Dear Frannie: Franchise Growth, Leadership and Scaling Advice
Business & Finance
About
Dear Frannie is the franchise advice column you didn't know you needed. Hosted by Katherine LeBlanc, Fractional CMO, and James Vitrano, Franchise Operator, each episode tackles one real question franchisors are quietly wrestling with - from franchisee adoption and growth friction to leadership blind spots and operational scale. No panels. No keynote speak. No fluff. Just two people who've been inside franchise systems answering the questions brand leaders are afraid to ask out loud. If you're a franchisor navigating the messy middle of scale - this show was made for you. New episodes drop bi-weekly. Subscribe so you don't miss the next one.
Episodes
- Dear Frannie | Who's Actually Supposed to Own the Ops Manual?
In this episode of Dear Frannie, Katherine and James discuss the operations manual in a franchise system. They explain why neglecting the manual is a leadership problem and what should and should not be included in it.
- Dear Frannie | How Do You Scale Without Losing What Made You Great in the First Place?
Jim Nusbaum, President of Barry Bagels, joins Katherine and James to discuss scaling a franchise from 23 to over 100 locations. He shares insights on managing growth while preserving the original culture, quality, and experience of the bra…
- Dear Frannie | Who Do You Actually Want Signing Your Franchise Agreement?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Katherine LeBlanc and James Vitrano discussing how to select the right franchisees. They explore various aspects of franchise selection, including sales strategies, candidate profiling, and identifying…
- Dear Frannie | When Does a Resale Stop Being a One-Off and Start Being Part of How You Run?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Katherine LeBlanc and James Vitrano discussing how franchisors can integrate resales into their operational systems. They explore the lifecycle of a franchisee relationship from Discovery Day to buybac…
- Dear Frannie | Why Do My Franchisees Stay Frustrated No Matter What I Fix?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Katherine LeBlanc and James Vitrano discussing the phenomenon of chronic franchisee frustration. They explore the root causes of this issue and offer insights on how to identify and address them before…
- Dear Frannie | When Does Flexibility Become a Problem You Can No Longer Ignore?
Katherine LeBlanc and James Vitrano explore the challenges of flexibility in growing franchise systems. They discuss identifying when experimentation becomes inconsistency and provide strategies for addressing these issues with franchisees.
- Dear Frannie | Is Franchisee Feedback a Signal or Just Noise?
In this episode, Katherine LeBlanc and James Vitrano explore the challenge of discerning valuable insights from mere complaints in franchisee feedback. They discuss strategies for diagnosing feedback, validating patterns, and responding in…
- Dear Frannie | Growth Has Slowed — Is It a Marketing Problem or Something Deeper?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Katherine LeBlanc and James Vitrano discussing how to diagnose why franchise growth has slowed. They investigate whether the issue is marketing-related or something more fundamental, emphasizing data a…
- Dear Frannie | Why Is the Jump from 30 to 75 Units So Difficult?
This episode discusses the difficulties of scaling a franchise from 30 to 75 units. It covers the pros and cons of ad funds, the role of franchisees in local marketing, and the importance of content and clarity in early growth stages.
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Avoid Security, Compliance, and Tech Mistakes?
Marina O’Rourke and Chris Peterson discuss avoiding security, compliance, and tech mistakes. The episode also addresses a question about the pros and cons of engaging experienced franchisees to train new franchisees or mentor new franchise…
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Build a Tech Stack That Scales With My Franchise?
Marina O’Rourke and Chris Peterson discuss how to build a scalable tech stack for franchise companies. They address considerations for ensuring technology can scale with future growth and support current and future business needs with limi…
- Dear Frannie | What Are the Pros and Cons of Franchisee Peer Training?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Katherine Meariman and Garrick Robert discussing the advantages and disadvantages of using experienced franchisees to train new ones, including mentoring and coaching programs.
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Standardize Our Franchise Training Program?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Katherine Meariman, VP of Training at Smoothie King, and Garrick Robert, VP of Operations at Salad Station. They answer a question about revamping franchise training materials and standardizing process…
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Transition From Owner/Operator to Franchisor?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Scott Abbott and Chad Jones from Five Star Franchising. They answer a question about new franchisors moving from the business owner/operator role into the franchisor role and provide tips for a smooth…
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Take a Step Back as a Franchise Founder?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Scott Abbott and Chad Jones from Five Star Franchising. They answer a question about how a franchise founder can take a step back while creating a smooth leadership transition.
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Measure the Success of My Marketing?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Fractional CMO Alexandra Russo and Will Fraker. They discuss how to measure the success of marketing campaigns and programs.
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Find the Right Vendor Partner for My Franchise?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Fractional CMO Alexandra Russo and Will Fraker of The Good Feet Store. They answer a question about how to source and vet the right vendor partners for a franchise, considering brand and growth stage.
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Align Franchise Development and Operations?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Marianne Murphy and Marcia Mead discussing alignment between franchise development and operations teams. They address a listener question on how to improve communication and alignment within these team…
- Dear Frannie | What Should I Know About Franchise Renewals?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Marianne Murphy of Franchise Pulse and Marcia Mead of M Squared Franchise Consulting. They answer a question about how to overcome rough franchise renewals and make the experience smoother overall.
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Get Marketing and Franchise Development Aligned?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Mike Millett, Rob Lancit, and Liane Caruso discussing how to align marketing and franchise development teams. The conversation includes strategies for teams to work together effectively.
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Stay Relevant After the Emerging Brand Stage?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Mike Millett, Rob Lancit, and Liane Caruso discussing how to remain relevant to franchise prospects after the initial emerging brand stage. The episode begins with hot takes from the guests.
- Dear Frannie | What's My Role in Getting Franchisees Funded?
This episode of Dear Frannie features JT Thiessen and Maureen Anders. They discuss the extent to which a home office team should be involved in helping franchisees secure funding, as well as recommend books and newsletters.
- Dear Frannie | What Should I Expect From My PR Team?
JT Thiessen and Maureen Anders join Dear Frannie to discuss what to expect from a PR team. They cover how to kick off the episode with hot takes, measure results, and more.
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Increase Franchisee Buy-In?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Nancy Bigley and Don Varady, who answer questions about increasing franchisee buy-in and addressing culture fit. The hosts also share their current reading selections.
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Drive Franchisee Adoption of New Technology?
This episode of Dear Frannie discusses how to drive franchisee adoption of new technology. The hosts are joined by Nancy Bigley of The Little Gym International and Snapology, and Don Varady, Co-Founder & CEO of Clean Eatz.
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Handle Non-Compliant Franchisees?
This episode of Dear Frannie features Jennifer Axelrod and Tom O’Keefe discussing how to handle non-compliant franchisees, focusing on situations where franchisees deviate from initial training in systems, processes, and marketing programs.
- Dear Frannie | How Do I Increase Franchisee Fees Without Losing My Network?
This episode of Dear Frannie discusses how to increase franchisee fees. It features insights from Jennifer Axelrod of A Place At Home franchise and franchise advisor Tom O’Keefe.