Real restaurants. Real franchise systems. Real growth.

The challenge

In 2014, Jersey Shore locals Rob Giuliani and Abby Taylor launched a simple smoothie stand with a blender, a table, and a beach-town dream. Inspired by trips to Panama and Hawaii, they served superfruit bowls outside a pizza shop in Belmar, New Jersey. The response was immediate: lines, buzz, and loyal fans. When their first store opened in 2015, they realized they had something much bigger on their hands. But scaling a concept rooted in lifestyle, freshness, and surf culture meant more than opening more shops. They needed infrastructure, systems, and strategy, without losing the soul of the brand.

What Andy Klie built

Andy Klie served as Playa Bowls' behind-the-scenes builder, architecting the franchise foundation that powered their national breakout. Working with Rob, Abby, and their executive team, he engineered a franchise system that matched the founders' vision:

• A strategic Franchise Disclosure Document built for both brand protection and rapid growth.
• A full operational playbook to standardize the customer experience across every market.
• A franchise development system that attracted purpose-driven, lifestyle-aligned franchisees, including multi-unit operators.
• Guidance on organizational structure and scalability as interest exploded.

The results

• Surpassed 200 open locations nationwide by 2024.
• Signed 195 franchise agreements in a single year, over half of them from existing franchisees.
• Attracted private equity investment from Tamarix Equity Partners and Pacific General Holdings.
• Rolled out loyalty tech and accelerated expansion into new territories.

The challenge

Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac launched Cousins Maine Lobster in 2012 with a single food truck in Los Angeles and a big idea: bring authentic Maine lobster to the masses. The response was overwhelming, with long lines, loyal customers, and national fame after a deal with Barbara Corcoran on Shark Tank. But explosive growth brought real challenges. How do you hold product integrity across states? How do you train new owners to deliver not just the lobster but the brand story and the hospitality that made it special? And how do you scale while preserving the soul of a family-run brand?

What Andy Klie built

Andy Klie helped them write their own playbook rather than handing over a generic one. The focus was codifying what made them great and giving franchisees the tools to replicate it:

• A custom FDD covering both mobile and storefront models.
• A hands-on training program rooted in Maine, for cultural buy-in and operational confidence.
• Onboarding and support systems that guided franchisees through everything from truck setup to product sourcing.
• A franchise development strategy aimed at attracting passionate operators, not just investors.

The results

• Expanded to 85+ franchise units across the U.S.
• Reached an estimated $60M+ in annual revenue.
• Maintained $1.3M average sales per food truck.
• Earned the Franchise Innovation Award for operational excellence.
• Sustained a national media presence, including Good Morning America, The Today Show, and MasterChef.

The challenge

A quirky mac-and-cheese concept in Waco, Texas went viral fast. Founders Frank and Mary Senese launched Roni's Mac Bar to reimagine comfort food with customizable mac and cheese bowls, and a massive TikTok following of more than 800,000 fans sent demand through the roof. But viral attention doesn't automatically become long-term growth. They wanted to franchise quickly, before the momentum cooled, and they didn't yet have the backend systems or the legal foundation to do it safely or at scale.

What Andy Klie built

The goal was to bottle the buzz and make it sustainable, turning one-location success into a scalable national model:

• A custom FDD that balanced speed-to-market with legal durability.
• An operations manual that turned viral attention into repeatable, scalable systems.
• A startup-to-scale training structure for onboarding franchisees across multiple states.
• A go-to-market franchise marketing strategy targeting early adopters and food-first operators.

The results

• Launched 20+ locations across Texas, Iowa, Missouri, New Mexico, and Utah, with plans to reach 40+ units.
• Maintained strong unit-level economics and early franchisee satisfaction.
• Built a scalable framework that supports national rollout without sacrificing quality or brand voice.
• Generated ongoing local media coverage and customer buzz in each new market.

The challenge

In late 2021, Brendon and Holland Curtis noticed something strange on a winter stroll in downtown Franklin, Tennessee: a long line at a cotton candy cart in 30-degree weather. That sparked a question that wouldn't go away. What if cotton candy became a full experience brand? By 2022, Puffy Cotton Candy was born, hand-spun in small batches and sculpted into whimsical creations. It became a show, a photo op, and a memory, from birthday parties and weddings to pop-ups and retail. With success came pressure: how do you scale something this artistic without losing its magic?

What Andy Klie built

The work was capturing lightning in a bottle and making it scalable without losing the sparkle:

• An FDD that protected their IP, brand story, and business flexibility.
• An operations manual that translated Puffy's highly visual, artisanal process into step-by-step systems a new owner could confidently execute.
• A franchise marketing and recruitment funnel built for emotionally-driven, experience-first entrepreneurs, not just investors.
• Guidance on pricing, expansion cadence, and launch strategy to keep each new market exciting while operations stayed lean.

The results

• Launched the first franchise location in Freehold, NJ in early 2025.
• Signed 17 additional franchise agreements, with stores opening in Orlando, Las Vegas, Tampa, Dallas, Jacksonville, and more.
• Generated ongoing social media buzz and local press in nearly every new market.
• Built a scalable system that balances handcrafted charm with operational efficiency.