Athlete to Owner

09/02/2026

https://youtu.be/oQ1UJg17MG8
Jon Sieber didn't know how to play chess when he started Story Time Chess. It's now a Time Magazine winner and a mobile franchise with very little overhead.

In this episode, Alan sits down with Jon Sieber, co-founder of Story Time Chess, the mobile children's chess enrichment brand that won Toy of the Year and was named one of Time Magazine's Kids' Inventions of the Year. Jon walks through how he accidentally built a national franchise system from an unlikely background, and what he's learned about who actually succeeds in franchise ownership.

Learn why chess grandmasters make bad kids' teachers and storytellers make great ones, what "two repeatable loops" run any Story Time Chess franchise day to day, why Jon looks for mission alignment as the top criterion in a franchisee, and why "what keeps you up at night" is one of the strongest signals about how a franchisor treats the people who buy in. Whether you're exploring franchise ownership for the first time or curious how someone builds a national brand from an unexpected background, this conversation shows what actually determines success in a franchise system.

Jon Sieber didn't know how to play chess when he started Story Time...

08/29/2026

Your spouse should be in the room before you ever hear a brand name. Here are the 5 things we cover on day one — involvement, logistics, financial goals, lifestyle goals, and category fit. The goal isn't to sell you a franchise. It's to get the two of you on the same page before the vision is fully formed. 🎯

08/27/2026

She loved healthy eating. She bought a salad bar franchise. She sold it within a year. The business wasn't wrong — the fit was. Here's how to assess fit before you buy. 🥗

08/27/2026

Episode Available Here!
https://youtu.be/-zZDIWVg3tw

08/27/2026

Alan spent 14 years building ShelfGenie into a multi-million dollar exit, and neither picture matched what year one looked like. In this solo episode, he breaks down the real hours, the hiring mistakes, and the mindset shift that made the difference.

08/25/2026

https://youtu.be/-zZDIWVg3tw
Alan spent 14 years building ShelfGenie into a multi-million dollar exit, and neither picture matched what year one looked like. In this solo episode, he breaks down the real hours, the hiring mistakes, and the mindset shift that made the difference.

Alan spent 14 years building ShelfGenie into a multi-million dollar...

08/24/2026

Most people who want to own a business start with the wrong question. They ask what business to start, when the first question is which path fits them: buy an existing business, build one from scratch, or buy a franchise.
Every path has a real cost.
Join m3 on 9/9 if you’ve ever thought about business ownership. Link in my bio.

08/24/2026

Corporate feels safe — until the day it isn't. When you buy a franchise, you're not starting from scratch alone. You're joining a system designed to help you win. The real question isn't whether to take a risk — it's which risk you're choosing. 🎯

08/22/2026

I'm a huge fan of franchising. But not everyone should do it. Here are the 4 disqualifiers that separate the people who thrive from the people who flame out. ⚠️

08/21/2026

Self-doubt isn't a warning sign — it's just unfamiliarity wearing the wrong label. If you're exploring franchise ownership and wondering if you're capable, you're asking the wrong question. 🎯