Let’s Talk Franchising

Susana Hands
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Lets Talk Franchising is your go-to source if you’re considering franchising your business, working to sell more franchises, or simply want to master the franchise space. Each episode delivers actionable insights, expert advice, and real-world strategies to help you grow, sell, and succeed in franchising - avoiding common pitfalls along the way. Subscribe now to get smarter, faster, and stronger in franchising.

  1. 4d ago

    #23: How to Grow Your Franchise Through Better Sales, Leads and Expansion with Michael Hyam

    What does it really take to grow a franchise network, generate quality leads, and successfully expand into new markets? In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Michael Hyam, CEO and co-founder of Franchise Assembly and longtime Franchise Show Director of the National Franchise Show, to explore the strategies, challenges, and opportunities behind successful franchise development. With approximately 20 years of experience in franchising, Michael has helped connect franchise brands with prospective buyers through trade shows, industry conferences, and franchise development initiatives across the United States and Canada. Michael and Susana discuss why franchise growth requires more than simply generating leads or selling territories. From understanding the role of franchise brokers and trade shows to building the right sales infrastructure, they explore how franchisors can create a more effective approach to attracting and converting prospective franchisees. They also compare the franchise sales landscape in Australia and the United States, including how broker networks operate, the costs involved in outsourcing franchise sales, and why emerging franchisors need to recognise when it's time to hand over franchise development responsibilities to experienced professionals. For Australian franchise brands considering international expansion, Michael shares practical insights into entering the US market, understanding franchise registration requirements, researching potential markets, and why industry conferences can be a valuable first step before making a major investment. Whether you're an emerging franchisor, an established brand looking to strengthen your sales strategy, or considering taking your franchise internationally, this conversation offers valuable insights into growing your network with greater confidence and preparation. In This Episode Michael's journey through 20 years in the franchising industry The role of Franchise Assembly and the National Franchise Show in franchise development How franchise trade shows connect brands with prospective franchise buyers Why trade shows and educational conferences serve different purposes What Australian franchise brands should understand before entering the US market  About Our Guest Michael Hyam is the CEO and co-founder of Franchise Assembly, a franchise industry organisation focused on education, networking, marketing, and franchise development. With approximately 20 years of experience in franchising and an extensive background in sales, Michael has worked closely with franchise brands looking to strengthen their sales processes, generate leads, and grow their networks. Through Franchise Assembly, Michael helps organise industry events and initiatives, including the Let's Grow! Franchise Sales and Development Conference, Franchise Marketing Live, the LFG Podcast, and the Hello Mastermind group for franchise marketing and development executives. He also oversees the National Franchise Show, which produces franchise trade shows across the United States and Canada, connecting prospective franchise buyers with brands exploring new opportunities for growth. Michael is passionate about helping franchise professionals stay informed, develop their skills, and build stronger franchise businesses through education and industry collaboration.   📌 Connect with Susana Hands Learn more about franchising and working with Susana: Websites: https://susanahands.com.au/ and https://franiqbiz.com/ Connect with Susana on socials:  LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-hands-the-franchise-lady Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suz.hands  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanahands_/

  2. Oct 24

    #22: What Makes a Franchise Valuable to Private Equity? with Adam Coffey

    What makes a franchise attractive to private equity investors, and how can franchisors build a business that's worth buying? In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Adam Coffey, bestselling author, former CEO, and private equity expert who has acquired 58 companies and been involved in $2.5 billion in business exits. With more than two decades of experience leading and scaling businesses, Adam shares what investors look for when evaluating franchise opportunities, why private equity often prefers franchisors over individual franchisees, and what business owners should focus on long before considering an exit. From franchisee profitability and recurring revenue to financial performance, leadership, and market potential, Adam explains why simply growing the number of franchise locations isn't enough to create a valuable business. He also introduces his 30-20-10 rule for evaluating financial performance, explains how investors assess a franchise's long-term growth potential, and shares why planning your exit several years in advance can make a significant difference to the value of your business. Whether you're an emerging franchisor, an established franchise owner, or preparing to sell your franchise network, this conversation offers valuable insights into building a profitable, scalable business that investors want to buy. In This Episode Adam's journey from the US Army and General Electric to becoming a private equity CEO and bestselling author What private equity investors look for when evaluating franchise businesses Why investors often prefer the franchisor model over individual franchise ownership How recurring royalty revenue and asset-light business models attract investors Why franchisee profitability is essential to a franchisor's long-term value About Our Guest Adam Coffey is a bestselling author, business consultant, and former CEO with extensive experience in private equity, acquisitions, and business growth. A US Army veteran and former General Electric executive, Adam spent more than two decades leading large businesses, including private equity-backed companies. Throughout his career, he has acquired 58 companies and participated in transactions representing approximately $2.5 billion in exits. Adam is also the author of four bestselling business books and has taught at the university level. Today, through Chairman Group, he works with entrepreneurs, founders, private equity firms, and family offices to help businesses scale, improve profitability, and maximise their value when preparing for an exit. His experience spans international markets, including Australia and New Zealand, where he advises business owners and investors on growth, acquisitions, and exit strategies. Connect with Adam Coffey: Website: chairmangroup.us Email: adam@chairmangroup.us  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamecoffey/

