1851

In this episode of “Meet the Zor,” 1851 Franchise CEO and publisher&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/powills/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-traffic-jam-commuter-to-franchisee-to-franchisor-the-unconventional-journey-of-frios-gourmet-pops-ceo-2725992" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nick Powills</a> interviewed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliff-kennedy-70831465/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-traffic-jam-commuter-to-franchisee-to-franchisor-the-unconventional-journey-of-frios-gourmet-pops-ceo-2725992" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Cliff Kennedy</a>, CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://friosfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-traffic-jam-commuter-to-franchisee-to-franchisor-the-unconventional-journey-of-frios-gourmet-pops-ceo-2725992" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Frios Gourmet Pops</a> about his journey into franchising, first as a franchisee, and soon after as a franchisor.Powills highlighted the typical avenue into franchising, when an individual who is disenchanted with working for somebody else decides to become a business owner. For&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/2023s-young-ones-to-watch-in-franchising-cliff-kennedy-2724259#most-recent-stories">Kennedy</a>, however, this was not the case. Kennedy stumbled upon Frios Gourmet Pops and was so enraptured by the product and the brand that he decided to jump headfirst into franchising. How did he find the brand? He passed it daily during his dreaded commute home from his corporate job.“I got stuck in traffic every single day and I saw a Frios stand,” Kennedy said. “I decided to stop and try the key lime pie and it just transformed me; it was truly an experience unlike anything else I'd had the experience with an ice cream truck.”Kennedy’s enthusiasm for the product launched him into franchising, which meant leaving behind a successful and comfortable family business to pursue something bigger. As a franchisee, he was initially disappointed in the brand’s leadership and strategy. However, this disappointment soon turned into inspiration; Kennedy knew there was a great opportunity to be had.Not one to sit around and wait, Kennedy reached out to the owner of Frios at the time and let him know he was interested in buying the company; this was only a couple of months after investing as a franchisee.“I became a franchisee on May 1st of 2018. I made that call in August,” Kennedy said.Powills and Kennedy discussed this importance of support systems and infrastructure in franchising. These factors, along with the brand’s innovative ideas, have led to Frios’ growth. One of these innovative ideas — perhaps the most impactful — was mobilizing the business.“That was a pivotal moment; I realized that you can't get a thousand people to come to your brick-and-mortar store and celebrate a company event, but if you mobilized and went to them, you could serve a thousand people in 30 minutes,” Kennedy said. “Let’s go tie-dye-wrap-up a van and let’s go do this thing.”Frios offers a range of seasonal flavors, meaning the popsicles feel relevant and can be enjoyed regardless of the weather, and Kennedy is always striving for ways to make his modern ice cream truck concept stand out even more. As for the future of Frios, the brand has recently expanded to 89 territories and has the goal of reaching 100 territories in the near future.Watch the full interview above, or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrzKUrk3J9c&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-traffic-jam-commuter-to-franchisee-to-franchisor-the-unconventional-journey-of-frios-gourmet-pops-ceo-2725992" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">check out the full video on YouTube</a>.&nbsp;

Frios Gourmet Pops CEO, Cliff Kennedy: Transforming Traffic Jams into Franchising Success

1851 Franchise

Cliff Kennedy was stuck in rush hour traffic when he finally decided to see what all the fuss was about at the Frios stand. One taste was all it took for him to pursue ownership of the company.

From Traffic Jam Commuter to Franchisee to Franchisor: The Unconventional Journey of Frios Gourmet Pops’ CEO

from-traffic-jam-commuter-to-franchisee-to-franchisor-the-unconventional-journey-of-frios-gourmet-pops-ceo

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions: A Recession-Resistant Franchise Opportunity for Entrepreneurs

caring-transitions-a-recession-resistant-franchise-opportunity-for-entrepreneurs

Minuteman Press International

L-R: Bob Titus (CEO), Eric Shank (Catonsville, MD), Bob Heimbuch (RVP), and Nick Titus (President).

Minuteman Press Franchise Owner Eric Shank Recognized at World Expo

minuteman-press-franchise-owner-eric-shank-earns-standing-ovation-at-world-expo-for-growth-in-catonsville-md

Melting Pot

Melting Pot Expands Its Flavor Story With Seasonal Menus and Retail Line

seasonal-menu-retail-innovation

Griswold

How Griswold Honors Veterans Through Care, Employment Opportunities and Franchise Ownership

how-griswold-honors-veterans-through-care-employment-opportunities-and-franchise-ownership

Sola Salons

Photo of exterior of Sola Salons location with brick front and blue sign

Why This Former Silicon Valley Engineer Invested in Sola Salons

silicon-valley-engineer-franchisee

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Crunch Fitness Franchise - Sixth Street Minority Stake - CR Fitness - 1851 Franchise

Sixth Street Takes Minority Stake in CR Fitness, the Largest Crunch Fitness Franchisee

cr-fitness-crunch-fitness-sixth-street-investment

houses, Why Top Franchises of 2025 Outperform Independent Businesses

Why the Top Franchises of 2025 Outperform Independent Businesses

how-franchises-outperform-independent-business-2025-tech-data

Photo of Happinest Brands teams standing together in front of branded vehicles

Happinest Brands Continues Strong 2025 Trajectory With Major Q3 Growth and Strategic Wins

happinest-brands-q3-franchise-growth

Franchise Owners Step Up To Support Communities During Government Shutdown - 1851 Franchise

Franchise Owners Step Up To Support Communities During Government Shutdown

franchise-community-support-shutdown

Slim Chickens Opens R&D Center at World Headquarters To Drive Menu Innovation

slim-chickens-rd-center-fayetteville

image of franchise deep dive from 1851 franchise on doody calls franchise authority brands

DoodyCalls Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

doodycalls-franchise-deep-dive

Why Franchise Due Diligence Is Like Marriage: An Interview with Joe Manuszak of UNITS Moving and Portable Storage

joe-manuszak-franchise-due-diligence-units-portable-storage

Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

woof-gang-bakery-grooming-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

The Decision To Franchise: A Founder’s Playbook From Bee Organized’s Kristen Christian

the-decision-to-franchise-a-founders-playbook-from-bee-organizeds-kristen-christian

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

From Traffic Jam Commuter to Franchisee to Franchisor: The Unconventional Journey of Frios Gourmet Pops’ CEO

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS