On this episode of Our American Stories, Mike Leven learned one of his most important business lessons in the hotel franchise world: treat the franchisee like a customer, and give that owner every reason to succeed. Done well, he argues, franchising combines the resources of a larger brand with the energy and accountability of individual entrepreneurs.

Sharing the story through recalling his time with Days Inn and Holiday Inn, Leven explains why growing organizations so often lose touch with the people they serve and why, in business and beyond, the bigger the bureaucracy becomes, the easier it is to forget who the customer really is.

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