Catalytic Leadership

Franchise Growth Strategy That Built 50 Locations From One Idea

• Dr. William Attaway • Season 3 • Episode 106

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When the vision is clear but your team still isn’t executing, that disconnect isn’t just frustrating—it’s expensive. If you’ve ever felt like you’re repeating yourself across teams or struggling to keep quality consistent as you grow, this episode will speak directly to you.

I’m joined by David Sauers, co-founder and CEO of Royal Restrooms—the nationally recognized luxury restroom brand with over 50 franchise locations. What started with a personal pain point became a movement that redefined an industry. We dig into the franchise growth strategy that helped him scale from a local service to a national brand, without losing the mission or momentum.

If you’re thinking about multi-location growth, licensing, or expanding your business without bottlenecks, you’ll walk away from this episode with clarity on how to build systems that protect your vision and scale your values.

We don’t talk theory here. This is real-world strategy—grounded in leadership, driven by legacy.

Books Mentioned:
Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks

Connect with David Sauers
To learn more about David’s work or bring Royal Restrooms to your event, visit royalrestrooms.com or connect with him on LinkedIn under David Sauers. He’s also building Kruger Bush Campers, and you can follow his journey there as well.



Join Dr. William Attaway on the Catalytic Leadership podcast as he shares transformative insights to help high-performance entrepreneurs and agency owners achieve Clear-Minded Focus, Calm Control, and Confidence.

Connect with Dr. William Attaway:

Dr. William Attaway:

I'm so excited today to have David Sowers on the podcast. David is the co-founder and CEO of Royal Restrooms, the gold standard in luxury portable restroom rentals for events, weddings and commercial applications. Founded in 2004, royal Restrooms has grown into a nationally recognized brand with over 50 office locations across the country. Beyond his success in the event industry, david is also a featured entrepreneur and thought leader in the business world. He appeared on season 21 of the Block's TV series and will soon be featured on Legacy Makers with Rudy Maurer highlighting his journey as an innovator and business builder. Hour, highlighting his journey as an innovator and business builder, passionate about brand building, leadership and outdoor adventure. David also leads Kruger Busch Campers, an overland lifestyle brand inspired by his travels through South Africa and beyond. David, I'm so glad you're here. Thanks for being on the show today.

David Sauers:

William, that's quite an introduction. I mean you get my blood pumping and it's like wait a second. That's quite an introduction. I mean you just, you know, you get my blood pumping and it's like wait a second. That's me.

Intro / Outro:

Welcome to Catalytic Leadership, the podcast designed to help leaders intentionally grow and thrive. Here is your host author and leadership and executive coach, dr William Attaway.

Dr. William Attaway:

Well, I would love to start with you sharing a little bit of your story with our listeners, particularly around your journey and your development as a leader.

David Sauers:

How did all this get started? I think my journey really started out when I was younger. It wasn't anything that I looked for or I strive to. I felt kind of just a calling to always just make a change, not necessarily break the rules, but I just wanted to do something a little better, see if I could maybe make it a little more interesting or maybe make it just a little more fun for myself, even growing up from a young age just tweaking things, and that, I believe, is really what inspired me to become an entrepreneur, to break out on my own.

Dr. William Attaway:

I just wanted to do something a little bit different, so tell us a little bit about Royal Restrooms. Wanted to do something a little bit different, so tell us a little bit about Royal Restrooms. Some of our listeners may not be familiar with your company, but you're now 21 years in.

David Sauers:

Yes, absolutely so. Royal Restrooms started like you said. We started in 2004. It kind of became a brainchild in 2003 out of like what most businesses start out in. You know an experience and you want to fill a need. You want to fill some kind of void that you think is out there, and that's exactly what happened with me.

David Sauers:

Our origin stories started with a horrible experience going to a Port-A-John. I had both of my daughters with me. We were at a Shakespeare in the Park festival and she was potty training. We walk over, we're enjoying our time, we're having an absolute blast. Get over there and it's like, wait a second, it's dark, how do I fit in this Port-A-Potty? And next thing I know, I look down and Stella has got her hands on the toilet and her head almost in the hole. Oh, my goodness, I just you know you go into this like don't touch anything.

David Sauers:

And I start looking around. It's like, okay, you know what? There's still no lights in here. I don't have anywhere to wash my hands. I'm trying not to hit my leg on the porta potty Like I'm just in pure bone panic mode. I hand Cece off to a guest outside that I don't know. So I'm nervous about that Drop Stella down, take her, and I'm holding her over the potty and I turn around to kick to make sure that my other daughter's all right.

