Empires

Patrick Buckley
  • 5.0 (12)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Empires explores the top brick & mortar businesses through stories, and interviews of multi-unit franchise operators, founders, and executives. empirespod.substack.com

  1. 1D AGO

    Building Jersey Mike's - 25 Unit Operator

    Kavrin McGuire operates 25 Jersey Mike’s locations alongside his father and brother. In this conversation, we break down:• How Jersey Mike’s maintains product quality at scale• What it’s actually like operating a high-volume sandwich business• Why Peter Cancro built such intense loyalty among franchisees• The truth about the Blackstone acquisition rumors• How Kavrin’s family scaled through acquisitions + development• Why they bought the entire state of Minnesota for Mike’s Red Tacos We also dive deep into staffing, operations, digital ordering, real estate strategy, small-town expansion, and what separates great restaurant operators from average ones. SUBSCRIBE TO EMPIRES WEEKLY FOR MULTI-UNIT OWNERS WHO ARE SELLING: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ CHAPTERS00:00 Intro00:54 How Kavrin’s family found Jersey Mike’s03:22 Learning restaurant ops from the ground up05:20 The reality of running a restaurant07:57 Why Jersey Mike’s ops are harder than Little Caesars11:10 Staffing a Jersey Mike’s lunch rush13:50 How Jersey Mike’s built its digital ordering system15:22 Why Jersey Mike’s became a breakout brand16:50 Peter Cancro’s obsession with sandwich quality20:26 Stories that explain why franchisees love Peter Cancro25:53 Kavrin’s role running 25 Jersey Mike’s27:31 Building a long-term leadership team29:26 Acquiring Jersey Mike’s locations31:58 Real estate strategy + buildout costs34:33 Can Jersey Mike’s work in small towns?37:17 Jersey Mike’s culture of giving42:31 Blackstone, Charlie Morrison & the future of Jersey Mike’s47:14 How much white space Jersey Mike’s still has50:59 Why they bought Mike’s Red Tacos54:38 Betting on birria tacos as the next big category57:17 Mike’s Red Tacos operations explained01:00:42 Comparing Mike’s Red Tacos vs Jersey Mike’s ops01:04:42 Long-term vision for both brands01:06:09 Final thoughts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

    1h 9m
  2. Inside the Largest KidStrong Empire (60+ Units)

    APR 30

    Inside the Largest KidStrong Empire (60+ Units)

    Joe Pedatella is scaling one of the fastest-growing KidStrong empires in the country: * 16 locations open * 60+ in development * And a goal of 100 long term In this episode, he breaks down how he pre-sold 700 members before opening, built a culture that scales, and turned one gym into a multi-unit machine that is only just starting to hit it’s stride. Considering buying a franchise? www.empirespod.com/buy-a-franchise For multi-unit franchisees selling their locations: www.fdcapitalgroup.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

    1h 9m

  3. APR 24

    Franchising the Farm: Area 2 Farms

    Area 2 Farms, a venture backed start up, is trying to bring (vertical) farms into every town across America. They've learned from past mistakes of other vertical farm startups, and have changed the model, which they are now franchising... Considering buying a franchise? https://www.empirespod.com/buy-a-franchiseSubscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://empirespod.substack.com/For multi-unit franchisees selling their locations: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro 0:55 What’s Broken with Food Distribution 2:43 Franchises in Disguise? 4:50 Why “Progress” Crushed Food Quality 7:22 The Machine of Food Distribution 8:50 Starting as a Government Spy 11:19 Pentagon’s Domino’s Pizza Tracker 11:50 What he learned from Hacking Countries 13:23 Becoming a Founder 14:43 Selling His Startup to Cloudfare 15:50 Starting Area 2 Farms 17:35 Why other Vertical Farms Failed 20:35 Why Area 2 is Different 23:09 Moving the Plants, Not Air 24:55 Live Look at Area 2’s Tech 25:57 The 3 Key Innovations 27:22 Location #1 28:50 The Farm Business Model 31:58 Do Customers like it? 32:52 Area 2 vs Grocery Stores 37:47 Turning Farms into a Business 39:46 Franchising the Farm 43:00 Area 2 Farms’ Unit Economics 46:30 The Target Franchise Owner 48:49 Franchise Launch Update 50:36 Is Energy Usage a Concern? 52:05 The Energy Myth in Vertical Farming 53:22 How the Model Evolves Over Time 55:08 Avoiding “Menu Creep” & Staying Focused 56:52 New Revenue Streams: Seedlings, Pumpkin Patches & More 58:10 What Franchisees Actually Need to Learn 1:02:31 Labor Model & Serving 400 Customers per Farm 1:04:10 Systems, SOPs & Avoiding Crop Failure 1:06:00 Why Farming Is the Original Franchise Model 1:07:53 The Mission Behind Area 2 Farms 1:09:00 Convenience vs Community 1:10:53 Real Estate Strategy (Why Gas Stations Work) 1:12:09 Making Each Location Feel Local 1:15:22 What Success Looks Like in 10–20 Years 1:18:00 Closing Thoughts This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

