Shane Birt, franchise owner of Seal-A-Fridge Melbourne CBD and Northeast territories, shares his inspiring journey from humble beginnings as a butcher to running his own successful service business.

In Episode 134 - In this episode, Shane talks about how a call from former mentor and Seal-A-Fridge founder Craig Foxwell reignited his career, leading him to learn the trade hands-on across Victoria. He opens up about facing a major back injury, the recovery journey that pushed him into studying accounting, and how he eventually transitioned from employee to business owner.

Now running two territories, Shane reflects on the mindset shift required to take the leap into entrepreneurship, the flexibility that comes with owning a franchise, and the satisfaction of providing a service that genuinely helps people and saves energy.

0:00 Introduction

0:26 What is Seal-A-Fridge and what franchise owners actually do

2:20 Moving around as an army kid and adjusting to new careers

4:43 The call from former mentor Craig Foxwell that changed his path 

6:46 Learning the trade hands on with Craig and Michelle across Victoria 

8:10 Running the Geelong–Warrnambool territory for several years

11:27 How Shane’s back surgery helped him get his life back

12:33 Transitioning from accounting to owning two Seal-A-Fridge territories 

13:48 Comparing work life in accounting versus franchise ownership

14:49 The mindset shift from employee to business owner 

16:49 The most satisfying part of running a Seal-A-Fridge franchise 

18:10 Why customers are often grateful when he walks in the door

19:07 Wrapping up Shane’s journey

Podcast Produced by Franchise Business HUB