Ever feel like you’re sprinting toward your next location only to realize you picked the wrong site? Or maybe you’re overanalyzing every option and missing out altogether? In this no-notes, off-the-cuff episode, Kyle opens up about a last-minute guest cancellation that turned into something even better: a raw, honest breakdown of the tension between moving fast and moving smart when growing a franchise. Packed with real stories, hard-earned lessons, and a tactical framework you can actually use, this one’s for every franchisee trying to balance growth with good decisions.

💡 Actionable Takeaways:
● Build your own site scoring model and stop relying on gut feel
● Prep your personal financials like a pro even if your franchisor doesn’t
● Use AI and location analytics to make better, faster real estate decisions
● Don’t spray LOIs—target, commit, and negotiate with leverage

🎯 Who This Episode Is For:
● First-time franchisees unsure when to pull the trigger
● Franchise operators stuck between urgency and uncertainty
● Growth-minded owners looking to scale without losing their shirts
● Anyone who’s tired of playing guessing games with real estate

If you enjoyed this episode, can we ask a small but mighty favor?

Taking 30 seconds to subscribe and/or leave a review truly changes everything for an independent podcast like ours.

Here's why: Each review not only makes our day (seriously, we screenshot and share them with the whole team), but it also helps new listeners discover Closed Monday when they're searching for restaurant growth content.

The algorithm gods favor podcasts with active reviews, and your words help us climb those charts and reach more operators and franchisors who could benefit from these conversations.

Whether it's a quick star rating or a few words about what you found valuable, your review helps us continue bringing you these expert conversations week after week.

Thank you for being part of our community. We're building something special here, and your support makes all the difference!

Think you need years of restaurant experience to run a successful franchise? Think again. Today, Kyle sits down with Carl Comeaux, the CEO of Crust Pizza Co., one of the fastest-growing pizza brands in the Southeast. Carl’s journeyfrom personal trainer to smoothie entrepreneur is anything but conventional. Packed with actionable insights on strategy, culturebuilding, franchising, and leadership, Carl’s story proves there’s no single path to restaurant success.

💡 Actionable Takeaways:

• Leveraging diverse experiences to drive innovative leadership

• Building and nurturing a strong, scalable company culture

• Effective franchising strategies for rapid, sustainable growth

• Common leadership pitfalls to avoid when scaling a restaurant brand

🎯 Who This Episode Is For:

• Restaurant entrepreneurs looking to scale through franchising

• Leaders seeking fresh perspectives on culture and strategy

• Anyone intrigued by non-traditional pathways to restaurant industry success

• Operators eager to learn how diverse backgrounds can fuel innovation and growth

Connect with Carl on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-comeaux-2ab87a3b/

Learn more about franchising with Crust Pizza Co.

https://www.crustfranchise.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, can we ask a small but mighty favor?

Taking 30 seconds to subscribe and/or leave a review truly changes everything for an independent podcast like ours.

Here's why: Each review not only makes our day (seriously, we screenshot and share them with the whole team), but it also helps new listeners discover Closed Monday when they're searching for restaurant growth content.

The algorithm gods favor podcasts with active reviews, and your words help us climb those charts and reach more operators and franchisors who could benefit from these conversations.

Whether it's a quick star rating or a few words about what you found valuable, your review helps us continue bringing you these expert conversations week after week.

Thank you for being part of our community. We're building something special here, and your support makes all the difference!

Still relying on gut feelings and scattered notes when selecting your restaurant’s next location? In this practical, hands-on episode, Kyle walks you through his "Location Viability Calculator and Site Tracker," tools he personally uses to guide restaurant brands to profitable, data-driven real estate decisions. Learn how to systematically assess site viability, track important details, and confidently scale your restaurant without risking what you’ve already built.

Key Conversations:

• The critical criteria you must evaluate before signing a lease

• How to remove emotional bias from your site selection process

• Leveraging free tools and resources to gather key market data

• The real cost of ignoring detailed site analysis and relying solely on broker flyers

• Why tracking and rating potential sites systematically can be the difference between success and failure

  
  

💡 Actionable Takeaways:

• Step-by-step guide to using Kyle’s custom Location Viability Calculator

• Easy-to-implement methods for gathering demographic and market-specific data

• Strategies for effectively comparing multiple potential locations side by side

• Common site-selection pitfalls and how to avoid them

  
  

🎯 Who This Episode Is For:

• Restaurant entrepreneurs looking to expand into new locations

• Operators seeking a more systematic, data-driven approach to real estate

• Multi-unit managers who need consistent tools for site evaluation

• Anyone considering signing a restaurant lease who wants to avoid costly mistakes

  
  

  Download the FREE Location Viability & Site Tracker here!

  
  

  Want a second opinion on site?

  Are you considering a site and want a Custom Site Analysis? Schedule a 15min call here - and we can talk through the details.

  If you enjoyed this episode, can we ask a small but mighty favor?

  
  

  Taking 30 seconds to subscribe and/or leave a review truly changes everything for an independent podcast like ours.

  Here's why: Each review not only makes our day (seriously, we screenshot and share them with the whole team), but it also helps new listeners discover Closed Monday when they're searching for restaurant growth content.

  The algorithm gods favor podcasts with active reviews, and your words help us climb those charts and reach more operators and franchisors who could benefit from these conversations.

  Whether it's a quick star rating or a few words about what you found valuable, your review helps us continue bringing you these expert conversations week after week.

  Thank you for being part of our community. We're building something special here, and your support makes all the difference!

  
  Thanks,

  Kyle