The Franchise Skeptics Podcast: Recent Episodes
The Franchise Skeptics LLC
(We got into this knowing full well we may be sued.) The Franchise Skeptics Podcast is an informative and irreverent look at some of the worst franchises offered to middle-class investors. Not full of the toxic positivity which drives people into financial ruin, we tear apart the business models of franchises such as Snap-On Tools, Mathnasium, and more, and explain why these are... at best... risky investments. Season One of The Franchise Skeptics Podcast will be 11 full episodes and a teaser, with most episodes featuring a single company (PuroClean, Subway, Stanley Steemer, more) and our analysis as to why we are skeptical about it. "Don't Buy a Job!"
This bonus episode of The Franchise Skeptics Podcast is a gift to our listeners who enjoyed the music selections which opened and closed each podcast. Join John as he (hopefully, informatively and entertainingly) talks about the music used to frame each podcast.
The Franchise Skeptics LLC is an independent, uncompromised, business analysis/consumer advocacy firm dedicated to the franchising industry. Oriented solely and for the people interested in buying a franchise, we accept zero commissions or direct work from any of the more than 3,000 franchising operations in America. Our client base are normal, middle-class people who have a dream and are being preyed upon for that dream.
Don't Buy A Job!™
Thinking of buying a franchise? Before you sign on the line which is dotted, come see Allison and John @ www.FranchiseSkeptics.com for a business analysis!
Thinking of buying a franchise? Before you sign on the line which is dotted, come see Allison and John @ www.FranchiseSkeptics.com for a business analysis!
Thinking of buying a franchise? Before you sign on the line which is dotted, come see Allison and John @ www.FranchiseSkeptics.com for a business analysis!
Podcast hosts Allison Kneib and John Thornton, partners and business analysts for www.FranchiseSkeptics.com, take a deep dive into the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Snap On Tools, a franchise which John considers one of the worst out there, one which he says would deprive him of a decades worth of sleep.
Why? Listen to the pod to find out!
The Franchise Skeptics LLC is an independent, uncompromised, business analysis/consumer advocacy firm dedicated to the franchising industry. Oriented solely and for the people interested in buying a franchise, we accept zero commissions or direct work from any of the more than 3,000 franchising operations in America. Our client base are normal, middle-class people who have a dream and are being preyed upon for that dream.
Don't Buy A Job!™
Thinking of buying a franchise? Before you sign on the line which is dotted, come see Allison and John @ www.FranchiseSkeptics.com for a business analysis!
Thinking of buying a franchise? Before you sign on the line which is dotted, come see Allison and John @ www.FranchiseSkeptics.com for a business analysis!
Podcast hosts Allison Kneib and John Thornton, partners and business analysts for www.FranchiseSkeptics.com, take a deep dive into the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for The Alternative Board, a franchise which focuses on business analysis and improvement. Do the numbers work? Check it out as we see what you, as a franchisee, are forced to swallow when you buy a TAB!
The Franchise Skeptics LLC is an independent, uncompromised, business analysis/consumer advocacy firm dedicated to the franchising industry. Oriented solely and for the people interested in buying a franchise, we accept zero commissions or direct work from any of the more than 3,000 franchising operations in America. Our client base are normal, middle-class people who have a dream and are being preyed upon for that dream.
Don't Buy A Job!™
Thinking of buying a franchise? Before you sign on the line which is dotted, come see Allison and John @ www.FranchiseSkeptics.com for a business analysis!
Thinking of buying a franchise? Before you sign on the line which is dotted, come see Allison and John @ www.FranchiseSkeptics.com for a business analysis!
Podcast hosts Allison Kneib and John Thornton, partners and business analysts for www.FranchiseSkeptics.com, take a deep dive into the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Subway. Do the numbers work? Check it out as we see what you, as a franchisee, are forced to swallow when you buy a Subway!
The Franchise Skeptics LLC is an independent, uncompromised, business analysis/consumer advocacy firm dedicated to the franchising industry. Oriented solely and for the people interested in buying a franchise, we accept zero commissions or direct work from any of the more than 3,000 franchising operations in America. Our client base are normal, middle-class people who have a dream and are being preyed upon for that dream.
Don't Buy A Job!™
Thinking of buying a franchise? Before you sign on the line which is dotted, come see Allison and John @ www.FranchiseSkeptics.com for a business analysis!
Podcast hosts Allison Kneib and John Thornton, partners and business analysts for www.FranchiseSkeptics.com, take a deep dive into the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Cost Cutters. Do the numbers work? Check it out as we see if there are any financial haircuts in Cost Cutters!
The Franchise Skeptics LLC is an independent, uncompromised, business analysis/consumer advocacy firm dedicated to the franchising industry. Oriented solely and for the people interested in buying a franchise, we accept zero commissions or direct work from any of the more than 3,000 franchising operations in America. Our client base are normal, middle-class people who have a dream and are being preyed upon for that dream.
