Reframe First

In this episode of Reframe First, Oleksij Rak talks with Divya Manjari, founder of Drezily, an AI-native shopping platform that combines conversational and visual search with an AI stylist across close to 100 stores and millions of products. Divya explains how Drezily builds a “fashion DNA” from roughly 700 attributes and matches users to products. She also describes how she solved the marketplace chicken-and-egg problem by starting with about 20 stores and the first thousand users, until retailers began reaching out themselves. They dig into why premium and luxury retail has been slow to adopt technology. They also cover how a team of fewer than ten uses Claude, connectors and testing agents to build and run the product, and why the real barrier to agentic shopping is retailer participation, critical mass and ownership rather than technology. Finally, they explore AI-generated product photos and listings for boutique retailers, how the team slowed down to beat burnout from constant decision-making, and why understanding customer pain, not tools, is the lasting advantage.Drezily is an AI-native shopping platform that combines personalized conversational and visual search with an AI stylist, virtual try-on and outfit recommendations. It connects shoppers with close to 100 premium and mid-luxury retailers, and is now opening its technology to boutique retailers to help them build an online presence in the age of AI.🔗 https://drezily.com/Rebbix provides product engineering teams that help companies turn ideas into scalable products with measurable impact. We blend strong product thinking, AI-driven engineering, and smart automation to accelerate delivery, reduce operational friction, and keep quality high as products evolve.🔗 https://rebbix.com🔗 Case studies: https://www.rebbix.com/case-studies#RetailTech #AIShopping #Drezily #LuxuryRetail #FashionTech #AIStylist #AgenticShopping #Ecommerce #Marketplace #StartupFounder #PersonalizedShopping #VirtualTryOn #AIinRetail #FashionAI #ReframeFirst

In this episode of Reframe First, Oleksij Rak talks with John Francis, a franchise expert, speaker, advisor and consultant at Next Level Franchise with more than 30 years in the industry. John grew up in a franchise family, since his father franchised barber shops in the 1960s. He went on to help sell the family salon business of over 1,000 stores in 1999, work on multi-unit and international franchise systems, and advise brands as a board member, coach and mastermind host. He explains what makes a business franchisable, why franchising is a different business from the one you franchise, and why growing too early sinks so many systems. He cites a statistic that only about 16% of franchise systems reach 100 units. They dig into how to pick the right franchisees, from being extremely selective with the first five to the “accident, coincidence, pattern” rule, and why mindset matters more than money. John also shares how he vetted his own franchise by shadowing three top franchisees for a day each, how to read brokers and consultants, and how AI is changing candidate research, including the risk of fake FDDs poisoning the data and why nothing replaces visiting in person.Next Level Franchise is the advisory practice of John Francis, who works with franchisors and franchisees as a speaker, consultant, board member and coach. John also runs mastermind groups that bring franchisors together for private, structured conversations about solving problems.🔗 https://nextlevelfranchise.comRebbix provides product engineering teams that help companies turn ideas into scalable products with measurable impact. We blend strong product thinking, AI-driven engineering, and smart automation to accelerate delivery, reduce operational friction, and keep quality high as products evolve.🔗 https://rebbix.com🔗 Case studies: https://www.rebbix.com/case-studies#Franchising #FranchiseExpert #NextLevelFranchise #FranchiseConsultant #FranchiseOwnership #FranchiseGrowth #MultiUnit #FranchiseSelection #FDD #FranchiseBrokers #AIinFranchising #FranchiseDevelopment #BusinessOwnership #Entrepreneurship #ReframeFirst

In this episode of Reframe First, Oleksij Rak talks with Storm Miller, Sr. Director of Franchise Development at REP’M Group, a full-service franchise development firm that began as outsourced construction for emerging franchisors. It has since grown into branding, franchise sales, real estate project management and operations support for 17 franchisors. Storm explains how REP’M works as a true partner rather than an owner of the brands. He says he looks for franchisors who are ready to support owners and think like a franchisor, not just a small business owner, and notes that most brands have a visionary and an operator behind them. They dig into buyer archetypes, from woodworking hobbyists in cabinet restoration to buyers with a personal story in senior care. They also cover how investment levels, from roughly a quarter million to nearly seven figures, change the funnel, and where candidates drop out after the first call. Finally, they explore how consulting networks and portals feed the pipeline at no cost to buyers, how franchisor economics really work, why candidates running FDDs through AI tools often get the numbers wrong, and why AI-insulated, human-service brands may become more popular.REP’M Group is a full-service franchise development firm that helps emerging and existing franchise brands brand, grow, build and scale. It combines a franchise sales engine, real estate and project management for new locations, and an operationally focused division, and it partners with its franchisors rather than owning them.🔗 https://repmgroup.comRebbix provides product engineering teams that help companies turn ideas into scalable products with measurable impact. We blend strong product thinking, AI-driven engineering, and smart automation to accelerate delivery, reduce operational friction, and keep quality high as products evolve.🔗 https://rebbix.com🔗 Case studies: https://www.rebbix.com/case-studies#Franchising #FranchiseDevelopment #REPMGroup #FranchiseSales #FranchiseConsultants #BuyerArchetype #FDD #FranchiseOwnership #EmergingFranchise #SeniorCare #HomeServices #AIinFranchising #FranchiseGrowth #FranchiseOperations #ReframeFirst

