The Exit Plan

Franzy
  • 4.6 (9)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

Every week on The Exit Plan, you get an unfiltered conversation with someone who actually left the 9 to 5 and built something real — how they did it, what it cost them, what they'd do differently, and what the numbers actually looked like. Franchise owners, startup founders, multi-unit operators. Real stories. Real playbooks. No highlight reel. New episodes every Monday.

  1. Jul 13 ·  Video

    Why He Walked Away From a $100 Million Offer - Devan Kline

    He moved to Charlotte with no money, no connections, no brand, no LLC, and no bank account. He knocked on a thousand doors, sent a thousand emails, and talked his way into 250 live TV segments across the Southeast, once driving five hours to Alabama for a two-minute spot in a state where he didn't have a single gym. He turned that into $25 million in earned media without spending a dollar. In this episode of The Exit Plan, Alex Smereczniak sits down with Devan Kline, founder of Burn Boot Camp, now 467 locations, 160,000 members, and 3,000 trainers. DK breaks down the standard a candidate has to clear to get a multi-unit deal, why he says Burn isn't a fitness company at all, and why he still refuses to take a dollar of private equity while his competitors race to sell. Then he says the thing most founders never would. He could have sold the company for $100 million at 28 years old, and he turned it down. His reasoning has nothing to do with the money. It's a conversation about resourcefulness, accountability, and building something designed to outlive you, from a founder who studied Sam Walton and Howard Schultz closely enough to know exactly what he was giving up. CHAPTERS 00:00 The best resource is resourcefulness 01:00 The 3,000 trainers who carry the culture 02:05 467 gyms, 160,000 members, and the high-five economy 04:37 What earns you a multi-unit deal 05:45 Not a fitness company, a confidence company 07:49 Why he refuses private equity 10:04 Kevin Hart, equity, and the awareness problem 11:03 The Sam Walton strategy: fly under the radar 12:30 Turning down $100 million at 28 14:37 Quick hitters 15:15 The parking lot or the pro baseball field 15:53 The one goal he never misses 16:40 Advice for the entrepreneur with zero resources 19:30 The thing he hid for years 22:53 Why franchising is the vehicle

  2. Jul 6

    He Got Crushed by a Dump Truck, Then Built 200 Locations

    He walked away from medical school at 18. By 21, he was stuck in the power take-off of a dump truck, getting MRIs and wondering if he had wrecked more than his body. His lawn care business had no systems, almost no margin, and no safety net. That accident is the reason Augusta Lawn Care exists today with 200-plus locations. In this episode of The Exit Plan, Alex Smereczniak sits down with Mike Andes, founder of Augusta Lawn Care and Homeworks, to trace the improbable path from pre-med prodigy to one of the most watched operators in home services. Mike breaks down how he rebuilt the business around systems after the accident, why he modeled his entire franchise on an Anytime Fitness gym he bought after years working there as a trainer, and how a library of YouTube videos became a pipeline that has signed every single one of his franchisees. Then it gets contrarian. Mike charges a flat 1,600 dollars a month instead of a percentage royalty, hands the franchise fee back after ten years, and lets owners walk away whenever they want and keep their customers. He explains why giving up that control makes the whole system stronger, why he turns away five out of six qualified applicants, and why he believes the future of lawn care runs through software and robotics. It is a blueprint for building something that outlives you, from someone who almost did not get the chance to build it at all. 00:00 Intro 01:58 Why he left medical school 03:15 Lawns, the MBA, and the backup to the backup 04:23 The dump truck accident that changed everything 05:20 Buying a gym and modeling Augusta on Anytime Fitness 07:08 Facing the "boring business" stigma 09:29 Why blue collar got cool 11:39 The flat $1,600 fee and no royalties 14:04 Building a franchise to outlive the founder 15:18 What keeps owners around when they can leave 18:36 Converting existing owners: the kennel problem 21:46 Pay for performance: paying crews on output 23:37 The content engine that built 200 locations 30:16 Optimizing for leads, not just views 33:30 The franchisee who looks perfect but isn't 37:33 Going public and the bet on robotics 39:42 Quick hitters 45:30 Wrap up Follow Me • Instagram:   / https://instagram.com/alexfromfranzy • TikTok:   / https://tiktok.com/alexfromfranzy   • YouTube:    / https://youtube.com/@franzyinc • LinkedIn:   / https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-smereczniak-40310329/ • X: https://www.x.com/alexfromfranzy • Threads: https://www.threads.net/alexfromfranzy

    He Got Crushed by a Dump Truck, Then Built 200 Locations

  3. Jun 23

    The Founder Who Turned a Dying Flower Shop Into a $10M Empire

    When Michael Jacobson's uncle called to sell the flower shop he'd run for nearly 40 years, the plan was simple: help wind it down. The business was losing money, and Michael was just a bored corporate consultant doing his uncle a favor. Instead, he found an entire industry frozen in time, still running on fax machines, gutted by aggregator commissions, and decades behind on technology. So he quit his job and took over the shop himself. In this episode of The Exit Plan, Alex sits down with Michael to break down how he grew a single location from a few hundred thousand in revenue to nearly $10 million, why he rebuilt the whole business around three pillars (technology, supply chain, and marketing), and how a $13,000 printer ink problem accidentally led to the best software in the floral industry. They also get into the part most founders rush: Michael opened multiple corporate stores and waited years before franchising, why his first attempt to sign franchisees completely failed, and what he actually looks for in an owner now. Plus the customer experience philosophy behind French Florist and why he believes flowers are the most underrated gift you can give. A blueprint for taking an overlooked, unsexy industry and building something an order of magnitude better. Free Guide: Real costs & earnings for the Top 5 Franchises under $150k.  Find your fit here: https://go.franzy.com/top-5-franchises-under-150k Follow Me • Instagram:   / https://instagram.com/alexfromfranzy • TikTok:   / https://tiktok.com/alexfromfranzy   • YouTube:    / https://youtube.com/@franzyinc • LinkedIn:   / https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-smereczniak-40310329/ • X: https://www.x.com/alexfromfranzy • Threads: https://www.threads.net/alexfromfranzy • Podcast: https://franzy.buzzsprout.com

