Company Stats

• Revenue: $13 million
• Locations: 80+ opened locations with 450+ franchises sold.
• Employees: 100
• Founded: 2018

Episode Highlights

✅ Dirty Dough achieves 100x growth in two years by vertically integrating manufacturing and simplifying franchise operations.

✅ Responding creatively to lawsuits can turn challenges into opportunities for massive brand visibility and sales growth.

✅ Scaling franchises effectively involves leveraging advisors, social media, and compelling business models for wider audience appeal.

Episode Summary

In this episode, Bennett Maxwell, the former owner and operator of Dirty Dough, shares his journey of acquiring and scaling the cookie franchise to extraordinary heights. Under his leadership, Dirty Dough achieved a remarkable 100x revenue growth in just two years, expanding from one location to over 80 with 450+ franchises sold. Bennett credits this growth to innovative strategies like vertical integration, which simplified franchise operations by centralizing cookie production and logistics.

Bennett dives into his approach to overcoming challenges, including a high-profile lawsuit with Crumble, which ultimately fueled brand awareness and boosted franchise sales. By leveraging humor and public support, Dirty Dough transformed adversity into a competitive advantage. Bennett also discusses his exit from Dirty Dough and his new role in franchise sales, reflecting his passion for scaling businesses through effective sales strategies.

Notable Questions We Asked

Q: What factors led to Dirty Dough’s rapid growth in two years?

A: Vertical integration, simplified operations for franchisees, and leveraging PR and social media for brand visibility.

Q: How did you overcome the challenges of the lawsuit with Crumble?

A: By using humor and bold marketing strategies, we turned the lawsuit into an opportunity to gain public support and media coverage.

Q: What makes Dirty Dough’s franchise model appealing to buyers?

A: The low operational complexity, centralized cookie production, and affordable startup costs make it accessible to a wider audience.

Q: What role did advisors play in scaling Dirty Dough?

A: Advisors brought critical industry insights and experience, helping us navigate franchising, operations, and strategic decisions.

Q: Why did you decide to exit Dirty Dough?

A: I wanted to focus on my strengths in franchise sales and let an experienced team at Craveworthy Brands take the company to the next level.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:21 Company Stats

01:36 Acquisition and Scaling Strategy

02:51 Franchising Journey

06:34 The Crumble Lawsuit

09:16 Exit and New Ventures

10:27 Connect with Dirty Dough

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#FranchiseGrowth #EntrepreneurshipJourney #CookieFranchise #VerticalIntegration #BusinessScaling #InnovativeMarketing #OvercomingChallenges #SalesStrategy #SmallBusinessSuccess #GourmetCookies