Franchising, Authenticity, and Letting Your Kids See All of You | Patti Rother | Episode 231

In this episode of The Girl Dad Show, Young Han sits down with Patti Rother, founder of Root + Rise Franchise Dev and a 22-year veteran of franchising, to unpack the move from restaurant operations into franchise development, why sales and operations break the moment they're run as separate departments, and what it took to leave and build her own company. Patti has worked with brands including Panera Bread, Noodles & Company, Blink Fitness, Scenthound and the Head to Toe portfolio, and her argument comes from having actually operated the units she now sells: growth has to be fast and durable at the same time. She talks about building a brand's sales infrastructure from the ground up, where AI genuinely helps, and why she designs every engagement so the brand ends up owning the system rather than renting it.

The conversation also gets personal. Patti is candid about building a company while raising kids, and about a parenting choice that runs against instinct: letting her children see the full side of her rather than a composed version, because that's what lets them feel and own their own emotions. She also chairs the IFA's Franchising Pride Council and spent six years on its Women's Franchise Committee, work that connects to the same idea, that people do better when they aren't performing a version of themselves. Expect a practical view of franchise growth, a real case for integrating sales and operations, and a reminder that the most valuable thing you can build is something other people can carry without you.

🔗 CONNECT WITH PATTI ROTHER

👥 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattirother/

💻 Root + Rise: https://www.franchise.dev/

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💻 Website: https://www.alwayshan.com/

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All episodes of The Girl Dad Show are proudly sponsored by Thesis, helping founders go further, together.

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