Franchise Whispering

Franchise Marketing News
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Franchise Whispering is the podcast from Franchise Marketing News that goes beyond the headlines to explore what’s really shaping growth in franchising today. Hosted by FMN Board member Bob McKay, CEO of McKay Advertising and Activation, each episode features candid conversations with franchisors, franchise executives, marketers, operators, and industry insiders who are driving innovation across franchise marketing, development, and brand strategy. From scaling systems and supporting franchisees to navigating emerging technology, consumer behavior shifts, and industry change, Franchise Whispering delivers real insight from the people inside the business. This is not surface-level commentary or recycled advice. It’s a thoughtful, experience-driven discussion designed for franchise leaders who want to understand not just what is happening in the industry, but why it matters and what to do next. New voices. Real stories. Smarter franchise marketing.

  1. 6d ago

    Guests, Not Customers: The Hospitality Mindset That Wins with Jeffery Smith

    When did you last see a manager in the dining room? In this episode of the Franchise Whispering Podcast, host Bob McKay sits down with Jeffery Smith, COO of Peterbrooke Chocolatier and President of JSR Management and Business Consultants, for a conversation about the thing so many brands quietly abandoned during COVID: the human touch. Everyone raced to go digital, and Jeff argues the smart brands are the ones now circling back to hospitality as their real competitive edge. Drawing on more than 40 years across restaurant and retail food, Jeff explains how his team put hospitality standards into a retail chocolate brand, why perceived value is about the entire experience rather than the price on the menu, and how his Connect 365 model builds communication from the ground up so the best ideas come from unit operators instead of headquarters. He shares the franchisee-led wins that turned into a banner year, why his team physically pulled the glass out of their kitchens so chocolatiers could greet guests, and why he treats everyone who walks in as a guest and not a customer. From mystery-shop scores that stay above 85 percent, to Burger King putting a hospitality person back in the dining room, to the simple thank-you that made a Costco cart attendant's day, this episode is a reminder that acknowledgment and service are what people are really paying for. Key Takeaways in This Episode: People Over Product: Why five burgers with the same bun and cheese are basically identical, which means the people are the only real difference maker.Sell the Experience, Not the Item: How the old idea of price value perception explains why guests are judging the whole visit and not just what is on the plate.Ideas Come From the Floor: How Connect 365 turns communication into a two-way loop, so franchisees and frontline teams shape the brand instead of just receiving orders.Bring Service Back: Why putting managers back in the dining room, and hospitality back into the experience, is the move that separates brands as budgets tighten.Revenue Fixes Problems: Why the answer to high labor, high rent or high food cost is almost never cutting, and almost always driving top-line sales."It is never about the product. Five hamburgers are going to be the same with the same bun and the same cheese, so it has to be about the people. And people work for people, they don't work for brands." Whether you are running a single location or leading a multi-unit system, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom on how to build hospitality into your operation, listen to the people closest to your guests and grow revenue by giving customers a reason to come back. Subscribe to the Franchise Whispering Podcast, brought to you by Franchise Marketing News, for more expert insights! Join the Conversation Thanks for tuning in to the Franchise Whispering Podcast, published by Franchise Marketing News. Our mission is to elevate the franchise marketing conversation by aligning franchisors and franchisees around Intelligence, Impact, and ROI. If you found value in today’s episode, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Your support helps us continue to bring the brightest minds in franchising to the table. Stay Connected: Official Website: FranchiseMarketingNews.comThe Podcast: Listen to More EpisodesLinkedIn: Connect with Bob McKayHave a topic you want us to whisper about? Reach out to our team at [Matt@franchisemarketingnews.com]. © 2026 Franchise Marketing News. Whispering the truth, delivering the results.

    Guests, Not Customers: The Hospitality Mindset That Wins with Jeffery Smith

  2. Aug 28

    CX as a Mindset, Not a Platform: Turning Guest Feedback into Brand Loyalty with Evan Pardue

