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The Franchise Leaders Forum Podcast
Welcome to "The Franchise Leaders Forum," the ultimate podcast for entrepreneurs navigating the intricate world of franchising, brought to you by industry veterans Tracy Panase and Shannon Wilburn. This podcast is your go-to resource for franchise leadership insights, practical strategies to build and scale your franchise, and firsthand experiences from those who live and breathe franchising every day.
Leading the conversation is Tracy Panase, the dynamic force behind the Just Between Friends Franchise System. Tracy, who previously excelled as a top franchisee, took over the leadership reins in December 2022. Under her guidance, the brand is reaching new heights, emphasizing a strong culture, supporting franchisees, and ensuring families across the country can say “YES” to everything their kiddos need and want. Her fresh perspective and unwavering commitment to excellence make her a formidable voice in the franchising community.
By her side is Shannon Wilburn, the visionary co-founder of Just Between Friends. Starting from a simple idea in her living room in 1997, Shannon grew the company into a thriving network of over 150 locations. Her decision to pass the leadership to Tracy has infused the company with new energy and direction, and together, they bring a wealth of knowledge and passion to the podcast.
In "The Franchise Leaders Forum," Tracy and Shannon dive deep into the good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly aspects of franchising. Each episode features candid discussions, expert interviews, and real-life stories from successful franchise leaders who have faced and overcome challenges. Listeners will gain valuable insights into effective leadership, growth strategies, and the nuances of franchise operations.
Whether you're a franchisor, franchisee, or aspiring to enter the franchising world, this podcast addresses the pain points and challenges you face. From understanding franchise dynamics to learning how to support and grow your franchisees, Tracy and Shannon provide actionable advice and inspiration.
Tune in to learn from the experiences of others, gain new perspectives, and equip yourself with the tools to navigate your franchising journey with confidence.
Join us on "The Franchise Leaders Forum" and become part of a community dedicated to leadership, growth, and success in franchising.
This podcast will provide answers to questions and topics like:
- Tips for Franchisees, Franchisors and vendor partners
- How to scale a franchise business
- Why is leadership important in franchising?
- How do I grow my franchise business?
- What are the trends in franchising?
- What is the challenge of franchising?
- How do I get involved in a franchise business?
- Franchise success stories
- Franchise marketing strategies
The Franchise Leaders Forum Podcast
Why Emerging Brands Fail (And How to Fix it) w/ Ron Feldman
What if the biggest threat to your franchise system isn’t sales, development, or operations but the financial foundation you’re quietly ignoring?
In this episode, we sit down with the franchise finance authority, Ron Feldman, a 30-year veteran who has advised, funded, and evaluated many franchise brands through ApplePie Capital, FRANdata, and Franchise America Finance. Ron pulls back the curtain on the one thing that separates healthy, scalable brands from the ones that stall out: franchisee profitability and why ignoring it is the fastest path to failure.
From the early days of the Goddard School to building lending platforms that have deployed more than $3 billion to franchisees, Ron shares what lenders really look for, why item 19s often fall short, and how emerging franchisors accidentally sabotage their own growth. He breaks down why unit-level economics matter more than any development goal, how to avoid becoming a “churn and burn” brand, and what it takes to become an exceptional franchise system in the eyes of lenders, franchisees, and buyers.
Whether you’re a founder trying to grow responsibly, a franchisor preparing for scale, or a leader committed to better financial discipline across your system, this episode is a masterclass in doing franchising the right way with clarity, transparency, and profitability at the core.
Connect with Ron:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronaldafeldman/
Email - Ron@franchisestrategysolutions.com
ApplePie Capital Contact - Jamie@applepiecapitall.com
Episode Highlights:
- Ron’s early days as a Goddard School franchisee
- The mentor who shaped his entire franchising philosophy
- Why franchisee profitability is the #1 indicator of system health
- The biggest mistakes emerging franchisors make
- How lenders actually evaluate an FDD
- Why item 19 rarely shows the full story
- What makes a brand “exceptional” in the eyes of lenders
- Why founders need more capital than they think
- The dangers of undercapitalization (for franchisors + franchisees)
- The responsible franchising movement and why it matters
- The power of benchmarking, data, and the right tech stack
- Accelerating time from signed to open and why most brands struggle
- When franchisors should buy back locations to protect validation
Connect with Tracy
Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-panase/
JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale
JBF Franchise System - https://jbfsalefranchise.com/
Email: podcast@jbfsale.com
Connect with Shannon
Personal LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonwilburn/
JBF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbfsale
Website - https://shineexecutivecoaching.com/
Email - shannon@shineexecutivecoaching.com