On this episode of the Founderology — Built to Breakthrough podcast, I talk with Brandon Knudsen, Co-Founder and CEO of Ziggi's Coffee and a member of the inaugural class of Visionary Restaurant Founders recognized at the Founderology Growth Summit. Brandon and his wife Camrin have bootstrapped Ziggi's from a single coffee shop to more than 100 locations across 22 states, with 200 more in development — no private equity, no outside investors. Brandon held nothing back about what that journey actually cost them.

The licensing deal that failed before franchising even started

Before Ziggi's ever sold a franchise, Brandon tried licensing first. No fees. No royalties. Just handed over the playbook.

It fell apart.

The systems he and Camrin had been running for 12 years could not survive without them in the room. What Brandon did next — spending his own money to stress-test the model on his own managers before selling it to anyone else — is a strategic lesson in how to franchise the right way.
Every emerging franchisor needs to take this lesson and immediately apply it to their business.

Fifteen-hour days and the texts that never got returned

Brandon began franchising so he would not have to do everything himself as he and Camrin grew Ziggi's.
He then spent the next three years doing more of it than ever — driving to Realtor meetings, sitting through planning departments, showing up at construction sites and taking every call from every franchisee.

Until the day he realized he was the bottleneck.

The business was in the stuck zone – to big to be small and to small to be big.

The $400K COO he refused to hire
Brandon needed executive-level talent. The company was not in a position to take on six figures plus 10 percent of the business.

So, he found another way.

The fractional leaders he brought in did not just fill gaps — one of them changed the entire culture overnight without hiring a single new person.
If you are a Founder who thinks you cannot afford high-level strategy, Brandon's path will change your mind. Hear the critical decisions he made to bring affordable executive talent.

The one question he asks every struggling franchisee
When a franchisee calls Brandon and says they are struggling, he asks the same question every time.

The answer is always the same.

His philosophy on why you should never spend a dollar on marketing until the house is in order — and why the best-performing Ziggi's locations all have one thing in common — goes against everything the industry tells you.

The data backs him up. You know you want to know this critical question.

The advice that will hit you harder than you expect
Brandon closes with something personal — about the stores that keep him up at night, the success he forgets to celebrate and the one thing every Founder needs to hear when they are in the middle of the grind (literal in Brandon's case).

It is simple. It is real. If you are deep in the Stuck Zone right now, it might be exactly what you need.
If you are a Founder asking yourself, "What do I do next?" this episode answers that question in so many real and meaningful ways.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts and hear real insights and real solutions from Founders who are building brands to breakthrough. This is the community you have been looking for to grow your business!

Every Founder hits a moment where the business is too big to be small but too small to be big. I call it the stuck zone. And what you do next determines everything.

On this episode of the Founderology — Built to Breakthrough podcast, I talk with Jeff Perera, co-Founder of Jeff's Bagel Run and a member of the inaugural class of Visionary Restaurant Founders recognized at the Founderology Growth Summit. Jeff and I discussed the critical decisions that took him from a garage operation to nearly 30 locations and more opening weekly — and he held nothing back.

The Meeting He Said No to for Four Months

Someone kept knocking on Jeff's door with an opportunity that could change everything. He refused the meeting. Every single week for four months. Then a personal loss shifted his perspective, and he and his wife Danielle finally said yes. What happened in that room — and the gut-check that followed — is something every Founder who has ever been approached by a potential partner needs to hear.

The Title He Didn't Take

Most Founders would have demanded the CEO title. Jeff made a different call, and his reasoning reveals a level of self-awareness that separates Founders who scale from Founders who stall. This part of our conversation alone is worth pressing play.

Giving Away the Biggest Piece

Jeff and Danielle gave up a significant portion of the business they built with their own hands, blood, sweat and tears. How they reconciled that decision — and how Jeff reframes what "your piece of the pie" actually means at scale — will challenge every Founder who believes that holding on tight is the safest move.

