We Bought A Franchise!
We Bought a Franchise – The #1 Franchise Podcast by Real Franchise Owners
The top franchise podcast where actual franchise owners reveal what really works in franchise ownership. If you're researching how to buy a franchise or evaluating franchise opportunities, this is your unfiltered source.
HOSTED BY REAL FRANCHISE OWNERS
Jack and Jill Johnson — certified franchise consultants who've actually owned franchises. Jack built a home care franchise to 100+ units and sold it to private equity. He's guided 600+ clients to franchise ownership and $100M+ in transactions.
Every episode features real operators:
- Jack & Jill Johnson – Former franchise owners, certified consultants
- David San Juan – Pink's Windows franchise owner
- Brian Gross – Former Art of Drawers franchisee, CFP
- Morgan Noller & Kathryn Allen – Award-winning Soccer Stars operators
- Jay & Carolina Orosa – Franchise owners with successful exit
These aren't consultants reading scripts. They're owners who've hired employees, managed cash flow, and built sellable businesses.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT FRANCHISE OWNERSHIP
✅ Best franchise opportunities by investment level ($100K-$500K+)
✅ Which categories work: home services, senior care, B2B (and why QSR/fitness often fail)
✅ How to read an FDD and spot Item 19 red flags
✅ Franchise validation strategies that reveal truth
✅ Why "passive income franchises" are myths
✅ Real profitability timelines and working capital needs
✅ Truth about franchise resales and "turnkey" traps
✅ Why private equity buys boring franchises
✅ Franchise financing: SBA loans, ROBS, HELOC
✅ Multi-unit strategies and exit planning for 3-5x EBITDA
WHY WE'RE DIFFERENT
Most franchise podcasts are sales pitches. We tell you "no" when needed.
🎯 Hosted by former franchise owners, not just consultants
🎯 No sugarcoating: failures and challenges included
🎯 Financial transparency: real investment numbers
🎯 Actionable advice, not motivational fluff
We cover franchises under $100K to $500K+: home services (roofing, HVAC, plumbing), senior care (placement, home care), B2B services, food/restaurant franchises, fitness franchises.
WHO SHOULD LISTEN?
✔️ First-time franchise buyers researching opportunities
✔️ Corporate executives exploring franchise ownership
✔️ Professionals with $150K-$2M+ evaluating investments
✔️ Current franchise owners scaling operations
✔️ Anyone tired of franchise broker hype
RECENT EPISODES
🎙️ Starting a Roofing Franchise With Zero Experience
🎙️ GymGuyz CEO: Scaling Mobile Fitness to 7 Countries
🎙️ How Low-Cost Franchises Build Sellable Equity
🎙️ Why Private Equity Loves Home Services Franchises
SUBSCRIBE & GET RESOURCES
📱 Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Google Podcasts
🔔 New franchise owner interviews every week
Want personalized franchise guidance from former owners?
👉 Franchise Match Quiz: www.thefranchiseinsiders.com
📞 Text 305-710-0050 for calculators, FDD decoder, red flags checklist
✅ Guided 600+ clients to franchise ownership
✅ $100M+ in transactions advised
✅ 200+ franchise brands represented
✅ We tell you "no" when franchises aren't right
We'd rather lose your business than watch you fail.
Jack & Jill Johnson | The Franchise Insiders
#FranchiseOwnership #BuyAFranchise #FranchisePodcast #FranchiseOpportunities #BestFranchises #HowToBuyAFranchise
Episodes
67 episodes
The $146B ‘Boring’ Business Nobody Talks About: Why This Mobile Showroom Franchise Is Growing Fast
Most people exploring franchise ownership are looking in the same places: HVAC. Plumbing. Restaurants. The problem? That’s where everyone else is looking too. Meanwhile, there’s a $146 billion ind...
From Federal Prison to Franchise Owner: The Project Lean Nation Story
What if a federal prison sentence was the beginning of your best chapter? That's exactly where Tim Doherty's story starts. He joins Jack and Jill Johnson on We Bought a Franchise to share how fitness became his lifeline beh...
Why GLO30 Franchisees Keep Buying More Units
When franchisees start buying more units, that's not a marketing claim. That's a verdict. It's exactly what's happening inside GLO30 — and it's why we had to get founder Dr. Arleen Lamba on the show. GLO30 isn't a facial...
Heights Wellness Retreat CEO Shane Evans on Building a Wellness Empire
Shane Evans, founder of Massage Heights turned Heights Wellness Retreat, joins Jack & Jill Johnson and the Franchise Insiders team to share how a personal health journey transformed a 100+ location massage franchise into a full-service well...
This Protein Smoothie Franchise Is Coming for Smoothie King & Tropical Smoothie — 250 Calories, 35g Protein
This 250-Calorie Protein Smoothie Franchise Tastes Like Ice Cream — And It's Scaling Nationwide HB Protein Smoothies is expanding fast and territories are already moving. ✅ Check territory availability:
Inside the Ultimate Longevity Center: The Gary Brecka & Tony Robbins Wellness Franchise
Sequel Brands is building the next generation of wellness franchises—and the team behind Club Pilates, CycleBar, StretchLab, and YogaSix is doing it again. In this episode, Chief Sales Officer Jen Cain breaks down the full Sequel portfolio, the...
Inside Renew Medic: The Hidden Goldmine In Cabinet Restoration
Ready to rethink what a “niche” franchise can do? We’re joined by Storm Miller, director of franchise development at Rep’M Group, to dig into the surprisingly large world of cabinet restoration and why institutional capital loves this space. St...
