S1 E4: Why Cross-Selling Is the Secret Sauce for Franchisees Like Meineke
How do you create a wildly successful multi-unit franchise? You create synergy. Joe Johnson knows a thing or two about that with his car repair and parts businesses. Check out Joe’s playbook.
You learn a whole lot during 23 years in the military, and after retiring from the US Army in 2005, Joe has applied that knowledge to building his auto franchise empire. But what makes this portfolio unique is how his businesses interact.
The Wolf and Joe discuss how owning a Maaco auto-collision repair and paint shop, a Meineke auto-maintenance and repair shop, AND a 1-800 Radiator franchise have created incredible synergy. Not only can he service just about any car problem, but he can also supply parts to both businesses. Cross-selling at its finest.
Joe shares why horizontal integration allows you greater control over your destiny, why owning the dirt gives you more value and options, and the importance of doing a deep dive into potential franchise opportunities.
When you’re looking to launch your own franchise empire and, like Joe, want to make sure the research is done right, you need a great team. FranShares is the team you need, making it easy to build, manage and grow your portfolio from as little as $500. Find out more: franshares.com
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Episode Transcription
The Wolf of Franchises:
Welcome to Franchise Empires, where aspiring entrepreneurs learn exactly what it takes to become a successful franchise owner from one location to 10 and beyond. I’m the Wolf of franchises
Today. My guest is Joe Johnson Jones, four franchise locations. But what’s most interesting is that of those four, three of them are different brands all within the auto industry. Upon first hearing that you may think it’s a bad idea, but what Joe’s done is actually built a beautiful business portfolio full of synergies and even some of what I call unfair advantages. Joe’s different franchises consist of two auto body shops, one maintenance shop, and one auto parts supplier too. So he’s horizontally and vertically integrated his businesses. I hope you enjoy our conversation where Joe explains how they all interact with one another.
Narrator:
The Wolf of Franchises is the CEO of Wolf Pack Franchising, as well as a creator at Workweek Media. All opinions expressed by the Wolf and podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of Pack franchising or workweek. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. The Wolf Workweek and Wolf Pack franchising may maintain positions in the franchises discussed on this podcast.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Want to sit back and earn passive income each month? You can actually do this through F Shares. Invest anywhere from $500 to $500,000 and let the team at FHAs build, manage and grow your franchise portfolio. You’ll receive a check each month plus a lump sum when the portfolio sells. Go check them out today and add your name to the wait [email protected]. I think a good starting point would just be, I know 2005 is kind of a turning point for you. So what were you doing prior to that year before you got into franchises?
Joe Johnson:
So in 2005, I was retiring from the Army. I served 23 years and the US Army retires a full bird colonel, and I was trying to find something to do. I’m not really good at golf, I’m not really good at fishing, and I can’t stay home, my wife. So I had to find something to do.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Was franchises the first thought or what was kind of your exploration process like?
Joe Johnson:
Well, my family had a business, a manufacturing business. Everything in manufacturing was going overseas back in oh five, and that was while I was getting out of the military, the traveling and wanting to be at home. We had just, my wife and I had just gotten, she had gotten pregnant and I got the ultimatum be at home, so I was looking at things to do. The manufacturing didn’t really appeal. I tried that for a little while and I started looking around and a friend of mine I went to Walford College with, had a Mako collision repair and not a painting in Spartanburg, South Carolina. So I went and visited with him and saw what he was doing. I’ve got an affection for cars. Obviously all men have, well, most men have affection for cars. So I started after the car business, automotive aftermarket, and saw that Mako was a great opportunity. Franchising did appeal to me because it was already set up and ready to run. So that was a great thing in my thoughts.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Definitely. Definitely. And so for folks who maybe aren’t super familiar with Mako, what’s kind of the background on exactly what service you’re providing to a consumer? So
Joe Johnson:
Maco collision repair and auto painting, collision shops. Tony Martino started MACO in 1972, which is our 50th year anniversary this year, interestingly enough, good stuff. And it is evolved into America’s body shop, and it’s a great opportunity for automotive aftermarket.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Amazing. So was that kind of it, you know, had your friend who already had one and you didn’t look at other franchises, or is that you just said, you know what, this works.