    1h 16m
  4. The Booming Business of Bundt Cakes

    APR 15

    The Booming Business of Bundt Cakes

    Nothing Bundt Cakes was recently acquired for $2 billion dollars. Founded in 1997, the brand has quietly built one of the greatest franchises of all time. I explore how they did it, and what their unique X-factor is that has created such consistent success…. Listen to the full conversation with Nick (coming out next week): https://www.youtube.com/@EmpiresPod Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: Considering buying a franchise? https://www.empirespod.com/buy-a-franchise For multi-unit franchisees selling their locations: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Intro0:49 - The Founders1:27 - What’s a Bundt Cake?2:23 - Launching Nothing Bundt Cakes3:04 - Launching Franchising3:58 - Early Growth4:19 - The Craig Moore Era5:12 - Basics of the Model6:17 - Craig’s Impact7:31 - Selling the Business8:11 - The LLCP Era10:00 - Roark Capital Enters11:01 - Roark’s Insane Portfolio11:33 - Current Unit Economics12:20 - Why Do Bundt Cakes Dominate?13:15 - Reason #1: Narrow Menu X Variety15:02 - Reason #2: Simple Cost of Goods16:13 - Reason #3: Labor Model17:37 - Economic Durability18:39 - Reason #4: The X Factor20:25 - The Most Reliable “Edge”21:26 - The Magic of Bundt Cakes22:00 - Why Competitors Fail23:18 - Will KKR Ruin the Brand? NOTE:The material used in this video is meant to be used for educational purposes and fall within the guidelines of fair use. For all inquiries, questions, and complaints, please get in touch by filling out the contact form by clicking this link: https://www.empirespod.com/about#about-footer This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

    25 min

  5. MAR 31

    What It’s Really Like To Operate Chick-Fil-A (2-Unit Owner)

    Brandon Hurst went from - in his own words - “a broke college student” working overnight shifts, to becoming one of the top-performing Chick-fil-A operators in the country, now running multiple locations that generate tens of millions in revenue. In this conversation, Brandon breaks down the real Chick-fil-A business model, why the $10K buy-in is misunderstood, and how profit-sharing actually works behind the scenes. He explains why Chick-fil-A operators don’t build equity like traditional franchisees, and why that tradeoff has major benefits. We also dive into what it takes to get selected (it’s harder than getting into Harvard), the reality of running a restaurant with 80+ employees, and how Brandon built systems to scale leadership across multiple locations. He shares how he turned cash flow into investments, built a real estate portfolio, and more. Plus, we go deep on: The biggest myths about Chick-fil-A franchising How COVID accelerated his growth (including 60%+ digital sales) Why culture, not systems, is the real moat His “LOVE” philosophy for building teams and developing future leaders This is a masterclass on modern franchising, leadership, and building wealth through cash flow - not just exits! Get In Touch Follow/Subscribe to Brandon Grab Your FREE Guide “The 5 Seasons of Leadership”   Follow Brandon on Instagram Connect with Brandon on LinkedIn Learn More About Brandon Here   Interested in buying a franchise? https://www.empirespod.com/buy-a-franchise    Are you a multi-unit owner considering selling your business? https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://empirespod.substack.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