  3. Oct 17

    #21: Building a Franchise Around the Right Partners, Not Just More Locations with Jay Mason

    What does it take to grow past 100 franchise locations while still treating every franchisee like a genuine partner? In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Jay Mason, founder and CEO of Paint EZ, to explore the philosophy and systems behind a franchise network with 81 franchise partners and 103 locations across the United States. Jay shares how his background in the painting industry and early experience training franchise owners inspired him to build Paint EZ differently. From the beginning, his goal was to create a franchisee-friendly model where owners aren't simply another number in the system, but long-term partners whose success directly impacts the success of the entire brand. They also discuss multi-territory ownership, proving the concept before accelerating franchise growth, outsourcing franchise sales to specialists, learning from the wrong franchisee fits, and why transparency and asking better questions have become essential parts of Paint EZ's recruitment process. With ambitions to grow beyond 400 US locations, expand into Canada, and potentially bring Paint EZ to Australia, Jay also gives Susana an inside look at how franchise development works in the US and how the brand is preparing for its next chapter.  In This Episode Jay’s journey from the paint industry into franchising How operating a corporate franchise location prepared Jay to launch his own brand Growing Paint EZ to 81 franchise partners and 103 locations Why Paint EZ franchise partners don't need previous painting-industry experience How multi-territory franchise ownership works About Our Guest Jay Mason is the founder and CEO of Paint EZ, a US-based residential, commercial, and industrial painting franchise that has been operating for nearly 12 years. Jay has spent his entire career around the painting industry. After beginning on the supply side, he later joined another painting franchise organisation, where he trained new franchise owners while also running a corporate-owned location. Under his leadership, that location grew from approximately $300,000 in revenue to $984,000 in his first year and $1.2 million in his second. That experience ultimately inspired him to create Paint EZ.    📌 Connect with Susana Hands Learn more about franchising and working with Susana: Websites: https://susanahands.com.au/ and https://franiqbiz.com/ Connect with Susana on socials:  LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-hands-the-franchise-lady Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suz.hands  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanahands_/

  4. Oct 10

    #20: Why More Franchise Leads Don’t Always Mean More Franchise Sales with Taylor Fielding

    Are more franchise leads really the answer, or do you simply need better ones? In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Taylor Fielding, CEO of TFM Marketing, to unpack what effective franchise marketing looks like from both the franchisor and franchisee perspective. With experience helping more than 30 to 40 franchise groups grow their networks and strengthen local area marketing, Taylor brings a unique perspective. He has also been a franchisee himself, giving him firsthand experience of what happens on both sides of the franchise relationship.  Taylor and Susana explore why franchise marketing shouldn’t begin with a simple “submit a lead” ad. Instead, prospective franchisees need to understand the brand, its values, the opportunity, and whether it aligns with what they want before they ever speak with the franchise sales team. They also discuss the balance between head office marketing and local area marketing, why authentic human content can outperform generic creative, how to nurture franchise prospects over a longer buying journey, and why generating hundreds of leads means very little if your sales team doesn’t have the capacity to follow them up properly. Whether you're an emerging franchisor building your first marketing strategy or an established brand looking to improve lead quality, this episode offers practical insights into creating a marketing system that supports the entire franchise sales journey. In This Episode Taylor’s journey from agency marketing to founding TFM Marketing What Taylor learned from becoming a franchisee himself The marketing responsibilities of head office versus individual franchisees Why local area marketing still matters in a digital-first world Giving franchisees the tools to market within brand guidelines About Our Guest Taylor Fielding is the CEO of TFM Marketing, an agency built with a strong focus on helping franchise brands grow. Before founding TFM Marketing, Taylor worked with larger Australian agencies and brands, gaining experience connecting national brands with local communities. Over the past six years, TFM Marketing has worked with approximately 30 to 40 franchise groups, supporting both franchise recruitment and local area marketing for franchisees.   📌 Connect with Susana Hands Learn more about franchising and working with Susana: Websites: https://susanahands.com.au/ and https://franiqbiz.com/ Connect with Susana on socials:  LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-hands-the-franchise-lady Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suz.hands  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanahands_/

