Most franchisors think growth comes from selling more franchises. The best franchisors know it comes from listening to the people already in the system.

In this episode of Franchise Secrets, Erik Van Horn explores one of the biggest leadership mistakes founders make: seeking to be understood before seeking to understand. From vanity metrics and franchise support to advisory councils and franchisee feedback, Erik shares practical lessons on building a stronger, healthier franchise system.

If you're a franchisor, franchise executive, or founder considering franchising your business, this episode will challenge how you think about leadership, growth, and long-term success.

In this episode you'll learn:

Why franchise sales can be a misleading metric

The difference between supporting franchisees and simply growing the system

How top franchisors use franchisee feedback

Why "seek first to understand" changes everything

The question every franchisor should ask themselves

Timestamps:

00:00 Why franchisees deserve your attention

02:31 The two ways franchisors think about growth

05:49 Questions every founder should ask

08:01 Why franchise sales are a vanity metric

09:51 Free resources for franchisors & franchisees

11:00 Seek first to understand

14:26 The annual feedback exercise every franchisor should try

17:25 Turning franchisee feedback into action

19:19 Why founders must stay connected to franchisees

21:09 The question every franchisor should ask themselves

22:53 Why your sounding board matters

24:31 Final thoughts

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

Resources Mentioned:

🔹 Franchise Secrets Facebook Group:

https://FranchiseSecrets.com/Facebook

🔹 Learn More About Scalable Franchise:

https://ScalableFranchise.com

#Franchising #FranchiseLeadership #FranchiseBusiness

Your Franchisees Are Trying to Tell You Something...

Franchise Secrets Podcast

Your Franchisees Are Trying to Tell You Something...