisors: time mastery. The conversation explores why so many people reach the point where they are simply too busy to grow. They are working hard, serving customers, keeping plates spinning and dealing with the day-to-day demands of the business, but without enough protected time to step back, plan, sell, delegate and build for the future. Kevin shares practical thoughts on the value of a default diary, 90-day planning, protecting sales time and making sure the important work goes into the calendar before the less important tasks take over. Natalia focuses on the importance of knowing yourself, understanding when you work best, recognising your own capacity and learning how to delegate before quality or energy begins to suffer. Tim looks at time through the lens of franchisee growth, including the challenge of knowing when to invest in support, how the J curve affects growing businesses and why cash flow planning is essential if business owners are going to buy back time at the right moment. He also shares the practical SODA principle: Stop, Outsource, Delegate or Automate. This is a lively, honest and highly practical conversation about time, growth, discipline and intentional business ownership. Because being busy is not the same as making progress.

  5. May 2

    Episode 36 - Destination Mastery

    In Episode 36 of The Franchat Podcast, Destination Mastery, Kevin, Natalia and explore a powerful question for franchisees and business owners: what is all this actually for? This episode looks beyond being busy and focuses on building a business with real purpose, clarity and direction. From lifestyle goals and freedom, to mindset, time and changing ambitions, the conversation connects directly to franchisee performance and why success starts with understanding what the franchisee is truly trying to achieve. Practical, honest and thought-provoking, this is an episode for anyone serious about building a better business, not just a busier one.

  6. Apr 12

    Episode 35 - Social Media - A Blessing or a Curse For Franchisors

    Kevin Aires was away this week, but regular hosts Tim Morris and Natalia Shvarts were joined by two guests, Ed Purnell and Ben Brookes, for a lively discussion on social media, content creation, and why both matter far more to franchise networks than many realise. The conversation explored brand control, local franchisee personality, authentic content, and the risks of getting social media wrong. Most importantly, it highlighted that social media is not just a marketing issue. Used well, it can play a real role in strengthening trust, visibility, local engagement, and ultimately franchisee performance.

  7. Mar 15

    Episode 34 - Launching My Franchise Brand - Where Do I Start?

    In Episode 34 of The Franchat Podcast, we explore what it really takes to launch a franchise brand. We discuss the key foundations needed to bring a successful business model to market, the common challenges new franchisors can face, and the level of commitment required to build a strong and sustainable franchise network. A practical and honest conversation for any business owner thinking about franchising.

  8. Feb 5

    Episode 33 - When is it OK NOT to follow the system?

    When is it OK not to follow the system?” is one of the most commercially sensitive questions in franchising. In this episode of The Franchat Podcast, we discuss where systems should be non-negotiable, where smart adaptation can strengthen performance, and how franchisors can build guardrails that protect the brand while still enabling franchisee initiative and innovation.

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About

Welcome to "The Franchat Podcast": Unpacking the Future of Franchising One Chat at a Time. A fun audio experience designed specifically for franchisors around the globe. As the franchising landscape evolves, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for success. Our podcast offers a lighthearted look at strategies, insights and success stories to help up your franchising game! In each episode, we dive deep into the challenges and opportunities facing today’s franchisors. From emerging trends in global markets to practical tips for enhancing franchisee relations, "The Franchat Podcast" covers it a

Information

  • Creator
    Tim Morris, Natalia Shvarts and Kevin Aires
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    40
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Tim Morris, Natalia Shvarts and Kevin Aires
  • Show Website
    The Franchat Podcast