David Sauers:

About that time I feel this warm sensation on my leg. At that point I know that I'm getting peed on and I go from you know kind of panic to just very upset, like we finished our business. I walk, we walk outside, you know there's nowhere to just very upset, like we finished our business. I won't. We walk outside. It's. You know. There's nowhere to wash your hands, there's nowhere to. You know I don't have anything but toilet paper to try to dry myself off with.

David Sauers:

I left and as I, as I'm looking around and as I'm walking and I'm, you know, mumbling and trying to keep my composure, it's like we've got all these lights in the trees. It's beautiful, everybody's having a wonderful time, there's tents, there's chandeliers there, there's people dressed. It's like why in the world is everything so nice? And yet we just have a freaking porta potty, like we're going to the bathroom but we're camping, like what? And nobody seems to have a problem with it. It was just the accepted norm. And it's like why? Why is this the accepted norm? And I think it has to do with just because porta potties in general or bathroom in general. It's a private experience, it's not something that you are excited about and certainly it's something from a festival standpoint. That is just you know. It's one of the necessary evils, you just have to deal with it.

Dr. William Attaway:

Wow. So how did you start and how did you grow into what you are now? So many entrepreneurs start a business, but it doesn't take off, or they struggle for year after year after year, just to sustain.

David Sauers:

Right. Well, I think I have to finish answering your first question from before. But I have to say, watching your podcast, I love your nod and your right. When you get into it it's like this perfect feel-good emotion. Like man, I am soaking all this in and it's listening to your podcast. You know. Like I said, I've been very excited to come on. That that was. It's enjoying to see that enthusiasm.

David Sauers:

But Royal Restrooms is a full-service restroom, just on a trailer. It's a fully functioning restroom, just like what would be at your house or in a hotel restaurant. It is. You walk into the restroom. It has a vanity, you've got plenty of space to move around. You have a real flushing toilet. It's climate-controlled, it's lighted. You've got plenty of space to move around. You have a real flushing toilet. It's climate controlled, it's lighted. You have real toilet paper, you have hand soap, you have paper towels. You don't know that you are at an outdoor event. And that is the premise of Royal Restrooms creating that experience anywhere you want to go.

David Sauers:

But to answer your next question, starting out, how did we go about it? How did we do it? We got really excited just about creating this idea. My business partner, robert Glister, and I he was. He was just, he's just such a jovial fella and was so excited about doing this in Savannah, because Savannah is a large, you know, event community. We do a lot of things outside. It's just so beautiful here. We looked at it as you know what. We're going to take it slow, we're going to launch this out there, see what people think and if it doesn't work we'll write it off. If not, we'll have a good time going to these events and taking care of this.

David Sauers:

Or there's a lot of community events. Robert and I are both professional. We're going to partner with nonprofits and we're going to elevate their event. You know we're going to make it part of the community. So we had a lot of little backups that we thought and we had a lot of ideas floating around and, as many people told us that we were absolutely crazy that we were doing this, the minute they sat down on the toilet, the minute they used one of our restrooms, that was it. They weren't going back. We're sold. This is brilliant. I can't believe the same person five minutes ago that told me we were crazy. This is brilliant. I can't believe I didn't think of this. I love that man.

Dr. William Attaway:

You know, entrepreneurs see what is not and they see what could be. And it sounds like that's what happened. You had a terrible experience and then you said hey, you know I could do something about this. I'm not just going to complain about what is, I'm going to move on to the solution side and see if we can create what could be. So tell us about Royal Restrooms today as a business. Where are you today and what are your goals for the next few?

David Sauers:

years. Our goals are to remain in business and continue to Good goal. You know, hey, even though we're on top, I mean so many businesses just get lackadaisical or they get comfortable, they forget why they started a business. You know Royal Restrooms, yes, we've been the industry leader, we've been the gold standard and a lot of I mean well, the entire industry kind of mimics what we do. They look to see what we do and transform their side. We're the leaders in the industry from a rental standpoint. We're the leaders in the industry from a rental standpoint, and that doesn't come without its burdens and troubles and certainly maintaining that image. Right now we're in the innovation mode. We want to kind of recreate what we're doing.

