For more than 20 years, Wild Bill’s Craft Beverage Co. has been a familiar sight at fairs, festivals and conventions across the country. With its signature mugs and unlimited soda refills, the brand built a loyal fan base one event at a time. 

Now, under the leadership of CEO Michael Quilty and Chief Growth Officer Michael Russo, who first joined Wild Bill’s as franchisees, the company is building on its established franchise foundation. Together, they’re expanding the brand’s reach and creating more opportunities for veterans and entrepreneurs to own and operate their own Wild Bill’s Soda Wagons.

“It’s the 23-year overnight success,” Quilty told 1851 Publisher Nick Powills on a recent episode of the “Meet the Franchise” podcast. “The company’s been around a long time, and refining the equipment has taken years. We’re on our fifth version of a stand and have our sixth in development. It takes time.” 

The brand’s mission goes beyond soda. Both leaders are passionate about creating jobs and ownership opportunities for military veterans. The skills veterans develop — discipline, logistics, teamwork and leadership — make them a natural fit for the event-based model.

“Our mission was to create meaningful employment for military veterans,” Russo said. “They understand structure and hard work, and that translates directly into running a successful franchise.”

Wild Bill’s franchisees operate mobile soda saloons at major events — from Comic-Con to local community festivals — serving thousands of guests while building strong ties with event promoters and organizers.

“The compound effect of 23 years of community events built the brand,” Russo said. “It keeps growing with new events. We support promoters and do several of their events. The genres would amaze you — Renaissance fairs, fantasy festivals, steampunk events. You go to one and it’s like a new world.”

Some franchisees run their businesses seasonally while others build year-round operations by adding indoor venues and multiple stands. The model offers flexibility and scalability. 

“Most of our franchisees are seasonal, so they close for part of the year,” Quilty said. “We have a few markets opening now that could operate year-round, and we’re interested to see how those owners approach it.”

As Wild Bill’s continues to grow, the focus remains on quality and purpose. For Quilty and Russo, franchising is a way to share what’s made the brand successful for more than two decades.

“We're focused on finding the right people in the right markets and building our franchise infrastructure as we go. We don't want to grow faster than our ability to properly support franchisees,” Quilty said. “Over the next three or four years, I envision continuing to add franchisees and grow geographically.”

A transcript of Russo and Quilty’s interview with Powills has been provided below. It has been edited for brevity, clarity and style.

Nick Powills: Mike and Mike, I know the story but I’m going to make you guys retell it. Russo, do you want to start and tell the journey of how you guys accidentally fell into franchising? It’s a great story, and then we’ll get into the business.

Michael Russo: I’m going to go way back, pre–Wild Bill’s, when Mr. Quilty here was actually my entrepreneurship teacher in college. We took the class together and did a case study on Wild Bill’s. The case study was essentially: become a Wild Bill’s franchisee or go work at one of the Big Four accounting firms. I was one of the few who concluded, “Go be a Wild Bill’s franchisee.”

A couple of years later, we were Wild Bill’s franchisees in Texas. Mike had experienced Wild Bill’s at a local event. For those who don’t know, we have a big Wild West–style mobile soda saloon that we bring to fairs, festivals and comic cons. We offer unlimited soda at many events: you buy a big, branded mug and get unlimited refills. We saw it at local events on Long Island.

Post-college, we were running a donut cart. Mike helped facilitate an investment in one of my first startups, which evolved into us working together on a few projects and then landing on Wild Bill’s. 

Our mission was to create meaningful employment for military veterans. They understand structure and hard work, and that translates directly into running a successful franchise. Mike is a veteran and passionate about that. We’ve used Wild Bill’s as a vehicle to do that ever since.

Powills: Mike, was it by accident that you picked Wild Bill’s for this class project?

Michael Quilty: I got out of the Navy. I was on a submarine. People always ask how I enjoyed it. I didn’t enjoy being on a submarine — I’m glad I was in the Navy. How long did it take me to know I didn’t want to be on a submarine? The first day. It was really hard. I’m glad I did it, and I met a lot of wonderful people — Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.

I went into health care, sold my company in 2011 and then spent a lot of time on giveback work. I was at the Boulder Crest Retreat in Virginia with a group of Marines who had recently returned from Afghanistan. Seeing these men and women who either had no job or had jobs that didn’t match their leadership and skills got us thinking about buying a business solely to create jobs for veterans. The first four Marines we hired came from that retreat.

They were our first four veteran employees and later became franchisees. We have a photo of those four Marines standing together in front of a howitzer in Afghanistan, and then another of them in the same order in Wild Bill’s uniforms in front of a soda stand. It’s pretty cool.

Starting a business is hard. I’ve started a couple. I love the franchise route because of the support. Mike and I started at Wild Bill’s as franchisees, so that’s how we learned it. In 2018, I bought the business. Since then, we’ve focused on finding, training, hiring and engaging veterans and turning them into successful entrepreneurs.

Powills: It sounds like you saw a larger gap — non-veterans are quick to say “Thank you for your service,” but that’s where it stops. We have veterans who get out, don’t know what to do and feel lost. Is that right? Is that what you saw early on?

