Jon Ostenson on AI Proof Your Franchise The Smarter Path to Business Ownership
Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business
Release Date: 08/11/2026
What Are You Good At: Ephraim Ebstein Explains Why Hiring The Wrong People Can Put Your Business At Risk
Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business
3 Cybersecurity & Business Lessons from CEO Ephraim Ebstein of Fit Solutions: 1. Hiring is a security issue. A core values presentation filters out the wrong people — fast. Know who you're letting in. 2. IT should serve the business. If your IT team doesn't know where revenue comes from, you have a leadership problem. 3. Manage up. Don't wait to be asked. Deliver the right information proactively — to your team and your clients. --- Ephraim Ebstein is the Founder and CEO of FIT Solutions, a managed IT and cybersecurity company he built with a focus on people, accountability,...
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Lori Lipten Explains How She Discovered Her Gift As A Shamanic Medium
Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business
My massage therapist asked me what changed. I told her I'd just seen a shamanic medium. I'd known about Lori Lipten for almost 20 years before I finally booked a session. The day after my first one, she said my back felt like a kid's, no knots anywhere. I told her my dad had come through and apologized for something, and I let it go. On today's episode of Coffee with Jon, Lori Lipten talks about her journey to becoming, and being, a shamanic medium. 3 highlights: 1. Lori was on the treadmill when she felt an angel touch her forehead and say the name ""Thomas,"" a boy who'd passed away. She...
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Travis Hahler Reveals The Neuroscience Behind Why Business Transformations Fail
Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business
Here are 3 highlights from my talk with Travis D. Hahler - Sr. Director of Global Strategy and Transformation at Salesforce and founder of The Neurological Nomad. 1. Resistance isn't rebellion, it's biology.When people resist change, it's not defiance, it's neurology. Stop asking "how do I overcome resistant people." Start asking "what do they need." 2. The CRM problem is everywhere.People don't refuse new tools. They use them at the bare minimum while keeping the old way on the side as their real source of truth. That's silent resistance, not loud objection. 3. Cadence beats content.A...
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Mark Rampolla Explains Why Success Starts With The Inner Work
Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business
Mark Rampolla built ZICO, sold it to Coca-Cola, and bought it back. Here are 5 highlights from our talk: 1. It's an inside job. The difference between those who succeed and those who don't is whether they do the inner work. 2. Know your zone of genius. Double down on what you're great at and build people around you who cover the rest. 3. Become a feedback junkie. Ask after every meeting. Learn to love what you hear. 4. Check your energy before every week. Energy up, energy down, or neutral. That simple. 5. Write down the story you're telling yourself. That's where change begins. ...
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John Goldman Explains Why You Have More Control Over Your Health Than You Think
Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business
3 takeaways from my talk with John Goldman - Founder of Rebel Health Alliance 1. You have more control over your health than you think. 2. Small changes build momentum. Momentum builds a better life. 3. Invest in your health today. Your future self will thank you Connect with Jon Dwoskin: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: Website: LinkedIn: Email: Get Jon's Book: Connect with John Goldman: Website: LinkedIn: *E - explicit language may be used in this podcast
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Fabian Calvo Reveals How He Built A 48 Million Dollar Business By Staying The Course
Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business
3 takeaways from my talk with CEO Fabian Calvo - BoomRx: Keep going. Fabian hit $48M in revenue. Not fast. Not easy. But he kept going. Pick partners you like. When things get hard, you get closer, not distant. Take care of yourself first. Meditation. Fitness. Family. The oxygen mask goes on you before anyone else. --- Fabian Calvo is a longevity industry executive and pharmaceutical supply chain strategist who has built, scaled, and led multiple companies across the compounding pharmacy, API sourcing, and clinic fulfillment ecosystem. He currently serves as Interim CEO and Member of the...