David Sauers:

Our restroom trailers have continued to get exponentially more luxurious inside. I mean, there are some that have fireplaces in them. Seriously, they have become really outstandingly just beautiful. A lot of people they walk in now and it's like this is better than my own home, this is better than this. And they are. You would never believe. You know the quality inside on how these things look. They're just amazing. But from the outside they still look like a big white cargo box. You know, it's still a big boxy trailer and from the event standpoint and the weddings, the VIPs that is something that we've constantly heard over and over through the years. We love the restrooms. We still have to. You know, we got over the fact that, okay, they don't smell. We were delegating them over there to the far corner because we think they smell, because they're associating them with a port-a potty. They don't, so we're like you need to bring them closer, you know it's part of your event Well but they're not necessarily picturesque.

David Sauers:

You know they don't. They were fine 10 years ago. 15 years ago it was like, okay, I can do this, but now people want something that is more photogenic, and so we're changing that we built a couple of years ago. We've been test marketing what we call our vintage restroom series. The outside is a mirrored stainless steel structure that's rounded. On the top it kind of resembles an Airstream. We can't really say that, but that's kind on the top. It kind of resembles an airstream. We can't really say that, but that's kind of that model.

David Sauers:

But it reflects the surrounding structure area. So if it's in a backyard or it's got flowers around it, it's like it picks up the flowers and you're looking at flowers. Not only that when you're walking back you don't recognize that as the restroom or even a trailer. You think that this is some part of the event, like some kind of attraction. Point. It doesn't at all look like a restroom now. Point it doesn't at all look like a restroom now. And so when you're taking pictures, nobody even sees that in the corner. And it's really brought a lot of things out.

Dr. William Attaway:

I love that You're spot on, nobody thinks, oh, let's put this toward the middle of the event, let's bring this into the whole scheme. When you're talking about a porta potty, you keep that as far away as humanly possible. What you have created, though, is an entirely different experience. I often say that leaders create experiences. We create the experiences for our team, for our clients, for the businesses that we lead. We create the experience. What you have done is recreated an experience that most people are not thinking a whole lot about until they have to go and use it, particularly with one of their kids, as potty training. That's what a what a great motivator.

David Sauers:

I love that. Everybody can put that. Everybody can take a memory back and think about this. You know, whatever event they've been to, whatever thing, they've had a bad experience. I've never met somebody that has not had a bad experience with a port-a-body. This changes that. I'm not saying that you can't have a bad experience without, because, I mean, something could obviously go wrong. But for the most part when people go to the event they're excited about it and then all of a sudden it's like, oh man, I got to go to the bathroom and it's that sinking feeling like oh gosh, because it is. It's a very private moment that we have between ourselves.

David Sauers:

It's something that now can create anxiety. You're worried about it, but it can also dictate the rest of your event. It can spoil your event or it can say the rest of your event. You know it can. It can spoil your event or it can say you know what? I want to go get some more food now, because I don't, I'm not worried about the bathroom, I'm going to drink another couple of glasses of wine or we're going to stay. You know what? I don't have to take my kids to the McDonald's because I may not come back to the event. We, everybody at your event is going to go to the bathroom. So the details of making this grand entrance and picture moment, that's great, but every single person is going to have to go to the bathroom and you don't want that piece to be the deterrent or what they talk about.

Dr. William Attaway:

A distraction from the main feeling and environment that you're trying to create. Yeah, that's really good. So at Royal Restrooms, now you have started franchising.

David Sauers:

Yes, yes, we did so what does that look?

David Sauers:

like we started franchising or actually we started selling licenses at an early on period. Robert and I never had any grand visions for the business. You know it wasn't like we set out. We're going to do this and we're going to conquer the world. But people, when people started using our restroom, they were just like I want to do this. My city needs this. You know, we don't have anything like this in Florida. We don't have anything like this in Florida. We don't have anything like this in California. We don't have anything like this in Atlanta.

David Sauers:

Like we want, we want to bring your product there. Okay, well, here's what we did. No, no, no, no. We want to do. We want to copy exactly what you've done. We like everything you've done. We don't want to start over, we want to learn from that. And that's really how we got into franchising and moving across the country is. People liked what they saw that we were doing. They wanted to copy that without necessarily having to go through all the trials and tribulations. And because we were first to market, we had a good, solid name.

David Sauers:

A lot of times, even in RFQs or business entities that put out stuff. It's like we're the Q-tip of Royal Restrooms. They say we need a Royal Restroom, not a restroom trailer or a bathroom trailer or a toilet trailer. It's like we want a Royal Restroom trailer. Yeah, just because that's how they've grown to know what we are. So it's a huge compliment. And franchising is a difficult process. It's a complete other business than what owning a restroom company is. It's a whole separate model and it's taken us a long time to separate the two. But we look for people who are community oriented, who want to leave a legacy, who want to be a real entrepreneur, not just somebody who's looking to buy a business to make some money.