Joe Johnson:
I did dig around some other franchises. Mako back then had the best support training and operations program at that point that I had seen. I did look at some other franchises, some other industries like food service, some other things just didn’t appeal to me.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Gotcha. Okay. Now that makes sense. I mean, especially right auto industry, pretty steady now regardless of the economic climate. So I know that’s a big attraction for a lot of franchisees.
Joe Johnson:
Well, 2005 automotive aftermarket, it was wide open and no end in sight. I will argue with you that a lot of folks are already preaching the death of the automobile the gas powered automobile, and I think they are so far out in the left field that this thing’s going to go on. For a long time, we’ve been exposed to electric vehicles quite a bit with Mako and monarchy and some training, but it’s just not there yet. Technology’s not there. The infrastructure’s not there. Support’s not there.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Yeah, no, I mean, there’s a whole suite of services that go with the car. It’s not just about what kind of car you drive. You need all the aftermarket and just services that go with that. So I could see why that would take a while to build up.
Joe Johnson:
Back in 2010, I sat on a panel in New York. The Mako guys sent me up to a panel about electric vehicles, and a lot of younger guys were on the panel discussing about the death of the gas powered automobile. And smart cars were coming and we’d be out of business in three to five years. And I set Oh, wow. Rightly on the panel until they finally asked me my thoughts. And I said, this is all great stuff, guys, if you’re in New York City or la, but if you’re in South Carolina or North Carolina or the Midwest, somewhere, the redneck and the pickup truck like me is going to hit you in your smart car and
The Wolf of Franchises:
Yeah, yeah, no definitely, man. Yeah, I mean, there’s different markets around the country that just a lot of people will form opinions on the future, but just based on their immediate surroundings. And it’s tough. I mean, you can’t really predict what’s going to happen. So you, you’ve mentioned that you know own ake, and we’ll kind of get to your full portfolio of businesses, but let’s just back in 2005, did you start with one MACO multiple and how that first acquisition or new builds come to be?
Joe Johnson:
So O five I built the MACO here in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. There had been a franchise that he, prior to me who tried to do a make go and he failed and never even built the building. So we started from the ground up with a new building and came out of the box after the training, we were breaking even the first month. Very unusual. Very unusual, but very fortunate. A lot of hard work. But the pent up demand in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was there. A lot of folks didn’t think it would be, including Tony Martino. He laughed and said we’d go bankrupt, and I set out my way to prove I’m wrong.
The Wolf of Franchises:
All right. So you started with one. And how did you approach financing the franchise? That’s a big kind of question mark for a lot of people is do they use all their cash if they have it?
Joe Johnson:
Yeah, I hear it from a lot of potential franchisees every day. There are a lot of options out there. Maco at that point was trying to push the SBA loans. That’s a great program for some folks. I did conventional financing. I had some money put away from my time in the military and stuff. I bought the property and then I financed the building we constructed.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Great. Okay. All right. So you’re saying too, then you own the real estate the Mako sits on, I
Joe Johnson:
Own all my real estate, all fore sites.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Beautiful. That’s an advantage in it in and of itself.
Joe Johnson:
Huge. The franchises will come and go. I mean, the franchisor will sell somebody a franchise next door to you if you’re not careful, but they can’t replace the dirt.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Yeah, yeah. No, I love that. All right, so you get that first maco, and obviously it gets off to a hot start. And what was the kind of progression like to location number two?
Joe Johnson:
So MACO was acquired by another holding private equity group. It had monarchy in their portfolio already. Back then, I think it was the carousel group was the private equity group that bought ’em out. And Mako, a monarchy are sitting here together. There was a monarchy here in Myrtle Beach that was going bankrupt. And I got a call from franchise sales and don’t you want to do a monarchy? And I didn’t think I want to do a monarchy, but I saw the synergy involved because I sent a lot of cars out of Mako to have mechanical repairs done. So the synergies there went and studied real hard on why the franchisee was failing, and it was very easily seen that he was just a poor franchisee. So we bought that building and that franchise and started with one monarchy, and then two years later built a brand new one on the other side of town, and now we have two monarchies.
The Wolf of Franchises:
So I guess when you’re analyzing that underperforming franchisee in Meineke, what are you seeing that says, okay, this is just an operator who, who’s not doing things right versus, my question would’ve been, is this a market problem? Is there something in Myrtle Beach that’s just, we can’t support this location?
