HeyJaredFranchise Secrets Podcast
Franchising specialist Erik Van Horn reveals the secrets he uses as a franchisee, consultant, investor and entrepreneur. Join us every Tuesday to learn tactical and practical tools that will help you buy, grow, and sell franchises like an expert.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 12
- Latest publication
- Sep 22, 2026
- Audience
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- Earliest in this view
- Jul 7, 2026
Latest episodes
How the Savannah Bananas Built a Business Fans Can't Ignore (opens the original)
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The Savannah Bananas didn't become a phenomenon by following baseball's traditional rules. Jesse Cole and his wife went from sleeping on an air mattress and running out of money to building an unforgettable brand with millions of followers and a massive ticket waitlist. In this Franchise Secrets Rewind, Jesse joins Erik Van Horn to explain how the Savannah Bananas create attention, eliminate customer friction, experiment constantly, and turn ordinary customers into passionate fans. Jesse also sh
AI Is Making Franchise Buyers Confidently Wrong (opens the original)
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AI has completely changed how people research franchise opportunities—but more information doesn't always mean better decisions. In this episode, Erik Van Horn and Amy discuss how franchise buyers are using AI during the research and due diligence process, why it can create confidence in the wrong information, and why AI should be used as a tool—not the expert making the decision for you. They also look back on more than 20 years in franchising, sharing lessons about franchise ownership, sales,
How to Use AI to Grow Your Franchise (opens the original)
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Most business owners are using AI—but very few are using it to actually think better. In this episode of Franchise Secrets, Erik Van Horn sits down with Geoff Woods, author of The AI-Driven Leader, to explain why leaders need to stop treating AI like Google and start using it as a strategic thought partner. Geoff breaks down the CRIT framework for getting better results from AI, why most people are using AI to optimize low-value work, and how the 80/20 principle can help leaders focus AI on the
Why Most People in Franchising Are Using AI Wrong (And How to Fix It) (opens the original)
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AI is changing franchising fast—but most people are still barely scratching the surface of what it can actually do. In this episode of Franchise Secrets, Erik Van Horn breaks down how he's using AI across his franchise businesses right now—from analyzing opportunities and improving lead follow-up to auditing marketing, documenting processes, and building AI agents that function more like employees. Erik also explains one of the biggest mistakes he sees people making with AI: trusting its answers
Tasks vs. People: A Conversation With a Chick-fil-A Operator (opens the original)
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Most business owners are asking how AI can save them time. Chick-fil-A Operator Jon Harmeling is asking a different question: What are you going to do with the time AI gives back to you? In this episode of Franchise Secrets, Erik Van Horn sits down with Jon Harmeling to discuss how he's using AI to automate repetitive administrative work while focusing on something much bigger than efficiency: leadership. Jon explains how he uses AI to better understand and invest in his 88 team members, identif
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