How I Franchised This From Overseas Upbringing to Franchise Empire | Barry Meisel’s Story
Barry Meisel grew up in the Philippines as the child of missionaries, built an early career in corporate America, and then made the leap into multi-unit franchising. In this episode of How I Franchised This, host Alex Smereczniak dives into Barry’s remarkable path — from Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Fortune 50 financial services to becoming CFO of a 30-unit franchise group and ultimately owning 12 salons across Illinois and Wisconsin.
You’ll hear how Barry:
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Turned formative overseas experiences into an entrepreneurial mindset
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Built relationships that led to unexpected opportunities (and why he says “take the call, take the meeting”)
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Structured creative financing, including seller financing, to acquire existing units
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Leads and motivates a dispersed team while living hundreds of miles away
If you’re thinking about buying a franchise or moving from corporate to business ownership, this conversation is packed with practical tips, honest lessons, and inspiration.