GoodSpark

Franchising has long been associated with aggressive sales tactics and high lead volume, but industry leaders are proving that a different approach is driving real results. In the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yTJZ3E8fQs&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=beyond-sales-how-storytelling-and-authenticity-are-reshaping-franchise-growth-insights-from-francamp-2728632" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">podcast</a> ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://1851francamp.com/dallas/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=beyond-sales-how-storytelling-and-authenticity-are-reshaping-franchise-growth-insights-from-francamp-2728632" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">FranCamp Dallas</a>, franchise experts&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tymcbrideokc/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=beyond-sales-how-storytelling-and-authenticity-are-reshaping-franchise-growth-insights-from-francamp-2728632" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ty McBride</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-feltman-10724a141/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=beyond-sales-how-storytelling-and-authenticity-are-reshaping-franchise-growth-insights-from-francamp-2728632" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Daniel Feltman</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-holliman-2132313/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=beyond-sales-how-storytelling-and-authenticity-are-reshaping-franchise-growth-insights-from-francamp-2728632" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Michelle Holliman</a> joined host&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-internicola-42506910/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=beyond-sales-how-storytelling-and-authenticity-are-reshaping-franchise-growth-insights-from-francamp-2728632" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Charles Internicola</a> to discuss how focusing on storytelling, culture and relationship-building is helping brands scale in a sustainable way."What helped me was focusing on storytelling — sharing our journey, our values, and why we built this brand," said McBride, founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://gopreservan.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=beyond-sales-how-storytelling-and-authenticity-are-reshaping-franchise-growth-insights-from-francamp-2728632" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Preservan</a>. "Once we stopped trying to look like a big corporate brand and instead focused on our authentic story, things started to change."For Feltman, co-founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thegaragefloorcofranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=beyond-sales-how-storytelling-and-authenticity-are-reshaping-franchise-growth-insights-from-francamp-2728632" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Garage Floor Company</a>, shifting from a transactional sales mindset to one rooted in connection was a game-changer. His brand initially focused on selling a product but realized success came when they started sharing who they were and why they existed. Meanwhile, Holliman emphasized that sustainable growth isn’t just about expansion — it’s about maintaining culture and ensuring franchisees align with the company’s core values."We’re approaching 100 units, so we have to think about scaling — adding not just franchisees but also corporate support, all while staying financially sustainable," said Holliman, vice president of franchise development at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pigtailsandcrewcutsfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=beyond-sales-how-storytelling-and-authenticity-are-reshaping-franchise-growth-insights-from-francamp-2728632" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts</a>. "Innovation and culture are critical to ensuring we support the next phase of growth."With FranCamp Dallas set to dive deeper into franchise acceleration, recruitment and overcoming growth challenges, the conversation highlighted a central theme: the future of franchising belongs to brands that build meaningful connections, not just those that chase sales.A transcript of the podcast has been provided below. It has been edited for brevity, clarity and style.Charles Internicola: Ty, as we prepare for FranCamp Dallas, what are your key takeaways and thoughts?Ty McBride:&nbsp;I’m thinking about building on what we’ve learned from past sessions — Chicago, Miami — and continuing to develop those relationships. I’m excited to connect and collaborate with this group of franchise professionals.Internicola: Each camp adds new tools and strategies for franchise operations, recruitment and sales. Dan, as we head into Dallas, what are your goals?Daniel Feltman:&nbsp;Our biggest focus is implementing what we’ve learned. Many people absorb information but struggle to execute. At FranCamp, we’re learning how to slow things down, build on what works and refine our approach. We want to take what we’ve built and improve upon it, ensuring we’re consistently growing.Internicola: Michelle, Pigtails &amp; Crewcuts has seen significant growth. What’s your approach to FranCamp, and what’s your focus