In this episode, I’m joined by Ann Wiard, a Taste Buds Kitchen franchisee from Rhode Island, who turned her passion for food, education, and family experiences into a thriving business. She shares how she went from Executive Director of a soup kitchen to owning one of the most successful Taste Buds locations — earning 31% profit margins and out-earning her husband! We talk about family cooking classes, hilarious date-night stories, how she paid off her investment in 2.5 years, and why following the franchise system is the ultimate recipe for success.
In this episode, I’m joined by Ann Wiard, a Taste Buds Kitchen franchisee from Rhode Island, who turned her passion for food, education, and family experiences into a thriving business. She shares how she went from Executive Director of a soup kitchen to owning one of the most successful Taste Buds locations — earning 31% profit margins and out-earning her husband!
We talk about family cooking classes, hilarious date-night stories, how she paid off her investment in 2.5 years, and why following the franchise system is the ultimate recipe for success.
00:00 – Welcome to Eye on Franchising with Lance Graulich
01:12 – Meet Ann Wiard, Taste Buds Kitchen franchisee from Rhode Island
02:30 – Date nights, corporate events & “spicy” cooking stories
05:12 – Why Taste Buds Kitchen is a family favorite
07:48 – Teaching kids to love cooking (and eat broccoli tots!)
10:30 – Ann’s background: from soup kitchens to entrepreneurship
12:00 – Why she chose Taste Buds Kitchen over 4,000 other franchises
14:15 – Cooking camps, after-school programs & summer classes
17:00 – How much does it cost to open a Taste Buds Kitchen?
19:20 – Real numbers: $1.1M+ sales & 30% profit margins
21:45 – Ann’s journey to making $200K+ per year
24:10 – How she paid off her investment in 2.5 years
26:30 – Lessons learned: hire a general manager early
28:00 – Why some franchisees fail (and how to avoid it)
30:25 – Working with Taste Buds’ founder Jessie & the leadership team
32:40 – What kind of person thrives in this franchise
34:20 – The secret ingredient: building a passionate team
36:00 – Why Ann chose franchising instead of starting her own concept
38:10 – Advice for anyone considering a franchise
40:00 – Why talking to franchisees during validation is key
42:00 – Final thoughts & how franchising changed Ann’s life
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