Business Ideas Which Pet-Related Business Should I Open? More than half of U.S. households own at least one dog, and approximately 80% of Millennials are living the dog life. The U.S. pet industry has also grown into an approximately $158 billion market. By Joanna Murray • 4 min read
Business Ideas Franchise Spotlight - Freshslice Pizza 0% Royalties. Under 1000 Square Feet. A Different Kind of QSR. This week, I’m spotlighting Freshslice Pizza, a brand I met with in Seattle. I don't usually suggest food brands to my clients, but this one is different. It's shaking up the QSR space, offering By Joanna Murray • 1 min read
Business Education The Question I Ask Before We Ever Talk About Franchises Most people expect our first conversation to be about brands. Investment levels. Industries. “What’s hot right now.” It never is. Before we talk about any franchise, I ask one simple question: “What do you want your life to look like in 3-5 years?” Not your income. Not your By Joanna Murray • 1 min read
No Evidence of Disease - and a Question That Matters This week, I received the words every cancer patient hopes to hear: “No evidence of residual, recurring, or metastatic disease.” Six months after finishing treatment, that sentence landed with a wave of relief I don’t think I can fully put into words. Gratitude. Exhaustion. Joy. A deep exhale. Cancer By Joanna Murray • 1 min read
Go Back to Who You Were Before the World Told You Who to Be I recently attended a conference where my good friend and mentor, Will Huffhine, spoke. He said something that has stayed with me long after the applause faded: Go back to who you were as a kid to find your superpower. Not your résumé. Not your job title. Not the version By Joanna Murray • 2 min read
Is AI Taking Your Job? Here’s the Solution 🤖➡️💼 We’ve all seen the headlines - massive layoffs across tech, finance, marketing, and even law. What’s driving it? Artificial Intelligence. AI is changing the rules of the game, automating tasks once thought immune to technology. The truth is, no sector is completely safe. But there is a solution - one By Joanna Murray • 1 min read
💡 The 5 Hidden Skills Corporate Leaders Already Have for Franchise Success Most professionals underestimate how ready they already are to succeed in business ownership. You’ve spent years solving problems, leading teams, and driving results — and those same skills translate directly into franchise success. Before you say, “I’m not a business owner,” take a closer look at what you already By Joanna Murray • 1 min read
The Hidden Reason Professionals Struggle to Buy a Business (and How to Fix It) This morning, while having my blood drawn, I started chatting with the phlebotomist. She mentioned that her daughter—a talented dentist with a credit score in the 800s—wanted to buy the dental practice where she worked. Everything about her background said “qualified.” But when she applied for an SBA By Joanna Murray • 1 min read
Finding the Right Recession-Resistant Brand in Today’s Economy The economy has a funny way of reminding us what really matters. With inflation pressures, higher borrowing costs, and a general sense of uncertainty, more people are asking a simple but powerful question: How do I build something stable—something that lasts—even when the economy changes? That’s where By Joanna Murray • 1 min read
There's No Such Thing as "The Best" Franchise (And That's Actually Good News) I get this question all the time: "What's the best franchise to buy?" Here's the thing—there isn't one. And honestly? That's exactly what makes franchising so powerful. The Search for "Best" Is Missing the Point Think about By Joanna Murray • 2 min read
You Don’t Need Piles of Cash to Own a Franchise If you’ve been daydreaming about leaving corporate life and owning something of your own… let’s talk about the question that stops most people before they even start: “How would I pay for it?” Here’s the truth: most franchise owners don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars By Joanna Murray • 1 min read
🎓 Recent Grads: The Job Market is Tough, But Here's an Alternative Worth Considering The numbers don't lie – unemployment hit 4.3% in August, and things are "drastically harder" for new job seekers entering the market today. With just 22,000 new jobs created last month (well below expectations), recent college graduates are facing one of the most challenging job By Joanna Murray • 2 min read
