In this compelling episode of Franchise Today, Stansits down with Greg Muzzillo, founder of Proforma, a $600 + million provider of printing and promotional products, serving businesses of all sizes around the world. Through its network of more than 600 franchisees, distributors and affiliates, Proforma is a market leader in this $300 billion market segment.

As Stan unpacks Greg’s amazing story, you will hear how mentorship, resilience, and smart pivots have shaped ProForma’s franchise success. From early rejections, to life-changing guidance... from mentors like Subway founder FredDeLuca and recruitment and franchising icon, Alan Schonberg, founder of Management Recruiters, Greg opens up about evolving his business from cold leads to a purpose-driven powerhouse.

Learn how his wife Vera, who just happens to be Proforma's CEO has provided the leadership that has been instrumental to their growth, as a woman-owned business. Learn too, why genuine connections—and asking the right questions—are everything in business.

Greg confesses that he never planned on building a franchiseempire—but how one simple conversation changed his life. He also shares the highs, lows, and transformative lessons behind Proforma's success. From spiritual growth, to philanthropic impact... from selling products, to empoweringpeople, Greg reveals how values and vision can turn a business into a legacy.

This week we hear from Scott Thompson, Chief DevelopmentOfficer at Radiance Holdings, the franchisors of Sola Salons and Woodhouse Spa. Listen in, as Scott reflects on his unexpected journey into franchising, which began after he faced rejection in his initial career, as a cardiac rehab specialist. Pivoting to his passion for fitness, Scott joined Fitness Together, ultimately becoming a successful, multi-unit franchisee in New York City, before pivoting again to the corporate side of the business, as a franchisor.

Scott shares insights from his hands-on experiences, including the challenges of navigating the 2008 financial crisis, emphasizing his belief that determination and a willingness to learn are essential for success in franchising.

Discover how a chance encounter with a mall retailer led Dawn Kane, co-founder and CEO of Hot Dish Advertising, to revolutionize franchise marketing. After managing an in-house agency for a mall developer, Dawn, along with two of her cohorts, ventured out to establish her own agency, bringing her fast-paced retail expertise to the franchising world.

The Minnesota-based agency, named after the beloved regional casserole, transformed from a consumer-focused marketing firm into a franchise development powerhouse. Their innovative approach replaced generic messagingwith data-driven strategies, setting new standards in franchise marketing.

The COVID-19 pandemic became a catalyst for positive change, as Hot Dish successfully transitioned to a fully remote operation. This move expanded their talent pool nationwide while maintaining team cohesion throughthe Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).

Ready to dive into the fascinating story of how mall marketing experience evolved into franchise industry expertise?

Listen to this episode to learn how Dawn Kane and Hot Dish Advertising are reshaping the franchise marketing landscape.

Discover how Alison and Marty Langenderfer, transformed her passion for wellness into Spavia, a thriving spa franchise with 60 locations nationwide. After leaving pharmaceutical sales, Alison and her husband Marty identified a gap in the market for a more comprehensive spa experience, leading to Spavia's launch in 2005.

What sets Spavia apart is their unwavering commitment to customer experience and community involvement. Through their "Spavia Cares" initiative, franchisees actively support local causes.

Spavia's focus on exceptional guest experiences and careful franchisee selection has driven their sustainable growth. The company's success stems from prioritizing quality over rapid expansion, ensuring franchisees are well-capitalized and aligned with the brand's values.

Looking ahead, Spavia plans to continue it's suburban expansion, while also launching an innovative urban brand called Sway, combining high-touch service with cutting-edge technology.

Tune in to hear how this power couple built a wellness empire while maintaining their commitment to community impact and exceptional customer service.

Discover how right out of college, this architecture graduate had a change of plans, morphing from retail to restaurants. Over the course of some 30 years John Ramsay has become a restaurant and franchise industry leader. His unexpected path began with retail jobs and led to pioneering roles in major restaurant chains.

John Ramsey's fascinating career trajectory offers unique insights into the evolution of franchising, from traditional restaurants to innovative virtual kitchens.

This episode showcases how diverse experiences andadaptability can lead to franchise success, while emphasizing the importance of strong partnerships and strategic growth.

Ready to unlock the secrets of franchise success? Listen to this episode for invaluable insights from a true industry veteran.

Daryl Dollinger's journey began in his youth, working in the food service industry through high school and college. Hegained valuable experience in catering, cafeteria management, and campus dining with Aramark. His exposure to the food business, including opportunitieswith the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, sparked his interest and led him to leave Aramark and join a new restaurant venture in Buckhead called Country Star American Music Grill.

This marked a pivotal transition as Daryl embarked on a path towards entrepreneurship and franchising. His journey in food and hospitality included stints at Einstein's Bagels and Planet Smoothie, before becoming the co-founder and creator of the Moe's Southwest Grill concept, which they launched in Buckhead in 2000 with a small team andlimited resources, but managed to build into a successful business through hard work and dedication, with more than 100 locations, before his successful exit in 2008. Today he is focused on the further development of his Flying Biscuit Cafe Concept, with more than 36 open and operating and many more on the way.

This week, we'll discover how a family-owned after-school program morphed into a thriving franchise system, focused on empowering children through personalized education.

Stephanie Coppedge shares the fascinating evolution of Gideon Math and Reading, from its humble beginnings in 2004, as a licensing model, to its current success, with 30 total units open and operating and many more on the horizon.

Gideon Math and Reading, our Q-1, 2025, "Rising Star of Franchising."

This week on Franchise Today we break with our usual format and feature not one, but 25 voices… all, franchise movers and shakers. Each will share their thoughts and perceptions about the impact of President Trump’sdecisive win on franchising.

No personal feelings or biases were accepted. The Question to these franchise pros: “What have you observed already andwhat do you see ahead, with Donald Trump in the White House.

• Mike Kelly, Senior Director, AtmosphereTV

• David Owassi, Founder CEO Outreach
• Dave McDougal, VP We Sell Restaurants

• David Rawnsley, President, RobeksJuice

• Steve Greenbaum, IFA Legend
• Monica Feid, PR Pro

• Peter Holt. IFA Legend

• Erik Van Horn, Franchise Advisor, Entrepreneur,Podcaster

• Dawn Abbamondi, CMO, SMB FranchiseAdvisors

• Erin Fletter, Founder, CEO, Food GeekEmerging Franchisor, Sticky Fingers Cooking School

• Katrina Mitchell, Chief Matchmaker, FranchiseSpeakers

• Ford Saeks, “Featured Speaker,” FranchiseSpeakers.

• Matt Haller, IFA, President, CEO

The episode drops at noon EDT on Wed. 3/12/25 at www.franchisetodaypodcast.com, or wherever you chase podcasts.