#253 - Good, Better, Best: Life Lessons from a Business Legend

Send us a text Bob Gappa has built one of the most influential franchise consulting firms in the world, working with over 1,650 franchisors across 14 countries during his remarkable 50-year career. His fundamental insight? We"ve got the purpose of business all wrong. "The purpose of a business is to get and keep customers," Gappa explains, challenging the profit-first mindset dominating boardrooms worldwide. This perspective shift transforms how successful businesses operate, from compensation structures to customer service approaches. Most revealing is his observation that the employees with the greatest impact on customer satisfaction—those on the front lines—are typically the lowest paid in the organization. Drawing from his experiences reorganizing operations for Catholic bishops post-Vatican II to helping Middle Eastern businesses expand through franchising, Gappa shares wisdom applicable to entrepreneurs at any stage. He advocates for focusing on predictive analytics rather than lagging indicators like profit and loss statements, tracking metrics like customer acquisition, retention, and frequency that truly forecast business health. Gappa"s personal journey includes a pivotal moment when, down to his last $75 during a recession, he invested in a small newspaper ad rather than a night out. That single decision led to a quarter-million-dollar contract that launched his franchising career. "Being close to bankruptcy caused my success," he reflects, highlighting how persistence through adversity often precedes breakthrough. For today"s business leaders, Gappa distills his half-century of experience into actionable advice: clarify core beliefs between partners, understand the fundamental difference between creating the future (CEO"s role) and making it happen (COO"s role), and recognize that comfort is the enemy of growth. Most importantly, he urges finding something greater than yourself to excel at—something that improves others" lives while bringing you fulfillment. Discover more about transforming your business approach at mgmt2000.com. To Learn more about Bob:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-gappa-cfe-62aa6310 To Reach Jordan: Email: Jordan@Edwards.Consulting Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ejFXH1_BjdnxG4J8u93Zw Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jordan.edwards.7503 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanfedwards/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanedwards5/ Hope you find value in this. If so please provide a 5-star and drop a review. Complimentary Edwards Consulting Session: https://calendly.com/jordan-edwardsconsulting/30min