165. The Power of Asking | Brian Scudamore
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RSS Feed When Brian Scudamore wanted to franchise 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, about a dozen franchise experts told him it couldn't be done. Years later, with the company close to bankruptcy, he removed his COO against the advice of everyone in the business. In both cases, asking the right questions, and finding the right people, is what got him through.
In this episode:
- How the experts' Nos became the franchise model: a national brand, clean shiny trucks, friendly, uniformed drivers, and a central call center
- Why only 20% of Harvard MBA students got "the right answer" when Brian taught his own case study
- The 14-month COO hire that didn't share his vision, and the three-year turnaround that followed with 300 franchises at stake
- Why his "MBA" is a mentor board of advisors, plus 30 years in the Entrepreneurs' Organization and the Gathering of Titans
- How one hello at an International Franchise Association meeting turned into car-phone mentoring calls with Subway founder Fred DeLuca
- Free press as a growth engine: 100 franchises sold in the first year, 151 calls the day Fortune ran, and 15 months of calling to get on Oprah
Audio Timestamps:
00:00 - Why nobody calls the experts, and welcome to Part 2
01:29 - Using AI as a thought partner, and turning the experts' Nos into a franchise
08:36 - Why he never quit, and the COO hire that nearly sank the company
14:12 - Choosing people over the balance sheet, and the personal cost of the turnaround
17:59 - Marrying an entrepreneur, and the peer groups behind the business
23:43 - Building a mentor board, and how a hello led to Fred DeLuca
29:33 - Staying 100% franchised, and why keeping control mattered
34:09 - Free press as the growth engine, and how they landed Oprah
42:26 - Telling a better story, and why specifics sell
44:31 - Wrapping up the big lessons from both parts
Guest Bio:
Serial entrepreneur, Dragons’ Den investor, and author Brian Scudamore has always taken the road less travelled. At just 19 years old, he pioneered the industry of professional junk removal with 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, turning a chore people avoid into an exceptional customer service experience. Then he scaled that success into two more home-service brands, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING and Shack Shine, under theO2E Brands banner.
Connect with Brian Scudamore
https://www.linkedin.com/in/scudamore/
https://www.instagram.com/brianscudamore
https://www.facebook.com/bscudamore/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpQVYv5YMEqKZd5u7ANifYA
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Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed by guests during The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Dwayne Kerrigan and his affiliates. Dwayne Kerrigan or The Dwayne Kerrigan Podcast is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of any of the information contained in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. Listeners are advised to consult with a qualified professional or specialist before making any decisions based on the content of this podcast.
