Welcome to The Franchise Story Podcast! Where we give you access to the stories, mindsets, and lessons learned by high performing Franchisees and the Franchise Founders behind the brands that they invested in.
Your Hosts are Erik VanHorn and Brian Holmes. We are multi – unit, multi – brand franchisees with 20+ years of experience building our own franchise businesses.
This is a niche podcast for listeners who want to hear the stories of people who have used Franchising to create businesses that provide them with freedom, control, income, and equity that aren’t available in Corporate America.
In Franchising you are in business for yourself, but not by yourself. We are not alone. There are thousands of franchisees out there just like us. This podcast is a place for all of us to learn and grow.
If you aren’t currently a Franchisee or in the Franchise Industry but have the dream of business ownership this podcast will give you insights in to the franchise industry that aren’t available anywhere else.
Erik has worked his way through the world of franchising, starting as a multi-unit franchisee outside of Kansas City with a top-rated retail franchise. He went on to expand the business to eventually owning 12 stores as well as the area development rights for Austin, Texas. Erik grew that territory from 5 stores in 2004 to 42 stores. In addition to becoming one of the company’s top new franchisees, he also helped build the parent organization by joining the franchise development team.
Believing in the franchise model and master franchise model, he purchased the rights to develop Sola Salon Studios in the Orange County market. Sola Salon Studios is an innovative salon model in which experienced stylists, estheticians, nail stylists, massage therapists and other like-minded salon professionals come together under one roof to take their careers to the next level. Erik has built 10 Sola Salons, each around 7,000 square feet, in Orange County, CA.
Most recently Erik is developing the Southern California market for both Amazing Lash Studio and SYNERGY HomeCare. Amazing Lash Studio provides eyelash extensions with the proven recurring revenue business model, and the concept is one of the fastest growing concepts in the health and beauty industry. Additionally, the SYNERGY footprint has quadrupled in the region since purchasing.
Outside of work, Erik is an every-weekend high country adventurer. Living in Black Hills of South Dakota, the land of infinite variety, he is an avid mountain biker, who also enjoys hiking and fly-fishing. And when he’s not shredding mountains or hooking lines, you can find him spending time with his family, a wife and three daughters, enjoying the great outdoors together on their horseless horse property.
