REALITY CHECK: Franchise & Business

FMS Support Services
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Reality Check: Franchise & Business is brought to you by the team at FMS Support Services, the experts in franchise and multi-site business operations. Our team has been leading, growing, rescuing and supporting franchise networks and other businesses for over 3 decades. We provide the honest and insightful advice that makes a real difference, without the generic waffle, cliches and bullsh*t. Our series addresses the most common questions, misconceptions and areas of opportunity, with a focus on the topics that few others will dare to cover with our degree of honesty and transparency.

Episodes

  1. Aug 14

    Ep 9: MAKING MONEY ON UBER EATS & DOORDASH

    Franchise industry executive and consultant, Shaun Butcher, explores how to be profitable and maximise the potential of your business on delivery aggregators such as Uber Eats and DoorDash. A must for any business owner, manager, decision maker or support person responsible for implementing, managing or supporting the use of delivery aggregators. TIMESTAMPS:   (0:00)  Start (0:09)  Disclaimer & Introduction (7:54)  Common Criticisms Of Uber Eats & DoorDash From Restaurants/Stores (29:24)  Dispelling The Lack Of Profitability Myth (39:46)  Additional Factors That Positively Impact Profitability On Uber Eats & DoorDash (52:25)  More Realistic Example (55:43)  Even More Realistic Example (1:00:45)  Setting Yourself Up Properly (1:24:38)  Making The Most Of Every Order (2:00:41) Implementing Virtual Brands (2:32:28)  Thinking Strategically (3:02:48)  Wrap-Up & Questions   Check us out at: www.fmssupportservices.com.au Contact us at: info@fmssupportservices.com.au Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562852799935 Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/76260689

  2. Apr 26

    Ep 8: Q&A from FRANCHISOR RESCUE & TURNAROUND

    Question and answer follow-up to ‘Ep 7: Franchisor Rescue & Turnaround’ explores common viewer and listener questions. To get the most from this presentation, it is recommended to have viewed or listened to ‘Ep 7: Franchisor Rescue & Turnaround’ first, which discussed some important considerations for rescuing and turning around a struggling or failing franchisor and/or franchise network. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Start! (0:09) Disclaimer & Introduction! (3:32) Can The Podcast Be Sped Up? (4:57) Am I Against Franchising? (11:43) How Do Franchisors End Up In A Situation Where They Need Rescuing? (19:02) What Is 'Churn And Burn' In Franchising? (24:43) How Does A Franchisor In Trouble, Without Available Funds Or Lines Of Credit Get Investors Or Cash Injections? (28:17) When Taking Over A Franchisor In Trouble, Is It Advisable To Appoint A Franchisee Council Or Franchisee Representative Body? (33:54) A Lot Of Franchise Networks Close Many Under-Performing Locations So They Can Focus On Growing Their More Successful Locations. Is This Good Or Bad Strategy? (39:23) How Long Does It Take To Turn Around A Franchisor? (41:42) Is There Another Way To Turn Around A Business Quickly Without Resorting To Discounting? (54:22) What If I Take Over A Franchisor And Then Realise Afterwards That The Model Isn't Viable Or Margins Are Too Small For Franchisees? (57:12) What Do You Do If The People Above You (The Bosses) Just Don't Get What Is Needed? (1:03:32) Is The Advice Relevant To A Full Range Of Industries? (1:05:35) Am I Giving Away All The Best Bits Of Advice For Free? (1:07:35) Wrap Up & Questions! Check us out at: www.fmssupportservices.com.au Contact us at: info@fmssupportservices.com.au Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562852799935 Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/76260689

  3. Mar 19

    Ep 7: FRANCHISOR RESCUE & TURNAROUND

    Franchise industry executive and consultant, Shaun Butcher, explores some considerations for rescuing and turning around a struggling franchisor. A must for any current or aspiring franchisor owner, board member, executive, decision maker or support person involved in rescuing or turning around a struggling or failing franchisor and/or franchise network. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Start (0:09) Disclaimer & Introduction (5:58) Common Types Of Rescue & Turnaround Operations (17:13) 8 General Steps From "Ep 5: Business Rescue & Turnaround" (30:14) Is The Franchise Model Viable? (57:08) How Is The Franchisor's Relationship With The Franchisees? (1:13:55) How Developed Are The Franchisor Processes? (2:46:43) How Effective Is The Franchisor Support Team? (3:02:01) What Is The Franchisor Operating Environment Like? (3:19:05) How Is The Franchisor's Relationship With 3rd Parties? (3:46:09) What Calibre Are The Franchisees? (4:22:10) Are There Critical Issues That Are An Immediate Threat To The Entire Network? (4:27:39) If Rescued Or Turned Around, Will The Franchisor Sustain The Changes? (4:48:49) Wrap-Up & Questions Check us out at: www.fmssupportservices.com.au Contact us at: info@fmssupportservices.com.au Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562852799935 Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/76260689

