One On One with Larisa Walega

Hey, Jack, I’m doing great. Chief Growth Officer’s rule.

That’s right, we are taken over. I love the title, and did this title really exist, I don’t know, 10 years ago, or is this like something of the past decade?

I’m going to think it’s of the past decade. I feel like many leaders in franchising, we’ll say CEOs or presidents, whatever the case may be, are seeing the value of the position in terms of intersecting, marketing, franchise development, really a lot of the growth engines of a brand. I’m just grateful to be in it, and I’m also very grateful to be an award winner, thank you.

Yeah, no, we loved that you got so many votes from our listeners. Obviously, you’re making an impact with some of the stuff you’re sharing out there, the content you’re sharing. I’m sure a lot of these folks read or listen to you as part of the Women’s Franchise Committee, which we’ll get into in a little bit as well. But give us a little background on how long you’ve been in the franchise game. I’m thinking 10, 15 years, something like that. What’s your tenure at this point?

That’s so kind of you, Jack. I’m actually rounding out, I would say with some agency experience before coming to Ziebart about 20 years.

Wow.

I know, I don’t look at day over.

I know, you started at 12.

I started at 12.

That agency experience, was that franchising or was that more automotive or what kinds of things were you doing in agency life?

It was primarily, it was a larger agency out of Metro Detroit, Campbell Ewald and they were Chevrolet’s agency of record for 100 plus years. I actually was not working on the Chevrolet account though, I was working on the Wyndham Rewards, which used to be called Trip Rewards Hotel Loyalty Program. In that space, I was there for about five years. I would consistently go to Wyndham Worldwide’s headquarters. I’d spend once a month or so with the Trip Rewards team, it was the Hotel Loyalty Program. A lot of those learnings in that space, working with the brand team on that side, and then hearing their opportunities of working with franchise owners, I definitely got a taste of franchising within that. But ultimately, most of my experience has been with Ziebart and then the greater franchise community.

And Ziebart’s been a number of years now. Tell me what you’ve seen that you love as far as change in franchising from, say a decade ago up until now. What’s something that’s just like really been improved upon or really is better for everybody in that time span?

Yeah, I would say the first piece is definitely technology. We were just talking about this the other day of, I can’t believe I’m even saying this now this way, but I remember the days. I remember the days when there was no really strong technology that would bring together results, bring together P&Ls, bring together what we needed to look at, to make an impact for our franchise owners. And I kind of just feel now as though technology and definitely AI is really tying into unit level profitability, not just efficiency. So I think the franchise systems that are winning are really trying to tackle that and double down on that, whether it’s lead response or CRM systems or just that financial visibility. I feel like we know technology and utilizing AI within that technology from a customer standpoint. Faster response time equals higher conversions. Data visibility, better pricing, better margins, more decision making. I mean, there’s just, the opportunities are endless. So I really feel like, for me, for Ziebart, technology is not an option. It’s actually, if you had to rank the things that we’re really double downing on and focusing for Ziebart, it truly is real lining our tech stack in that standpoint. So all those systems who just have not been able to adopt that yet, I’m fearful for your future. And I do really encourage you to step back and think about, you know, what are those gaps between how you can utilize technology and AI while also connecting that to profitability for your franchise owners.

Yeah. And I think you said it best that it’s not just about saving a few dollars here and there and what can technology do to lower a few costs, but there’s actually revenue behind it and using it to do something to increase the revenue, not just save a few bucks.

Yeah. And unfortunately, I will say from what I’ve seen, we’re heavy Franchise Business Review Survey users. We use it, do it every year, internationally too for our master franchise owners. And when you look at that data, not just across our system, but definitely overall, globally, technology is, franchisees aren’t feeling it. They’re not feeling that we’re doing a great job there. So we definitely in Franchising have a great opportunity. There’s so many partners out there that you can utilize to fulfill some of those gaps, but it really has to start with driving that profitability.

Yeah. Very cool. What else is going on with Ziebart and maybe some other people in the space that you’re watching, as far as something that’s really attractive in Franchising these days?