Don't Buy A Job!™
Podcast hosts Allison Kneib and John Thornton, partners and business analysts for www.FranchiseSkeptics.com, take a deep dive into the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Stanley Steemer. Do the numbers work? Check it out as we clean the rugs on Stanley Steemer!
The Franchise Skeptics LLC is an independent, uncompromised, business analysis/consumer advocacy firm dedicated to the franchising industry. Oriented solely and for the people interested in buying a franchise, we accept zero commissions or direct work from any of the more than 3,000 franchising operations in America. Our client base are normal, middle-class people who have a dream and are being preyed upon for that dream.
Don't Buy A Job!™
Podcast hosts Allison Kneib and John Thornton, partners and business analysts for www.FranchiseSkeptics.com, interview Vimal Patel, CEO and founder of Q Hotels, a large franchisee of quality hotel brands in Hammond, Louisiana. Mr. Patel offers his best advice for someone starting out in franchising today, we talk about his history and how it prepared him for franchising, and, as unexpected bonus content, Mr Patel explains why there are so many "Patel's" who own hotels across the United States.
The Franchise Skeptics LLC is an independent, uncompromised, business analysis/consumer advocacy firm dedicated to the franchising industry. Oriented solely and for the people interested in buying a franchise, we accept zero commissions or direct work from any of the more than 3,000 franchising operations in America. Our client base are normal, middle-class people who have a dream and are being preyed upon for that dream.
Don't Buy A Job!™
Podcast hosts Allison Kneib and John Thornton, partners and business analysts for www.FranchiseSkeptics.com, take a deep dive into the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Mathnasium. Do the numbers work? Check it out as we do the math on Mathnasium!
The Franchise Skeptics LLC is an independent, uncompromised, business analysis/consumer advocacy firm dedicated to the franchising industry. Oriented solely and for the people interested in buying a franchise, we accept zero commissions or direct work from any of the more than 3,000 franchising operations in America. Our client base are normal, middle-class people who have a dream and are being preyed upon for that dream.
Don't Buy A Job!™
Podcast hosts Allison Kneib and John Thornton, partners and business analysts for www.FranchiseSkeptics.com, take a deep dive into the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for PuroClean. From forcing their suppliers to overcharge their franchisees so they can receive over $600,000 in kickbacks, to the top-two people in the firm owning/controlling a separate competitor which competes against their own franchisees, PuroClean is a franchise with ethical challenges so deep they made Jesus weep.
The Franchise Skeptics LLC is an independent, uncompromised, business analysis/consumer advocacy firm dedicated to the franchising industry. Oriented solely and for the people interested in buying a franchise, we accept zero commissions or direct work from any of the more than 3,000 franchising operations in America. Our client base are normal, middle-class people who have a dream and are being preyed upon for that dream.
Don't Buy A Job!™
Podcast hosts Allison Kneib and John Thornton, partners and business analysts for www.FranchiseSkeptics.com, take a 30,000 foot look at the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), the source of information for The Franchise Skeptics Podcast. In this episode we go through the "Nothing Bundt Cakes" FDD chapter by chapter, revealing some of our tips and tricks as to whether you're making a business investment or buying a job. A great episode for people interested in the world of franchising, possibly looking to invest in one of their own.
The Franchise Skeptics LLC is an independent, uncompromised, business analysis/consumer advocacy firm dedicated to the franchising industry. Oriented solely and for the people interested in buying a franchise, we accept zero commissions or direct work from any of the more than 3,000 franchising operations in America.
Podcast hosts Allison Kneib and John Thornton, partners and business analysts for www.FranchiseSkeptics.com, take a deep dive into the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Fetch!, a franchise we describe as being a "maid service for dogs". $300,000 over ten years for a business you can start with a Craigslist ad? We are quite skeptical! Let's see if Fetch! can win us over....
The Franchise Skeptics LLC is an independent, uncompromised, business analysis/consumer advocacy firm dedicated to the franchising industry. Oriented solely and for the people interested in buying a franchise, we accept zero commissions or direct work from any of the more than 3,000 franchising operations in America.
Podcast hosts Allison Kneib and John Thornton, partners and business analysts for Franchise Skeptics LLC, introduce season one of The Franchise Skeptics Podcast, a look at some of the worst franchises in America. From PuroClean to Snap-On Tools to Subway and more, we tear apart ten crappy business models and explain just why these franchises make horrible investments for the middle class. "Don't Buy A Job!" is our motto, and if you are thinking about sinking your life savings into a franchise - my God, call us. Please. Let's talk through this.
Anyway, this teaser episode introduces the podcast and we are looking forward to having you join us in our skepticism! If you have any bad franchise stories, please email us at JohnT@FranchiseSkeptics.com