Quilty: I spent many years involved with veteran charities. Boulder Crest is wonderful, and they play a role. But on the jobs piece, after working with charities and veterans, I realized, “I could start 100 or 200 jobs.” I’ve been part of businesses that created hundreds of jobs. Let’s purposely find a vehicle and create jobs.

Wild Bill’s was a regional business when we bought it. We thought, “We can expand geographically.” It was seasonal, and we thought, “We can make it year-round with indoor events.”

We started with those first four Marines, then kept adding. Our impact isn’t hundreds of thousands of people, but for the folks we work with, it makes a real difference. A couple of veterans who worked with us weren’t a fit as franchisees, but they pursued other entrepreneurial ventures. Some of our board members backed those non-Wild Bill’s efforts. It gives veterans a taste of entrepreneurship in a supported environment with fellow veterans.

As you know from your work with franchise partners, it’s hard. Being a franchisee is a little easier because you’re supported and have a template, but it’s still difficult.

On growth, we intend to grow at the right pace and add people as we can support them. We’re focused on making sure folks are successful. We’re proud all our franchisees made it through COVID — our revenue went to zero as an event business — and we got everyone through that. Quality, not quantity. We’re focused on veterans, but we also have strong non-veteran candidates — many are first responders or have family who served. They fit our culture, and that’s what matters.

Powills: When you were franchisees, were you documenting things you’d change if you ever owned the brand? What triggered the move from operating a business for someone else to taking it over?

Russo: We weren’t focused on flipping the script. We were focused on creating jobs for veterans and growing. As we expanded from Texas to parts of New York, Florida, the Midwest and Southern California, we built out what we now call corporate units. The next logical step to really scale was partnering with franchisees to expand the infrastructure.

Powills: It sounds like the mission was bigger than the widget.

Russo: We really believe in Wild Bill’s as an omnichannel brand beyond franchising and canned soda. We’ve built a cult following from events. With 23 years of history, it’s amazing what Wild Bill’s has become beyond the large events we service each year. We believe in the brand, the team and the people we’re investing in.

Powills: How do you define the dream for the business?

Quilty: We have 14 franchisees and are in the process of doubling that over the next year. We're focused on finding the right people in the right markets and building our franchise infrastructure as we go. We don't want to grow faster than our ability to properly support franchisees. Over the next three or four years, I envision continuing to add franchisees and grow geographically.

Many franchisees start with one stand and end up with two, three or four. Each owner decides how large or complex they want to be. We’ve seen a lot of growth from existing franchisees, which is rewarding.

Powills: Full transparency: I’m working with you on the next stage of franchising. Once the world understands how big this opportunity is, it’ll change the brand’s trajectory. We’re not done with project one yet, but here’s my view. You have cans in Amazon and grocery stores, which builds awareness. At events, the refill structure and collectible mugs are a draw. I recognize Wild Bill’s because I’ve seen it in stores or online. The product line is spectacular—pickle soda still blows my mind—and creates viral buzz.

Then there’s the veteran component, a genuine pathway to entrepreneurship. Many franchisors offer veteran discounts; this is different. If you’re a veteran, I’d look at this opportunity. There’s no cost to fill out a form on Wild Bill’s website. The mission, financial support and infrastructure are strong.

Also, there may be only 14 franchisees, but nearly 100 wagons are out there. You’re reaching hundreds of touchpoints with end users. The wagon technology makes them easier to operate — like a SaaS company over-investing in infrastructure for long-term impact. Any comments?

Quilty: It’s the 23-year overnight success. The company’s been around a long time, and refining the equipment has taken years. We’re on our fifth version of a stand and have our sixth in development. It takes time.

On omnichannel — two weeks ago, an Army veteran reached out about franchising. We asked how he learned about Wild Bill’s. He said, “I buy your soda at the store all the time.” We asked, “How did you know about the event business?” He said, “I scanned the QR code and saw it on your website.”

He’d never been to an event and wanted to be a franchisee. We’re sending him to an event to check it out. People now come to our stands having had the soda from grocery stores, retailers or restaurants. We didn’t expect that, but it’s happening.

Powills: I’ve seen you at events and had a perception going in, but you still want people to see the energy — the organized chaos — and how you build relationships with event coordinators. That’s what franchisees will do locally. Mike, you’ve built relationships with, what, 90 convention centers and concessionaires?

Russo: Almost 100 convention centers, expo centers and arenas across the country. On investing in the company, infrastructure and brand, we have 23 years of grassroots presence. You can name 10 festivals in Florida we’ve been at — people have probably been to one. At Comic-Con in San Diego, someone showed up with a mug from the Steak and Grapes Festival in Bryan, Texas. The compound effect of 23 years of community events built the brand.

It keeps growing with new events. We support promoters and do several of their events. The genres would amaze you — Renaissance fairs, fantasy festivals, steampunk events. You go to one and it’s like a new world. Each event is about discovery and experience. We’re at events every weekend — me, Mike and the team — supporting franchisees. You can’t fully understand it until you see it. That’s why we encourage anyone interested to experience an event. And you’ve got to try a soda. Everyone should have one once.

