Lissa Walega, Chief Growth Officer at Ziebart and IFA board member, joins Walking with Walfinch at the IFA 2026 conference in Las Vegas. She breaks down why the best marketers start with the P&L, how Ziebart maintains 50%+ gross margins, and the red flags that kill a franchise deal.Key highlights from this episode:Ziebart is 67 years old — one of only 50 franchise brands globally to reach that age — with ~400 locations, $100M+ revenue, a $1.3M AUV, and gross margins over 50%Termination rate is below 1%; some franchise owners have been with Ziebart for 40 to 50 years — the brand is also an ESOP (employee stock ownership program)Before advising any marketing spend, Lissa starts with labour, cost of goods, and sales KPIs — closing, cross-selling, and upselling must all be working firstAt discovery days, Ziebart watches how candidates treat people, not just what they say — the key question: "put me in coach — where do you see yourself in this community?"Questions answered in this episode:What order should a franchise owner tackle business problems?How does Ziebart achieve 50%+ gross margins in automotive care?Why do Ziebart franchise owners stay for 40 to 50 years?What red flags disqualify a franchise candidate at Ziebart?How does Ziebart market a new franchise location in the first 120 days?What is an ESOP and why does it matter for a franchise brand?Ziebart — the world's largest automotive aftermarket franchise — is celebrating 67 years in 2026, making it one of only 50 franchise brands globally to reach that milestone. Still privately owned and structured as an ESOP, the company runs ~400 locations across 32–35 countries, with a $1.3M AUV, gross margins above 50%, and a termination rate below 1%. Some owners have been with the brand for 40 to 50 years. Lissa Walega became Chief Growth Officer after years in franchise development, bringing a background in music, theatre, and the arts before falling in love with leadership and franchising.Her marketing philosophy is counterintuitive: she doesn't start with marketing. She starts with goals, then works backwards — fixing labour, cost of goods, and sales KPIs before any spend is justified. "The greatest marketer understands how they have an impact on the P&L." Ziebart's brand work involved stripping back to its vision, mission, and values, concluding that brand awareness was the single greatest growth opportunity. A 120-day pre-opening plan now supports new locations, anchored by new brand icon Bart the Knight. Ziebart does not currently work with brokers, is leaning into content and storytelling instead, and will say no to candidates who look right on paper but fail to show genuine character at discovery day. Final advice: "If you don't understand people's why, it's never going to happen."About Walfinch:Walfinch is a UK home care franchise network empowering owners to build profitable, values-driven domiciliary care businesses. The Walfinch YouTube channel covers franchise owner stories, growth strategies, and practical advice for UK home care entrepreneurs.Learn more about Ziebart franchising: https://www.ziebart.com/franchise-opp...Explore Walfinch franchising opportunities: https://walfinchfranchising.com/