    2h 9m

  6. MAR 20

    How a Soviet Refugee Built a $12M Restaurant Empire

    Orhan Veli’s story sounds like a movie. At age 6, he watched the Soviet Union collapse overnight: chaos, violence, and uncertainty took over. His family fled with nothing. Within months, his father built a small business…until the mafia burned it down and demanded payment. They eventually escaped to the United States with just $25,000. From there: Roofing jobs in Florida Delivering pizzas Living in a small apartment with no English Fast forward 20 years… Orhan now owns 12 restaurant locations generating over $12M in revenue. But it didn’t come easy: Borrowing money from family to buy the first store Working 7 days a week, open to close Firing his entire staff two weeks into his second location Nearly going under during the 2008 financial crisis In this episode, we break down: How he scaled from 1 to 11 locations Why he doubled down when others were selling The real economics behind fast-casual franchises And the mindset required to build an empire from nothing This is one of the craziest operator stories we’ve ever recorded. Get in Touch Interested in buying a franchise? https://www.empirespod.com/buy-a-franchise    Are you a multi-unit owner considering selling your business? https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://empirespod.substack.com/ Follow Orhan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orhan-veli-24116315/    ⏱️ Chapters  00:00 From the Soviet Collapse to Chaos 06:00 Building a Business in the Wild West of Capitalism 12:00 Escaping to America with $25K 18:00 Starting Over: Roofing, Pizza Delivery, and Survival 24:00 Learning to Hustle: First Jobs & College Years 30:00 Turning Down Wall Street for Entrepreneurship 36:00 Buying the First Restaurant (All-In with Family Money) 42:00 Early Struggles: Long Hours, Debt, and Doubt 48:00 Scaling to Multiple Locations + Near Collapse in 2008 54:00 The Saladworks Bet & Aggressive Expansion Strategy 60:00 Building an 11-Unit Empire + What Comes Next   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

    1h 4m

  7. MAR 14

    How Wingstop Became an Empire

    Get in Touch Interested in buying a franchise? https://www.empirespod.com/buy-a-franchise    Are you a multi-unit owner considering selling your business? https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/     📝 Episode Description  Wingstop started as a tiny wing shop in Dallas in 1994. Today, it’s a $5+ billion global franchise empire with over 3,000 locations, and one of the most profitable unit economic models in the restaurant industry. But Wingstop’s success wasn’t driven by a massive menu or flashy innovation. Instead, it came from something much simpler. Focus. Founder Antonio Swad built the brand around a radical idea for the time: a takeout-first restaurant with a tiny footprint and a menu built almost entirely around chicken wings. That simplicity created one of the most scalable franchise models in the industry. In this episode, we break down: The unconventional origin story of Wingstop • Why Antonio Swad tested wings in his living room before launching the concept • The private equity deal that transformed the company • How the Troy Aikman partnership helped build the brand nationally • Why Wingstop’s franchise economics became legendary • The technology bet that positioned the brand perfectly for the pandemic • And how Wingstop is now chasing $3M per store in sales Wingstop didn’t win by being the biggest. It won by being the most focused.   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

    40 min

  8. FEB 27

    From Dutch Bros Barista to $20M Exit | Darren Spicer (Clutch Coffee Founder)

    Get in Touch Interested in buying a franchise? https://www.empirespod.com/buy-a-franchise    Are you a multi-unit owner considering selling your business? https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/    Get in touch with Darren: https://110-ventures.com/  https://leapbrands.io/   📝 Episode Description  Darren Spicer started as a barista at Dutch Bros. Years later, after the company shut down its franchise program, he built his own drive-thru coffee chain from scratch, scaling it to 20 locations before selling it back to Dutch Bros in a $20M deal. In this episode, Darren breaks down: How he went from employee to founder • The 80% pay cut he took to start Clutch Coffee • The real economics of drive-thru coffee • What it’s like managing 400+ hourly employees • Why site selection can make or break a chain • Growing 40% during COVID • The mistake that cost them $10K per month • And how the Dutch Bros acquisition actually came together This is a full-cycle brick-and-mortar story, from barista to exit. If you’re building (or thinking about building) a physical retail or franchise business, this episode is a masterclass in culture, real estate, and scaling the right way. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empirespod.substack.com

    1h 20m
See All (30)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Empires explores the top brick & mortar businesses through stories, and interviews of multi-unit franchise operators, founders, and executives. empirespod.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Patrick Buckley
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Patrick Buckley
  • Show Website
    Empires

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