The Bliss Business Podcast

Video - Empathy, Community, and Connection in Franchise Leadership with Larisa Walega

Larisa Walega, Chief Growth Officer of Ziebart, on why franchise customer experience starts with understanding what a vehicle means to the person who owns it.


What's the green flag Larisa Walega looks for before awarding a Ziebart franchise? "It really is about how you interact, how you treat, how you respect each other," she says, before walking through the Texas franchise owner who turned a grand opening into a community event with a kids' karate demo, a Jeep club, and a local food truck.

Larisa Walega, Chief Growth Officer of Ziebart International Corporation, also breaks down why she now calls a customer's vehicle their "second, or third, biggest investment," and what that means for franchise customer experience at 400+ locations worldwide.

📅 Tuesday, June 9, 2026

🕚 11:00 a.m. PST

🎙️ Hosted by Stephen Sakach and Tullio Siragusa

🎧 Produced by Martha Huerta

🧭 In this video, Larisa covers:

• The green flag she looks for in every new franchise owner

• Why a vehicle is an emotional investment, not just a mechanical one

• How Ziebart aligns marketing, operations, and local execution

• Why she serves on the board of the International Franchise Association

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