Many corporate leaders spend decades growing brands for the companies they work for and the clients they serve. While the work is rewarding, it's still work for someone else. This is a key part of what drove Bruce Weiss, a longtime consumer products leader, to pursue franchise opportunities. He loved business. He loved the growth. But he wanted to do something for himself.
"My dad would tell me, 'It's better to make one dollar for yourself than two dollars for somebody else,'" he said. "I always took that to heart and always had that inner desire to start my own business. Franchising appealed to me because it combines entrepreneurship with a proven playbook."
Weiss got his start in New York City, where his first job out of college had him selling Coca-Cola fountain syrup and bar guns.
"It was a fundamental experience for me because you're dealing with small business owners... for whom every dollar and cent counts ... I really got to know the bones, let's say, of what makes a small business owner tick," he said.
Over the years, he earned a graduate degree and pursued brand management. After holding leadership roles at Kraft Nabisco, working on brands like A.1. Steak Sauce and Altoids, and Church & Dwight, managing brands like Arm & Hammer, Brillo and Zicam, he became CEO of a small vitamin company and began consulting for private equity firms. After some time, though, his entrepreneurial ambitions resurfaced.
"I spent my whole career helping brands and businesses for other owners and investors," he said. “At this stage, I wanted to build an asset for myself while staying active operationally.”
During his corporate career, Weiss spent a lot of time trying to get others to buy into his decisions rather than "doing real business," and the idea of direct ownership and more control over business outcomes excited him.
Weiss knew about the franchise model, and with the help of a mutual friend and franchise owner, he found Your Future Franchise and Scott Thompson.
"I didn't feel like I was dealing with a car salesman trying to get me to buy the car," Weiss said. “I felt Scott was somebody who was trying to help me find a franchise opportunity that would be a great fit for me — and one where I'd be a great fit for the franchise, too.”
"Scott was really helpful in helping me find answers," Weiss continued. “He is a business person himself. He's grown up operating franchise businesses, so I wasn't just dealing with a salesperson. I was dealing with an operator as well.”
Throughout the due diligence process, Weiss says Thompson acted as a guide. With a consultative, non-salesy approach, Thompson evaluated Weiss's background, skills and goals before presenting him with a few diverse opportunities — all with pre-screened franchise brands.
As Weiss worked to narrow down the list, Thompson challenged his assumptions, offered insights and helped Weiss hone his questions for due diligence calls.
Through this process, Weiss ultimately selected Surface Experts, a spot repair franchise. Rather than choosing the flashiest deal, Thompson helped Weiss identify an opportunity that truly aligned with what he wanted.
Beyond clear market demand and insulation from AI, Weiss valued the people behind the business and its sense of purpose.
"For me, at the end of the day, I picked Surface Experts because I felt it was a true operator's business," he said. "You're filling this need that so many of them have and yet they didn't even know that this kind of service existed."
Throughout the discovery and validation process, Weiss drew on the expertise of both Thompson and the franchise owners he spoke with. During validation calls, existing owners emphasized the importance of following the provided model and truly aligning with the selected brand. And throughout it all, Thompson kept his eye on what really matters: Weiss's future and fulfillment.
"I recommend Scott in a heartbeat. He has a wealth of knowledge about the industry, companies and also financing. He brought structure, comfort and knowledge to make an informed decision," he said. “What I loved about Your Future Franchise was that I never felt pushed toward a specific outcome. The process stayed focused on fit, economics and long-term goals rather than just simply getting a deal done.”
To learn more about Your Future Franchise and start your franchise search with clarity, please visit https://yourfuturefranchise.com/.
Your Future Franchise
SPONSORED
Bruce Weiss spent his career growing brands like Arm & Hammer and Nair for other companies before pursuing an opportunity to stay active in business while building an asset of his own.
Many corporate leaders spend decades growing brands for the companies they work for and the clients they serve. While the work is rewarding, it's still work for someone else. This is a key part of what drove Bruce Weiss, a longtime consumer products leader, to pursue franchise opportunities. He loved business. He loved the growth. But he wanted to do something for himself.
"My dad would tell me, 'It's better to make one dollar for yourself than two dollars for somebody else,'" he said. "I always took that to heart and always had that inner desire to start my own business. Franchising appealed to me because it combines entrepreneurship with a proven playbook."
Weiss got his start in New York City, where his first job out of college had him selling Coca-Cola fountain syrup and bar guns.
"It was a fundamental experience for me because you're dealing with small business owners... for whom every dollar and cent counts ... I really got to know the bones, let's say, of what makes a small business owner tick," he said.
Over the years, he earned a graduate degree and pursued brand management. After holding leadership roles at Kraft Nabisco, working on brands like A.1. Steak Sauce and Altoids, and Church & Dwight, managing brands like Arm & Hammer, Brillo and Zicam, he became CEO of a small vitamin company and began consulting for private equity firms. After some time, though, his entrepreneurial ambitions resurfaced.
"I spent my whole career helping brands and businesses for other owners and investors," he said. “At this stage, I wanted to build an asset for myself while staying active operationally.”
During his corporate career, Weiss spent a lot of time trying to get others to buy into his decisions rather than "doing real business," and the idea of direct ownership and more control over business outcomes excited him.
Weiss knew about the franchise model, and with the help of a mutual friend and franchise owner, he found Your Future Franchise and Scott Thompson.
"I didn't feel like I was dealing with a car salesman trying to get me to buy the car," Weiss said. “I felt Scott was somebody who was trying to help me find a franchise opportunity that would be a great fit for me — and one where I'd be a great fit for the franchise, too.”
"Scott was really helpful in helping me find answers," Weiss continued. “He is a business person himself. He's grown up operating franchise businesses, so I wasn't just dealing with a salesperson. I was dealing with an operator as well.”
Throughout the due diligence process, Weiss says Thompson acted as a guide. With a consultative, non-salesy approach, Thompson evaluated Weiss's background, skills and goals before presenting him with a few diverse opportunities — all with pre-screened franchise brands.
As Weiss worked to narrow down the list, Thompson challenged his assumptions, offered insights and helped Weiss hone his questions for due diligence calls.
Through this process, Weiss ultimately selected Surface Experts, a spot repair franchise. Rather than choosing the flashiest deal, Thompson helped Weiss identify an opportunity that truly aligned with what he wanted.
Beyond clear market demand and insulation from AI, Weiss valued the people behind the business and its sense of purpose.
"For me, at the end of the day, I picked Surface Experts because I felt it was a true operator's business," he said. "You're filling this need that so many of them have and yet they didn't even know that this kind of service existed."
Throughout the discovery and validation process, Weiss drew on the expertise of both Thompson and the franchise owners he spoke with. During validation calls, existing owners emphasized the importance of following the provided model and truly aligning with the selected brand. And throughout it all, Thompson kept his eye on what really matters: Weiss's future and fulfillment.
"I recommend Scott in a heartbeat. He has a wealth of knowledge about the industry, companies and also financing. He brought structure, comfort and knowledge to make an informed decision," he said. “What I loved about Your Future Franchise was that I never felt pushed toward a specific outcome. The process stayed focused on fit, economics and long-term goals rather than just simply getting a deal done.”
To learn more about Your Future Franchise and start your franchise search with clarity, please visit https://yourfuturefranchise.com/.
Sign up for the 1851 Franchise newsletter to get our biggest stories before everyone else
By signing up, you agree to our user agreement (including class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and acknowledge our privacy policy.
No related articles found