Joe Johnson:
Oh, you’re exactly right. Is it a market issue or is it a franchisee operator issue? This one was clearly a franchisee operator issue. The market here in Myrtle Beach is growing. I’m sure everybody knows what Myrtle Beach, if you read the papers and believe them, we’re like second fastest growing area in the country right now. Yeah, a lot of folks moving now from the north of Northeast, and that’s been going on the whole time. When I was a small kid, we’ve come to Myrtle Beach for vacations. There was nothing here. And now it’s a huge place and continues to grow. But I did a lot of research to make sure this was a viable location, and it was just a, the owner issue.
The Wolf of Franchises:
And so you go from one maco to that monarchy, and you said you built another Meineke on the other side of town as well?
Joe Johnson:
Yep. Two years later, I have one more license for the monarchy for the location. Probably going to hold off a little longer with the way the employee environment is right now. It, it’s hard. Labor is hard. I’m sure everybody has the same issue. Labor and parts are an issue right now.
The Wolf of Franchises:
So the supply chain, which is making major headlines in every industry, that’s assuredly impacting you as well.
Joe Johnson:
Exactly.
The Wolf of Franchises:
And what was the exact timeline, if you can recall where? So 2005 is maco number one, and then what years are the two Meineke in?
Joe Johnson:
We’re on what year? 10 right now. So 2012.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Okay.
Joe Johnson:
I did the two monies. 2010, the first monarchy in 2012. The second monarchy. Yes.
The Wolf of Franchises:
When you bought into maco, was your thought to always build a synergy to cover kind of the different areas?
Joe Johnson:
No, that kind of fell in my lap because of the private equity group buying out and having Maco monarchy and now Driven Brands owns Mako monarchy, and they have a whole portfolio of other franchises, one of which I just purchased another one at 800 Radiator. I bought that four years ago. And the idea there was a synergy to supply myself. Parts 800 radiator does AC condensers, fuel pumps, exhaust expanding lines all the time.
The Wolf of Franchises:
So that’s supplying the parts to your Meineke locations,
Joe Johnson:
MI Monarchy and the Mako.
The Wolf of Franchises:
And the Mako.
Joe Johnson:
I hope to expand the lines more and do more supply. But the other side of the coin is I’m supplying my competitors, which is interesting, but Oh yeah. Wow. Anybody understands them? I do. And it’s actually a great thing because I actually get what they’re looking for.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Interesting. Okay. And are those big name brands more local? Just Myrtle Beach. Well
Joe Johnson:
Know we supply everything. I supply the the regional guys the good years. There’s a lot of regional change in small Mind Pops. Yeah, we, we’ve got a lot of customers and some of the Coat folks don’t get the joke and resist because it’s me. But when they look at the prices and my delivery and I win them over every time.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Amazing. All right. So I want to kind of dive into that. I mean, cause I, I love this strategy and I hear you that maybe part of it fell into your lap, but the way it stands today is, right, you can service folks who need a paint job, any repair after an auto collision. You’re doing everything under the hood through Mindy, right? Oil, tires, brakes, things like that. And then you’re also selling the parts through 1-800-RADIATOR to both those businesses. So you kind of are vertically integrated in the car industry. And I guess just right off the bat, I mean aside from I would imagine more bottom line profit for you, but as an operator, what kind of advantages have you gotten from that you didn’t have when you just owned one? Mako?
Joe Johnson:
I could control my destiny. Now I’m not at the whim of a outsider doing some things for me. I’m not the whim of the parts supply house. I’m not the whim of the mechanical shop. If I need to get a front end alignment done on a front end collision at Maco and on the other side of the house, cars come into monarchy every day that need body work. We’ve done a real good job of integrating and convincing folks to go to maco, get body work done. It works both ways.
The Wolf of Franchises:
I love it. So you’re saying y you’re between your brands essentially? Correct.
Yeah. Okay. So I mean that, that’s like to me, a lot of people, especially on Twitter, were on pretty active obsess over what they call the lifetime value of a customer and that customer acquisition cost. And when you vertically, or I guess this is more of a horizontal integration, when you have all these different services, your customer acquisition cost is just lower and you’re increasing the lifetime value because once you get ’em into Meineke, theoretically you can get ’em over to Meko if they need services there. And then the parts that the maco or the Meineke are using for that customer is also your profit. So it’s a super interesting model.
