— Franchise growth starts with people and how they think. The Leverage Your Mindset for Franchise Growth Podcast features candid conversations with respected and influential leaders across the franchise industry who understand that sustainable growth requires more than strong systems. It requires investing in people. Each high-impact episode delivers practical insights on leadership, culture, resilience, accountability, and the mindset that
Matt O’Rourke serves as Executive Vice President of Franchise Development at BELFOR Franchise Group, where he helps lead growth across the organization’s family of franchise brands. He also serves as Brand President of Z PLUMBERZ, giving him a unique perspective on franchise growth from both the portfolio and individual brand level. A Master Plumber and entrepreneur at heart, Matt
Jon Laudie is President and Chief Financial Officer at Zerorez, where he runs finance and operations across a franchise network of more than 85 markets, primarily in the US, with recent expansion into Canada and the UK. Since joining the business in 2022 as CFO, he has played a key role in shaping the company’s growth strategy, scaling it into
Larisa Walega, CFE, serves as Chief Growth Officer at Ziebart International Corporation, the global leader in automotive appearance and protection services and one of the few franchise brands worldwide to surpass 65 years in franchising. As Chief Growth Officer, she leads franchise development, marketing, customer experience, and strategic growth initiatives that strengthen brand awareness, accelerate franchise expansion, and drive
Brian Schnell – Partner and Head of Franchise Practice at Faegre Drinker Brian Schnell leads the Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath franchise practice and has devoted more than 30 years to finding practical and creative solutions for clients. He counsels both emerging and mature franchisors in a variety of industries on all aspects of their franchise programs. He is well
Evan Hackel – Leadership Expert Evan Hackel is the founder and principal of Ingage Consulting, a consulting firm focused on improving the performance of franchises by improving the relationship between franchisees and the franchisor. By creating a culture of partnership and common purpose, Ingage Consulting is able to help franchises dramatically improve their performance. He has helped hundreds of franchise organizations make
Dr. Tim Bono – Happiness 101 – Simple Secrets to Smart Living & Well-Being Dr. Tim Bono is a faculty member in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis where his teaching and research focus on positive psychology and college student development. His work has been featured in a number of national media outlets
Michelle Routhenstein – Cardiology Dietitian, Preventive Cardiology Nutritionist, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, and Certified Diabetes Educator Michelle Routhenstein is a thought leader and expert in heart disease management and prevention. Globally, heart disease is the number 1 cause of death. However, research shows that 80% of heart disease is preventable through nutrition and lifestyle change. Michelle’s mission is to reduce
Mark Schiff – Comedian, Actor and Writer When Mark was six, his mother took him into Manhattan every weekend for singing and ballet lessons. When he returned to school each Monday and showed his fellow Bronx classmates what he had learned, the class would gather around and beat him up. Mark’s mother smartened up and enrolled him in karate
Walter Schindler – Global Leader of Sustainable Impact Investment Walter Schindler is a lawyer, investor, entrepreneur, strategic advisor and project developer internationally recognized as one of the US pioneers and global leaders of sustainable impact investment. Walter has won more international awards for his sustainable investment vision and game-changing achievements than any other American. He has been selected by international judges