In this episode of Reframe First, Oleksij Rak talks with Monica E. Hernandez, co-founder of Hex Growth AI, a company that builds AI-driven customer acquisition and automation systems for emerging franchise brands. Monica comes from the selling side of franchising. She explains why she saw a gap in quality candidates and leads, and why CEO-driven emerging brands often become their own bottleneck. Automating lead generation and nurturing frees them up, and gives them two quality calls a day instead of five to seven unqualified ones. She shares why emerging brands spend heavily on brokers without consistent returns, why the best brokers will survive while the rest may get weeded out by AI, and why Hex Growth starts with 120–180 day pilots and a land-and-expand approach. They also dig into who is buying franchises today (corporate refugees, younger buyers and multi-unit owners). They cover how sales cycles differ, about 30 days for investors versus 90 for corporate refugees, why owner-operators tend to outperform passive investors, and which sectors look strongest, from wellness and fitness to home services.Hex Growth AI helps emerging franchise brands build AI-driven customer acquisition systems, from top-of-funnel go-to-market and lead nurturing to operational automation at both the franchisor and franchisee level. Co-founded by Monica E. Hernandez, the company starts with short pilots and expands step by step, tackling one pain point at a time.🔗 https://hexgrowth.aiRebbix provides product engineering teams that help companies turn ideas into scalable products with measurable impact. We blend strong product thinking, AI-driven engineering, and smart automation to accelerate delivery, reduce operational friction, and keep quality high as products evolve.🔗 https://rebbix.com🔗 Case studies: https://www.rebbix.com/case-studies#Franchising #FranchiseMarketing #HexGrowthAI #AIAutomation #LeadGeneration #FranchiseDevelopment #EmergingBrands #FranchiseBrokers #GoToMarket #AIinBusiness #FranchiseOwnership #CorporateRefugees #FitnessFranchise #SalesAutomation #ReframeFirst

In this episode of Reframe First, Oleksij Rak talks with Joseph Hetzer, certified franchise consultant at US Business Ventures, about why franchising has a bad name, and why much of his work is simply educating candidates on what the model offers. Joe shares how running his own businesses led him to franchising, what separates a good franchisee from a frustrated entrepreneur, and why he tells clients to grow through multiple territories instead of rewriting the recipe. They dig into how to choose a franchise: matching your background and passion, reading Items 19 and 13 in the FDD, and running validation calls with a top performer, mid-range owners and one franchisee who fell short. They also cover why trust in the franchisor is non-negotiable and why you should plan an 8–12 month runway. Finally, they explore the funnel behind the job, how AI is changing lead generation, and why service franchises like lawn care and dumpsters look AI-proof.US Business Ventures is a franchise consulting firm where Joseph Hetzer works as a certified franchise consultant, matching candidates with franchise opportunities from more than 630 brands it can offer. The team also guides existing business owners from concept to franchise and helps sell those franchises, while Joe coaches new candidates from the first introduction through discovery day, financing and signing.🔗 https://usbusinessventures.comRebbix provides product engineering teams that help companies turn ideas into scalable products with measurable impact. We blend strong product thinking, AI-driven engineering, and smart automation to accelerate delivery, reduce operational friction, and keep quality high as products evolve.🔗 https://rebbix.com🔗 Case studies: https://www.rebbix.com/case-studies#Franchising #FranchiseConsultant #USBusinessVentures #FranchiseOwnership #FDD #FranchiseTips #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #AIinBusiness #FranchiseValidation #LeadGeneration #CareerTransition #ServiceBusiness #BusinessOwnership #ReframeFirst