Joe Johnson:
And MACO and Mechy Driven Brands has done a good job with a credit card system for 0% financing with both the names on the card and trying to cross folks over from both brands. It’s been very successful.
The Wolf of Franchises:
What do you mean by that? That’s for you guys offering financing for jobs,
Joe Johnson:
Correct? Correct.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Oh, interesting. So it’s the same program that you can offer Adam, Ike, and Amma?
Joe Johnson:
Correct.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Amazing. Okay. Yeah, I mean that’s a huge value add. Do you see, are your competitors able to offer that or no, because they’re more standalone service lines? Well, they’re,
Joe Johnson:
Everybody’s got the 0% financing, but they’re all standalone. Ours are co-branded, and when you start doing the branding, there are some franchisees in the Mako House and the Monarchy House that resist and don’t get it, but they’re missing the point. It’s what you just said. If I can acquire the customer and keep them in both brands, it’s so much cheaper and better.
The Wolf of Franchises:
What do Shaq, Venus Williams and Drew Brees have common, aside from sports, they’ve all made millions from investing in franchises. And now that opportunity is available to anyone with F Shares. You can invest anywhere from 500 to $500,000 to earn passive income from franchises. They’ll carefully build, manage, and grow your franchise portfolio. So all you have to do is sit back and receive your check each month plus a lump sum when the portfolio sells. The wait list is growing fast. So don’t miss out join thousands of other investors and start passively investing in [email protected]. I’m curious too, so from a hiring perspective, do you kind of brand your whole operations as sort of a house of car brands, meaning you just kind of use all three companies as a magnet for labor and then depending on the interest of the applicant, you can push ’em to whichever business works?
Joe Johnson:
It’s an opportunity. Yes. I’ve been successful in moving some folks around in management especially, but techs are individually and specialized. But it does give me more opportunity to move folks around and promote from within and give them more opportunity. Yes, I’ve got a gentleman that’s been with me for better part of 14 years who’s moved up from the lowest of my ranks to a manager of one of my stores, and he’ll be my next general manager if the other general manager decides to quit or if I expand more.
The Wolf of Franchises:
And I guess just on hiring then, so do you make that point to new hires that this is a broader system, it’s not just one minus key or one make right? That there’s four businesses today and that they have that upward mobility if they perform?
Joe Johnson:
Yes. And that does entice some, but this labor market is just, it’s such a struggle. It’s impossible at times, but we just got through a little spurt of hiring folks. I’m hoping that things are going to get better here in the next few months with the price of gas. I don’t think these folks can live at home on three or $400 bucks a week. They’re going to go back to work. And as they go back to work, we’ll all be a little better off, I hope.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Yeah, I think it’s telling too, right, that you have four businesses, which in theory, you would make it easier than just someone who owns one, that you can leverage that scale to attract more labor. But even if you’re having problems, then it’s tough out there.
Joe Johnson:
It’s a good thing, not a bad thing.
The Wolf of Franchises:
So you owned the real estate on each location. Would you have gone through with these franchises without that ability, would you hold off on building until you could find a spot for your locations that you were definitely able to purchase and own the real estate on
Joe Johnson:
Everybody’s situation is different. I encourage folks, and I get a lot of calls for potential franchisees and franchises that are flipping every day existing franchises. Owning the real estate is your true value in this system. But there are guys who just can’t swing it, can’t get financed. But I would at least say, if you can’t buy the property, do a lease with an option to purchase for goodness sake, that’s your real value.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Yeah, no, for sure. And it’s certainly market dependent,
Joe Johnson:
Right?
The Wolf of Franchises:
Yeah. Just I am based in the Northeast and real estate’s incredibly expensive in certain markets, so it’s tough to find even a landlord, even if you could afford it, a landlord that’s going to be willing to give it up.
Joe Johnson:
Well, if the space is available, I know guys in New York, they, there’s no space available. You have to buy an existing structure, right? Yeah. Cause they own a new piece of property to build a building on. Exactly.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Correct. But I mean obviously that’s the dream, what you said, right? Owning the dirt and then owning the business on top of that. It’s a killer combination. And one of your locations too, right? You have a car wash on as well, is that correct? Got a
Joe Johnson:
Car wash on one of ’em? Yes.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Is That the Mako or the Chy?
