In this episode of Behind the Franchise, host Paul Ehlinger sits down with Brooke Janousek, current CMO of GarageExperts and founder of The Grow CMO, for a deep dive into the realities of marketing leadership in franchising.

Brooke shares her transition from running a thriving fractional CMO consultancy to taking on a full-time executive role—and why she made that move. Learn how she helped implement systems that scale, balanced brand creativity with performance, and stayed in sync with franchisees across 83 locations. She also drops gems on boundary-setting, customer insights, and the power of emotional branding.

Whether you're a founder, franchisee, or marketer looking to scale smarter, this episode is a masterclass in franchise marketing strategy and leadership.

Topics Covered:

• CRM, lead generation, and nurturing systems that work

• Why emerging brands need creative structure

• Building emotional connection with customers

• Franchisee engagement & advisory councils

• Why she took trapeze lessons (!)

Don’t miss Brooke’s practical advice, leadership insights, and a few unexpected stories that will leave you inspired and energized.