Welcome to Episode 104 of Unpredicted Entrepreneur! In this episode, hosts Sara Waskow and Roxanne Rapske sit down with Christian Buck (COO), Thomas Reinhard (CFO), and Cal Freatman (CEO), the founders behind Cascadia Pizza, a food truck turned franchise success story! Discover how Christian’s wedding pizza recipes, Tom’s business insight, and Cal’s entrepreneurial drive turned a tiny, 300-square-foot shop into a thriving, multi-location brand. Hear the inspiring origin story of Cascadia Pizza, learn about their unique pizza creations (think pear and apple on pizza!), and the radical support and real community that fuels their growth. Get insider tips on launching a food business, franchising in the restaurant industry, and how Cascadia Pizza built multiple revenue streams with food trucks, catering, and brick-and-mortar locations.

🔥 Highlights include:

-How food trucks kept their pizza business thriving during COVID

-The path to profitability for new franchisees

-Real talk on franchising, community impact, and legacy-building

-The story of a young employee who rose from washing dough pans to franchise owner

-What makes Cascadia Pizza a perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs of any background

If you’re passionate about entrepreneurship, franchising, or searching for the next great pizza franchise, this episode is for you!

👇 Interested in learning more? Visit cascadiapizzaco.com and explore the links in the description to connect with Sara, Roxanne, and their franchising resources.

Connect with Sara https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarawaskow/

Connect with Roxanne https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxannerapske/

FREE Franchising Resources - https://linktr.ee/Frannetdfw

Discover more about our franchise consulting at https://www.frannet.com/

Welcome to Episode 103 of Unpredicted Entrepreneur! In this must-listen podcast, we’re diving into franchising, small business ownership, and entrepreneurship with our incredible guest, Rod Floyd of CMIT Solutions of Arlington.

Rod opens up about his journey from corporate layoffs at Verizon to running his own IT franchise, and the tough lessons he learned along the way—like the dangers of doing everything yourself, the power of delegation, and finding fulfillment through community and networking. Rod shares real stories of hitting rock bottom, bouncing back, and how letting go of control helped his business soar with government contracts, multi-location deals, and industry recognition.

Whether you’re considering franchising, looking for business inspiration, or searching for practical entrepreneurial tips, this episode has you covered! Listen in to hear honest advice about overcoming burnout, embracing your strengths, and building a business that works for you—not the other way around.

#Franchising #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #BusinessOwnership #Podcast #CMITSolutions #UnpredictedEntrepreneur #StartupStory #BusinessTips #inspiration

👇 Find links to learn more about franchising, entrepreneurship, and how to contact Rod below!

Looking for outsourced IT help in Arlington? Visit www.cmitsolutions.com/arlington or call 682-277-3930.

Connect with Sara https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarawaskow/

Connect with Roxanne https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxannerapske/

FREE Franchising Resources - https://linktr.ee/Frannetdfw

Discover the truth about franchising and business ownership! In this episode of Unpredicted Entrepreneur, Sara Waskow and Roxanne Rapske talk with Joe and Mandy Chapman, owners of Stand Strong Fencing of Fort Worth, about their journey from the mortgage industry to running a thriving fencing franchise.

Learn the real benefits of franchising, how support from Horsepower Brands helped them scale quickly, the challenges of business pivots, and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, including why franchising is more than just “french fries” and how transferable skills like project management and sales can lead to success. Tune in for actionable tips on starting and growing your own business, building organic leads, and balancing risk with passion. Don’t forget to subscribe for insights and inspiration from real-life entrepreneurs!

This video features insights into the world of franchise business and franchise ownership, as shared on the entrepreneurship podcast. Stay tuned for motivation and valuable information covering various franchising businesses and franchise models.

#Franchising #Entrepreneurship #BusinessOwnership #FranchiseSuccess

#UnpredictedEntrepreneur #podcast

👇 Connect with Us:

Contact Stand Strong Fencing of Fort Worth: 817-767-3034

Connect with Sara https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarawaskow/

Connect with Roxanne https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxannerapske/

FREE Franchising Resources - https://linktr.ee/Frannetdfw

👍 Like, comment, and share if you found this episode helpful!

🔔 Subscribe for more real conversations about franchising and entrepreneurship.

"People get caught up in paying a royalty, thinking of it as an expense. It's really an investment. You're able to leapfrog years of trial and error. I'll give you an example. The typical non-franchised home service business has an average revenue of $100,000to $200,000 the first year, whereas in a system like ours, the first year is a half million average. So yes, you're paying a royalty, but think about how many trials and tribulations and mistakes you're avoiding and that you're able to get to better unit economics quicker. I always try to encourage our franchise owners to remember that, especially if it's their first business. A lot of times, they're actually doing fantastic, and they just don't realize it because they don't have anything to compare it to. But when you're part of a network like Voda or another franchise, you're able to benchmark against other people.

You're able to tap into the support of the franchise system. You're able to tap into economies of scale and purchasing power. The royalty is an investment into a lot of infrastructure that you'd have to pay for anyway, except with your own teammates, versus having a marketing department, having a COO that you can call, having a success coach that you can work with, and having a network of people that you can bounce ideas off of or vent to. Business is hard. It's not ever going to be easy, especially in the first few years. In a franchise, you have this tribe of people going through the same thing as you and people further along than you that you can tap into. That's really the power of being part of a franchise system. Could you do it on your own? Sure. Most of our franchise owners are successful people. Do I discount that they could do it on their own? Perhaps they could. It would just be harder, longer, and more tiresome than plugging into all the benefits that a franchise can provide."

