Gary Findley, CEO & Founder of Stellar Service Brands

On this episode of the Modrn Business podcast, we chat with CEO of Stellar Service Brands, Gary Findley. We discuss his new book “The Red Neck CEO”, how his upbringing contributed to his success, the importance of street-smarts, the relationships he built with his employees while he was at Curves and his latest venture Stellar Service brands. Link to Gary's first episode: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/DzP5JV1TEgckBbTVA Special thanks to Monica and BizCom Associates for setting up this reunion episode! Episode Highlights ● Gary talks about how his upbringing & the values he learnt growing up in a small town contributed to his success (3:20) ● The reason behind the controversial title for his book The Red Neck CEO and why it doesn’t have a derogatory or negative meaning to him (7:41) ● Why Founders should take care of their employees (9:17) ● Why street-smarts is a necessary trait for entrepreneurs to succeed in life and business (13:32) ● The importance of your spouse trusting you and supporting your vision (20:37) ● His latest venture Stellar Service Brands and the businesses that are under the platform (23:58) ● How Stella Franchise Brand hopes to positively impact the future of franchising (28:23) ● Advice to prospective franchisees coming into the system (31:33) ● Why emerging franchise founders need to find the right people to build their brand (34:37) Quotes Street smarts to me is just being able to think on your feet. (13:34) Find a business model that works and that is needed (33:02) About Gary Findley: Gary Findley is an accomplished business leader and a franchise sales expert with over 25 years of experience in helping new and experienced entrepreneurs get on the right track towards owning their own business. He has played a major role in building over 9500 locations worldwide with two brands. He began his career as the Vice Present, Franchise Sales at Neighborly (formerly known as The Dwyer Group) where he was tasked with the responsibility of overseeing franchise sales and development while managing a franchise sales team. After a two-year stint with the company, he moved on to Curves in 1996. He served as the President & Coo of Curves which is a worldwide fitness franchise focused on providing 30-minute workouts for women. As the President and COO, he worked there for eight years and helped to create the Curves business from the ground up while leading the growth of the brand to become one of the largest fitness franchises in the world. In 2003, he attended the University of Mary Hardin-Taylor and obtained a degree in Business Marketing. He currently serves as the CEO of Stellar Service Brands, an umbrella company uniting Restoration 1, bluefrog Plumbing + Drain, The Driveway Company, Softroc, and potential future acquisitions under one multi-branded service organization. He is the author of The Redneck CEO, where he shares his personal journey of triumph over trials and inspire others through tough times as he walks readers through his own business journey, from making millions to losing it all and starting over, all while staying true to his principles for success: integrity, faith, and hard work. He was featured in Season 11 Episode 7 of the CBS’ Emmy-award-winning series Undercover Boss where he was disguised as someone looking to get into the restoration industry. You can connect with Gary on LinkedIn or Twitter Resources The Redneck CEO: Faith, Hope and Hard Work Restoration 1: https://www.restoration1.com/ Undercover Boss Restoration 1 Special: https://www.restoration1.com/undercover-boss/ Where to Listen: Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/modrn-business/id1323641416 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0MC3nGXpOuqAntFroSCrbM SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/modrnbusiness/ Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/ryan-hicks/modern-business Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1323641416/modern-business