#29 James Hilovsky: Guiding Athletes from Sports Stars to Franchise Czars

What happens when sports stars hang up their jerseys and dive into the business world?

James Hilovsky believes franchising is the perfect play for athletes’ second acts.

A former baseball player, James has 35 years in the franchise game, especially in the restaurant world. Now, he’s a franchise matchmaker, pairing retired NFL and NBA athletes with their ideal franchise ventures.

James sees athletes and franchisees as kindred spirits: both thrive on rules, take calculated risks, and turn failures into lessons. In this episode, he shares his playbook for helping athletes and everyday folks make successful business transitions. Plus, he dishes out advice for anyone eyeing the franchise field.

Episode Breakdown:

00:32—Introduction:Rundown of today’s episode

02:47—FromBaseball Dreams to Business Teams

“When I was growing up, I was a baseball player. I was actually in the minor leagues for the Philadelphia Phillies. And unfortunately, my career was very quick—I got hurt and then was done.”

10:02—Playingby the Playbook: Franchising and Sports Parallels

“The franchisor is going to give you the playbook. Here’s the playbook. Here’s how to set up the business. Here’s the equipment you need. Athletes are especially good at following the playbook.”

15:53—FromSuper Bowl Glory to Mental Health Advocacy

“I had a former NFL player, a Super Bowl winner, who transitioned from his own wine business to a mental health franchise, aiming to help those with addiction issues and concussions. His goal was to put one in every NFL city.”

22:11—WinningTraits: Risk-Taking, Coachability, and Leadership in Athletes

“They are able to take that risk, take that coaching, and then they’re also able to lead their team or their employees into the franchise system.”

27:25—EgoCheck: Navigating Passion and Pride in Franchising

“Ego is definitely one that has to be held in check. The great thing about a franchisor is they’re looking out just for the business.”

32:36—FailingForward: Athletes’ Tolerance for Failure in Business

“Athletes are used to failure. Not every athlete succeeds at every game. In baseball, if you’re a 300 hitter, that’s outstanding. That means you failed 7 times out of 10.”

37:20—KeyAdvice for Non-Athletes: The Importance of a Good Franchise Broker

“Always look for a franchise broker. Talk with them, see if they’re a fit for you, and check their website and LinkedIn posts to understand the type of person they are.”

43:21—TheJoy of Matchmaking: Guiding Clients to Their Perfect Franchise

“Knowing that they’re on this new journey and I just feel so good knowing that I’ve helped them in a small bit of finding that right match.”

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Host: Vince Chan | Guest: James Hilovsky

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