Joe Johnson:
One of the Minear keys has a car wash on it? Yes.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Okay. So, so in reality that’s five businesses if we’re going to throw that in, not franchised, of course, but I am curious, so how do you, what pros and cons, I suppose, to what you can do with the car wash where the, you are the top dog, right? You’re the boss there. There’s no franchisor who can tell you what to do. Is there, if any pros and cons to that, you now think, Hey, this is better. I prefer this operating structure where I don’t over franchisor.
Joe Johnson:
Well, the only part of that you discussed, I mean, being the boss, we’re the boss at our franchise as well. We have a franchise our way to work with. But I would like to say we work with them and at times they think they’re our boss. Yes. But the only thing real benefit I see is not paying the franchise fee, but by the same token that carwash is an independent name. The franchises carry the Mako name or the monarchy name that will bring you business as well. So it’s pros and cons. Yes, the fees are the biggest pro.
The Wolf of Franchises:
That makes sense. Yes. So I guess, cause I know sort driven brands, the holding company for Meco, Meineke, and the other brands you own, they do have a carwash brand. What was kind of your thought process where you’ve had a good experience with these other brands that Driven owns? I would imagine they’ve inquired, Hey, do you want to turn this into our driven brands carwash as well? What was your thought process there?
Joe Johnson:
They’re already talking about that. And that’s interesting. There are some other benefits with the franchise system purchasing materials, products. You could save some money there too. Yeah. So yeah, we used to say on the Meco side, I saved so much money on paint cost, it paid for my franchise fees. Not so much these days, but if they can offer something like that, some buying power, some benefits like that. There you go. That’s why I would jump in. I don’t see that happening with the current hierarchy though, to be honest with you.
The Wolf of Franchises:
And I think an important distinction too for the car wash, right, is you acquired an existing one, correct? Right,
Joe Johnson:
Right.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Yeah. So I do have a question about the brand of the power of carwash. From knowing what you know of operating a business like a MACO versus a carwash where because there are, and I’ve gotten this question a few times, people interested in carwash franchises. To me it feels a bit like a commodity service. There’s no huge opportunity, and I could be wrong to innovate with technology and the is no major customer service play. I mean, do you feel that brand has a big role to play for a car wash?
Joe Johnson:
I see it has a big, big role to play just because the Mako name, everyone knows the Maco name. A lot of folks we just discussed earlier about folks moving to Myrle Beach from up north. They know the Mako name, they know the monarchy name. So that brings brand loyalty as well. So if you’ve got two car washes sitting side by side, one’s a brand name, one’s a mom and pop operation, I would imagine the brand name would garner a lot more business.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Yeah, okay. Fair enough. No, I mean, yeah, I suppose you’re right. Just to at scale, if people are familiar with something, they’re probably going to gravitate towards that.
Joe Johnson:
And also, we have a lot of tourists in my areas. So the tourists, and they’re going to leave town. They want to use a brand name, not much, much the car wash, but with the other brands we’re talking about, because they can get the warranty to transfer home with them too, wherever they go back home to.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Oh, true. Okay. Yeah, no, that’s a huge benefit just to have that maneuverability on the business. So I mean, you’re at four or including the carwash five businesses, but do you have plans to expand further in Myrtle Beach with other businesses in the auto space or what’s your expansion plan at this point?
Joe Johnson:
Yeah, automotive after market’s huge. And it’s not going anywhere for the next 30 years, much to the chagrin or some other folks thinking that <laugh> electric cars will take over. But yeah, I’d like to see some more expansion. But like I said to you earlier, when this labor market gets worked out a little better, supply chain is working a little better, it’s time to advance. Right now, if I wanted to build a new building, I don’t know if I get a new building out of the ground with the supply chain issues. I’ve got several friends that are trying to get buildings finished for other businesses that are sitting there waiting on glass windows, waiting on doors. Wow. I got a friend who’s waiting on a paint booth right now, so everything is challenged. So I don’t know that I’d want to take that on. If you got a building halfway out of the ground and you’re paying interest on the note, if you had to borrow money, you’d be in trouble right now.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Yeah, no, I hear you. And I mean, thinking back to what now from when you started back in 2005, if someone’s thinking about franchising, do you recommend the multiple businesses in the same industry play building up a synergistic portfolio?
