Meet the Franchise

Meet Dan Stone , Chief Business Officer at The Melting Pot Restaurants! What is The Melting Pot? The Melting Pot, the 94-unit experiential fondue franchise, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025. As a leader in this niche sector, they have excelled as the go-to fondue concept thanks to the power of a passionate corporate team and a focus on operational execution of new initiatives. In t...

Meet Ralph Bower , CEO at The Melt! What is The Melt? Founded in 2011 in San Francisco, The Melt is a heavy-hitting, indulgent restaurant in the fast-casual sector. Known as the home of the "World's Meltiest Burger," this brand has found massive success in the West with 17 locations, including its recent expansion into Arizona. As CEO, Bower has led a culture shift focused on guest feedback and de...

Meet Clint Rowley, Brand President of Screenmobile! What is Screenmobile? With 28 consecutive years on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, Screenmobile is the original mobile screen repair and installation franchise with a broad menu of services including patio enclosures, motorized screens, sun control products, pet-resistant screens and custom outdoor living solutions. With more than 120 units operati...

Meet Amy Addington , President and Co-Founder of Woofie's Pet Venture. What is Woofie's? Founded in 2004 in Ashburn, Virginia, by Amy Addington and neighbor Leslie Barron, Woofie's is a full-service mobile pet care franchise that combines mobile pet grooming, dog walking, and pet sitting into one platform. In 2022, the brand joined the Authority Brands family and, as of 2025, Woofie's currently op...

Discover the Magic Behind FSC Franchise Co.'s Differentiated Sports & Community Concepts. Nick interviews Scott SirLouis , COO of FSC Franchise Co., to explore the dual-brand opportunity this parent company offers with Beef 'O' Brady's and The Brass Tap — two complementary concepts built around Food. Sports. Community. Learn how FSC's portfolio approach empowers operators to become the &...

Meet Burton Heiss , CEO of Escapology. What is Escapology? After opening the first location in Orlando in 2014, Escapology began franchising in 2016 as a leader in the growing escape room & entertainment sector. In 2025, they celebrated their 100th location opening in Glendale, Arizona, spearheaded by a brother-sister team of multi-unit franchisees. Escapology stands out for their use of an in...

Meet Brandon & Chantel Gawthorp , Co-Founders of Urban Bird Hot Chicken. What is Urban Bird? Started in September of 2020, Urban Bird is a veteran owned and operated Nashville Style Hot Chicken restaurant that has seen massive success through their intentional use of high-quality food products and creative signature flavorings. After discovering the Hot Chicken craze on a trip to Vegas, Brando...

What started with grit, focus, and a simple obsession became Dillas Quesadillas — an emerging brand creating a category of its own. Now, the next chapter is unfolding. Join 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills for a behind-the-scenes conversation with Dillas Quesadillas Co-Founders Kyle and Maggie Gordon . You'll hear the real story of how Dillas was built — from early lessons at Rais...

Meet Katy Richardson , COO, and Lou DeFrancisco , President, of Extraordinary Brands . What is Extraordinary Brands? Since its founding in May 2022, Extraordinary Brands has assembled a portfolio of leading fitness brands including Row House, Neighborhood barre, CycleBar, and Rumble Boxing. By combining a passion for health and wellness with an entrepreneurial spirit, Extraordinary Brands focuses...

Meet Nick Way, Senior Director of Brand Marketing for Home Helpers Home Care Franchise. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickway1/ What is Home Helpers Home Care? Named A Top Low-Cost Franchises by Franchise Business Review and a 5-Star Franchise by Vet-Fran, Home Helpers® provides comprehensive in-home care services and assistance for seniors and more. With more than 330 locations across the US, s...

Meet Joseph Wade, VP of Operations at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-wade-4b386913/ What is Benjamin Franklin Plumbing? The brand traces its franchising roots to the early 2000s, when a group of independent plumbing businesses came together through a buying group. The goal was to better compete in a fragmented industry and bring structure to what was often an inform...

Meet Brandon Cornelius , COO of Costa Oil. What is Costa Oil? This Hanover, Pennsylvania based franchise is one of the only family owned automotive service / quick lube businesses that is not directly owned, operated or affiliated with an oil company. Ranked #101 on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2025 list of Top New & Emerging Franchises in the United States, Costa Oil was established in 2014 by cur...

