What does it really take to scale a franchise from scratch to 1,500+ locations?

Scott Abbott has built, sold, and reinvested in some of the biggest names in home services—and in this episode, he shares the raw truth behind what works and what fails in franchising. From his first business at 15 to navigating a private equity roll-up, this conversation is packed with insight for any entrepreneur or franchise rookie.

🚨 Whether you're exploring your first concept or already scaling, this is a masterclass in long-term growth, leadership, and living a life by design.

⏱ Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & Snowboarding Story
01:08 – Scott’s First Business at Age 15
04:37 – Cold Calling Retailers as a Teen
06:17 – The Birth of “Bass Brothers Fishing”
09:22 – First Lessons in Value Creation
10:05 – The Business That Failed (And Why)
11:58 – How Five Star Painting Was Born
13:26 – What Made Their Marketing Work
14:57 – Scaling Through a Call Center
16:49 – The “Feed What Works” Philosophy
17:56 – How Many Units Before Franchising
18:08 – When Scott First Learned About Franchising
19:22 – Selling Five Star Painting
21:47 – Navigating the 2008–2009 Crash
23:12 – Why He Sold to Neighborly
24:35 – Building a Franchise Platform
26:23 – “I Became Grandpa, Not Dad”
28:15 – Current Portfolio Breakdown
29:13 – System-Wide Sales & Unit Count
29:41 – Why Most M&A Deals Fail
32:18 – What Makes a Great Leader
34:26 – Aaron on Hiring Ahead of the Curve
36:26 – Should You Step Aside as CEO?
37:04 – Scott on Personal Growth
40:27 – Doing Standup Comedy to Face Fear
41:56 – How Scott Scaled His Life Alongside Business
46:02 – Planning the Next 10 Years with His Wife
47:54 – Creating a Family Mission Statement
50:44 – Building Intentional Family Traditions
55:15 – Money & the Power of Shared Experiences
58:56 – Aaron on Becoming a Ski Family
01:01:16 – Defining Great Partnerships
01:04:26 – The Watch Story: How to Celebrate Wins
01:07:57 – What’s Really Enough? The Wealth Trap
01:08:51 – Final Thoughts on Purpose, Happiness & Building for the Long Term