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Business & Bullsh*t: The Greed That Destroyed Quiznos and What Franchise Owners Miss (EP #71)

  • Jan 26
  • 2 min read

Updated: Feb 23

Watch the full episode on Youtube:

The Founderz Lounge Episode #71 with Don Varady and Steve Bon.


Don and Steve are back with another round of Business & Bullsh*t, where real entrepreneurs break down wins, screwups, and what actually moves the needle, without the corporate fluff.


At one point, Quiznos had more than 5,000 locations and was one of the fastest-growing franchise brands in the world. A few years later, it was in bankruptcy. This episode digs into how greed, broken incentives, and poor franchise decisions helped collapse a once-dominant brand, and what current and future franchise owners often overlook as a result. Don lays out hard lessons every franchise buyer should understand before signing a deal.


The conversation expands into brand recognition becoming a liability, why naive design is gaining traction as consumers push back on overly polished marketing, and how operators get hurt when corporate decisions drag their name through the mud.


Along the way, Don and Steve riff on waterbeds somehow making a comeback, Air New Zealand weighing passengers, entitlement in business, and why showing a little gratitude still matters. The episode wraps with a Founderz Hot Take and a fast-paced Founderz Fast Five.


Tune in to hear more…


Timestamps:

[00:00] Trailer

[01:06] Founderz Roundup: Quiznos

[04:51] Lessons for franchise buyers

[09:02] Naive brand design in 2026

[13:03] Random Bullshit

[13:28] Waterbeds

[15:08] Airline weighing passengers

[16:43] Founderz Hot Take

[21:02] Founderz Fast Five


Key Takeaways:

• “Franchisors should use their buying power to get you better rates, and not just to make more profit.” ~Don Varady [05:01]

• Brand recognition cuts both ways. When a brand fails, even the best operators get hurt. ~Don Varady [08:13]

• Show a little gratitude when someone gives up their time to give you knowledge or money.

~Steve Bon [18:10]


Connect with Don and Steve…

Don Varady:


Steve Bon:

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