Franchise Whispering

About Franchise Whispering

Franchise Whispering is the podcast from Franchise Marketing News that goes beyond the headlines to explore what’s really shaping growth in franchising today. Hosted by FMN Board member Bob McKay, CEO of McKay Advertising and Activation, each episode features candid conversations with franchisors, franchise executives, marketers, operators, and industry insiders who are driving innovation across franchise marketing, development, and brand strategy. From scaling systems and supporting franchisees to navigating emerging technology, consumer behavior shifts, and industry change, Franchise Whispering delivers real insight from the people inside the business. This is not surface-level commentary or recycled advice. It’s a thoughtful, experience-driven discussion designed for franchise leaders who want to understand not just what is happening in the industry, but why it matters and what to do next. New voices. Real stories. Smarter franchise marketing.

Publisher

Franchise Marketing News

Category

business · business · news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Jan 2026

Latest episode

11 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

27 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   11 Sept 2026

   Trust, TikTok and the Death of the Slick Testimonial: Rethinking Franchise Marketing with Joel Kleber

   What if the best franchise salesperson you have is a 74-year-old introvert who hates being on camera? In this episode of the Franchise Whispering Podcast, host Bob McKay sits down with Joel Kleber, CMO of Australia's Jim's Group, to unpack how relentless organic content rebuilt trust in a business model the local media loves to tear down. Australia and New Zealand are the most heavily franchised markets per capita in the world, and after a high-profile Seven-Eleven scandal painted franchising...

2. 

   4 Sept 2026

   Guests, Not Customers: The Hospitality Mindset That Wins with Jeffery Smith

   When did you last see a manager in the dining room? In this episode of the Franchise Whispering Podcast, host Bob McKay sits down with Jeffery Smith, COO of Peterbrooke Chocolatier and President of JSR Management and Business Consultants, for a conversation about the thing so many brands quietly abandoned during COVID: the human touch. Everyone raced to go digital, and Jeff argues the smart brands are the ones now circling back to hospitality as their real competitive edge. Drawing on more th...

3. 

   28 Aug 2026

   CX as a Mindset, Not a Platform: Turning Guest Feedback into Brand Loyalty with Evan Pardue

   Is customer experience a platform, or a mindset? In this episode of the Franchise Whispering Podcast, host Bob McKay sits down with Evan Pardue, newly named Senior Director of Marketing and Brand for Condado Tacos, to unpack how a fast-growing taco brand turned guest feedback into its biggest competitive edge. After doubling in size to 53 locations across 10 states, Condado discovered just how fragmented its customer experience had become, and set out to fix it, values first. Evan shares how ...

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.