In this episode of Reframe First, Oleksij Rak talks with Jack Monson, Chief Growth Officer at Thunderly, a franchise marketing agency that has spent 27 years finding franchise candidates for brands, and host of the Social Geek podcast. Jack explains why candidates now arrive having already interrogated ChatGPT and Claude about your brand and your competitors, why Google matters less every year, and how the marketing job has become making sure your brand is the answer the LLM gives — while Thunderly itself uses no AI to create content. They dig into what separates a good franchisee from someone who can simply write a check, why every franchisor should know their cost per closed deal in ad dollars, what it takes to move lead conversion from 1% toward 5–7%, and why half the leads in the industry never get a call back. They also explore how AI lets one candidate reach out to a hundred brands in five seconds, why the best qualification tool is still a live conversation, and why a marketing plan untouched since 2020 is already two worlds behind.Thunderly is a franchise marketing agency with 27 years of experience helping franchisors find and qualify the right candidates. Led by Jack Monson, Thunderly builds brand presence across LinkedIn, video, podcasts, and PR — deliberately keeping all content creation human, while using AI only to improve targeting and efficiency behind the scenes.🔗 https://thunderlymarketing.comRebbix provides product engineering teams that help companies turn ideas into scalable products with measurable impact. We blend strong product thinking, AI-driven engineering, and smart automation to accelerate delivery, reduce operational friction, and keep quality high as products evolve.🔗 https://rebbix.com🔗 Case studies: https://www.rebbix.com/case-studies#Franchising #FranchiseMarketing #Thunderly #FranchiseDevelopment #LeadGeneration #AIinMarketing #FranchiseConsultant #DigitalMarketing #BrandStrategy #PrivateEquity #FranchiseTrends #SocialGeek #ContentMarketing #ReframeFirst

In this episode of Reframe First, Oleksij Rak talks with Mason Boswell, 23-year-old founder and owner of Maverick Digital, an NTV360 franchisee running 40 indoor digital billboards across a Dallas–Fort Worth territory of roughly 50,000 businesses. Mason grew up in franchising — his dad works with IFPG, one of the nation's largest broker groups — and shares why he expected to just sit at his desk telling people what to do, only to learn that sales is the name of the game, every single day. They dig into his three criteria for choosing a brand — recurring revenue, multiple revenue streams, and the people behind it — why he deliberately sought out validation calls with the unhappiest franchisees, and how cold door knocking and bartering free ad space grew the business screen by screen. They also explore expectations vs reality on the road to profitability, betting on an emerging franchise with no track record, and why needs-based brands like home services and senior care are where franchising is heading.Maverick Digital is an NTV360 franchise operating indoor digital advertising screens across the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Founded and run by Mason Boswell, the business partners with local venues to place TV screens that display advertising for small businesses, offering a lower-cost alternative to traditional roadside billboards.🔗 https://maverick-digital.netRebbix provides product engineering teams that help companies turn ideas into scalable products with measurable impact. We blend strong product thinking, AI-driven engineering, and smart automation to accelerate delivery, reduce operational friction, and keep quality high as products evolve.🔗 https://rebbix.com🔗 Case studies: https://www.rebbix.com/case-studies#Franchising #YoungEntrepreneur #DigitalAdvertising #NTV360 #FranchiseOwner #SmallBusinessMarketing #FranchiseTips #HomeServices #SeniorCare #StartupStory #BusinessOwnership #EntrepreneurLife #DFW #MarketingFranchise #ReframeFirst

In this episode of Reframe First, Oleksij Rak talks with Jeremy Ostermiller, an eight-time founder now running two DTC brands — ready-to-drink coffee company Death Before Decaf and moto-inspired clothing label Steeltown Garage. Jeremy explains how 400 hip-hop shows and a burnout at 29 pushed him into building one of the first video ad exchanges, which went from zero to a quarter billion in lifetime revenue before a private equity exit, why he calls himself a zero-to-eight-year founder who should hand a company over once it starts growing up, and how a Fourth of July party at his lake house put his first cans into 7-Eleven three weeks later. They also dig into running the Liquid Death playbook on a coffee category he says has gone soft, buying a company on Flippa instead of starting from zero, and booking Shaquille O'Neal to prove the brand was real. Jeremy also shares why he only ships new technology with a client already on board, why his first question to anyone building a platform is whether the world needs another login, and why AI has split founders into haves and have-nots with nobody left in the middle.Death Before Decaf is a ready-to-drink coffee company built on bold branding and industry-strongest caffeine content, now sold nationwide with 7-Eleven as one of its largest retail partners. Steeltown Garage is a moto-inspired clothing brand Jeremy acquired rather than built from scratch, sharing customers and backend infrastructure with Death Before Decaf across both e-commerce sites.🔗 https://techcrunch.comRebbix provides product engineering teams that help companies turn ideas into scalable products with measurable impact. We blend strong product thinking, AI-driven engineering, and smart automation to accelerate delivery, reduce operational friction, and keep quality high as products evolve.🔗 https://rebbix.com🔗 Case studies: https://www.rebbix.com/case-studies#SerialEntrepreneur #DTCBrands #DeathBeforeDecaf #SteeltownGarage #StartupFounder #BrandBuilding #AIStrategy #FounderMindset #AdTech #PrivateEquity #Ecommerce #CoffeeIndustry #Entrepreneurship #StartupStory #ReframeFirst