  4. 10/28/2025

    Ep 6: Q&A from BUSINESS RESCUE & TURNAROUND

    Question and answer follow-up to ‘Ep 5: Business Rescue & Turnaround’ explores common viewer and listener questions.   To get the most from this presentation, it is recommended to have viewed or listened to ‘Ep 5: Business Rescue & Turnaround’ first, which discussed a process of rescuing and turning around a struggling business.   TIMESTAMPS:   (0:00)  Start & Disclaimer! (1:06)  Introduction! (2:11)  Is There Overlap & Repetition Between Steps? (6:20)  Is Negative Cash Flow A Sign Of A Business In Need Of Rescuing Or Turning Around? (13:15)  Does The Plan Need To Be Documented In Great Detail Or Can It Be Simpler And/Or In My Head? (15:03)  How High Up The Priority List Are Vision, Mission And Values Statements? (20:46)  How Do You Bring People Along With Such Drastic Changes? (23:54)  Is It D.I.E (Diversity, Inclusion, Equity) Or D.E.I Diversity, Equity, Inclusion)? (31:39)  Wrap-Up & Questions!   Check us out at: www.fmssupportservices.com.au   Contact us at: info@fmssupportservices.com.au    Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562852799935   Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/76260689

  5. 10/13/2025

    Ep 5: BUSINESS RESCUE & TURNAROUND

    Franchise industry executive and consultant, Shaun Butcher, explores the process of rescuing and turning around a struggling business. A must for any business owner, manager, decision maker or support person who has found themselves needing to rescue or turn around a struggling or failing business. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Start (0:09) Disclaimer & Introduction (5:55) Common Types Of Rescue & Turnaround Situations (21:42) Why People Buy A Business In Need Of Rescuing Or Turning Around (32:39) Step 1: Do Your Research (50:21) Step 2: Analyse & Be Brutally Honest (1:07:18) Step 3: Complete Overview & Breakdown Of Each Component (1:27:57) Step 4: Develop A Plan To Address Each Component (1:34:07) Step 5: Understand The Financial & Other Resources Required (1:54:41) Step 6: Critically Evaluate Your Plan’s Chance Of Success (2:02:02) Step 7: Be Prepared To Hit The Ground Running (2:12:08) Step 8: Continually Review & Update Your Plan (2:15:13) Wrap-Up & Questions Check us out at: www.fmssupportservices.com.au Contact us at: info@fmssupportservices.com.au Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562852799935 Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/76260689

  6. 07/16/2025

    Ep 4: Q&A from MAGIC OF CONTRIBUTION MARGIN PRESENTATION

    Question and answer follow-up to ‘Ep 3: Magic of Contribution Margin’ explores common viewer and listener questions. To get the most from this presentation, it is recommended to have viewed or listened to ‘Ep 3: Magic of Contribution Margin’ first, which discussed how to accurately calculate contribution margin, break-even and profitability, from individual products and promotions to the entire business. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00)  Start & Disclaimer! (1:09)  Introduction! (1:58)  Is Contribution Margin The Same As Gross Profit? (5:01)  Can Contribution Margin Be Used At Scale? (5:55)  Can Contribution Margin Be Used For Service Businesses? (8:38)  Why Did Formulas For Contribution Margin $ Sometimes Change? (11:44)  Why Did Formulas For Contribution Margin % Sometimes Change? (14:32)  How Do We Compare Product Sales At Different Price Points? (19:09)  How Easy Is It To Substitute Sales Figures In Profitability Calculations? (22:31)  How Easy Is It To Substitute Sales And Contribution Margin Figures In Profitability Calculations?    (27:33)  What Sort Of Businesses Is The Break-Even & Profit Calculator Designed For? (29:09)  Can We Get The Presentations Out Quicker & What Is The Schedule? (29:48)  Wrap-Up & Questions!   Check us out at: www.fmssupportservices.com.au Contact us at: info@fmssupportservices.com.au   Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562852799935 Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/76260689