Yeah. I think another piece that’s really attractive right now is continuing to kind of focus on reoccurring revenue models. I really think that Franchisees and Investors are continuing to prioritize that, and you could look at Ziebart and say, not really sure where the reoccurring revenue model is. But actually, when you look at different services that we provide, whether it’s rust protection, you’re bringing that in for an annual maintenance, so there’s revenue and opportunity there to looking at standardizing some of our sales processes. So whether it’s higher average tickets or more services or more repeat visits, we’re really looking at our opportunity as a brand to focus in on the idea of vehicle lifestyle protection. There’s just so many opportunities there to protect, as we say all the time, I say your third biggest investment now. Again, we used to say second, but then both my kids went to college at the same time. So now we’re going to roll with your third biggest investment being your vehicle.

Yeah. And if you buy a franchise, it might become your fourth biggest investment. Yeah. But it makes sense. And also, you know, the idea of some sort of recurring revenue subscription model, those are all things that I hadn’t really thought about 10 years ago, that suddenly, if you don’t have that, I don’t know how you’re selling a franchise these days, because every, especially the multi-unit folks, that’s all they’re looking for is, what’s something that I can start counting on revenue coming in on day one? And it’s so, it’s ironic almost, because when the typical person out there hears you or me say the word franchise, they think of a fast food place, which is like the complete opposite of any kind of recurring revenue. But it’s really these service-oriented franchises that can provide whatever that service is, whether it’s a massage or a haircut or detailing your car, you provide that on a certain cadence. And now you’re talking about money in every month.

Yeah, and that would be my next one too, is the idea of service-based franchise growth. I think you see that to your point, all those examples that you just said, I feel like we’ve really made this turn, especially in automotive, you used to look at, we balanced the audiences of Do It For Me, D-I-F, D-I-F-M, versus Do It For Yourself or DIY. And you can look at organizations like the Automotive Aftercare Organization, where that number continues to change. So where it was when I came into the system, it was maybe 50-50. It has drastically changed in terms of the Do It For Me, just continues to grow. And I think that a lot of that, could it also have stemmed from COVID? Maybe perhaps where you looked at other people’s buying habits that have changed from the onset of Instacart, DoorDash, Uber, don’t want to do it anymore. And I think that service-based franchises are really falling into that niche and that sector. And it’s going to be interesting to see. I do see that, you know, Ziebart specifically from an automotive standpoint seems to be sitting in one of the most resilient and growing franchise categories, being automotive and service. So we just continue to watch it and keep riding the wave.

Yeah. And I think we might need to redefine service. You know, we tend to think of, you know, I don’t know, lawn care, something like that.

Or non-retail, right?

Non-retail, yeah. Yeah, yeah, that’s a good point. There’s, I don’t know, ongoing redefinition is probably a good thing in all of our lives right now. What else are you seeing out there that you like in the past few years?

I like, you know, there really continues to be a focus, too, in health, wellness and lifestyle, maybe two that came from COVID. I’m not sure. I think it kind of started a little bit before that, but certainly as we all had more time to focus on those things. And then obviously the, you know, the clear opportunity of cleanliness and sanitation and whatnot. We’re consistently seeing the detailing category within our, our system continue to grow. But also looking at the, the aspect of protection, of protecting your vehicle, whether it’s the outside or the inside or the structure, that peace of mind, people are definitely trying to just think through some of those investments a little bit more. You want to protect the things that you invest in. Like we said, it could be your third or your fourth. At this point, largest investment. And so, you know, that protection, we find equals peace of mind, right? It’s that peace of mind that just one more thing, I don’t have to stress about. Yeah. So, it’s an interesting twist on it, but we do see a lot of people starting to have that mindset shift.

And it could be generational as well. I mean, the idea of buying a cheap old used car, driving it for a while and then buying another one, that doesn’t seem to be happening today as much as in years past. Now, people are keeping a car for, you probably know the stats better than anybody, but people are keeping cars for a really long time compared to earlier in my lifetime.

We’re getting to just about 13 years if we haven’t already seen. I know. I know. So, our suite, in aftercare, I call it aftercare, some people aftermarket, but for us, it’s about one to five years. But the automotive aftermarket or aftercare market, really the sweet spot is like seven to nine. So, it’s really interesting to see that continue to shift and people just holding on to the vehicle longer.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Well, it’s great. I mean, let’s face it, a lot of cars were made much better than they were 30 years ago. And also, but think about it too, when I was a kid, if somebody had a car that was 10 years old, that car looked ancient, right? It looked like something out of Happy Days or something like that, right?

My 1992 Dodge Shadow. Yeah. It was just a bomb.

Yeah.

Yeah.

My first car was an 88 Camaro.