In this episode of Reframe First, Oleksij Rak talks with Greg Mohr, franchise consultant at The Perfect Franchise and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Real Freedom. Greg explains how he matches candidates to the right fit among roughly 4,000 US franchises, why his clients today are chasing time freedom, family, and community more than money, and how the typical buyer has shifted from a 45–65 male to a 35–55 fifty-fifty split — with some starting as young as 25. They dig into which franchises make the most money — essential services like plumbing and HVAC, plus senior care, tutoring, and pets — and the four FDD checks that matter most, from litigation and bankruptcies to item 20's turnover rate, where you want an 85–90% or better success rate. They also explore why AI can crunch the technical details but can't judge cultural fit, and why there's still no realtor.com for franchise territories.Greg Mohr is a franchise consultant at The Perfect Franchise and the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Real Freedom, one of the only books dedicated entirely to franchising. With 14 years in the industry, Greg helps candidates navigate roughly 4,000 US franchise brands, matching them to the right opportunity based on goals, risk tolerance, and lifestyle — while his services remain free to clients, funded instead by franchisor referral fees.🔗 https://franchisemaven.comRebbix provides product engineering teams that help companies turn ideas into scalable products with measurable impact. We blend strong product thinking, AI-driven engineering, and smart automation to accelerate delivery, reduce operational friction, and keep quality high as products evolve.🔗 https://rebbix.com🔗 Case studies: https://www.rebbix.com/case-studies#Franchising #FranchiseConsultant #ThePerfectFranchise #RealFreedom #FranchiseTips #EssentialServices #HVAC #SeniorCare #FDD #BusinessOwnership #CareerTransition #AIinBusiness #FranchiseFinance #SmallBusiness #ReframeFirst

In this episode of Reframe First, Oleksij Rak talks with Rick Morgin, franchise consultant at The Franchise Consulting Company, where he has worked since its 2016 inception helping both franchise buyers and business owners looking to become franchisors. Rick breaks down the honest math of the business — 200 leads to get 50 appointments, 12 people in the sales process, and two closed deals — and why doubt and fear of failure, not the numbers, kill most deals at the finish line. They dig into the franchisor side of the equation: how million-dollar units at an 8% royalty become an $8M annual royalty stream and a roughly 10x private equity exit, why your franchise fee is not the prize, and what actually makes a business franchisable. They also explore husband-and-wife franchise teams, why candidates job-hunting in parallel are the most likely to drop out, and how anyone is supposed to navigate 4,000 franchise brands in the US alone.In this episode of Reframe First, Oleksij Rak talks with Rick Morgin, franchise consultant at The Franchise Consulting Company, where he has worked since its 2016 inception helping both franchise buyers and business owners looking to become franchisors. Rick breaks down the honest math of the business — 200 leads to get 50 appointments, 12 people in the sales process, and two closed deals — and why doubt and fear of failure, not the numbers, kill most deals at the finish line. They dig into the franchisor side of the equation: how million-dollar units at an 8% royalty become an $8M annual royalty stream and a roughly 10x private equity exit, why your franchise fee is not the prize, and what actually makes a business franchisable. They also explore husband-and-wife franchise teams, why candidates job-hunting in parallel are the most likely to drop out, and how anyone is supposed to navigate 4,000 franchise brands in the US alone.The Franchise Consulting Company is a franchise consulting network that works with both sides of the franchise industry — helping individual candidates find and buy the right franchise, and helping established business owners build out their own franchise systems to become franchisors. Rick Morgin has been a consultant with the firm since its 2016 inception, working across both sides of that equation for nearly a decade.🔗 https://thefranchiseconsultingcompany.comRebbix provides product engineering teams that help companies turn ideas into scalable products with measurable impact. We blend strong product thinking, AI-driven engineering, and smart automation to accelerate delivery, reduce operational friction, and keep quality high as products evolve.🔗 https://rebbix.com🔗 Case studies: https://www.rebbix.com/case-studies