Franchising expert Mark Siebert, founder of iFranchise Group, joins Jeff Dudan on Unemployable to reveal what makes a franchise truly scalable — and why franchising remains the most powerful wealth-creation model for small business owners. With 40 years of experience advising over 500 brands — including McDonald’s, Subway, and Ace Hardware — Mark shares the insider checklist for determining if your concept is ready to franchise, what it really costs to grow, and why discipline, leadership, and sound economics separate the winners from the failures. They explore: The 3 criteria every franchise must meet before scaling Why management quality outweighs concept quality Common traps new franchisors fall into The real cost of aggressive growth Private equity’s new role in franchising Global franchise trends — and why international expansion fails How AI and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) are reshaping the future of franchising

📘 Mark’s Book: Franchise Your Business — The Guide to Employing the Greatest Growth Strategy Ever 🌐 Learn more at iFranchiseGroup.com 🎙️ More of Jeff Dudan and. his companies at: JeffDudan.com | HomefrontBrands.com 💬 If you’re considering franchising your business in 2025, this conversation is a must-listen. 00:00 Intro — Who Is Mark Siebert? 01:41 Is Franchising the Greatest Wealth Model? 02:55 The 3 Things Every Franchise Needs 05:05 Why Mark Siebert Chose Franchising 06:00 Building iFranchise Group 09:40 What Makes Great Franchise Brands 14:14 The Importance of Discipline in Growth 17:46 The Real Cost of Becoming a Franchisor 22:06 Why Speed = Capital Requirement 25:01 Franchise Marketing Costs and Lead Conversion 27:17 Private Equity’s Impact on Franchising 34:56 Do Founders Still Matter? 39:45 Global Franchising Trends & Challenges 46:19 Best International Markets for Expansion 47:48 What’s Happening in Dubai 51:22 Franchise Your Business (Book Overview) 53:13 The Future of Franchising & AI 56:46 Setting Fees and Royalty Structures Right 1:00:22 iFranchise Group’s Expert Team 1:02:11 Mark’s Curveball & Fastball Questions 1:03:39 One Sentence of Life Advice 1:04:42 Closing Thoughts from Jeff Dudan #UnemployablePodcast #JeffDudan #MarkSiebert #Franchising #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #FranchiseDevelopment #FranchiseConsulting #iFranchiseGroup #SmallBusiness #WealthBuilding #HomefrontBrands #BusinessStrategy #FranchiseModel #Leadership

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