What separates great franchise founders from the ones who hold brands back? In this unfiltered episode, Erik Van Horn and Bobby Brennan break down: -The traits elite founders all share -The biggest red flags Erik sees behind the scenes -Why "franchisee-first" founders always win -How to succeed even if your brand doesn't have a strong founder -The mindset shift founders MUST embrace ("It's not my fault, but it's my problem") -Why honesty, transparency, and problem-solving beat charisma and hype every time -How the best founders build trust with franchisees -What happens when ego gets in the way of growth Whether you're a franchisee evaluating leadership, a founder trying to improve, or part of a growing system, this episode is PACKED with insider truths you won't hear anywhere else. Timestamps: 00:00 – People are people: why founders and franchisees both make mistakes 00:47 – Why this episode exists: what Bobby has learned from 20+ founders 02:15 – "Great founder vs. disaster founder" — why it matters to franchisees 03:51 – Early red flags when evaluating a founder 04:17 – The power of a clear vision + the "bridge" analogy 05:16 – The problem with visionary founders hiring clones 05:44 – Why founders need charisma AND scars 06:37 – Hard times create seasoned leaders 07:33 – Behind closed doors: the questions Front Street gets to ask 09:49 – Franchisee-focused founders vs. bottom-line founders 11:37 – The integrity test: Item 7, Item 19, and honesty 13:25 – Ego, feedback, and what founders must get right 16:07 – The rough-around-the-edges founder who became a rocket ship 18:21 – Why selling "the hard truth" builds stronger franchisees 19:50 – The problem-solving mindset: "It's not my fault, but it's my problem" 21:40 – What GREAT founders do every day 25:30 – Who gets credit for success? (Spoiler: not the franchisor) 27:05 – How the best founders deal with unfair criticism 30:46 – How founders build trust 34:47 – Trust killers: legal letters, pointing to the FA, hiding problems 36:48 – Do the best founders invest in coaching and mastermind groups? 41:53 – How two top founders grew in totally different ways 45:49 – Why franchise brands must lean into AI NOW 46:37 – The final takeaway: quantify the leader YOU want to follow Connect with Erik Van Horn: 🌐 Website - https://franchisesecrets.com/ 📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erikvanhorn/ 👍 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/erik.v.horn/ 💼 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanhorn/ Best Franchise Starter Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMlgRgsBAo4LWNCMSOthnK0r&si=TD1z25-ie2d23rGm https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMle5_OUXiuLbc_UPBtz1vTE&si=uCOgDya1VnnCarDf https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMk2Kw07KwZGWgF8UTx9N5_T&si=ZldjBOqFanGE-JUL #Franchising #Leadership #Founders