Waterloo Turf Franchise: High-Margin, Low-CapEx Model + 75-Day Launch (What Item 19 Shows)
Imagine a home services business that turns heads, sparks referrals without begging for them, and actually gives families their Saturdays back. That’s the vision behind Waterloo Turf — and in this episode of We Bought a Franchise, we s...
Home Care Franchise Deep Dive with Bobby Kelley: Inside Home Helpers' 28-Year Playbook
Home Care Franchise Deep Dive: Home Helpers Franchise Review | Best Healthcare Franchise 2025?Is a home care franchise one of the most profitable franchises to own in 2025? We break down the real numbers with Bobby Kelley, who's awar...
15 Crumbl Stores with Shideler Bennett: The Real Scaling Playbook
Scaling a franchise sounds glamorous — until you're staring at three simultaneous buildouts and a contractor who just walked off with your materials.That's where Shideler Bennett started. Today he operates 15 Crumbl stores.In this...
Jay and Carolina Orosa: From Franchisees To Franchise Mentors
Ready to turn a franchise into a true asset rather than a demanding job? We sit down with Jay and Carolina Orosa—former top-performing home care franchisees and now part of our franchise consulting team—to unpack how they launched, scaled to hu...
Why Pilates Franchises Win: Recurring Revenue & Strong Margins Explained
Pilates franchise investment is exploding - but is it actually profitable? Emily Brown from Limitless Franchise Growth breaks down the real numbers behind Jet Set Pilates, Project Lean Nation, and Fundraising University franchises. We co...
Brandon Downer: How Pink's Window Cleaning Franchise Turned Home Services Into Hospitality | The Franchise Insiders Podcast
Brandon Downer: How Pink's Window Cleaning Franchise Turned Home Services Into Hospitality | The Franchise Insiders PodcastDiscover how Brandon Downer built Pink's Window Cleaning from a neighborhood observation into a thriving ho...
Pool Service Franchise Deep Dive: Puddle Pools' Recurring Revenue Model | Franchise Investment Review
Pool service franchise meets tech-driven recurring revenue. Discover how Puddle Pools built a scalable pool cleaning franchise across the U.S. and Canada with predictable cash flow, lean overhead, and margins that attract both operators ...
Chuck Runyon: Co-Founder of Anytime Fitness on how technology and empathy helped build Anytime Fitness
A small-town key and a big idea changed fitness forever. We’re sitting with Chuck Runyon, Co-Founder of Anytime Fitness and Purpose Brands, to trace the leap from oversized racquetball clubs to tech-enabled, 24/7 gyms that actually match how pe...
Josh York CEO GymGuyz How Mindset, Accountability, And Grit Turn A Small Idea Into A Global Fitness Brand
We sit down with GymGuyz founder Josh York to unpack how a mobile fitness brand scaled to seven countries by pairing accountability with convenience and culture. We talk mindset, unit economics, trainer retention, recovery, cash flow, and the p...
How Two First-Time Franchisees Built a Thriving Roofing Business — With Zero Construction Experience
How Two First-Time Franchisees Built a Thriving Roofing Business — Without Construction BackgroundsIn this episode, the team sits down with Kevin and Kathy, first-time franchise owners of Action Exteriors, to unpack how two...
How Low-Cost Franchises Scale with Thomas Scott
Want a business that doesn’t just pay you—but can be sold for a multiple? We dive with Thomas Scott into the playbook behind low-investment, high-potential franchises and why home services are the quiet engine of real, sellable equity. From cus...
Aaron Harper’s Franchise Playbook: Why Niche Service Brands Beat Food in 2025
Looking for the real playbook behind franchise growth in a high-rate, AI-shaken market? We sat down with Aaron Harper—architect of Rolling Suds’ explosive rise—to unpack why niche, recurring service businesses are beating capital-heavy food bra...
Beyond Haircuts: Building a Children's Salon Empire with Sharkey's Cuts for Kids Owner Lacy Altenhofen
What does it take to build a successful children's hair salon franchise? Lacy Altenhofen, owner of multiple Sharkey's Cuts for Kids locations in Texas, reveals the unexpected journey that transformed her from marketing professional to thr...
Voda Restoration CEO Dan Claps on How Technology and AI Are Reshaping Franchise Industries
When searching for a franchise opportunity, are you immediately drawn to the newest concepts with the flashiest marketing? In this eye-opening discussion with Voda Restoration CEO Dan Claps and a powerhouse panel of successful franc...
Franchise Ownership in 2025: Hot Takes and Hard Truths
What happens when you gather six successful franchise owners in one room and ask them to share their unfiltered insights? You get a masterclass in franchise reality that cuts through the noise and marketing hype.The Franchise Insiders t...
Building Success Stories: How Two Best Friends Found Their Path in Franchise Ownership
Childhood best friends turned successful franchise owners Kathryn Allen and Morgan Noller reveal their remarkable journey from selling scrunchies as kids to becoming top-performing Soccer Stars franchisees in this captivating conversation.<...
The Mindset of Wealthy Franchisees with Scott Greenberg
What makes some franchise owners wildly successful while others struggle? Scott Greenberg, acclaimed author and former top-performing franchisee, unlocks the secrets of "wealthy franchisees" in this eye-opening conversation.Scott's jour...
From Corporate Burnout to Franchise Success: Brian Gross's Kitchen Renovation Journey
What happens when you combine 13 years of corporate experience with the right franchise opportunity? Brian Gross's remarkable story answers this question, revealing how he transformed from a comfortable but unfulfilled financial services profes...