Dr. William Attaway:

That's really good. Did you have a background in business before you started franchising? Because, like you said, that's a whole different thing than running a business. Now you're expanding in a very specific way that some people have found to be dangerous, because the franchisees don't always follow your vision.

David Sauers:

No, they don't. And that's the good and the bad about franchising and about learning people and entrepreneurs Just because you're doing something right doesn't mean that they can't do something a little better. So you learn from each other. But a lot of people tend to get off course because they feel like they know their market a little bit better and they forget the fundamentals that were taught to them, which that is not a bad thing in my book, just because we disagree about one thing, we still have the common goal at the end we want to do right by the customer, we want to do right by the community, we want to leave a namesake, we want to provide a good service say we want to provide a good service. But yeah, franchising is a big struggle, and especially for me.

David Sauers:

I had a political science degree and an international relations degree Absolutely took zero business classes and then I end up becoming a commercial banker at a local bank and I see what a lot of local businesses and a lot of entrepreneurs do and, you know, even though they had struggles, they had daily struggles, they had, you know, hurdles that they overcame it was always a sense of pride because of what they were doing. So they always had that to fall, to fall back on, and it was just inspirational seeing you know and being a part of their journey, that when it came time for my journey, you know, I had all of these people that I could reflect back on and I could think on and that just said you know, thank you. 25 years ago, when I was at the bank, I didn't understand everything that you were doing. I didn't understand the hardships or the vision that you had in constantly trying to impress it upon others. Trying to impress it upon others, how lonely that was sometimes and how difficult it was to make something that should be a simple solution or a simple vision that other people just they don't, they don't, they want to stay in their lane.

David Sauers:

And so I wrote him up, I wrote him a letter and I hadn't talked to him probably in 10, 15 years. I just said you know, I still remember that and I look back on that from watching you and I didn't understand it then but I understand it now and it was really nice the other day for him to call me and he was just like you have no idea how much that letter meant to me. To me it was just like it was a short letter that just said hey, thank you. I remember that he was just like that. That brought back great memories. You know, I'm glad that I was able to pass something along. I was like absolute.

Dr. William Attaway:

You know, I often teach that real gratitude is never silent and it's never invisible, and I love that you took the opportunity to communicate that with a letter. That's powerful and he won't forget that. And I would encourage the leaders who are listening if there's somebody, as you look back on your journey, who has made that type of an investment and impact in you, who has helped you to become the leader that you are, take the time to do what David did Write a note, Just say, hey look, you made a big difference in my journey. I might not be where I am without you and what you did, what you taught me. So thank you.

David Sauers:

Absolutely.

Dr. William Attaway:

What a difference.

David Sauers:

A lot of people think they do everything on their own. They don't. Everything that we have learned, we have read, we have witnessed, we have listened, we have believed there's a higher power watching over it. Even when you're talking within yourself, somebody else is giving you those thoughts and that gratitude. We have a huge commitment to community. We make all of our franchises do a minimum $25,000 of in-kind donations the impact that you're giving back, but just the. You know what I'm doing, so I'm making a difference. I am part of this, but also the learning. It it's like wow, I had no idea that this was. You know, there are just so many things out there that so many people you know, there are just so many needs that we don't even recognize because we're so blessed.

Dr. William Attaway:

Yeah, that's so good, so good. So let's talk about you for a minute. You know you have to lead your companies at a higher level today than you did five years ago, and that same thing is going to be true five years from now. How do you stay on top of your game, david? How do you level up with the new leadership skills that your team and your businesses and your clients are going to need you to have in the years to come?

David Sauers:

Oh, that is a very difficult question and, you know, being a leader, I don't feel like I've ever thought of myself as a true leader. I've just done it. It's almost like I don't want to give myself that the power of being a leader, even though I know that I am in it and it's and it's necessary for me to communicate all of those things. One of the one of the things that I'm trying to do a little bit better is that's why I'm on podcasts, that's why I'm doing these podcasts. People don't read newsletters, they don't read the emails. They're they're they're too busy in their in their lives to to listen to something from somebody else, especially telling them how to do something a little bit better in a business that they already know.

