Why Most People in Franchising Are Using AI Wrong (And How to Fix It)

AI is changing franchising fast—but most people are still barely scratching the surface of what it can actually do.   In this episode of Franchise Secrets, Erik Van Horn breaks down how he's using AI across his franchise businesses right now—from analyzing opportunities and improving lead follow-up to auditing marketing, documenting processes, and building AI agents that function more like employees.   Erik also explains one of the biggest mistakes he sees people making with AI: trusting its answers without knowing how to challenge them. Whether you're researching a franchise, operating locations, or building a brand, AI is only as useful as the context and direction you give it.   You'll learn how Erik is using AI to:   • Turn conversations and meeting transcripts into SOPs • Build and organize operational playbooks automatically • Audit lead follow-up and identify missed opportunities • Evaluate social media performance against competitors • Research franchise opportunities more intelligently • Build AI agents that handle real business tasks • Document the journey of scaling a franchise brand • Use AI as a tool for learning—not a replacement for thinking   AI isn't just another piece of software. Used correctly, it can become part of the team.   Subscribe to Franchise Secrets for more real-world strategies on buying, building, operating, and scaling franchise businesses.   Timestamps: 00:00 – Social Media Audit Cold Open 00:40 – How I'm Actually Using AI Right Now 02:29 – AI and the Future of Franchise Development 03:52 – Why Most People Are Using AI Wrong 04:14 – The Problem With AI Franchise Research 08:27 – Using AI Agents as Employees 09:47 – Turning Conversations Into SOPs 13:36 – Documenting a Franchise From 0 to 100 Locations 14:38 – How to Start Documenting Your Business With AI 17:16 – Using AI to Find Leaks in Lead Follow-Up 21:04 – Auditing Your Social Media With AI 24:50 – Why You Should Push Back on AI 26:40 – How I Used AI This Week 27:33 – The Leadership Lesson I Taught My Daughters 31:28 – Final Thoughts   Connect with Erik Van Horn: 🌐 Website - https://franchisesecrets.com/    📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erikvanhorn/   👍 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/erik.v.horn/   💼 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanhorn/    Best Franchise Starter Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMlgRgsBAo4LWNCMSOthnK0r&si=TD1z25-ie2d23rGm https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMle5\_OUXiuLbc\_UPBtz1vTE&si=uCOgDya1VnnCarDf https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEEithd54kMk2Kw07KwZGWgF8UTx9N5\_T&si=ZldjBOqFanGE-JUL   #Franchising #AIForBusiness #FranchiseBusiness