At a time when private equity firms are acquiring many childcare franchises, the question of whether family operated or privately owned is a huge factor when deciding on a franchise. Nick Powills, Publisher of 1851 Franchise, is joined by Children's Lighthouse President, Michael Brown, and VP of Franchise Development, Matt Kelton to unpack how staying family-owned in a private equity-heavy childca...

Meet Lane Martin, Founder of Modern PURAIR®. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lane-martin-7377a114/ What is Modern PURAIR? Franchising since 2007, this brand is a full-service Indoor Air Quality company offering duct cleaning & indoor air quality programs and testing for residential properties, retail locations, property management companies, restoration companies, schools, hospitals, and more....

Meet Dr. Rachel Fidino, CEO of New U Women's Clinic and Aesthetics. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rachel-fidino-722531162/ What is New U? Founded in February 2020, New U Women's Clinic & Aesthetics is a premier facility offering a holistic approach to patient care. Bridging the gap between medical practice and aesthetics, New U offers skincare, injectables, body wellness programs, and compreh...

Meet Nesa Opp, Director of Franchise Development for The Glass Guru Franchise. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nesa-opp-3abb07202/ What is The Glass Guru Franchise? The Glass Guru offers window/glass restoration services & glass replacement to residential/commercial customers. The brand was the first US-based enterprise to introduce the Foggy Window Repair process, a revolutionary method being use...

Meet Justin Waltz, President of The Junkluggers. https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinwaltz/ What is The Junkluggers? Junkluggers offers convenient, hassle-free junk removal services with eco-friendly initiatives that make it easier than ever to declutter a customers property. After lugging your items, their goal is to donate, re-purpose, and rehome as much as possible to help keep items out of landf...

Meet Carlos Hesano, Brand President at DRYmedic Restoration Services. https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-hesano-716a47b/ What is DRYmedic Restoration Services? Founded in 2014, DRYmedic Restoration Services is a disaster restoration business with services from Water & Flood Damage, Fire & Smoke Damage, Mold Remediation, Disaster Mitigation and Preventative Services, to so much more. Acquir...

Meet Rob Palmer, Founder & Brand President at The Lawn Squad. https://www.linkedin.com/in/robpalmerwp/ What is The Lawn Squad? Lawn Squad is a weed control and lawn fertilization company that offers franchise opportunities for new and existing members of the lawn care industry. Along with new business owners, Lawn Squad specializes in adding their services into your existing business to expand...

Meet Todd Houghton, President of Homewatch CareGivers. https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-houghton-811412b/ What is Homewatch CareGivers? Founded in 1980, this brand is a long standing leader inside the expanding home-care franchise world, providing flexible non-medical services with an expansive menu of specializations. The brand has also invested in advancements in the digital home care space with...

Meet Joe Manuszak, Director of Operations for UNITS Moving & Portable Storage. / manuszak What is UNITS? UNITS is a provider of moving and portable storage services, including self-storage, on-site storage, self-service moving, and inter-franchise (long-distance) moves. UNITS is a nationwide network, reaching over 800 cities and continuing to grow. UNITS separates itself in the industry by foc...

Nick is joined by Keke's Breakfast Cafe's Sr. Director of Franchise Relations, Jon Ahrendt, and Multi-Unit Franchisee John Ehrhard to discuss why this established restaurant concept in the breakfast and lunch-only restaurant space is ideal for multi-unit franchisees looking to diversify their portfolio without sacrificing revenue or work-life balance. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-ahrendt/ https...

Meet Max Emma, CEO and Founder of BooXkeeping. / maxemma What is BooXkeeping? BooXkeeping offers outsourced bookkeeping services that can eliminate the burden of tracking expenses and keeping your financial records organized. They are   the only bookkeeping franchise in the United States and a preferred provider for over 110 franchise brands in the US. Founded by Max and Elena Emma, two entreprene...

Meet Mike Tan, CEO of SweatHouz. What is SweatHouz? SWTHZ is a luxury contrast therapy studio helping people prioritize their mental and physical health through deliberate heat and cold exposure. SWTHZ offers a private suite environment ⎯ featuring an infrared sauna, cold plunge, and vitamin C showers. SWTHZ is focused on careful, intentional growth with plans to bring only about 100 total franchi...

Meet Brad Schneider, President of The Growth Coach Franchise. https://www.linkedin.com/in/growthcoachbrad/ What is The Growth Coach Franchise? The Growth Coach was founded in Cincinnati in 2003 and is the only pure business and sales coaching franchise aimed at driving success while balancing the lives of small business owners, managers, sales people, self-employed professionals and executives thr...