Every time Trump opens his mouth, I see some people say it’s killing their business. When things aren’t working, they’ll point at Elon, taxes, tariffs, the weather, the lunar cycle, whatever… But why do some people thrive in this same environment to build extraordinary things? It’s because they play by a different set of rules. This is how they do it. It all starts with focusing on things you can control or influence while ignoring everything else. 1) Identifying the “first principles” of...
1 day ago • 2 min read
What if I told you there’s a franchise with: Industry leader ZERO Employees Recurring Revenue HUGE Tax Benefits $215k+ EBITDA (top performers) Let’s dive into IMAGE Studios, a luxury salon-suite brand: IMAGE converts ~5,000 sq ft of retail or office into ~30 salon studios, which are rented by the week to beauty professionals such as hair stylists, estheticians, nail techs, and massage therapists who operate their own businesses within their studios. You’re the landlord. IMAGE Studios is the...
3 days ago • 2 min read
I just posted a YouTube video showing the #1 thing most franchise buyers get wrong. They fall in love with a brand but skip the most important question: “How much sales do we need each week to break even?” This one mistake has killed more franchise dreams than anything else I’ve seen. I’ve built 40+ franchise locations doing over $50M a year, and I can tell you the truth - knowing your numbers isn’t just important -- it’s everything. Small changes in your cost of goods, payroll, or overhead...
6 days ago • 1 min read
I just spent 2 hours in a deep-dive interview with former mafia boss Anthony Arillotta. Anthony was part of one of the East Coast's largest criminal enterprises (the Genovese Family). After the interview, I convinced him to buy a crime-scene cleanup franchise. Just kidding…. Starting from zero in the 90s, he quickly became one of the largest marijuana dealers in the Northeast, personally profiting $5M to $10M per year. He also ran all the classics: sports betting, loan sharks, casinos,...
7 days ago • 2 min read
We just finalized the details on franchise #34 27 of our 34 locations have been acquired using seller financing. It’s basically a cheat code for growth once you get into a franchise system Seller Financing 101 The seller of the business becomes the bank. We agree on the purchase price, down payment, interest rate, and number of payments. The lawyers draw up three documents: 1) Asset purchase agreement—This outlines that we purchase the business’s assets, not liabilities. It is required in...
8 days ago • 1 min read
My dad was a franchisee for over 40 years. Every summer as a teenager, I’d sweep floors, put away inventory, and help pay the bills. I joined the business in 2010 to learn everything from the ground up. By 2015, I had taken over running the business. In 2016, I partnered with my brother (and the bank) to buy our franchise locations. We re-invested every dollar the business made to acquire another in 2017, two more in 2018, and one more in 2019. Between 2021 and 2024, we hit the gas pedal --...
16 days ago • 2 min read
I’ve been searching for the right operating partner for my Waterloo Turf franchise business since December. I’m excited to have found him through The Honor Foundation Honor is a non-profit that helps former elite military veterans transition into civilian leadership roles. Rick spent 20 years as a Navy Seabee - a construction unit that builds and maintains bases, airfields, roads, bridges, and other support facilities in war zones. There is one trait I look for above all else 👇 Ownership. For...
23 days ago • 1 min read
I just became franchisee #3 of an emerging brand! I purchased 5 territories of Waterloo Turf in Houston that will launch in May. Full disclosure: I’m also an advisor and investor in the franchisor. What I love about this business 👇 One-Day Transformations This business creates jaw-dropping transformations that customers show off. Most service businesses solve problems people don't want to talk about. When did you last invite friends to see your freshly repaired plumbing? But new turf? People...
24 days ago • 1 min read
In January 2021 I hired one of the best real estate/mindset coaches to teach me about buying apartments. All the richest guys I knew were in the apartment business. Me? I just owned a few boring franchises (6 at the time). On the 1st call he asks, "Why get into something new when you’ve already got something that works?" That question hit me like a truck. I’d been telling myself I needed to "diversify" through new opportunities. But what I was really doing was running from three fears I...
28 days ago • 2 min read
I had an eye-opening experience last week. One that will change the course of my life. I realized that I’ve settled for being average. For years, I’ve primarily focused on growing our Midas store count. I succeeded in scaling from 6 stores in 2018 to 33 today. I haven’t paid as much attention to our sales per store, which hover around $25k per week. I’ve accepted that as our standard. But here's the thing: Our results will never exceed our expectations My friend Amer averages $50k per week...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read