for the brand?Michelle Holliman:&nbsp;This is my second FranCamp, and we signed up for the rest of the year because of the value it provides. Even after 20 years in business, it’s been incredible to collaborate with emerging brands and get fresh perspectives. The roundtable discussions are intimate and engaging. Unlike large conferences where smaller brands can get overlooked, FranCamp provides direct feedback and meaningful networking. It’s helped us rethink lead generation, budgeting and marketing strategies while staying connected to our core values.Internicola:&nbsp;Beyond FranCamp, let’s talk about franchise acceleration and selling. Ty, you’ve explored YouTube and storytelling — did you ever feel stalled?McBride:&nbsp;Absolutely, especially early on. When you enter franchising, you’re bombarded with vendors making big promises and it’s hard to know what to do next. What helped me was focusing on storytelling — sharing our journey, our values and why we built this brand. Once we stopped trying to look like a big corporate brand and instead focused on our authentic story, things started to change.Internicola: That hands-on, founder-driven approach seems key. Michelle, how do you ensure continued growth while maintaining your company’s culture?Holliman:&nbsp;We’re approaching 100 units, so we have to think about scaling — adding not just franchisees but also corporate support, all while staying financially sustainable. Innovation and culture are critical to ensuring we support the next phase of growth.Internicola: What advice do you have for emerging brands based on what you’ve learned?Holliman:&nbsp;It’s easy to get caught up in growth and forget your core values. Listening to emerging brands reminds me of where we started and helps us stay grounded. You constantly evaluate how to support franchisees better, create a strong culture and reinforce your mission. It’s an ongoing process of learning and refining.Internicola: Dan, as a newer brand, what have you learned that changed your approach?Feltman:&nbsp;At first, we thought franchising was just about selling a product. We now realize it’s about telling our story — who we are and why we do what we do. We stopped just selling floors and started focusing on connecting with people. When we shifted our mindset from “selling” to “building relationships,” we saw a real difference.Internicola: Ty, when talking to franchise candidates, what’s your approach?McBride:&nbsp;I don’t sell anything. I focus on sharing our vision and ensuring candidates understand what they’re getting into. We don’t aim for high lead volume — we want qualified, serious candidates. It’s more about readiness conversations than sales.Internicola: Michelle, how do you evaluate franchise leads and conversions?Holliman:&nbsp;Leads turn into conversions, but it’s about quality over quantity. People resonate with your story, and that’s why they move forward. We approach it as a mutual fit — franchising isn’t for everyone, and we’re transparent about the challenges. Prospective franchisees need to fully understand what they’re committing to.Internicola: Where do you see brands going wrong in the qualification process?Holliman:&nbsp;I’m not a fan of third-party qualifiers unless they deeply understand the brand. It’s crucial for whoever represents your brand to be knowledgeable and passionate. Having an internal team that truly believes in the brand makes a big difference.Internicola: How do you integrate culture into franchisee onboarding and validation?Holliman:&nbsp;Culture is everything, especially in child services. It has to resonate from the corporate team down to franchisees, employees and customers. We reinforce this during training and remind franchisees why they chose this business. It’s not always easy — there are tough days with budgeting and hiring — but having the right people makes a difference.Internicola: Dan, as you refine your brand strategy, what’s been your biggest realization?Feltman:&nbsp;We underestimated the power of storytelling. Initially, we focused on selling a product, but we’ve learned that what really matters is selling&nbsp;who we are and why we exist. Once we shifted that perspective, things changed.Internicola: As we head into FranCamp Dallas, we’ll have panels on acceleration, franchise sales and overcoming obstacles. I appreciate all of you sharing your insights — this continues to be a learning experience for all of us.McBride:&nbsp;Looking forward to it.Holliman:&nbsp;Excited for Dallas!Internicola: See you all there!Watch the full podcast above or on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yTJZ3E8fQs&utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=beyond-sales-how-storytelling-and-authenticity-are-reshaping-franchise-growth-insights-from-francamp-2728632" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a>.&nbsp;Growing and selling franchises is difficult. No great franchise did it alone. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisors grow their franchises with confidence? Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.1851growthclub.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=beyond-sales-how-storytelling-and-authenticity-are-reshaping-franchise-growth-insights-from-francamp-2728632" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.1851growthclub.com</a> and see what we can do for you.

