Practical franchise and small business guides from Johnny Tellez, Dad · Entrepreneurial Advisor · Boss Builder: buying, funding and owner independence.
by Johnny Tellez | Oct 26, 2026
Short answer: yes. A good franchise consultant costs you nothing. That's usually the moment people get suspicious. Fair enough. If you're thinking about buying a franchise in Atlanta, you should know exactly who's paying, why, and what that means for the advice you get…
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by Johnny Tellez | Oct 26, 2026
Atlanta is one of the best places in the country to own a small business. From Buckhead to Decatur, from Marietta to the Westside, owners are opening shops, service companies and franchises every week. But building something and running it well are two different jobs. A lot of good owners hit a point where hard work alone stops…
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by Johnny Tellez | Oct 1, 2026
Most business owners don’t realize they are stuck until they are exhausted. You started with a vision. You had the energy. But somewhere between opening the doors and reaching your first major milestone, the "grind" became the "norm." You find yourself putting out the same fires every Tuesday, answering the same questions from your team…
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by Johnny Tellez | Sep 29, 2026
In more than 20 years of leading operations for brands like Cici’s, Focus Brands, and Blaze Pizza, I’ve seen one phenomenon play out more than any other. It doesn’t matter if it’s a single-unit restaurant or a massive franchise system: owners and operators are often the hardest-working people in the room, yet they frequently feel…
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by Johnny Tellez | Sep 24, 2026
Owning a business gives you authority. Leading it gives you direction, capacity, and options. That distinction matters because many owners become the legal boss long before they feel like the leader of the business. They may make every decision, solve every problem, answer every question, and carry the responsibility. But if the business still depends…
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by Johnny Tellez | Sep 22, 2026
When most people begin their franchise discovery process, they head straight for Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). They want to see the numbers. They want to know the "Average Unit Volume" and the potential ROI. It’s a natural reflex, after all, you’re making a life-changing investment. But in my 20-plus years leading…
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by Johnny Tellez | Sep 17, 2026
Most people start their journey into business ownership with a stack of beautifully designed brochures and a thick legal document known as the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). They spend hours highlighting Item 19 financial tables and checking Item 3 for litigation. This is important work: it’s the "paper" version of the business. But after 20…
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by Johnny Tellez | Sep 15, 2026
Most business owners reach a point where they realize that their own personal energy, while it got them started, is now the very thing holding them back. In the early days of any venture: whether you are an entrepreneur launching a startup or someone who just learned how to buy a franchise: your hustle is…
Read moreby Johnny Tellez | Sep 10, 2026
Maya, the owner/operator of a boutique fitness studio, is now doing three things that matter deeply in business ownership: Her sales doubled this month compared with last month. She is paying herself a salary. She is taking time off. We changed the client’s name to protect her privacy. Those outcomes are a useful way to…
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by Johnny Tellez | Sep 1, 2026
Most people who start exploring how to buy a franchise begin with excitement. They look at the glossy brochures, the high-gloss marketing videos, and the success stories of multi-unit owners who seem to have "cracked the code." But as a franchise consultant with over 20 years of experience in the trenches: including senior leadership roles…
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by Johnny Tellez | Aug 31, 2026
In many kitchens, the default setting is "survival mode." It’s that feeling of constant firefighting: reacting to the next ticket, the next broken equipment, or the next staff call-out. But survival mode is a ceiling. It keeps you small, it keeps your team stressed, and it prevents the business from ever finding a rhythm that…
Read moreby Johnny Tellez | Aug 31, 2026
Many Atlanta small business owners are not short on effort. What they are often short on is time, clarity, and access to the right support in the right setting. That is why the Atlanta Beltline Funding Fair matters. On Wednesday, September 16, 2026, from 1:00–4:30 PM, Johnny Tellez and El Jefe Enterprises will be exhibiting…
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