Cody Weaver went from selling golf balls out of ponds as a kid, to launching edgy novelty products in college, to building a decade-long career in footwear with Steve Madden and Dolce Vita. Today he’s a Donatos Pizza franchise partner in Fort Mill, South Carolina. In this episode of How I Franchised This, host Alex Smereczniak talks with Cody about his path from entrepreneur to intrapreneur to franchisee, how he spotted an opportunity in his own backyard, what it’s really like balancing a corporate leadership role with running a high-volume restaurant, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. Whether you’re thinking about your first franchise or curious how successful operators make the leap, this episode offers a candid look at the realities behind the headlines.