  5. Oct 3

    #19: Selling a Franchise? What Every Franchisee Needs to Know About the Resale Process

    Selling a franchise isn’t as simple as finding a buyer and agreeing on a price. In this solo episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands breaks down the franchise resale process in Australia and explains the moving parts that franchisees, franchisors, buyers, and business brokers need to understand before a sale can move forward. From working with business brokers and navigating the franchisor’s approval process to contracts, disclosure documents, training, handovers, and legal requirements, Susana explains why franchise resales require much more coordination than selling an independent business. Even when a broker finds a buyer and negotiates a price, the incoming franchisee still needs to go through the franchisor’s sales and approval process.  Susana also explores what buyers should consider when they come across a franchise resale that looks like a bargain, why proper due diligence matters, and why franchisees thinking about selling should involve their franchisor from the beginning. Whether you’re looking to sell your franchise, considering buying an existing franchise, or managing resales within a franchise network, this episode provides a practical look at how the process works and what you need to consider along the way. In This Episode What a franchise resale actually involves The role of a business broker in selling an existing franchise Why choosing a reputable and appropriately qualified business broker matters Why finding a buyer doesn’t automatically mean the franchise sale is approved Why incoming buyers still need to go through the franchisor’s sales and approval process About Our Guest Taylor Fielding is the CEO of TFM Marketing, an agency built with a strong focus on helping franchise brands grow. Before founding TFM Marketing, Taylor worked with larger Australian agencies and brands, gaining experience connecting national brands with local communities. Over the past six years, TFM Marketing has worked with approximately 30 to 40 franchise groups, supporting both franchise recruitment and local area marketing for franchisees.   📌 Connect with Susana Hands Learn more about franchising and working with Susana: Websites: https://susanahands.com.au/ and https://franiqbiz.com/ Connect with Susana on socials:  LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-hands-the-franchise-lady Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suz.hands  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanahands_/

  6. Sep 27

    #18: What 10 Years of Franchising Taught City Cave Founder Tim Butters

    What does a decade in franchising really teach you about growth, people, money, and knowing when to say no? In this episode of Let’s Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Tim Butters, co-founder of City Cave, to look back at the lessons behind building one of Australia’s growing wellness franchise brands. Founded in 2016, City Cave has evolved from a small float centre into a network of around 70 locations, offering flotation therapy, infrared sauna, and massage. But as Tim shares, scaling the brand wasn’t simply about opening more locations. It meant refining the model, choosing the right franchise partners, strengthening unit economics, investing in better systems, and sometimes deliberately slowing growth to get the foundations right. Tim also shares a story he’s never told publicly before about returning a $60,000 franchise fee when he realised the prospective franchisee wasn’t the right fit, despite City Cave having only around $2,000 in the bank at the time. It became an early lesson in why protecting the franchise network matters more than making another sale. In This Episode How Tim and Jeremy started City Cave and refined the original business model Growing City Cave from a float centre into a 70-location franchise network Why franchisors should say no more often than they say yes The $60,000 franchise fee Tim returned when a prospect showed early red flags Why the first franchisees can have such a significant impact on a brand 📌 Connect with Susana Hands Learn more about franchising and working with Susana: Websites: https://susanahands.com.au/ and https://franiqbiz.com/ Connect with Susana on socials:  LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-hands-the-franchise-lady Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suz.hands  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanahands_/