The Hire That Changed Everything

The first two people Jeff brought on after forming his franchise company were not restaurant operators. They were software engineers. That decision continues to be questioned, however today it stands as one of the biggest competitive advantages in the brand. Jeff explains why, and how his logic applies far beyond bagels.

Why They Award Franchises and Never Sell Them

One word – AWARD and it creates a competitive difference. Jeff walks through how he evaluates alignment over ambition, and why saying no to eager candidates protects the long-term health of everything he has built. If you are scaling through franchising or partnerships of any kind, this is essential listening.

The Advice That Will Stop You in Your Tracks

Jeff closes with a snowstorm story and a piece of advice so simple it almost sounds too easy. But it is the exact shift every stuck Founder needs to make — and it is the opposite of what most people expect.

If you are a Founder asking yourself, "What do I do next?" This episode answers that question in so many real and meaningful ways.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts and hear real insights from Founders who are building brands to break through!

Kathleen Wood is the Founder of Kathleen Wood Partners, host of the Founderology — Built to Breakthrough podcast and co-host of the Founderology Growth Summit.

Community is not support. It is a strategic imperative.

Founders make stronger decisions when they stay connected to people, resources, and real-world insight.

That belief carries real weight when it comes from a leader who represents more than 1.5 million restaurant employees and an industry that fuels over $137 billion in economic impact. As CEO and president of the Texas Restaurant Association, Emily Williams Knight, Ed. D operates at the center of one of the most powerful restaurant communities in the country. Her work sits at the intersection of Founders, operators, policymakers, and partners, making her uniquely positioned to speak to the power of connection at scale.

That perspective anchors Kathleen Wood's conversation with Emily on Founderology: Built to Breakthrough—and it drives every part of the discussion. As markets move faster and decisions carry greater consequence, founders who stay connected gain clarity, perspective, and confidence. Connectivity becomes more than support. Connectivity becomes strategy.

When collective insights become action that drive results

In this episode, Kathleen and Emily talk directly about why Founders benefit from being part of strong communities, whether through state restaurant associations, industry networks, or experiences like the Founderology Growth Summit gatherings. Emily shares how connectivity through the Texas Restaurant Association creates alignment across operators, policymakers, and partners, turning shared insight into action and results.

The conversation highlights how Founders navigate complexity more effectively when they stay engaged with trusted peers and reliable information. Emily speaks from experience leading an organization that supports one of the largest economic engines in the country, where collective voices create outcomes that individual businesses cannot generate alone.

The real business impact of staying connected.

Kathleen and Emily explore how community shows up in practical ways:

• Founders gain faster clarity through shared experience
• Decisions improve when leaders stay informed and connected
• Advocacy becomes stronger when voices align
• Leadership confidence increases through trusted networks
• Growth accelerates when Founders learn together

The discussion also reinforces why industry associations and Founder communities matter now. Emily explains how collaboration reshaped outcomes during pivotal moments and why those lessons continue to apply as founders plan for the future. The same principles that work at scale also strengthen individual brands and leadership teams.

Where connection becomes a competitive advantage.

That belief in connection is why Emily will be speaking at the Founderology Growth Summit. The Summit is an experience that connects Founders to exchange insight, challenge assumptions, and make better decisions through shared experience. It creates space for real conversations that help leaders move forward with clarity.

One truth for 2026: Connectivity wins.

Throughout the episode, one truth remains consistent: Founders succeed faster and lead better when they stay connected.

• Community sharpens decision-making.
• Shared insight reduces isolation.
• Relationships create momentum.
• Your network does drive your net worth.

For Founders looking to succeed in 2026 and beyond, this podcast offers a clear takeaway:

Connectivity is the strategic imperative.

The Founderology Growth Summit is your Solution – Seats are still available: register now: www.founderologysummit.com - use this code Founders20

Listen to the full episode of Founderology: Built to Breakthrough to hear the complete conversation with Emily Williams Knight, Ed. D.