How Storytelling and Authenticity Drive Franchise Growth

1851 Franchise

https://www.youtube.com/embed/-yTJZ3E8fQs

As FranCamp Dallas approaches, industry leaders discuss why the key to successful franchise expansion isn’t just about selling — it’s about telling the right story.

Beyond Sales: How Storytelling and Authenticity Are Reshaping Franchise Growth — Insights from FranCamp

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⚡ Ready to Spark Growth?

Some brands franchise and take off. Others launch, sell a few units and then hit a wall. It can happen three months in or sometimes three years in. Either way, the pattern is the same: deals slow down, franchisees struggle and growth stalls.If a brand is stalling instead of growing after launch, it’s usually due to missed fundamentals, or fundamentals that were never fully built in the first place.&nbsp;Here’s a practical, step-by-step playbook based on what actually drives franchise growth and what stalls it.<h2>1. Fix the Unit Economics First</h2>Most franchise problems trace back to one place: the numbers.“When you look in the mirror and say, ‘Why am I not scaling?’’ You don't scale because two things. The brands that fail are the brands who sell multi-packs to franchisees who never become multi-unit owners. The brands that win, their franchisees are winning 50% of the same-store unit store growth…all that I’m talking about is unit level economics,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/powills/">Nick Powills,&nbsp;</a>chief strategy officer at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goodsparkfranchise.com/">GoodSpark Franchise Growth Accelerator</a>, said in a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@GoodSparkFranchiseDevelopment/streams">podcast</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;At the end of the day, a franchise has to work financially for the operator. That means:<ul><li>The investment can realistically be paid back</li><li>The business generates meaningful profit</li><li>The path to break-even is clear and achievable</li></ul>A simple way to think about it is that if a unit can’t pay back the initial investment in a reasonable timeframe, the model isn’t really built to scale.Additionally, brands shouldn’t be guessing when it comes to key numbers. Every dollar in&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/the-complete-guide-to-buying-a-franchise-in-2026-reading-item-7-the-initial-investment-line-by-line-2731744">Item 7&nbsp;</a>should connect back to customer acquisition cost and value, and how long it will take to stop losing money. This includes marketing.&nbsp;“In your FDD Item 7, it says the grand opening has $10,000. I go, ‘Where did you get that?’…That needs to be calculated back to a rush to break even. If you're break even, where the franchisee stops bleeding cash, to say it's $10,000 a month, well, then the way that you design the grand opening is to drive them to have enough customers to get to $10,000 a month,” Powills said.&nbsp;<h2>2. Choose Franchisees Who Will Actually Drive Growth</h2>Even with strong economics, the wrong operators will stall a system. That means existing owners should purchase additional units instead of relying only on new buyers. But that can only happen when a brand is bringing the right people in in the first place.&nbsp;“Those are the biggest frustrations for franchisors…I sold a franchise, but now the franchisee thinks I'm doing everything for them,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-internicola/">Charles Internicola</a>, CEO of GoodSpark. “I'm gonna make the phone ring. So we have the unit economics, and that's engineered and understood, and it's genuine to alignment with the right franchisees. Understand that if you pick the wrong ones, they're not gonna validate, they're gonna hurt themselves, they're gonna cost you money, and you're not going to grow.”A franchisor relies on a franchisee to be the face in their community. This includes:&nbsp;<ul><li>Local networking</li><li>Community involvement</li><li>Building relationships that drive customers</li></ul>And most of that costs no money at all. If a franchisee isn’t willing to do that, or has a team member who will, they’re not set up to push growth.<h2>3. Build a System That Supports, Not Just Sells</h2>It’s common for brands to invest heavily in franchise sales and celebrate deals. But some may underinvest in what comes next: supporting the franchisee. When support doesn’t match the promise:<ul><li>Franchisees struggle to hit projections</li><li>Unit economics fall apart</li><li>Multi-unit deals never materialize</li></ul>“The franchisor says, ‘We support you like this.’ The reality is, you support them like that, which causes their unit level of economics not to perform, which causes them to fail. And so franchisors under-invest in the support, over-invest in franchise sales, and therefore can get the new blood in, but can't support them, which turns into multi-unit deals that are for single-unit operators,” said Powills.A better approach is to focus on the success of the franchisees you already have. When they open up unit two, that’s when to celebrate.&nbsp;<h2>4. Capitalize the Business the Right Way</h2>Even if the first three pieces are in place, growth still requires capital. Capital is needed not just to market franchises but to:&nbsp;<ul><li>Support franchisees</li><li>Build infrastructure</li><li>Improve performance across the system</li></ul>“When you're talking about spending, we're gonna spend $4,000 a month. You are in a crapshoot zone. You have not spent enough funds to get the engine moving in,” Powills said. “So when you look around the room and blame everything for why you're not growing, it is a capitalization issue. I'm not saying come out of the gates with millions of dollars, but if you want to add four units in the next year, you'd better be prepared to budget $100,000 to build enough momentum.”&nbsp;<h2>Growth Doesn’t Happen by Accident</h2>When brands stall, it’s rarely one issue. It’s usually a combination of economics that don’t work, franchisees who aren’t the right fit, and not enough support or capital.&nbsp;Luckily, those are all fixable issues. But to fix it requires a shift in mindset. Franchisees should focus less on selling franchises and more on building up franchisees.&nbsp;For more information on GoodSpark and its services for developing franchises, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goodsparkfranchise.com/">https://www.goodsparkfranchise.com/</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Scaling a franchise starts with unit economics, the right franchise owners, actually investing in support and being capitalized enough to grow. 

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Beyond Sales: How Storytelling and Authenticity Are Reshaping Franchise Growth — Insights from FranCamp

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