Franchise Development Players: Q&A with Michael Mudd, Managing Partner at BrandONE Franchise Development

BrandONE has made a name for themselves in the franchising world by working with development teams for a diverse roster of clients to help gather and vet qualified leads. That singular focus on development has helped hundreds of emerging franchise concepts to flourish and made BrandONE one of the most sought-after vendors in the industry.

Michael Mudd, a managing partner at BrandONE, set out for a career in franchise development after seeing his wife’s success in the field. Mudd talked to 1851 about why franchisors should be selective in their contract awarding process and why franchisees choose brands that demonstrate a clear purpose.

1851 Franchise: How did you get into franchising?  

Mudd: I had fallen madly in love with an incredibly talented woman named Christine, who happened to be the senior vice president of franchise development for an emerging brand. I’m proud to say I married her. Among the many things about Christine that I was truly amazed by was her incredible success in the business. The brand was breaking out and had enormous growth, and I would listen to the conversations she was having with franchisee candidates. I loved what she was doing, and I decided to follow suit.

I’m one of the few franchise developers who deliberately set out for a career in franchise development. I cut my teeth with Relax the Back, where I was mentored by Joe Matthews, who wrote Street Smart Franchising. My first big success in the industry was with Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, where we developed 550 locations in 37 states and 11 countries in just seven years. With that experience plus work with a couple of other franchise brands under my belt, I eventually landed my current position as a managing partner at BrandONE.

1851 Franchise: What do you love about franchising? 

Mudd: I love people. The ability to work with thousands of people across the world to help them realize their goals is fulfilling beyond belief.

Franchising is a business growth strategy that unites people under one model, and in doing so, it provides guidance and creates a meaningful impact on people’s lives.

1851 Franchise: What do you wish would change in franchising?

Mudd: I’d like to see more franchisors being a bit more selective with their franchisee awarding process. That means approving franchisees who exhibit high potential for success rather than just anyone who can write a check. Successful franchise development is about finding franchisees who are the right fit; it’s not about making as many sales as possible.

1851 Franchise: What makes a great franchisee?

Mudd: The answer to this question really depends on the business model. A multi-unit restaurant owner needs a vastly different skillset than a salon operator. But one essential trait that is shared among all successful business owners is quality leadership skills. As long as the business has employees, leadership is going to be a make-or-break factor.

1851 Franchise: What’s the most important thing that drives a prospective franchisee to sign up? 

Mudd: Purpose. People don’t buy the What, they buy the Why. Franchisees want to be a part of a business they believe in, one that has a clear purpose. I recommend all franchise developers read the book, Start with Why, by Simon Sinek.