Okay.

But even think about that, like in 1988, if you had a 13-year-old car, that would have been a 75-something, and that would have looked like a dinosaur in the late 80s. And forget about it. In 1975, if you had a 13-year-old car, it looked like something that came out of some old movie.

Oh, my gosh.

But now a 13-year-old car, yeah, people are still driving, and back to the point of taking care of it, and this is what builds a great business, is taking care of those investments. So that’s fantastic. So let’s talk about some other economic situations and realities when it comes to franchising here in 2026.

Yeah, I really think that, you know, we obviously look at our business from a franchise as an investment, and then the services that we provide. And I think on both sides, buyers are just being more selective than ever. And so when we think about, I’ll focus on the franchise side here, but, you know, established brands are continuing to win. And as one of the oldest franchise brands in the world, I think, you know, we’re top 100 at this point, who have stuck around for 67 years. That trust continues to matter, especially more in uncertain times, and specifically the times that we’re in. We have literally ridden every single wave, whether it’s recession, COVID, war. I mean, let’s just say it all. Like, it’s all been there. And, you know, we continue to be that kind of resilient franchise that people continue to trust. And so when we look at things like back to the service side, we like to call ourselves essential-ish services that, you know, from a vehicle protection standpoint, as consumers continue to buy vehicles that are so expensive, average vehicle over $50,000 is going to you, right? And that’s not luxury. Yeah. So, you know, it’s just, you want to protect that investment. And so when we think about whether it’s on the franchise side, purchasing a franchise or our services, we want to make sure that we’re clearly communicating the ROI, we’re clearly communicating where and when we can, you know, the idea of a payback period, more so on the services standpoint, but certainly looking at that information from a franchise, and then continuing to differentiate ourselves from local competitors. We don’t really have anyone in our space who does everything that we do, so that does make us very unique. But we do have a lot of local competitors and local markets, whether they are tint shops or detailing shops or even protection brands. A couple are starting to kind of come through, so even the Spray It On Bedliners as well too. So when we really look at from a consumer or even a franchise investment standpoint, you know, making sure that we create that trust with a globally recognized brand through amazing services, products that fulfill those services, certified technicians and that we just keep telling that story, it just seems to and continues to be a great opportunity.

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So absolutely. And I think we continue to talk about, you know, how are we leading in? And this just isn’t for Ziebart, but I think franchising as a whole to customer experience. And, you know, are you, you know, creating that different experience? Are you no matter if it’s one or a thousand people that come through your store or your doors or even if you’re a service brand that you’re coming to their homes or anywhere else, how are you treating them? How are you building a relationship? How are you making the opportunity for you to, you know, close and develop that partnership with whomever easier, quicker? I mean, it just all connects. If you don’t understand that customer experience of your customer’s journey, it really is the time to make sure that you do.

Awesome. So speaking of sharing some of that good experience, I know you’ve spent a lot of time over the past few years with the Women’s Franchise Committee of the International Franchise Association. And you have what I consider the best title of anyone in any position within the IFA or other organizations, former chair. That’s my favorite title because it means you made an impact, you did a whole bunch of stuff. And now you’re getting to watch other people grow. Let’s put it that way. So tell us a bit about your experience with the Women’s Franchise Committee and really how that changed how you have become a leader yourself.

Yeah, I have to say of all the things that I’ve done so far in franchising, that experience will always be top three. I don’t know that anything will ever, you know, yet. Anyway, I go past that. The opportunity, I mean, just the trust number first and foremost of the franchise community to allow me this incredible experience of helping to shape and lead, you know, women’s journeys in franchising and to accelerate those journeys, I did not take lightly. And it was just an incredible, I sat on the committee for a total, we’re still not sure of the years, but we do believe it was about eight. And I was the chair for two, you’re the vice chair before for two, so half that time I was in a leadership position. And, you know, I will tell you that it’s always, there’s always been this trend, and it really came to fruition for me with an exclamation point at the end of the service of the Women’s Franchise Committee that the strongest women lift women up. And I’ve seen that through these eight years. I’ve seen it in many other organizations and brands that I’ve been a part of, that when you extend that hand, you are bringing up so many women into the future that, that is just a really great gift that, that I will always take with me forever. And I am grateful for the IFA for giving me that opportunity too. And I just, you know, I took it as, everybody has their own leadership styles. Robin is a mentor, Robin Gagman. She continues to be a mentor to me, and I was her vice chair. And so grateful for Michelle Rowan for bringing me into this opportunity. And very grateful for the friendship lessons learned from my vice chair and now chair, Allie Krauss. Just an exceptional gift to franchising. And, you know, I think if any woman who’s sitting in a franchise brand or supplier or a franchisee, which we keep seeing more and more of.

