My Franchise Journey / My Story
I grew up in a tiny northern Minnesota town of just 350 people, raised by a hardworking single dad juggling time and money to raise two wild boys. My brother and I had the freedom to explore and push boundaries daily—something that shaped my entrepreneurial spirit from the start.
My brother was my first inspiration. He was born with that entrepreneurial mindset, and I quickly followed suit. Even when working for others, I always had some kind of side business running. But my true passion emerged at 15 when I discovered the fitness industry. Maybe it was all those “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” videos I watched as a five-year-old (who knows?), but that business chose me, not the other way around. I devoured everything fitness-related I could find.
That journey led me to a small startup franchise called Anytime Fitness when they had fewer than 50 locations. That’s when everything clicked—franchising would be my forever future. During my 12 years there, I was fortunate to work with the best legal minds in franchising and witness a system go through countless transformations and adaptations.
In my twenties, I took the leap from employee to franchisee, investing my own money, signing that personal guarantee, and experiencing those sleepless nights that only a business owner truly understands. I remember the mix of exhilaration and terror on my day one of ownership, wondering if anyone would actually walk through the door. I’ve sweated payroll, navigated challenging landlord relationships, hired (and sometimes fired) employees, and understood firsthand what it means when they say “the buck stops here.” This experience wasn’t just theoretical—it was my livelihood, my future, and at times, my greatest stress and my greatest joy.
Working inside a rapidly growing franchise system while simultaneously living the franchisee experience gave me insights you simply can’t get from one side alone. I’ve felt the impact of corporate decisions on my bottom line and understood both the frustrations and the benefits of being part of a larger system. When I speak with potential franchisees today, I’m not speaking from theory—I’m speaking from life.
When the opportunity came to move on, I joined another incredible startup called Code Ninjas. There, I focused on growth, helping take the brand from zero to 700 territories awarded and 400 locations open across three countries in just five years. This small-town Minnesota kid was suddenly working with people from around the world and traveling to places I never imagined I’d see.
But my biggest “aha” moment didn’t come from success or even when my childhood icon Richard Simmons sang to me personally (yes, that actually happened—I nearly cried!). It came when my brother passed away. That profound loss made me see everything differently. I realized I could continue excelling in corporate roles, but what truly drives me is coaching and guiding entrepreneurs. The deep joy I gain from the success stories of the thousands of franchisees I’ve coached pushes me to dig deeper with everyone I work with.
Since 2017, I’ve been blessed to place over 800 franchisees through my work in franchise development. My two decades of franchise experience come with extreme dedication and loyalty—not just to the process, but to the dreams and ambitions of the people I serve. That’s the commitment I bring to every entrepreneur I work with today.