    Is customer experience a platform, or a mindset? In this episode of the Franchise Whispering Podcast, host Bob McKay sits down with Evan Pardue, newly named Senior Director of Marketing and Brand for Condado Tacos, to unpack how a fast-growing taco brand turned guest feedback into its biggest competitive edge. After doubling in size to 53 locations across 10 states, Condado discovered just how fragmented its customer experience had become, and set out to fix it, values first. Evan shares how his team wrote a "CX Bible" with their operators before ever starting an RFP, interviewed a dozen operators and frontline teammates to define what great service actually looks like and launched their feedback platform in just 90 days. He explains why the real revelations only show up once the data does (their single most-missed item turned out to be a humble bag of chips), why feedback should be read through a lens of optimism and why customer experience should be owned by operators, never pigeonholed as a marketing function. From level-setting expectations across dine-in, pickup and delivery, to using catering as a guest-acquisition channel, to why CSAT is the brand's North Star metric, this conversation is a masterclass in listening to guests and aligning marketing with operations around them. Key Takeaways in This Episode: CX Is a Mindset, Not Just a Platform: Why the prep work, defining your values and how you'll respond to guests, matters far more than the RFP that follows.Feedback Is Love: How reading every piece of guest feedback with optimism, rather than defensiveness, turns complaints into loyalty (and why a missing bag of chips is a bigger deal than it sounds).Level-Set Every Channel: Why dine-in, pickup and delivery scores are never apples to apples, and how setting realistic per-channel goals keeps you from misreading your own data.Operations Create the Brand, Marketing Tells the Story: How Condado's four-wall experience earns the loyalty that marketing then amplifies, and why it always starts in the restaurant.Don't Pigeonhole CX: The biggest mistake brands make launching a feedback program is leaving the operators who'll actually use it out of the room."They are the ones who create the brand, and we are the ones who tell the story of it. If they nail that experience, we get the loyalty guest. Everything else follows." Whether you're running a single location or leading a multi-state brand, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom on how to put people first, build a hospitality system you can repeat and deliver an experience guests come back for again and again. Subscribe to the Franchise Whispering Podcast, brought to you by Franchise Marketing News, for more expert insights! Join the Conversation Thanks for tuning in to the Franchise Whispering Podcast, published by Franchise Marketing News. Our mission is to elevate the franchise marketing conversation by aligning franchisors and franchisees around Intelligence, Impact, and ROI. If you found value in today’s episode, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Your support helps us continue to bring the brightest minds in franchising to the table. Stay Connected: Official Website: FranchiseMarketingNews.comThe Podcast: Listen to More EpisodesLinkedIn: Connect with Bob McKayHave a topic you want us to whisper about? Reach out to our team at [Matt@franchisemarketingnews.com]. © 2026 Franchise Marketing News. Whispering the truth, delivering the results.

    CX as a Mindset, Not a Platform: Turning Guest Feedback into Brand Loyalty with Evan Pardue

  3. Jul 17

    Marketation, Culture and the Three-Legged Stool: Building the Great Greek Grill with Robert Andersen

    Are you scaling a brand, or building a culture? In this episode of the Franchise Whispering Podcast, host Bob McKay sits down with Bob Andersen, President of Great Greek Mediterranean Grill and a 30-year veteran of the United Franchise Group portfolio, to unpack what really drives success in the food franchise business. You can nail your strategy and your systems, but if a guest doesn't feel welcomed the moment they walk in, none of it matters. Sometimes you literally have to teach people how to smile. Bob shares hard-won insights from a career spent on every side of the business, as an operator, franchisee, multi-unit multi-brand owner, and corporate executive. He explains the concept of "marketation" (why marketing and operations have always been tied at the hip), why he spends far more time on execution than on strategy, and how the Great Greek grew to nearly 100 locations and roughly 40% year-over-year growth through what he calls the toughest stretch the restaurant industry has faced in his career. Discover why hospitality is a system you build, not a personality trait you hope for, and how putting people first, from franchisees to team members to guests, becomes the ultimate competitive edge. Key Takeaways in This Episode: Marketation Is Not New: Why marketing and operations have always been "tied at the hip," and how a little healthy tension between the two makes everyone better.Scaling vs. Culture: How scaling a brand (team, systems, execution) is a completely different discipline from building a culture (shared beliefs turned into consistent action).Teaching People to Smile: Why great hospitality has to be built into repeatable systems, and why the "human part" of the business hasn't actually changed in 30 years, even in the age of AI and kiosks.The Mediterranean Moment: How 21 countries claim Mediterranean food as core to their cuisine, and why that global connection is fueling both domestic loyalty and international growth across Australia, Egypt, Canada, and the Caribbean.Franchising Is Not an ATM: Bob's blunt three-part advice for anyone entering the business, which is passion for people, smart repeatable systems, and plain hard work."You have the passion... you have to be really smart and disciplined... and you gotta work hard. You need all three legs of that stool to have success and longevity in this business. If one's not present, it's hard for that three-legged stool to stand up." Whether you are running a single location or leading a hundred-unit international brand, this episode is packed with actionable wisdom on how to put people first, build unshakable culture, and deliver an experience guests come back for again and again. Subscribe to the Franchise Whispering Podcast brought to you by Franchise Marketing News for more expert insights! Join the Conversation Thanks for tuning in to the Franchise Whispering Podcast, published by Franchise Marketing News. Our mission is to elevate the franchise marketing conversation by aligning franchisors and franchisees around Intelligence, Impact, and ROI. If you found value in today’s episode, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Your support helps us continue to bring the brightest minds in franchising to the table. Stay Connected: Official Website: FranchiseMarketingNews.comThe Podcast: Listen to More EpisodesLinkedIn: Connect with Bob McKayHave a topic you want us to whisper about? Reach out to our team at [Matt@franchisemarketingnews.com]. © 2026 Franchise Marketing News. Whispering the truth, delivering the results.

    Marketation, Culture and the Three-Legged Stool: Building the Great Greek Grill with Robert Andersen

  4. Jul 10

    The Service Recovery Paradox: Turning Angry Customers into Raving Fans with Zack Oates

    Are you in the food business, or the human business? In this episode of the Franchise Whispering Podcast, host Bob McKay sits down with Zack Oates, CEO of Ovation, to unpack the brutal, high-stakes reality of restaurant management. You can execute perfectly on 2,000 different steps, but if the customer gets onions on their pepperoni pizza, you've completely lost them. Zack shares game-changing insights on how to handle today's era of "unreasonable hospitality" where guest expectations are higher than ever, and switching costs are just a swipe away. Discover how swallowing your pride and taking 30 seconds to respond to a negative review can trigger the "Service Recovery Paradox"—turning an unhappy guest into a loyal advocate who spends five times more money at your location. Key Takeaways in This Episode: The Death of the 40-Question Survey: Why traditional feedback methods are failing and how to capture the silent majority before they leave for good.AI as an Emotional Buffer: How using AI to draft review responses removes the sting of a bad review and is actually 10% more effective at winning back guests than human-drafted replies.The 3 C's of Loyalty: Why mastering Convenience and Consistency is just the baseline, and how establishing true Connection makes your brand immune to minor mistakes.Franchising is Not an ATM: Zack's blunt advice for new entrepreneurs expecting the corporate brand to do all the heavy lifting."You can have convenience... consistency... but unless you get to connection, you will only ever be one mistake away from being out of their top restaurants."Whether you are running a single location or managing an entire franchise network, this episode is packed with actionable strategies to stop losing guests and start building unbreakable community loyalty. Subscribe to the Franchise Whispering Podcast brought to you by Franchise Marketing News for more expert insights!  Join the Conversation Thanks for tuning in to the Franchise Whispering Podcast, published by Franchise Marketing News. Our mission is to elevate the franchise marketing conversation by aligning franchisors and franchisees around Intelligence, Impact, and ROI. If you found value in today’s episode, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Your support helps us continue to bring the brightest minds in franchising to the table. Stay Connected: Official Website: FranchiseMarketingNews.comThe Podcast: Listen to More EpisodesLinkedIn: Connect with Bob McKayHave a topic you want us to whisper about? Reach out to our team at [Matt@franchisemarketingnews.com]. © 2026 Franchise Marketing News. Whispering the truth, delivering the results.

    The Service Recovery Paradox: Turning Angry Customers into Raving Fans with Zack Oates

  5. Jul 2

    Winning the Repeat Visit: Guest Retention & Markeration with Fractional CMO Rev Ciancio

    Bob McKay sits down with restaurant marketing powerhouse Rev Ciancio — fractional CMO, co-founder of Handcraft Burgers & Brew, and CMO of Salad House Franchising — for a masterclass in local restaurant franchise marketing. Rev breaks down why 70-80% of restaurant guests never return (and why chasing them is a losing game), his theory that every consumer has just five go-to restaurants — and how your brand can earn one of those spots — plus the concept of "markeration": marketing writes the check, but operations has to cash it. You'll also hear: Why the 20% of guests who drive 80% of revenue should shape your entire marketing funnelHow Salad House uses AI to analyze guest reviews and uncover content gaps — including the one audience almost every restaurant ignores: the foodieWhy rewards program members deliver 5-6X the lifetime value of a typical guestThe franchisee accountability checklist Rev uses before troubleshooting any marketing problem (reviews, catering, community content, first-party feedback, and rewards conversion)The brands crushing it right now, from Dave's Hot Chicken to the surprisingly brilliant email program at The Capital GrilleRev's advice for aspiring franchisors and franchisees: buy a system, not a jobPlus: Rev's world-record baseball stadium quest — 10 professional games in 48 hours. Whether you're a franchisor, franchisee, or restaurant marketer, this episode is packed with tactical takeaways you can put to work this week. Brought to you by Franchise Marketing News. Join the Conversation Thanks for tuning in to the Franchise Whispering Podcast, published by Franchise Marketing News. Our mission is to elevate the franchise marketing conversation by aligning franchisors and franchisees around Intelligence, Impact, and ROI. If you found value in today’s episode, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Your support helps us continue to bring the brightest minds in franchising to the table. Stay Connected: Official Website: FranchiseMarketingNews.comThe Podcast: Listen to More EpisodesLinkedIn: Connect with Bob McKayHave a topic you want us to whisper about? Reach out to our team at [Matt@franchisemarketingnews.com]. © 2026 Franchise Marketing News. Whispering the truth, delivering the results.

    Winning the Repeat Visit: Guest Retention & Markeration with Fractional CMO Rev Ciancio

  6. Jun 25

    Back to the Marketing Basics: Local Activation & Storytelling with Fractional CMO Katherine LeBlanc

    Are you leaning too hard on the digital "easy button" for your franchise? In this episode of the Franchise Whispering Podcast, host Bob sits down with Katherine LeBlanc, a seasoned fractional CMO with over 13 years of executive experience leading brands like Smoothie King and Painting with a Twist. Bob and Katherine dive deep into the post-COVID digital shift and explain why over-indexing on digital ads is causing franchise brands to lose the vital art of storytelling. Katherine breaks down the exact division of labor between corporate brand-building and local franchise execution, sharing her blueprint for driving local store momentum through grassroots marketing, intentional relationship building, and strategic sampling. Key Takeaways from This Episode: The Corporate vs. Franchisee Split: Corporate builds the brand identity to make it knowable, likable, and trustable—but only the local owner can activate that trust on the ground.The KLT Model: Why consumers want to buy from people, not just logos, and how to become a fixture in your local community.Overinvesting in Early Momentum: Why the statutory 2% marketing fund outlined in your FDD is just the baseline, and why new owners should ideally spend 15–20% on marketing in their first two years.The "Food in Mouths" Strategy: Lessons from Smoothie King on why physical sampling and local activation outperform transactional digital ads over the long haul.Influencer Marketing vs. UGC: Demystifying the influencer space and shifting focus toward high-performing User-Generated Content (UGC) and micro-local community leaders.About the Guest: Katherine LeBlanc is a fractional CMO and marketing powerhouse with over 20 years of experience, including 13+ years sitting in the CMO seat for major franchise and QSR brands. Born and raised in the culinary hub of New Orleans and married to a chef, restaurant and franchise marketing are truly in her blood. She specializes in "builder mode"—helping emerging brands scale from their first location and helping mid-sized systems break through to their next stage of growth.  Join the Conversation Thanks for tuning in to the Franchise Whispering Podcast, published by Franchise Marketing News. Our mission is to elevate the franchise marketing conversation by aligning franchisors and franchisees around Intelligence, Impact, and ROI. If you found value in today’s episode, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Your support helps us continue to bring the brightest minds in franchising to the table. Stay Connected: Official Website: FranchiseMarketingNews.comThe Podcast: Listen to More EpisodesLinkedIn: Connect with Bob McKayHave a topic you want us to whisper about? Reach out to our team at [Matt@franchisemarketingnews.com]. © 2026 Franchise Marketing News. Whispering the truth, delivering the results.

    Back to the Marketing Basics: Local Activation & Storytelling with Fractional CMO Katherine LeBlanc

  7. Jun 19

    The "Fifth Channel" of Franchise Marketing: Inside CAREMARK with Rhianna Clavering

