How Franchise Today Was Built—Live, Unfiltered, and Under Pressure

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Summary

Franchise Today did not begin as a polished podcast… farfrom it.   — it began as a live radio show in the middleof the Great Recession of 2009.

In this special episode, Paul Segreto and Stan Friedmanlook back on the early days of Franchise Today, one of, if not the very first podcasts dedicated to franchising.

From guests broadcasting live from their cars during federalbuilding lockdowns, to last-minute cancellations that mysteriously seemed to occur around Wednesdays at noon Eastern, (our weekly "go-live" time, for new episodes to drop.

To say the show was built amid constant chaos, would be an understatement.  Yet through technical failures, live-showpressure, and industry upheaval, Franchise Today evolved into the a trusted platform that it is today: covering franchising, finance, legal issues, and entrepreneurship.

Paul also shares how more than 40 years in franchising and2,600+ published articles  have shaped his mission today through "Accelerate Success America" — helpingentrepreneurs understand the fundamentals franchising often fails to teach, including P&L management, business ownership realities, and franchisee wellbeing.

This conversation also explores why franchising mustprioritize education, community engagement, and continuous customer experience — and why kindness, empathy, and mental health matter more than ever on today’sfranchise landscape.

 Paul Segreto, this week on Franchise Today.