On today’s episode of Franchise Secrets, Erik Van Horn sits down with Nick Najjar—Cutco alum, Real Producers franchisee, multi-business owner, mobile home park investor, and all-around deal maker. Nick breaks…
Running a franchise is hard… but starting inside one of the hardest businesses in America? That’s where grit is forged. In this episode, Erik Van Horn and Jeff Herr go…
Most people are using ChatGPT to avoid thinking — not to become better leaders, investors, or business owners. In this episode, Erik Van Horn breaks down exactly how he uses…
Most business owners believe their company is valuable because it makes money. They’re wrong. In this solo episode, Erik Van Horn explains why owner-dependent businesses are worth far less than…
I’ve complained about franchisors — even great ones. But it wasn’t until I experienced fear-based leadership firsthand that I truly understood what good partnerships actually look like. In this solo…
Erik Van Horn and Jeff Herr break down one of the most explosive franchise categories ever created: salon suites. They reveal how the model went from unknown to industry-dominating, why…
Hiring the wrong marketing leader can quietly destroy franchise growth. In this episode, Erik Van Horn and Aren Johnstone break down why CMOs from outside franchising—especially those coming from e-commerce…
In this episode, Erik and Adam unpack one of the most misunderstood levers in business: the speed of learning. Adam explains why the brands that win are the ones that…
AI isn’t here to replace entrepreneurs—it’s here to amplify how we think. In this episode, Erik Van Horn breaks down exactly how he uses AI as a “thinking partner” to…
What does “semi-absentee” actually mean — and what does it cost to get there? Erik Van Horn shares the hard-earned lessons from owning multiple franchise brands, including the moment his…
