How Top Franchisees Use Employee Ownership Plans to Retain Staff

Franchise Conversations with Fexingo: Buying, Running, and Scaling Franchise Businesses · Jul 18, 2026 · 8m · transcript

In this episode of Franchise Conversations with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how franchisees are using Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) to retain top talent and boost performance. Lucas breaks down the mechanics of an ESOP, using the example of Mid-Atlantic McDonald's franchisee Mike Smith, who implemented an ESOP across his 12-unit group in 2023. Lucas explains how the plan works—employees earn shares based on tenure and performance, with a vesting schedule that rewards longevity—and shares concrete results: turnover dropped from 110% to 45% in two years, and same-store sales…