Welcome to Invest in Yourself, the Digital Entrepreneur podcast. Join the podcast mogul Phil Better as he interviews successful entrepreneurs that make their living in the digital world. Now let's join your host, Phil Better, and your special guest today on Invest in Yourself, the digital entrepreneur podcast. Welcome back to another amazing episode, listeners, of Invest in Yourself, the digital entrepreneur podcast. I'm, of course, your host with the most Phil Better, the podcast mogul. And today, we have a guest who is a true expert in helping people achieve their dreams through the power of franchising, another amazing, entrepreneurial venture. Our guest today is recognized as the nation's top franchise coach and consultant. He's a man who knows firsthand the challenges of corporate America, where pursuing your own dream often takes the back seat to working for someone else.

But through franchising, he's found a way to achieve his own dream, and now he's dedicated to helping others do their same. Perfect type of guest for the show. Over the last seven years, he has helped hundreds of individuals transform their lives through franchise business ownership. With a keen ability to match people with the right franchise opportunities in the areas, he has become a trusted guide for those looking to control of their professional desires. With a career spanning two decades as a business investor and franchise consultant, Riggs has founded three successful companies across two continents, including an IT company in Poland and a real estate investment company in Texas. His most recent successful story includes growing the Vanguard cleaning area development concept in Houston into a multimillion dollar enterprise, boasting over 30 franchisees and over 300 customers, which he has since sold. You know, when you get to the big stuff, you start selling your your stuff. His latest book, The Franchisee Lifestyle, he interviews franchisees from diverse backgrounds, providing invaluable insight into the world of franchising.

His book demystifies the franchise process, offering readers essential tips to avoid the pitfalls, make informed decisions while highlighting the unique benefits of being part of a well established brand. Today he's here to share his journey, discuss the key factors that contribute to successful franchising, and offer practical advice for anyone considering this path in entrepreneurship. So get ready to learn from the best in the business. Just join me and welcome the extraordinary, amazingly, Adam Goldman to the show. Adam, thank you so much for being here.

Thank you, Phil. What an amazing introduction. I try. You know,

it's I look at myself as the, hype man to any hip hop star. You're the star of the show. I'm just the hype man for this show. So, Adam, I I can't thank you enough for being here.

Thank you. Alright.

We're gonna get right on to the show right away. What made you decide to go from corporate America and being in the back seat of someone else driving the car to kicking that person out and sitting in the front seat and driving your way to happiness with franchising and entrepreneurship.

Look. I mean, I I have been in corporate America a little bit, but I've somehow avoided it. It's interesting. When I graduated from the University of Illinois in 1996, the people that were interviewing us were not like these exciting startups in Silicon Valley, Right? Where you're just kind of one of the big founders. It was big companies like Ford or Archer's Daniel Midland or Toyota. Right? And so I just kind of decided '96 on a whim. Like, wait a second. This doesn't really work for me.

I'm young. I'm gonna go to Europe, and I'm gonna I'm gonna just kind of start opportunities there. Say, fast forward to 02/2004 when I graduated from business school, yes. These these different opportunities didn't seem particularly exciting for me. I had an an IT, business running in Warsaw. And so during my, journey as a MBA student in, Berkeley, California, I had this business running. And when I graduated in 02/2004, I decided to go to Poland and sell that business, when I came back. So, I mean, yes, I've done some things in the corporate world, but for me, frankly, the corporate world has never really spoken to me.