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Be Good at the Hard Things | Mike Bahun's Journey from Inner City to Franchise Success

The Franchise Woman

Release Date: 07/30/2025

Be Good at the Hard Things | Mike Bahun's Journey from Inner City to Franchise Success show art Be Good at the Hard Things | Mike Bahun's Journey from Inner City to Franchise Success

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More Episodes

In this powerful episode of The Franchise Woman: Where Passion & Purpose Collide, we sit down with Mike Bahun, founder of Fundraising University. From overcoming poverty to coaching college baseball to building a national franchise, Mike shares how embracing struggle, focusing on the process, and fostering a growth mindset shaped his journey.

Mike opens up about:

How his early life fueled his passion for mentoring youth
Why he believes struggle is essential for personal and business growth
How Fundraising University helps students, teams, and franchisees develop life skills, confidence, and ownership
The importance of mental skills vs. just sports psychology in both business and athletics
His powerful message to entrepreneurs, parents, and leaders: Be good at the hard things.

Whether you're a franchise leader, coach, parent, or entrepreneur, Mike's story will challenge you to rethink how you approach struggle and success.

📲 Connect with Mike directly: [email protected]

Watch now and subscribe for more inspiring interviews!


#FranchiseSuccess #LeadershipDevelopment #GrowthMindset #SportsLeadership #Fundraising #Entrepreneurship #PurposeDrivenBusiness