Powills: I won’t say it’s competition-proof, but it would take a lot to compete. The wagon tech, depth of distribution in cans and syrup, and the bottomless-soda mentality — it’s impressive.

Event groups often overcharge and underdeliver because they have a captive audience. You do the opposite — you overdeliver. Even that mentality puts you far ahead. It’s like if a self-serve froyo shop said, “Buy one cup, eat as much as you want.” And then there’s the collector’s mug. Am I seeing it right?

Quilty: Mike often says people fail by thinking they don’t have competition. They’ll say, “We’re unique.” We take the opposite approach. We told a new franchisee, “Everybody’s competition.” That’s the right mindset. There’s always the lemonade guy. You have to deliver outsized value.

That attitude serves us well. We don’t take anything for granted. The relationships we’ve built are hard-earned, and we’re careful about who we work with — promoters, concession companies and venues. Like in the military, we’re respectful of partners. It’s a big pie. At a concert, everything is expensive.

We work with partners as part of that larger pie. We pay a lot to concession companies and event promoters to be there, but there’s money for everyone. It’s about partnership and realizing customers have choices. At the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, there’s no shortage of ways to spend money. People choose Wild Bill’s because we’ve been there for years. We’ve become an institution — collectible mugs, great service, long hours, strong staff and the best-tasting soda. We work hard for what we earn.

Powills: As you evolve a 20-plus-year-old brand, you’re adding elements that push you further ahead. Mike, imagine a diner where you buy a cup of coffee and have to pay again for a refill. That doesn’t happen.

At events, customers are used to getting hit financially. You’re solving that. It’s like a diner saying, “Take the coffee mug home.” Very cool.

For the prospective buyer, we’re refining who we want to grow with, but if someone is watching and thinks, “I’d love to run a business like that” — and yes, it’s a million-dollar investment with an impressive return — what else should they know?

Russo: It’s a weekend-warrior, owner-operator concept. As franchisees, we were out 18 weeks straight during event season — setting up Thursdays and doing multiple weekend events. Military folks transition well because they’re organized. They have their gear and wagons. It’s very operational and logistics-based—coordinating with promoters and utilities, managing setup and execution.

Many franchisees come from concessions, food and beverage or event management. Our profiles vary, but success requires a strong work ethic and enjoying events. If you don’t enjoy weekend event environments, it’s probably not the right fit. It’s a mobile event business — you’re on the go and it’s a lot of fun. Plus, you get unlimited soda.

Powills: Monday through Wednesday — does that provide flexibility for families? And what did you do with downtime in the booth?

Russo: Downtime in the booth? I probably could’ve done more. Once the booth is set, it’s largely self-serve. The hard part is travel and logistics. Day to day, you’re planning and applying for events, coordinating, booking and executing. How franchisees handle that varies by market.

Powills: Was there an upside to those Monday-through-Wednesday days?

Russo: It can be a side hustle for some. For us, I was working seven days, figuring it out and scaling. We wanted to build Texas, so we managed more than one location. I didn’t have much downtime, but some franchisees have other businesses or jobs.

Powills: Mike, take us home?

Quilty: Most franchisees are seasonal, so they close for part of the year. We have a few markets opening now that could operate year-round, and we’re interested to see how those owners approach it. In many areas, things slow around Thanksgiving and start up again in March or April.

Since Mike got involved in business development, he’s opened a lot of indoor venues, which lets franchisees in colder markets run winter events. That’s newer. Generally, franchisees work very hard in season, then slow down in the off-season, occasionally doing indoor events or convention centers.

On the ideal owner, especially among our military franchisees, the ability to hire and train people. If you have three stands and you’re operating one, you must hire and train people to run the other two. Those stands might be at the same event or different ones. People management is one of the hardest parts of any business. We’re fortunate to have strong leaders — people others enjoy working for — who can build teams that operate independently, move equipment and coordinate with promoters.

Selling to retail customers is challenging, too. Meeting customer expectations takes skill. You have to love the event side, as Mike said. You also need to hire and train effectively, work hard and stay flexible. We have strong corporate resources, and our franchisees support one another well, but you must be the type who reaches out for help. Those are the qualities we look for when we review or interview candidates.

Powills: I’ve not seen anything like what you’ve set up. You’ve done a tremendous job. Sometimes when you’re in it, it’s hard to step back and give yourself credit because your dreams are bigger than where you are. But the infrastructure is incredible.

When I help a franchisee buy into a business, I look first at culture and then the model. You offer both. For the right franchisee — and for larger, multi-territory investors — there’s a clear path here, proven through your corporate units. I’m impressed with where this is going. As you refine your ideal franchisee, it only gets easier. I’m grateful for what you’re doing. “Thank you for your service” doesn’t feel like enough, but helping more veterans into ownership does.

Thanks to both of you for sharing your story today.

Watch the full episode above or on YouTube. 

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/wild-bills.