Welcome Back to the Lavahot Podcast | with special guest Carnie Fryfogle of CR3 American Exteriors

Lavahot Entrepreneur Podcast - Business, Marketing, and Personal Development

Carney Freyfogle, CEO of CR3 American Exteriors, returns to the Lava Hot Podcast with a powerful story of transformation and growth. Since his last appearance, CR3 has evolved from a fledgling franchisor with six locations to a thriving enterprise with 15-16 active locations across 14 states, earning recognition as #65 on Entrepreneur's list of top new and emerging franchises.
Behind this success lies a fascinating journey of reinvention. Freyfogle candidly shares how they discovered that what works for a single location doesn't automatically translate to franchise success across diverse regions with franchisees of varying skills. This realization triggered a complete system overhaul, with CR3 investing "almost every single dollar" back into infrastructure—rebuilding their foundation to support current franchisees while positioning for future growth toward 100+ locations.
The conversation takes a deep dive into CR3's approach to franchise culture, where they balance system compliance with allowing franchisees (whom they call "strategic partners") to put their personal stamp on the business. "Take things away from this, but make it your own," Freyfogle advises during training, fostering authenticity while maintaining brand integrity.
Perhaps most compelling is CR3's pioneering integration of artificial intelligence. They've developed an AI chatbot aptly named "Rufus" that's been fed their 400-page operations manual and years of training videos. This innovation allows franchisees to get immediate answers without waiting for corporate responses, accelerating business operations while maintaining consistency. Freyfogle shares broader insights about AI's transformative impact on business, noting, "It's not just a buzzword, it's very real," as he discusses how it's reshaping everything from customer support to legal document preparation.
The interview also offers valuable economic insights from someone with visibility across multiple states, noting that while Q1 showed slower activity, recent weeks have brought encouraging upticks. For entrepreneurs considering franchise opportunities in the exterior remodeling space, CR3 presents an attractive option with average ticket sizes exceeding $15,000, with Texas representing a particularly appealing market for expansion.
Ready to learn more about franchise opportunities or CR3's services? Visit CR3Franchise.com or find them across all social media platforms as CR3 American Exteriors.

Chapters

1. Welcome Back to Lava Hot Podcast (00:00:00)

2. CR3's Journey: Growth and Infrastructure (00:01:47)

3. Building Franchise Culture Like Chick-fil-A (00:06:45)

4. AI Integration: Revolutionizing Business Operations (00:11:13)

5. Economic Outlook and Industry Trends (00:20:10)

6. Franchise Success and Future Markets (00:31:28)

7. Closing Thoughts and Contact Information (00:38:30)