Don’t just chase the lowest royalty.

What matters isn’t what you pay, it’s what you get. Stronger systems, better support, and higher margins often come with a slightly higher fee.

In the end, the real question is: How much do you take home?

We cover many current and relevant topics. A few include:

◈ Why franchising shortens your ramp up time

◈ All franchises are not created equal

◈ Focusing on your return, not the royalty

“My father used to say, ‘Never go into business with a partner, much less a family member.’ And to some degree, he's right. But look, business is hard. It's hard to get something off the ground by yourself. You need to have other people with skin in the game. I think in our situation, a lot of divine intervention occurred. We filled in each other's gaps as far as skill sets go, and the things that we enjoy. I have more of a sales and marketing background. Josh enjoys administrative-type work. He enjoys creating things. He brought the IT aspect to the table; the things that he likes to do, I don't like to do, and vice versa. So it's just the way our personalities mesh. If anybody out there is looking for a partner, you can't have two yous. If you do, you might agree a lot, but you're going to butt heads, and neither one of you is going to want to do some of the things that you don’t do well. I think you need to find the right personality fit, and in any relationship, especially a business partnership, you have to be a good listener. You can't be dismissive of someone else's opinion.”

A successful partnership isn’t about finding someone just like you; it’s about finding someone who complements you.

In franchising, there’s a lot to juggle: marketing, operations, hiring, and customer experience. Having a partner with a different skill set and a shared vision can be a real game-changer.

But partnerships require more than diverse skills. They demand:
✅ Personality fit - understanding how you work best together
✅ Active listening - respecting each other’s perspectives
✅ Trust and communication - aligning on the big picture

Franchise systems provide the playbook. The right partner can help you execute it seamlessly.

📩 Thinking about business ownership or franchise opportunities and wondering if a partnership is right for you? Let’s connect. I help aspiring owners navigate decisions like this every day.

"If you’re pursuing a business, it's going to take some steps of faith. If you have the opportunity to do something from the start, like I did, I had to get a lot of black eyes, bloody noses, and stubbed toes, all to put myself in a position where I can educate someone on a clear path. So I do think franchising is a really proven strategy. It’s important to find the system that's right for you and the right culture fit of the leadership team. I also think that it should be something that's meaningful to you. I believe there should be some purpose and meaning behind the concept; it has to speak to you. The number one tip that I would suggest is that, like myself, there were times in my life where I felt paralyzed because I was rehearsing my past, and I thought that that was going to prevent me from doing something in my future, or I was scared, or I didn't have the right resources. So my recommendation or tip would be: do it scared."

Tim offers real-world honesty and hard-earned insight. Starting a business is tough, and building one from scratch is even tougher.

This is a reminder that franchising doesn’t promise overnight success, and no franchisor will do the work for you. But with a proven system, you’ll have a clearer, faster path to success, and less risk along the way.

Will fear show up? Absolutely. It does for all of us. But the key is to do it anyway. “Doing it scared” is part of the journey to your next, braver chapter. You’re not alone.

We cover many current and relevant topics. A few include:

◈ Franchisors all have their “ideal candidate” and what that looks like for this concept

◈ Finding purpose in the product or service you offer

◈ The fear-factor of starting a business

"As a business owner, you have to be willing to invest in yourself. We have budget and line items for social media, marketing, office supplies, for our lawyers, and different things, but we don't necessarily have a budget for our clothes and how we show up. You might have logo-branded material, okay, great, but how are you going to differentiate yourself, and how is that going to make you stand out from your competitors?"

Most new franchisees are prepared to budget for marketing, staff, and operations, but rarely do they think of personal presentation as part of the business strategy. This perspective reframes how your appearance is part of your brand equity.
Franchisees often rely on the brand’s name or logo to build credibility, but Elisa’s insight says that’s not enough. What sets you apart isn’t just your signage or uniform; it’s how you present yourself as the face of your local business. This draws attention to something often overlooked: you are a walking representation of the brand.
In a competitive market, every edge counts. Elisa’s message reminds us that standing out isn’t just about your business's features and benefits; it’s about how you show up. Confidence, professionalism, and consistency in your appearance can influence trust, loyalty, and even sales.

We cover many current and relevant topics. A few include:

◈ Using your wardrobe to be fun, authentic, and memorable

◈ Tips for building a wardrobe capsule that fits your lifestyle

◈ Transitioning your wardrobe: from corporate employee to business owner

"As an emerging brand and a relatively new business (I started the company in 2021), it's been incredibly valuable to partner with franchisees who bring such diverse experience and expertise from their respective backgrounds. One of the things I love most is the collaboration. We work closely together, and I’ve learned so much from them. It’s also been fascinating to connect with people from all over the country, each with different life experiences. That diversity has enriched the journey."

For clients who are creative, entrepreneurial, or eager to influence a brand’s growth, emerging franchise systems like this one can be especially appealing.

They offer a unique advantage: the chance to help shape the brand’s future, not just follow a preset playbook. Unlike mature systems where everything is firmly established, newer brands foster a more collaborative environment. Franchisees are not just operators; they’re contributors whose ideas and experiences play an active role in how the business evolves.

It’s the ideal fit for those who want the structure of a proven system but are also excited by the opportunity to build, innovate, and grow alongside a like-minded, engaged community.

We cover many current and relevant topics. A few include:

◈ From stay-at-home mom to becoming a franchisor

◈ The value of working with people you like, trust, and respect

◈ The culture of an emerging franchise brand