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Cara Lash Reveals Why Passion Alone Is Not Enough To Build Something Great
Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business
Cara Lash left a coveted consulting job at PWC. No safety net. No guarantee. Just a belief that she was meant to build something. Here are three highlights from our Coffee with Jon conversation: 1. Do it scared. Don't wait until you're ready. You won't be. 2. Passion isn't enough. Be good at it too. When passion and talent align, that's the sweet spot. 3. Start every day with the thing you least want to do. What's the one task your dreading most? Do that first. The rest of the day gets easier. --- Cara’s love for the outdoors started long before her career did. After college, she jumped...
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Sandeep Acharya Reveals Why Solving Friction Can Transform Healthcare
Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business
Finding a therapist shouldn't feel like a second job. But for millions of Americans, it does. Sandeep Acharya saw the broken system and built Octave Health to fix it. Here are three takeaway's from our Coffee with Jon conversation: 1. Solve the friction first. Therapists couldn't take insurance easily. Patients couldn't find who was available. Sandeep didn't pick one problem — he solved both. Remove the friction and people show up. 2. Simple is hard. Do it anyway. It took five years of data and testing to make their platform truly simple. Most businesses give up and add complexity. The...
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Hamsa Yaqo And Paul Spiegelman Explain Why Curiosity May Be The Most Important Skill We Teach
Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business
What if one of the most important skills we can teach isn't academics—but curiosity, kindness, and how to get back to center? I sat down with Hamsa Yaqo and Paul Spiegelman, co-founders of Kintsugi Village, a unique early childhood learning community in Detroit focused on curiosity, creativity, life skills, and community. 3 Takeaways: 1. Curiosity is a superpower. The best learning starts with questions. 2. Life skills matter as much as academics. Kindness, communication, and emotional intelligence are foundational skills. 3. Everyone needs a calm corner. The ability to pause, reset, and...
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Chris McShanag Reveals How VAs Can Free Your Best Talent For Higher Value Work
Coffee with Jon - Think Big. Get Unstuck. Grow Your Business
3 Takeaways from my conversation with Chris McShanag, CEO of Virtual Teammate: 1. Every org chart needs a VA today. Stop paying $100/hour talent to do $10/hour work. Free them up to do higher value work. 2. Clarity drives results — not geography. A VA in the Philippines or Latin America performs when expectations and outcomes are crystal clear. That's a leadership issue, not a location issue. 3. Start with one. Scale from there. Most clients add a VA once they see it work. Begin where the pain is greatest. --- Chris McShanag has helped more than 2,500 talented virtual professionals find...
info_outlineMost people think franchising is the easy path to business ownership.
It's not. But it might be a smart path.
I sat down with John Ostenson — top 1% franchise broker and CEO of FranBridge Consulting — and here's what stood out:
3 Takeaways:
1. AI-proof your investment. The smart money is flowing into trades and home services — businesses AI can use but never replace.
2. Activity breeds activity. Stop waiting for the perfect time. It doesn't exist. Start moving toward option A or B — option C shows up when you're in motion.
3. Your first hire in that key seat can make or break everything. Good isn't good enough. One A-player running your franchise while you keep your day job changes the entire trajectory.
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Jon Ostenson is a top 1% national franchise broker, investor, author, and international speaker specializing in the area he has coined as ‘Non-Food Franchising’.
Having served as the President of an Inc. 500 franchise system and now as a multi-brand franchisee, himself, Jon is uniquely positioned to educate others on franchising and franchise selection.
Jon serves as CEO of FranBridge Consulting and has helped thousands of entrepreneurs and investors
explore business ownership and investment opportunities.
Jon is the author of the book “Non-Food Franchising’’ and is a frequent contributor
and thought leader for publications on the topic of franchising and franchise investments. Prior to
FranBridge, Jon was the President of ShelfGenie, a national franchise system with 200+ locations.
Connect with Jon Dwoskin:
Twitter: @jdwoskin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.dwoskin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejondwoskinexperience/
Website: https://jondwoskin.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jondwoskin/
Email: [email protected]
Get Jon's Book: The Think Big Movement: Grow your business big. Very Big!
Connect with Jon Ostenson:
Website: https://franbridgeconsulting.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonostenson
*E - explicit language may be used in this podcast.