
The Escape & Empower Franchise Podcast | Buying Your First Franchise
The Escape and Empower Podcast
Ready to escape the corporate grind and empower your future?
Join franchise experts Pete Gilfillan and Dave Greenberg on The Escape and Empower Podcast, your definitive guide to successfully transitioning from corporate employee to thriving franchise owner. Each episode provides honest, actionable insights tailored specifically for busy executives eager to achieve financial stability, build lasting wealth, and gain control over their destiny.
Whether you're exploring franchise ownership for the first time or ready to take the next step toward entrepreneurship, Pete and Dave offer straightforward, no-fluff discussions covering essential topics such as:
- Navigating the franchise buying process step-by-step
- Overcoming common fears and barriers
- Strategies for building wealth through franchising
- Insider advice on choosing the right franchise for your lifestyle
- Real stories and practical wisdom from successful franchisees
- Detailed explanations of franchise disclosure documents (FDD)
- Guidance on financing options and understanding investment costs
- Steps to confidently evaluate franchise opportunities
Empower your entrepreneurial journey today—subscribe and begin building your path to financial freedom and personal fulfillment.
Hosted by franchise industry leaders Pete Gilfillan (HireYourself.com) and Dave Greenberg (EmpoweredFranchisee.com).
The Escape & Empower Franchise Podcast | Buying Your First Franchise
10 Corporate Skills That Make You a Strong Franchise Owner
Escape and Empower Podcast with David Greenberg and Peter Gilfillan
10 Corporate Skills That Make You a Strong Franchise Owner
In this episode, Pete and Dave unpack a powerful idea: the corporate world may have burned you out, but it also prepared you perfectly for business ownership. From managing teams to executing strategy, corporate leaders already have the tools—they just need the right vehicle to use them. That’s where franchising comes in.
Drawing from their own time in executive roles, Pete and Dave walk through the mindset shifts and business skills that seamlessly transfer from corporate to franchise ownership. Whether you're a marketer, operator, finance expert, or general manager, you'll see how your strengths can translate into a thriving business.
In this episode, Dave and Pete discuss:
Why executives are better prepared than they realize
Dave shares how his corporate training in strategic planning, leadership, and financial acumen helped him launch and scale his first franchise. From KPIs to workflows, he explains how the skills you already have give you a head start.
The hidden advantage of operations experience
Pete and Dave explore how former execs excel at building repeatable systems, streamlining processes, and managing performance. In franchising, that ability to drive operational excellence is a fast track to growth.
Marketing and customer focus that drives results
Executives who’ve worked with brand positioning, go-to-market strategy, or customer segmentation often don’t realize how powerful that knowledge becomes in a local business. Dave explains how it impacts franchise success.
The corporate mindset shift that unlocks scale
It’s not just about what you know—it’s about applying it with intention. Pete and Dave discuss the difference between working in the business and on the business, and how execs can build scalable teams with their leadership experience.
Key Takeaways:
- Corporate leaders already have most of the tools to succeed in franchising
- Strategy, leadership, and financial management are powerful assets
- Franchise systems help you focus on execution, not guesswork
- You don’t need to reinvent yourself—you need to reapply your strengths
- Your next chapter could be the most empowered one yet
“You don’t need to reinvent yourself to be a business owner—you just need a system where your experience works.” — Dave Greenberg
CONNECT WITH PETER GILFILLAN
Meet with Pete: https://www.hireyourself.com/gilfillan/
Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/
CONNECT WITH DAVID GREENBERG
Meet with Dave: https://calendly.com/empoweredfranchisee/virtual-coffee-with-dave-the-empowered-franchiee-web
Website: https://empoweredfranchisee.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-greenberg-entrepreneur/