Connect with FranDawgs Agape franchise opportunity: https://eatagape.com/franchise/ Buy a franchise: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franchise Sell your franchise: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com/ YouTube: FranDawgs Podcast LinkedIn: Patrick Buckley   Episode Summary At just 28, Nico Verano walked out of a private equity job and into the heat—literally. After hearing SweatHouz founder Jamie Weeks pitch the sauna-and-cold-plunge concept, Nico became the first franchisee and built five booming locations across Boston. In this episode, he shares how his father’s legendary Italian restaurant launch (featuring The Sopranos cast) shaped his risk-taking mindset, why he built three studios at once, and how old-school hospitality still wins in modern wellness. We also dive into his new restaurant, My Mother’s Cutlets, and how teaming up with Boston influencer Kevin Cooney through their new venture, Twin Oaks, is redefining what franchise partnerships can look like. Key Topics Leaving a stable private-equity career to franchise SweatHouz Lessons from his father’s restaurant success (and The Sopranos cameo) The evolution from SweatHouz V1 → V2: turning wellness into luxury Building three studios simultaneously — and staying profitable month one Guerrilla marketing through mobile cold plunges and community fitness collabs How hospitality and human connection drive retention in a digital world Financial breakdown: margins, payback period, and unit-level performance The origin of My Mother’s Cutlets — “the Italian Chipotle” of Boston Partnering with Kevin Cooney to launch Twin Oaks Ventures Bringing SweatHouz to New York City and what’s next for Nico’s empire Notable Quotes “In order to be successful, you gotta lay it down to pick it up.” — Nico’s father “If you can’t find eight to nine people per hour in New York City, you’ve got a big problem.” — Nico Verano “All people want to feel is special. Whether you’re selling meatballs or saunas—it’s the same thing.” — Nico Verano Timestamps 0:00 — The SweatHouz origin story 4:00 — The Sopranos and the restaurant that started it all 8:00 — Lessons from taking the ultimate entrepreneurial swing 10:00 — From first franchisee to multi-unit owner 14:00 — What contrast therapy really does for the body and mind 17:00 — Guerrilla marketing and how SweatHouz built hype offline 21:00 — Building community through hospitality 26:00 — Scaling fast: building three locations at once 33:00 — Real numbers: margins, revenue, and payback 41:00 — Why hospitality beats AI 43:00 — Partnering with Kevin Cooney and launching Twin Oaks Ventures 47:00 — The story behind My Mother’s Cutlets 50:00 — Running multiple ventures without burning out Connect with Nico Instagram: @nicovaranojr, @mymotherscutlets SweatHouz Boston: sweathouz.com Twin Oaks Ventures: Coming soon