  7. 05/22/2025

    Ep 3: MAGIC OF CONTRIBUTION MARGIN

    Franchise industry executive and consultant, Shaun Butcher, explores the power and magic of using contribution margin to understand and accurately calculate break-even and profitability, from individual products and promotions to the entire business. A must for any business owner, manager, decision maker or support person who does not already utilise contribution margin calculations. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Start (0:11) Disclaimer & Introduction (5:49) Bad Maths In Action (13:30) Correcting The Maths (18:03) Contribution Margin Definition (18:35) Why Contribution Margin Is Important (22:00) Classifying Fixed & Variable Costs (28:47) Contribution Margin Uses (30:36) Calculate Contribution Margin On Products/Services (36:02) What This Calculation Means (37:07) Common Errors Calculating Contribution Margin (40:33) Use Contribution Margin To Calculate Break-Even (46:53) Calculate Beak-Even Using Contribution Margin With Anticipated Costs (50:43) Calculate Anticipated Profitability At Any Sales Level (54:18) Calculate The Number Of Units Required To Be Sold to Break-Even (58:07) Free Calculator Available (1:05:33) Wrap-Up & Questions Check us out at: www.fmssupportservices.com.au Contact us at: info@fmssupportservices.com.au Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562852799935 Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/76260689

  8. 04/14/2025

    Ep 2: Q&A from FRANCHISE BUYER BEWARE PRESENTATION

    Question and answer follow-up to ‘Ep 1: Franchise Buyer Beware’ explores common viewer and listener questions. To get the most from this presentation it is recommended to have viewed or listened to ‘Ep 1: Franchise Buyer Beware’ first, which exposed the tricks, traps and misunderstandings that ruin franchisees and that unscrupulous franchisors exploit. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00)  Start! (0:12)  Disclaimer & Introduction! (2:13)  Should I Buy A Franchise? (2:53)  What Are Some Good Franchises To Buy? (3:37)  How Do Some Franchisors Keep Finding New Franchisees? (5:27)  Why Do So Many Franchisors Have Ethics Problems? (8:31)  Which Franchisors Were Discussed? (9:39)  Will The New Franchising Code Make Much Difference? (11:36)  Why Are So Many Franchisees Paying Staff Cash In Hand? (14:53)  Podcasting Technical Feedback! (18:19)  Do You Consider You’re Biting The Hand That Feeds You? (20:41)  The Insults! (21:05)  Wrap-Up & Questions!    Check us out at:  www.fmssupportservices.com.au     Contact us at: info@fmssupportservices.com.au   Follow us on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562852799935  Follow us on LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/company/76260689

  9. 03/24/2025

    Ep 1: FRANCHISE BUYER BEWARE!

    Franchise industry executive and consultant, Shaun Butcher, exposes the tricks, traps and misunderstandings that ruin franchisees and that unscrupulous franchisors exploit. A must watch video for anybody considering buying a franchise or working in the franchising industry. TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Start! (0:16) Disclaimer & Introduction! (7:37) What Is Franchising? (9:32) Pros & Cons Of Franchising! (19:57) The Standard Advice! (34:12) Who Are You Placing Your Trust In? (1:08:10) Are You Being Sold A Dream Or A Nightmare? (1:24:57) Is Profitability Being Misrepresented? (1:58:22) What Are You Guaranteeing? (2:05:07) Are You Going To Be Gouged On Supply Chain? (2:13:43) What Is It Really Going To Cost You In Fees? (2:31:10) Is The Marketing Fund Going To Generate A Return Or Simply Indulge Head Office? (2:59:42) Who Holds The Lease? (3:23:02) Will Refit Clauses Erode Profit You Made During Your Term? (3:34:56) Is There Support For An Exit Strategy? (3:51:21) Wrap-Up & Questions! Check us out at: www.fmssupportservices.com.au Contact us at: info@fmssupportservices.com.au Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562852799935 Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/76260689

  • 9 Episodes

About

Reality Check: Franchise & Business is brought to you by the team at FMS Support Services, the experts in franchise and multi-site business operations. Our team has been leading, growing, rescuing and supporting franchise networks and other businesses for over 3 decades. We provide the honest and insightful advice that makes a real difference, without the generic waffle, cliches and bullsh*t. Our series addresses the most common questions, misconceptions and areas of opportunity, with a focus on the topics that few others will dare to cover with our degree of honesty and transparency.

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