Joe Johnson:
I’d like to think I’ve been successful with it. I know a lot of guys, and we’re seeing more and more multi-brand in the different brands family right now. I’ve got several friends have approached me and spent some time and they’re doing Mako and monarchy plays. I don’t think anybody’s doing a three play like I am yet, but there are some guys looking hard at it as well. It’s a good idea and it also gives you some reliability with the dips in the market. macOS a great example. When the economy’s doing well, people buying new cars, they’re giving their second cars to their kids to go to college with or whatever, use car markets alive and well. When the economy’s bad, you can’t get a new car. Right now everyone’s fixing up the old cars, so we’re good to go. Same thing with Miney. We’re seeing a lot of older cars, but the synergy of me supplying my own parts and the parts warehouse is huge.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Yeah, no, definitely. The biggest takeaway for me is the fact that you can control your own destiny with a customer, and it just gives you a lot more options if you have. So is this scenario accurate where you have someone for an auto collision repair, they need some parts under the hood fixed, and maybe it’s a time sensitive thing for the customer that you can kind of push ’em to the front of the line at your monarchy?
Joe Johnson:
Oh yeah. And we sell a lot of brake jobs out of Maco. People come in, their brakes are squealing. It’s hilarious, and you’re like, you need your brakes fixed, your pads are gone. I get it done while the car’s here at the same time, and we’ll just move the carver to monarchy, get the work done, get it back here, get the work finished at Meko one bill. They’re out the door and they’re happy.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Yeah, I mean, I love that because as a franchise owner, it’s a huge win for you that you get to do that and right for the customer at the end of the day too. It’s a better experience. So to me that’s just it’s good business in reality and all right, so r wrapping up here, Joe, if someone’s just getting into franchise and they’re starting to look at different franchises, given that you’ve been operating for, we’re getting close to 20 years here, multiple franchises, just what’s your best piece of advice when they’re trying to figure out what brand’s right for them in their market?
Joe Johnson:
Do your homework. You were talking about earlier that the research and the marketplace, the research and the service. If you’re doing a service industry, go spend some time with a current franchise, ER two or three. I always encourage people to call me, go spend some time. If you can’t get to my store, get to somebody’s store, spend a week and make sure it’s actually something you want to do. I can’t tell you the number of people I’ve seen get into these franchises and then two weeks, two months, two years later realize this is not for me and they lose everything, or they sell and lose money or whatever it is. Just go do the homework and make sure it’s an industry you want to work in. This isn’t for everyone, obviously. What I do is not for everyone. Some weeks I spend 20 hours a week, some weeks I spend 50 hours a week doing this. It’s a challenge sometimes, but the research is the biggest thing. And go see some good franchisees, the franchisor’s going to give you those names and then go search out some bad franchisees too, <laugh>, find a guy that’s not successful. He’ll tell you a lot of bad things granted, but you’ll also learn the pitfalls of not what or what not to do as well.
The Wolf of Franchises:
I love that. And I think for folks who are new to franchisees, listening to this ad, a certain step in your due diligence process with any franchise, and I know this, I’ve worked with seven or eight different brands and just, it’s a small industry. So I’ve been in touch with tons of other brands, and you always get an opportunity as a buyer to speak to existing franchisees before you make a decision. And what Joe said is very true. For better or worse, that’s what every brand does, is they are very eager to provide you with the top performing franchisees. But it’s up to you to really, like you said, do your homework. Reach out to multiple levels of performing franchisees at the bottom, in the middle, at the top, and give yourself that well-rounded picture so that you kind of understand the potential outcomes for you. But look, Joe, this has been awesome. I’m really glad I was able to get you on. I think it’s a super awesome portfolio you’ve built, and I’m hoping you can continue to expand your empire down there in Myrtle Beach. Is there anywhere if you’re online, that people can find you or you kind of keep off the grid?
Joe Johnson:
I’m off the grid for the most part. I do the Facebook thing. I dropped off of LinkedIn after getting hacked. <laugh>, real active with that, but I’m too busy flying air my airplane and fishing right now. I don’t want to be online much.
The Wolf of Franchises:
I don’t blame you, man. That sounds a lot better. All right, well, hey appreciate you coming on, Joe, and we’ll talk soon.
Joe Johnson:
Thank you, sir.
The Wolf of Franchises:
Thanks for listening to Franchise Empires. We’re coming to you soon with actionable insights to take the next step on your franchise journey. So make sure to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen.