Real insight from someone who’s been there.
When it comes to evaluating franchisor acquisitions, no spreadsheet, CIM, or founder pitch can replace the intuition of someone who’s actually built the thing.
As the founder of the first and largest youth sports franchise in the U.S., I pioneered an entire industry—bootstrapped it from scratch, nearly lost it all, turned it around, scaled to 1,000+ locations, and ultimately exited via private equity not once—but three times. I know what’s real… and what’s just a good story.
Today, I work behind the scenes with select PE firms and family offices to evaluate franchise targets—especially in child enrichment, youth sports, and family-focused verticals.
This is a gold rush moment in child-related franchising. Everyone knows it’s recession-resilient and pandemic-proof. But not every brand has real legs. That’s where I come in.
How I Advise
I offer confidential, one-off strategic calls—
No long-term retainers. No public involvement. No unnecessary layers.
Just clear, candid insight when you need it most.
I’m also open to light-touch Board Advisory roles for the right platforms, especially when you’re:
- Exploring a new vertical
- Building a platform from scratch
- Vetting a founder’s leadership and operational readiness
- Wondering if the CIM is mostly fluff
- Needing a grounded gut check on whether the opportunity is real—and how to actually build on it
When to Bring Me In
- Pre-acquisition: You’ve got a brand on your radar and want an outside POV
- Due diligence: You need help separating facts from founder fiction
- Post-acquisition: You’re building a playbook and want strategic input from someone who’s lived it
- Platform buildout: You’re creating something new and want to avoid rookie mistakes
Why Me
Only 16% of all franchise brands ever surpass 100 units. And an astounding 300–400 brands quit franchising every year. After 20+ years in franchising, I know what it takes—and can see what others miss.
As host of the Emerging Franchise Brands podcast, I’ve personally interviewed over 200 founders in just two years. With over 500,000 views and nearly 20,000 YouTube subscribers, I’ve become a trusted voice in the industry and have developed rare pattern recognition. I know who’s likely to scale… and who isn’t.
If you’re investing in franchising’s next wave, I can help you see around corners.