From Film Dreams to Franchise Leadership: How Andrew Titus Found His Calling in Fully Promoted

Andrew Titus, president of Fully Promoted, grew up in a family deeply rooted in franchising, with his father, Ray, at the helm of United Franchise Group. Although he was immersed in the business from a young age, Titus initially pursued a career in directing and the arts before ultimately finding his passion in franchising.

In a recent episode of the “Meet the Zor” podcast, Titus discussed with Nick Powills, founder and publisher of 1851 Franchise, how his early experiences in the family business and his time in New York City led him to embrace his role in Fully Promoted. Titus also delves into the importance of earning respect within the family business, his approach to franchise development, and the future direction of Fully Promoted under his leadership.

A summarized transcript of Titus’ interview with Powills has been included below. It has been edited for clarity, brevity, and style.

Nick Powills: All right, Andrew, I know you have a tremendous story, and I always like starting here first. So before we talk about Fully Promoted, let's talk about you. How did you get into franchising? Your last name is like franchise royalty, so there's a shift to the story. Tell me about your franchise journey and how you got to this place.

Andrew Titus: Sure, Nick. Great to be here. As you mentioned, the business hits very close to home for me. My father, Ray, started United Franchise Group 38 years ago and Fully Promoted 24 years ago. My first job was, as you'd expect, cleaning the building 12 or 13 years ago, doing different roles throughout the company over the summers. That was my first experience with United Franchise Group. I also worked for the company while in college and for a local franchisee in Birmingham, Alabama, where I went to university.

After college, I had two paths: follow the family business or go into a different field. My dad encouraged me to try something different, like directing, which I wanted to do. I moved to New York City to pursue that, but I took a job with the company to make some money while I was there. I never went on one audition or networking event. I fell in love with the family business in New York City six years ago.

Long story short, I took on different roles within the company, and two years ago, I became president of Fully Promoted. That's my story.

Powills: I love it. So, you went and chased another dream. Was it hard for you to fully engage in that dream of film and movies because you had the family business as a backup plan? How did you deal with the complexities of what you could do versus what you wanted to do?

Titus: My dad was clear from the start that we all had to want to do this. He encouraged us to follow our dreams, just like his dad encouraged him. His dream was to be in the NBA. It’s great to have the family business as a fallback, but it's important to follow your dream as long as you can. My dad always said there’s always a position for you in the company, but you have to earn it. That was key for me.

Powills: Can you recall the moment when you felt pulled back to the family business? Was there an exact moment?

Titus: There wasn’t a specific moment. Being in New York and having two older brothers and three cousins already involved in the business was a big selling point. As I got more experience and met some of our franchisees, I realized I was passionate about helping them grow their businesses. That’s when I knew this is what I wanted to do. It's great to be involved with the family.

Powills: Have you had to challenge yourself on confidence and autonomy in running the business? Did you have to battle a franchisee saying, “I'll talk to Ray about that,” and assert yourself as the president?

Titus: Not really in this role. The franchisees saw my role as being earned, and they respected me for that. In previous roles, I was a regional vice president and the youngest in the company's history to win MVP. I managed our development team and gained a lot of experience. So, I didn’t face that issue when taking on Fully Promoted because there was already built-up respect, and my father trusted me to take on this role.

Powills: Early in my career, I accidentally fell into franchising in 2005. I've seen the evolution from selling franchises to developing franchisees, especially with the rise of the internet. How are you changing things for the future for a legacy brand, and how have you seen franchise development shift during your leadership?

Titus: With access to the internet, there's more information available, which we see as a positive. We take a fully transparent approach to franchise development. Our goal is to find people who are a good fit for us and vice versa. We want a mutual respect during the sales process. I encourage potential franchisees to speak with multiple franchisees, including top performers and those who haven't performed as well. This transparency has contributed to our success in franchise development.

Last year, we added 42 franchisees, with 33 being brand-new locations. This year, we've already added 18 new franchisees and are on track to open 26 new locations. It’s easier to get new people on board when franchisees speak positively about the brand.

Powills: For franchisee acquisition, is it organic? Is it broker? How are you acquiring these franchise buyers?

Titus: We use a three-pronged approach with our franchise development. Number one is mining our own database. We have a ton of people in our contact base that we can reach out to and call and engage with. And maybe it wasn’t the right fit for them at the time — three or four years ago — but maybe it is now. Number two is through general lead portals — your companies that you pay to generate leads for you online. Our brand website is really successful for us in that respect. And number three is brokers. We use a couple of different groups like IFPG and The Entrepreneur’s Source that we have great relationships with that help facilitate our growth.

Powills: I believe you bet on the jockey, not the horse. In United Franchise Group's case, your dad was the jockey, and now it's extended to you and the executive team. When you get a hold of a candidate, is it more about selling the culture, infrastructure, and support models than it is about Fully Promoted?

Titus: It's both. People are initially attracted to United Franchise Group for its stability. We've been here for 38 years, with multiple successful brands and long-term franchisees. As candidates learn more about the industry, they realize it's a high-repeat business. About 60-70% of our customers reorder from us, and it's a huge industry. We also have tools to help franchisees sell quicker and more efficiently. So, it starts with the stability of United Franchise Group, but the more they learn about the industry, the more they see the growth potential.

Powills: For a long time, I joked that I wanted to be a baseball player that rode a motorcycle. I think for franchisees, if we asked them if they ever dreamed of being in this business, they'd say no. But now they are business operators. Have you let go of your previous dreams, and shifted to becoming the best leader and executive you can be?

Titus: Oh, sure. I utilize the skills I gained in directing — communication, leadership, memorization — every day in my role. My job is to galvanize, lead and communicate effectively. I deal with conflict resolution, onboarding and recruiting new franchisees, as well as working with our current franchisees. I feel like I'm living my dream now, working with our franchisees, and it's become a huge passion of mine.

Powills: The reason I like stories of people is because I bet on the jockey. So, if someone's watching this, they at least get a sense of your personality and approach. Let’s close with anything else you want a candidate to know about the business opportunity if they want to explore talking to you.

Titus: We've been in business for 24 years, and this year has been our best in 10 years. We differentiate ourselves with our slogan, "Real products, real people, real results." Our franchisees are not just product sellers; they help clients attract, retain, and engage with their customers and employees using branded apparel and promotional products. We’re focused on controlled growth, not crazy growth. If we onboard 30 new franchisees this year, that would be great, but we want the right people in the right areas representing our brand the best way possible.

Powills: I love it. You’re looking at things the right way, and I look forward to seeing where this journey takes you. Awesome stuff.

Watch the full interview above or on YouTube.