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!

  1. 5D AGO

    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 Chad founded Stella's Ice Cream with a vision to create an elevated, "cool" alternative to outdated dessert shops.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!

    29 min

  2. 5D AGO

    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!

    27 min

  3. MAY 7

    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!

    35 min

  4. MAY 5

    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!

    33 min

  5. MAY 1

    Meet The Franchise | Brian Simowitz | Houston TX Hot Chicken |

    Meet Brian Simowitz, President at Houston TX Hot Chicken. What is Houston TX Hot Chicken? Houston TX Hot Chicken (AKA - HHC) is a fast-casual restaurant offering delicious Nashville Hot Chicken sandwiches and other southern-inspired favorites. Opening their first location in 2021 as a small passion project, Founders Houston Crosta and Swedish race-car driver Edmond Barseghian have made a big splash as rising stars in the “hot chicken” phenomenon. With 30+ open locations and 150+ in development, HHC is bridging the gap between social media influence and rigorous operational discipline. In 2023, HHC won a strategic investment from the prestigious private equity firm "The Savory Fund". Brian Simowitz has spent 25+ years growing franchise brands in executive positions across the industry, with stints at Applebee's and Slim Chickens. With his leadership, he plans to focus on the brand's ultimate goal of opening 50 to 60 restaurants per year, and possibly expanding outside the country. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!

    18 min

  6. APR 22

    Meet The Franchise | Chris Stoness | Sparkle Squad and Elite Window Cleaning

    Meet Chris Stoness, founder and CEO of both Sparkle Squad and Elite Window Cleaning! As a leading executive in the window cleaning sector, Chris Stoness transitioned from a recording engineer to a visionary founder, modernizing an industry that hadn't seen innovation since the 1930s. While they operate as distinct brands in different countries, Elite Window Cleaning and Sparkle Squad are essentially two sides of the same high-tech coin. Founded in 2012 in Kingston, Ontario, Stoness spent over a decade perfecting the operations, technology, and philosophy that defined Elite's success in the Canadian window cleaning market. Launched in late 2023, Sparkle Squad is the American "sister brand" that was purposely built to bring Elite's proven, recession-resistant model to the United States. With the support of Happinest Brands, Stoness has perfected systems, digitized operations, and developed proprietary cleaning protocols & tools that now position these two franchise brands as industry leaders. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!

    20 sec

  7. APR 13

    Enviro-Master Franchise Deep Dive: Achieving $1M+ AUV in the Commercial Cleaning Industry

    Are you looking to invest in a commercial cleaning franchise that has already carved out a dominant market share? On this episode of Meet The Franchise, 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills sits down with Sean Hart, a seasoned franchise development leader, to discuss how Enviro-Master® accomplished a system-wide revenue increase of over 500% from 2016 to 2021 through the use of proprietary cleaning technology in a post-COVID world. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!

    22 min

  8. MAR 30

    Meet The Franchise | Garrett Reed | Layne's Chicken Fingers

    Meet Garrett Reed, CEO of Layne's Chicken Fingers. What Is Layne's? Founded in 1994 in College Station, this "Soon To Be Famous" chicken-finger franchise became a Texas A&M legend known for its small-town charm, friendly service, iconic chicken fingers, and secret sauce. Layne's presents a unique combination of growth potential and brand maturity in the booming chicken space. With more than 30 restaurants open and more than 250 sold, Layne's is quickly laying the groundwork for a nationwide takeover. While the team remains interested in dominating the market in its home state of Texas and neighboring states, the restaurant is also expanding into the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. Garrett Reed fell in love with the Texas-headquartered concept as a student at Texas A&M University. In 2015, Garrett approached the concept's owner to express his interest in expanding the brand. He became the concept's owner two years later and, as CEO, focuses on creating an open-door culture where people from all levels of the organization can contribute their ideas. Learn about Layne's Cost, Fees, Return on Investment details, etc, here. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!

    40 min
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About

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!

Information

  • Creator
    1851 Franchise
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 by 1851 Franchise
  • Show Website
    Meet the Franchise