David Sauers:

I think podcasting is a great way to talk about that, because it gets your emotions out there. It gets the real thought in you, not so much where we're just this information. You know, information, information, information, strategy. We want the memories and the creativeness to come out and the true thought, because I think that's how you really connect with other people and that's how I'm able to.

David Sauers:

I think better lead is by having that one-on-one connection, by making them feel important, and I'm not just so dictating that this is what's going to happen, making them feel a part of what's going on and that there's a choice, because everybody's voice it does matter. The big problem with that is when you do hear but nothing ever seems to move forward. So you do have to pick a lane and you have to have some kind of goal and a strategy for when you do reach out and speak to these people and get their opinions and their voices, because they you know a lot of them just don't understand the changes that are going on, and it's important to educate as well as continuously communicate to them what's going on. That's really good.

Dr. William Attaway:

You know, it's so easy for us to lose sight of the importance of continual growth, and I know just from our conversations that you are always looking to grow. You are always looking to learn how to do what you're doing better, how to become better in the leadership role that you have, as you have been on that growth journey. Is there a book that has made a big difference in your journey that you'd recommend to the leaders who are listening? Hey, this really made a difference for me and it might for you as well.

David Sauers:

You know well, I tell you, right now I'm in the middle of one book called I think it's Storyworthy by Matthew Dix. I often read a lot of books at once with my ADHD and I tend to get some of them mixed up and sometimes I don't ever actually finish them because I've jumped around so many times. But this Storyworthy, it's really interesting. It's about the moth, where I think there's the moth podcast, but there's the moth I think it's in New York, where I guess it's probably mostly authors or somebody, but they get up on stage and they have.

David Sauers:

It's not a scripted story, but they tell a story and it's filled with emotion and it's filled with purpose and drive, but it's all off the cuff and I have found that that has really helped open me up from a creative standpoint and from using my memory and how to elaborate more on my memories to create a better, I guess, story or a better presentation of what I'm trying to articulate, because as leaders, we don't always tell everybody our complete vision. What you have in your head and what you've said out to everybody is is likely two very different things and and that has happened to me all of my life so this, this story worthy in some of these uh techniques and practices and how I am able to, I guess, visualize what I want to say and then put it out there in words that are more reflective of what I'm thinking.

Dr. William Attaway:

See, there's that. Nod, I have not read this. There's that nod. Yeah, I haven't read this, but it sounds absolutely fascinating. I've got to dive into this book. Thank you for sharing that.

David Sauers:

Absolutely, absolutely.

Dr. William Attaway:

David, I could talk to you for another hour. There's just so much insight, so many gold nuggets today that you have shared from your journey. I know our listeners are going to want to stay connected to you and continue to learn from you and more about Royal Restrooms. What's thecom?

David Sauers:

We're on all the social platforms that you can name under Royal Restrooms, and we would love to be at your event. We would love to serve you. We want to be a part of some of your most memorable events and, if we can help, we're there. Linkedin under David Sowers I just started an Instagram and a Facebook under David Sowers as well. If they want to get in contact with me, you can reach me through Royal Restrooms, kruger Bush, or LinkedIn at David Sowers.

Dr. William Attaway:

We'll have all those links in the show notes. I appreciate it. One more question, david Sure? Yeah, one more question that I would love to know. You are leading at a different level than a whole lot of the people who are listening to know. You know you are leading at a different level than a whole lot of the people who are listening, you know? I mean we said earlier that I mean offices in 50 locations 50 office locations around the country. That's a different level than a whole lot of the people who are listening. I'm curious. I imagine that the challenges and obstacles that you have in your business are many on a daily basis. If I had the ability to just snap my fingers and solve one problem in your business, what would you want that one problem to be?

David Sauers:

Exactly what we talked about earlier Communication. Exactly what we talked about earlier Communication. I am telling you what we need to do, but I still don't do a very good job of doing that. I may talk to one office, but I don't get around to talking to the other office, and then a month goes by. I very much, which is why I like to do this podcast, because right now I am still old school in it. You know sending an email or calling somebody, sending a text, and then we get back with you. You know I'm reacting rather than being proactive.

Dr. William Attaway:

Yes, I get that and I think that's a challenge for most leaders and entrepreneurs. You know, a friend of mine says consistency is the mother of momentum. Everybody wants momentum, but consistency is how you get there, whether it's the gym or whether it's running your business, and communication is no exception to that. Running your business and communication is no exception to that. David, thank you for your generosity and your kindness in sharing so much today with our listeners and with me. I'll walk away better for it, thank you. Thank you, william.

David Sauers:

I really appreciate that.

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