    The Secret to Managing a 7-Figure Marketing Fund? Listening. In our very first international episode of the Franchise Whispering podcast, host Bob sits down with Rhianna Clavering, the dynamic National Marketing Manager at CAREMARK. Overseeing marketing for over 140 home care franchise offices across the UK and Ireland, Rhianna brings a masterclass in managing high-touch communications for a highly sensitive industry. Rhianna shares her non-linear journey from the fast-paced music industry to the nuanced world of home healthcare franchising. She breaks down exactly how to manage competing priorities by viewing franchisees not just as business owners, but as the crucial "fifth channel" of marketing. In this episode, we cover: The Non-Linear Career Path: How experiences in pest control, e-commerce, and world-renowned events built the perfect foundation for franchise marketing.The Four Pillars of Communication: Rhianna’s strategy for balancing the needs of the head office, prospective owners, existing franchisees, and local customers.The "Fifth Channel" Advantage: Why getting your franchisees to truly believe in the marketing strategy is your biggest asset.Repairing Broken Trust: The absolute first step every franchisor must take when dealing with a disgruntled network.Empowering the Next Generation: Rhianna’s work as a Junior Marketers Ambassador, showing young talent that there is a massive world of opportunity behind the franchise curtain.Whether you are trying to align your franchise network, optimize a national marketing fund, or just looking for career inspiration, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways. Don't forget to subscribe to the Franchise Whispering Podcast brought to you by Franchise Marketing News for more expert insights!  Join the Conversation Thanks for tuning in to the Franchise Whispering Podcast, published by Franchise Marketing News. Our mission is to elevate the franchise marketing conversation by aligning franchisors and franchisees around Intelligence, Impact, and ROI. If you found value in today’s episode, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Your support helps us continue to bring the brightest minds in franchising to the table. Stay Connected: Official Website: FranchiseMarketingNews.comThe Podcast: Listen to More EpisodesLinkedIn: Connect with Bob McKayHave a topic you want us to whisper about? Reach out to our team at [Matt@franchisemarketingnews.com]. © 2026 Franchise Marketing News. Whispering the truth, delivering the results.

    The "Fifth Channel" of Franchise Marketing: Inside CAREMARK with Rhianna Clavering

  8. Jun 12

    The Power of the Pivot: Navigating Unit Economics & Shifting Consumer Trends with Julie Wade

    Welcome to another exciting episode of the Franchise Whispering podcast, brought to you by Franchise Marketing News! In this episode, Bob sits down with Julie Wade, CFE, Fractional CMO, and absolute franchise marketing royalty. With a wealth of experience in the restaurant franchise space, Julie is currently driving growth for brands like Crazy PETA. She joins us to unpack the latest industry trends, the shifting mindset of the modern consumer, and actionable strategies to drive real revenue at the unit level. If you want to know how to future-proof your restaurant brand and connect with today's diners, you won't want to miss this conversation! In this episode, we cover: The Beverage Boom: Why "dirty sodas" and elevated drink programs are the hottest trend for driving add-on sales.The Problem with "Value": Why leaning too heavily on discount messaging might actually cheapen your brand, and why Millennials and Gen Z view dining out as their top "splurge."Third-Party Delivery Dynamics: Navigating the "necessary evil" of DoorDash and UberEats, combating the loss of first-party data, and a glimpse into the fast-approaching reality of drone delivery.Future-Proofing Your Brand: The importance of frictionless tech stacks (like Olo) and evolving your menu to match shifting demographics and global flavor profiles (like the "hot honey" craze).Local SEO for GMs: Why a $10-$15 daily budget on an updated Google Business Profile is the ultimate game-changer for local unit leaders.Advice for Franchise Marketers: Why franchisees don't care about "vanity metrics." Remember: Nobody can deposit impressions into their bank account. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Franchise Whispering podcast so you never miss an episode!  Join the Conversation Thanks for tuning in to the Franchise Whispering Podcast, published by Franchise Marketing News. Our mission is to elevate the franchise marketing conversation by aligning franchisors and franchisees around Intelligence, Impact, and ROI. If you found value in today’s episode, please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave us a review. Your support helps us continue to bring the brightest minds in franchising to the table. Stay Connected: Official Website: FranchiseMarketingNews.comThe Podcast: Listen to More EpisodesLinkedIn: Connect with Bob McKayHave a topic you want us to whisper about? Reach out to our team at [Matt@franchisemarketingnews.com]. © 2026 Franchise Marketing News. Whispering the truth, delivering the results.

    The Power of the Pivot: Navigating Unit Economics & Shifting Consumer Trends with Julie Wade
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About

Franchise Whispering is the podcast from Franchise Marketing News that goes beyond the headlines to explore what’s really shaping growth in franchising today. Hosted by FMN Board member Bob McKay, CEO of McKay Advertising and Activation, each episode features candid conversations with franchisors, franchise executives, marketers, operators, and industry insiders who are driving innovation across franchise marketing, development, and brand strategy. From scaling systems and supporting franchisees to navigating emerging technology, consumer behavior shifts, and industry change, Franchise Whispering delivers real insight from the people inside the business. This is not surface-level commentary or recycled advice. It’s a thoughtful, experience-driven discussion designed for franchise leaders who want to understand not just what is happening in the industry, but why it matters and what to do next. New voices. Real stories. Smarter franchise marketing.

Information

  • Creator
    Franchise Marketing News
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Franchise Whispering
  • Show Website
    Franchise Whispering