Franchising in 2026: Choosing the Right Franchise and Avoiding Costly Mistakes with Franzy Co-Founder Alex Smereczniak

S6:E9

Pattern Discussed: Borrowed credibility, unearned trust. A founder attaches themselves to a “known” brand, platform, or business model and assumes it will carry visibility and trust, but the local operator work that actually earns belief (standards, reputation, community proof, consistency) still has to happen. How it keeps good businesses unseen, untrusted, underpaid, or underperforming: it creates a quiet mismatch between what the audience expects and what they experience, so people hesitate, churn, or never refer. Why it shows up across many businesses: I hear this across franchises, startups, and service businesses: people buy “brand” or “marketing,” then discover the real differentiator is still execution, clarity, and credibility signals at the ground level.

Loralyn Mears, PhD, aka “Dr. LL,” brings you thoughtful conversations with entrepreneurs and small business leaders navigating visibility, leadership, and growth. Thank you for being here.

Overview There’s a quiet frustration many owners do not say out loud: you can do “the right things,” spend real money, and still feel like momentum never arrives. Sometimes the issue is not effort, it’s the assumption that a name, a model, or a platform will do the trusting for you. Across hundreds of conversations, Dr. LL keeps hearing the same underlying tension: people want a clearer path, but they keep getting sold shortcuts. This episode sits right in that gap.

👤 Guest: Alex Smereczniak Franzy Franchising education, franchise matching, and business ownership pathways

⚠️ Core Problems Discussed: - The myth of “passive” franchise income and what ownership actually requires - How “brand” reduces some risk, but does not remove execution risk - The broken incentives in parts of the franchise-broker ecosystem and how buyers get misled

🧠 The Bigger Pattern Dr. LL Sees: Across business models, a recurring credibility trap shows up: people borrow authority (a brand, a system, a market trend) and assume it will translate into trust, sales, and stability. But customers and communities still decide based on the proof they can feel locally: standards, consistency, reputation, and clarity. Challenges that surfaced in this episode: - Confusing “de-risked” with “effortless” - Underestimating how much operator quality protects (or damages) trust - Following incentives that benefit intermediaries more than the buyer

🥡 Practical Takeaways: - Treat franchising like a major life decision, not an “asset class” shortcut - Evaluate fit as much as brand, your skills and the model must align - Look for transparency in incentives, avoid pathways that hide who profits from your choice

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:02:25 Franchising is not mailbox money

00:04:14 What happens when a franchisee hurts the brand

00:10:06 The real value of built-in peer community

00:14:42 Why Franzy was built and what it fixes 00:23:14 “Balance” vs “harmony” for founders

🔖 Who This Episode Is For: Small business owners who feel stretched thin Consultants and coaches building trust online Solopreneurs who feel stuck or unseen

✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship

🔁 Share this episode with someone who needs to be heard

Follow STEERus on social media:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Midlifesuccess

Instagram: https://instagram.com/steerus

Facebook: https://facebook.com/steerus

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/steerus

TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@steerus 

#entrepreneur #smallbusiness #franchise #growth