In this episode of Acquisition Collective, Jay Bourgana sits down with Corey Robinson on his journey of buying franchises and scaling to 10 franchise locations. Corey reveals the highs and lows of franchise ownership from early wins to painful regrets. He shares how hidden sales tax issues, cultural missteps, and rapid acquisitions shaped his perspective on franchise investing.
This candid conversation is packed with lessons for entrepreneurs, business buyers, and M&A professionals. You’ll learn why buying franchises can accelerate your growth, how to avoid the most common pitfalls of franchise ownership, and what to watch for when expanding multiple franchise locations. Corey also explains how his attempt at an HVAC roll-up impacted his strategy and what every investor should know before diving into franchise investing.
We talk about how to:
✅ Spot the hidden risks sellers never tell you
✅ Avoid culture clashes when integrating acquisitions
✅ Leverage franchises for faster learning curves
✅ Balance growth with family and personal life
✅ Manage cash flow in capital-intensive businesses
✅ Know when to walk away to protect your portfolio
If you’re an entrepreneur, business buyer, or M&A professional, this is a must-watch.
Timestamps:
00:00 From Corporate America to First Acquisition
02:00 Why He Chose Franchise Ownership
05:00 The $90K Sales Tax Mistake
09:00 Balancing a Job, Real Estate, and a Business
12:00 The Pressure of Scaling to 6+ Stores
15:00 Lessons from Failed Integrations
18:00 Cutting Staff to Save Profitability
22:00 Toxic Culture and Turnover Challenges
25:00 The Family Intervention That Changed Everything
28:00 Chasing the Private Equity Playbook
31:00 The HVAC Roll-Up That Went Wrong
38:00 Expanding to Dallas—10 Stores in Total
42:00 ServiceTitan Implementation Disaster
49:00 Private Equity Rescue That Never Came
55:00 Closing the Doors and Moving Forward
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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-e-robinson