  7. Sep 19

    #17: The Reality of Becoming a Franchisor: Lessons from Scaling MonsterBall

    What really changes when you go from running a successful business to becoming a franchisor? In this episode of Let's Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Johan, founder and franchisor of MonsterBall, to talk about his journey from arriving in Australia as a backpacker to building an events and equipment hire business that now franchises across Australia. MonsterBall started in Perth with Johan, two friends, a van, and three jumping castles. After years of growing the business, Johan made the move into franchising. Two years later, the network has grown to six franchisees, with a seventh on the way, across Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory. But becoming a franchisor brought an entirely new set of challenges. Johan shares what he learned about recruiting the right people, setting boundaries from the beginning, strengthening processes, training franchisees, and making sure everyone follows the systems that made the original business successful. He also opens up about one of his biggest early mistakes: being too flexible with franchisees and learning why saying yes to everything can become costly as the network grows. If you're considering franchising your business or you're in the early stages of building a franchise network, this episode offers a candid look at what the transition from business owner to franchisor really involves. In This Episode How Johan went from a backpacker from France to building MonsterBall in Australia Starting the business with two friends, one van, and three jumping castles Why Johan decided to franchise after more than a decade in business The difference between running a business and running a franchise network Why becoming a franchisor means becoming a coach About Our Guest Johan is the founder and franchisor of MonsterBall, an Australian events and equipment hire business that began in Perth approximately 13 years ago. Originally from France with a background in finance and investment, Johan arrived in Australia as a backpacker and discovered an opportunity in the events industry. What began with two friends, a van, and three jumping castles grew into an established events business. After more than a decade of operating MonsterBall, Johan began franchising the business. In its first two years as a franchise network, MonsterBall has expanded to six franchisees, with another location approaching launch, across Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory. Today, Johan is focused on strengthening the franchise system, developing franchisees through training and coaching, and continuing the brand's steady expansion across Australia.   📌 Connect with Susana Hands Learn more about franchising and working with Susana: Websites: https://susanahands.com.au/ and https://franiqbiz.com/ Connect with Susana on socials:  LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-hands-the-franchise-lady Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suz.hands  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanahands_/

  8. Sep 12

    #16: How to Automate Your Franchise Sales Process and Convert More Leads with Jordan Bailey

    Are you spending more money generating franchise leads without fixing what happens after those leads come in? In this episode of Let's Talk Franchising, Susana Hands sits down with Jordan Bailey, founder of Biz Automate, to discuss how automation can help franchisors streamline their sales process, qualify leads faster, improve follow-up, and nurture prospects without adding more repetitive work to their team. Jordan explains why scaling requires more than simply generating more leads. From speed-to-lead automation and CRM pipelines to lead qualification, nurturing sequences, call tracking, onboarding, and AI, he shares practical ways franchisors can automate repetitive tasks while keeping the human element where it matters most. Susana and Jordan also unpack a common mistake in franchise sales: pouring more money into lead generation when the sales process isn't ready to handle the volume. They discuss why better-qualified leads, a clear sales journey, and consistent nurturing can be far more valuable than simply increasing lead numbers. If you're a franchisor looking to improve your sales systems, reduce repetitive admin, and get more value from the leads you're already generating, this episode is for you. In This Episode Why scaling a franchise requires automation What repetitive franchise sales tasks can be automated Why speed-to-lead matters when a new enquiry comes in Using a CRM to manage and move franchise prospects through the pipeline How to automatically qualify leads before your sales team calls About Our Guest Jordan Bailey is the founder of Biz Automate and has worked in the AI and automation space for approximately two years. Before starting his business, Jordan spent six to eight years working in project management at ANZ's head office, alongside an earlier career that included working in hospitality and as a musician. 📌 Connect with Susana Hands Learn more about franchising and working with Susana: Websites: https://susanahands.com.au/ and https://franiqbiz.com/

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About

Lets Talk Franchising is your go-to source if you’re considering franchising your business, working to sell more franchises, or simply want to master the franchise space. Each episode delivers actionable insights, expert advice, and real-world strategies to help you grow, sell, and succeed in franchising - avoiding common pitfalls along the way. Subscribe now to get smarter, faster, and stronger in franchising.

Information

  • Creator
    Susana Hands
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Let’s Talk Franchising

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