  4. Jun 15

    The Nuclear Engineer Who Found Freedom in a Dog Grooming Franchise

    Nuclear engineer to Boston Consulting Group to dog grooming franchisee. Jacob Lee walked away from the elite MBA path to build a Scent Hound empire, and his philosophy is almost too simple: all you have to do is not fail. In this episode of The Exit Plan, Alex sits down with Jacob to break down how he went from signing his first franchise agreement in 2021 to eight locations open with a ninth under construction, all in under five years. They get into why he chose franchising over the search fund route, how he vetted brands using return on invested capital and the FDD, and why pet care was a category he was willing to bet on. Jacob also opens up about the part nobody warns you about: financing. Stringing together SBA loans to open a store every few months got so painful he built a company to fix it (SBA Source). He shares when to move from SBA to conventional lending, what banks actually want to see before your second location, and the back office costs the item 19 never shows you. Plus: how to keep multi-unit operations from falling apart as you scale, the membership numbers that make everything else take care of itself, and the best advice from his father-in-law, a former QSR CEO. A practical playbook for anyone who is franchise curious or ready to grow. Free Guide: Real costs & earnings for the Top 5 Franchises under $150k.  Find your fit here: https://go.franzy.com/top-5-franchises-under-150k CHAPTERS Follow Me • Instagram:   / https://instagram.com/alexfromfranzy • TikTok:   / https://tiktok.com/alexfromfranzy   • YouTube:    / https://youtube.com/@franzyinc • LinkedIn:   / https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-smereczniak-40310329/ • X: https://www.x.com/alexfromfranzy • Threads: https://www.threads.net/alexfromfranzy • Podcast: https://franzy.buzzsprout.com

  5. Jun 1

    $10M From a Franchise Nobody Wanted

    Terry Walkerly was told early on that his filtration business would probably never become a large company. Nearly two decades later, he’s built the largest operation in the entire franchise network - a $10M business spanning multiple states with nine acquisitions completed along the way. In this episode, Terry shares:  How he bought and scaled franchise territories  Why operational leadership matters more than most owners realize  The importance of reinvesting into infrastructure and people  How to transition from owner-operator to true business owner  The biggest mistakes new franchisees make This conversation is a masterclass in long-term thinking, operational excellence, and building a scalable business inside a franchise system. Free Guide: Real costs & earnings for the Top 5 Franchises under $150k. Find your fit here: https://go.franzy.com/top-5-franchises-under-150k

  6. May 25

    Scaling 1-800-GOT-JUNK from $10M to $100M

    In this episode of The Exit Plan, we sit down with Alex Read, a veteran entrepreneur and operator who has seen the business world from every possible angle as a corporate leader, a high-growth operator, and an investor. Alex shares the remarkable story of his transition from a "golden handcuff" corporate role at American Express in the UK to moving to Vancouver with nothing but a two-week hotel reservation and a hunger for entrepreneurial adventure.  We dive deep into his journey of scaling 1-800-GOT-JUNK to over 300 locations and reaching $100 million in revenue. Alex describes the unique experience of "assembling The Avengers" a powerhouse team of visionaries and integrators who turned "crazy growth" into a "do or die" reality.  Download the free guide to see real costs, what owners are actually making, and which brands are the right fit for you: 👉 https://go.franzy.com/top-5-franchises-under-150k

  7. May 18

    The Massive Aging Crisis Nobody Is Ready For

    In this episode, we break down the massive shift in senior care as 75 million baby boomers choose to age at home instead of in assisted living.  We sit down with Dave Pazgan, founder of Liftoff and co-founder of 101 Mobility, to discuss the "Silver Tsunami" and the critical gap in the home accessibility market.  Dave explains why nearly 90% of seniors prefer to age in place and how home modifications can save families thousands compared to the $100,000 annual cost of institutional care.  A fascinating conversation on the future of healthcare, home accessibility, and one of the biggest demographic trends shaping the next 25 years. Get our free guide on the top 5 franchises under $150k - including real costs, owner earnings, and who they actually fit: 👉 https://go.franzy.com/top-5-franchises-under-150k

  8. May 11

    He Went Bankrupt, Moved With $12K & Built a 116-Location Franchise

    Don Varady shares the unbelievable story behind building Clean Eatz from the ground up. After the recession crushed his construction career, Don liquidated everything, filed for bankruptcy, and moved across the country with his wife to open a small healthy cafe with just $12,000. What happened next became a 116-location franchise brand built completely without outside funding. In this episode we cover: The early days of Clean EatzTaking massive risks as entrepreneursFranchising lessons after 100+ locationsWhy most franchisees failThe realities of food business economicsBuilding community before profitThe future of healthy food brandsA must-listen for entrepreneurs, operators, and anyone interested in franchising or building a business from scratch.

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4.6
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Every week on The Exit Plan, you get an unfiltered conversation with someone who actually left the 9 to 5 and built something real — how they did it, what it cost them, what they'd do differently, and what the numbers actually looked like. Franchise owners, startup founders, multi-unit operators. Real stories. Real playbooks. No highlight reel. New episodes every Monday.

Information

  • Creator
    Franzy
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Exit Plan
  • Show Website
    The Exit Plan

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