Yeah, yeah, several this year.

Half my Detroit Women’s Franchise Network event last night was half franchise owners.

Oh, that’s great.

And it was incredible. So I just encourage if there’s any women listening to this, that your place to start is with those Women’s Franchise Networks across the US. There’s over two dozen. That is your place to start. Build your community small. It can be overwhelming. Okay, I get it. Like, there’s a lot going on in the IFA. It’s such a great community. But your first place to start is on those local chapters and building yourself, building your community, share sisterhood with these women, because they really do want to give back and create that community within. And that’s just why, and I think how the Women’s Franchise Committee is special and a little bit different than most of the committees of the IFA with the exception of the Marketing Innovation Committee.

Oh yeah, they’re wonderful.

I think that, you know, it starts with the community and we say that all the time that franchising is about relationships. But I would add to that it’s equally a part about the community.

It’s really good advice to look for these smaller groups, these smaller local groups, because you may live in a place or an area or a market where there aren’t a ton of franchisers or franchise brands. And, you know, for instance, in Illinois, where they’ve all left and gone to Texas or somewhere like that. But even if there aren’t brands around, there are a lot of franchisees around. And more and more, a lot of those franchisees will be women. And maybe you could get your own little community going in no matter what town you’re in. So I think that’s great advice to start local. And getting together in person, nothing beats it. You know, I mean, all of your years with the IFA and the Women’s Franchise Committee, the relationships that you just mentioned with people like Robin and Michelle and Allie, those are not people who you met over a Zoom call.

No, definitely not.

It doesn’t work that way, folks. So yeah, get out there, get involved. You don’t have to wait until February to go to the big show in Vegas. You know, meet some people locally. I think that’s some terrific advice and a great idea. Thank you for sharing that. Before we go, anything else you’re working on right now that you want to share, whether it’s something with your team or your brand or, you know, with the IFA? I know you’re on the board of the IFA now as well, so congratulations on that. Anything you’re working on or looking at for the second half of this year?

Yeah, I think, you know, in terms of the IFA, I, yes, am now sitting on the Board of Directors. I’m very grateful to do that. I think there is a, you know, very large push right now as the, you know, tides change and leadership continues to change. We’re seeing kind of the next generation of franchise leaders come to fruition and there’s a really strong push to take a look at what’s important to them and how can we get them ready to be the next set of leaders. So I’m really excited specifically for that on the board side. Of course, I continue to support and serve and I also serve on the advisory board of the Franchise Or Forum. So there’s a great new group of educational pieces called the Franchise Growth Lab that comes out once a month now. So take a look at that. I think it’s a great series. It’s perhaps a little model after the Take Your Lead Tuesdays from the Women’s Franchise Committee. So we’re excited to create that community for franchisers every month. And then on the Ziebart side, like I said, our really main focus right now is doubling down on technology. Like I said, and I’m sure a lot of other systems as well too, how do we make that intersection to make sure that our franchisees are profitable, that we’re helping them grow revenue, that we’re helping them take market share, and that also they’re enjoying running their businesses, so there’s one, two, ten, twenty-seven. We want to just make sure that we’re there to continue to partner with them.

Very good. Well, continued success with all of your various leadership roles in all of these organizations. You know, it’s said often that great leaders don’t create followers, they create other leaders, and you’re definitely doing that. So thank you for all of your service within the franchise community. And if anyone is not already connected with you, which I can’t imagine there is anyone, but if they’re not connected and they would like to reach out, maybe they’ve got a few questions for you, what’s the best place to send them?

I would go to LinkedIn and can access me there. That seems to be the easiest place you can find me, Larisa Walega.

All right. Very good. Larisa, thank you so much and congratulations again on being a Franchise Thought Leadership Award winner for 2026. And we will see you at a franchise event very soon.

Thank you.

Thanks again to Larisa Walega for joining me today. Thanks also to our sponsors, Pilot, AnswerConnect and Thunderly. And thanks to you for listening, telling a friend about us and staying connected on the Social Geek Radio Network.