Ep 202 How to Stop Playing It Safe and Start Innovating Yourself & Your Business with Chris Hawker

Innovation is about much more than having a great idea. It's about improving your business and your life for good.  In this episode, Chris Hawker joins the discussion to explore why innovation is essential to long-term business success and what it takes to turn creative thinking into real commercial value. We discuss how leaders can spot opportunities, evaluate new ideas, create space for experimentation, learn from failure, and build innovation into the everyday rhythm of a business. We also touch on what self-innovation really means and how it can change your life for the better. How some of the smallest changes can have the biggest impact. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, executive, or business owner, this conversation offers a practical look at how to keep evolving before the market forces you to.

The Goal Isn’t Simply to Have a Busy Opening Day. The goal is to build a successful location that becomes a top performer in the network, exceeds expectations, and provides strong validation to prospective franchisees to enhance the brand's growth and expansion.  A successful Opening Launch Marketing Plan starts well before the doors open—building awareness, creating excitement, developing local relationships, and giving the new location a strong customer base beginning Opening Day...It’s much bigger than that.   In this episode of Business Stories with Ryan Arcoraci, Ryan sits down with John W. Lee, founder and CEO of Impact Marketing Services, to talk about what actually goes into launching a new franchise location successfully, making it a top performer and exceeding expectations.    John shares lessons from decades of helping franchisees build stronger local market presence and explains why the work leading up to Opening Day is often just as important as the event itself.   You’ll learn:   What Successful Franchisors and New Franchisees Need to Know Why your Opening Launch Marketing Plan should begin well before Opening Day - the secret to a new store's success. The most successful openings don't wait until the doors open to start marketing the new location. Building awareness and anticipation early gives the community a reason to visit when the doors open on Opening Day—and a reason to be excited. The biggest mistakes franchisees make when launching a new location—and how to avoid them. From starting too late to relying too heavily on traditional advertising, common launch mistakes can cost a new location valuable customers, sales, and momentum. How to build awareness and excitement throughout the local community. Create a strong local presence by connecting with residents, businesses, schools, organizations, community leaders—and local charities. Why "Now Open" and "Grand Opening" Events should be treated as a sales strategy—not simply a celebration                                          These events are opportunities to generate customers, collect customer information, create repeat visits, build relationships, and establish the location as a successful new business in the community. Why local relationships can be more valuable than simply running more ads.                                                                                         Advertising can create awareness. Local relationships can create customers, referrals, catering opportunities, partnerships, and long-term loyalty. How to turn Opening Day traffic into repeat customers.                          Getting customers through the door is only the beginning. The real opportunity is converting first-time visitors into loyal, frequent customers. What franchisors can do to give every new franchisee a stronger start.                                                                                                    Franchisors can provide more than a great brand and operating system. A proven Opening Launch Marketing Program can help new franchisees build momentum faster with strong customer traffic, achieve higher sales, and position their locations to become top performers in the network. Opening Day Is the Beginning—Not the Goal. The real goal is to create a strong customer base, generate sustained sales, and build a location that becomes a top performer.

What happens when culinary education meets entrepreneurship and child development? In this episode, I sit down with Leigh Feldman, CEO of Young Chefs Academy, to explore how the brand is inspiring children through hands-on cooking experiences while building a thriving franchise community across the country. Leigh shares the mission behind Young Chefs Academy, the impact cooking can have on confidence and creativity in young people, and what it takes to scale a purpose-driven business in today’s world. Whether you’re a parent, entrepreneur, educator, or franchise enthusiast, this conversation serves up valuable insights and inspiration.

Joe Queer, frontman of the iconic punk band The Queers, joins the podcast to talk about four decades of making unapologetic, Ramones-inspired punk rock. From the early DIY days to their cult following, Joe gets candid about music, culture, personal growth. From his close relationship to Joey Ramone to his drive to always put out great music. Joe is an inspiration to us all. 

In this powerful and deeply moving episode, Rob Greene, a U.S. Navy veteran, shares the life-altering story of how surviving an attempted suicide became the unexpected turning point in his journey toward peace, purpose, and true happiness. We dive into the everyday struggles that so many of us silently face — and Rob opens up about what it really takes to dig deep, heal, and start living with intention. From his experiences abroad to the lessons learned from diverse cultures and communities, Rob brings a raw honesty that’s both grounding and inspiring. If you’re navigating hard times, battling inner demons, or simply searching for something more — this is the episode you need to hear. 🎧Learn more about Rob’s mission at Unfiltered Wisdom.

Aaron Carnes joins the podcast to talk about his mission to reframe the conversation around ska music and his writing career. As a veteran journalist and former ska-punk drummer, Aaron brings firsthand knowledge and critical insight to his book, "In Defense of Ska." We discuss the genre's rich history, its cultural significance, and what it tells us about how we frame music history and some of the politics around it. We also talk about Aaron's new book centered around death and dealing with the inevitability of it. Whether you're a ska fan or a skeptic, this episode will make you rethink what you know.

What if franchise ownership didn’t require six figures up front—or running the business yourself? Kenny Rose, founder and CEO of Franshares.com, is flipping the script on how people invest and build wealth. His platform is making franchise ownership accessible through fractional investing, allowing everyday people to co-own real, cash-flowing businesses—without the traditional barriers. In this episode, Kenny breaks down how Franshares gives aspiring business owners—and even those who couldn’t previously qualify for a franchise—the opportunity to get in the game by partnering with investors. 👉 If you’re a broker or consultant, this could be the breakthrough you’ve been looking for: a path to help strong candidates finally realize their dream of franchise ownership, even if they don’t have the capital or credit to go it alone. It's a win-win-win for franchisors, franchisees, and the advisors working behind the scenes to make it all happen. 🎧 Don’t just listen—share this episode with a candidate who needs to hear it. ➡️ Learn more: franshares.com

What if your old leads were actually your best leads? In this episode, I sit down with Daniel Popple, CFC at Paradigm Franchising, who used Clienttether to close three franchise deals—in under a year. How’d he do it? Spoiler: it wasn’t magic… it was automation, consistency, and a willingness to learn. Here’s what we break down: ✅ How Daniel reengaged cold leads using simple automation—and why consistency made all the difference ✅ Why you don’t need to be a tech wizard to win (just willing to dive in) ✅ Why more consultants are ditching other CRMs for Clienttether—and what makes it the go-to platform for franchise pros If you're a franchise consultant looking for that edge, this episode is your playbook.

How do you build a home service business that doesn't depend on you? In this episode, I'm joined by Frank Dew with Adversity Consultants, an expert in scaling lean home service operations, to explore how solo operators and small teams can grow without burning out. We cover the exact tools and systems that allow you to create the appearance and efficiency of a much larger company, all while freeing up your time as the owner. From smart automation (Clienttether) to mindset shifts, this episode is packed with actionable strategies for anyone looking to scale with efficiency, not chaos. Whether you're still on the truck or already growing a team, Frank shares the roadmap to building a business that thrives without your constant involvement.

Thinking about buying a franchise—but not sure where to start? Franchise consultant Alex Monteiro from RevRatel joins the show to share how he helps franchise candidates navigate the process with confidence. From evaluating franchise models to avoiding costly missteps, Alex offers a candid look at what it really takes to choose the right franchise and build a business that fits your goals and lifestyle.