The opinions expressed by the entrepreneurial contributors are their own.
A franchise is only as strong as the people running it and the best people do not manage only one place, they own the neighborhood. In the boardroom, we have seen for the first time how local entrepreneurship creates or breaks the customer experience. Our most successful franchises are not just following a playbook, they are building relationships, embedding themselves in their communities and demonstrating ownership that cannot be taught in a manual. You cannot outsource that kind of leadership.
There are 4 reasons here that local entrepreneurship is a secret weapon of successful franchise.
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1. Franchising works best when it is individual
The beauty of the franchise model is that it allows the soul to scale without losing. But only if you find the right people in the room.
The most effective franchisees do not want to develop just a business, they want to serve their community. They sponsor young sports teams. They show in local programs, usually with logo on their shirts in a branded vehicle. How do they take your name, your go-to stylist and how do you take your coffee.
Paul and Caren Wolf, who operate the highest productive franchise in our system, are an ideal example. They are so famous in their community that they are like honorary mayors. Their leadership goes far ahead of their lounge walls – if a customer stops them in costco on Saturday or in the church on Sunday, Wolf is ready to represent our boardroom. It is no surprise that they are so successful.
This is not good only for connections, it is good for business. When customers feel that one place knows them, they come back. When employees are seen by their leaders, they live. And, in this industry, retention is everything.
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2. Script and not only follow it
Yes, we can give a roadmap to the franchise, but the best people do not just follow the instructions, they read the room.
The best franchisees change the time of a promotion based on the event calendar of their community. They believe which offerings are not echoing locally, then adjust your content to highlight the services that their community likes. This is not just a smart business, it is local intuition at work.
It is easy to assume that franchises just “play.” But the reality is that success often comes from knowing when to pive and when to go. And no one can do that every day is better than the construction of an entrepreneur’s relationship in their community.
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3. Local entrepreneurs push the brand
The biggest misconception in franchising is that innovation only flows. In fact, some of the most impressive ideas begin in a single local market and are on a scale from there. I saw this Firsthand in planetary fitness during my time. Large changes in Planet Fitness Model began as franchise innovation: 30 minutes circuit, prospect call phone script, pricing strategies, their testing was tested locally, proved effective and then adopted the systemwide. That lesson stuck with me: The closest people of the customer often have a clear view of what to change. And listen to smart franchisees.
In the boardroom, we welcome that kind of partnership. We pay attention when the franchisees bring smart, locally informed ideas, whether it is the development of our service or a better way to maintain our professionals. Because when one place gets better, the entire system benefits. The best franchise relationships are not harsh. They are partners. And it is how great brands are manufactured: together.
Related: ‘Send a man next time’: How an entrepreneur and his daughters built a $ 2.5 million franchise in a male-dominated area
4. Scaling does not mean disconnection
As the brands grow, we should work hard to stay close to the field because we know where the real business lives. Local entrepreneurs do not just represent your brand; They shape it in every city you recorded. When you strengthen the correct people locally, you are not just adding places, you are building trust on the scale.
And this is the difference between a franchise network and a true community.
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Success comes from relationships
The success of the franchise does not come from the corporate. It comes from the corner of the main street and hard-arguments. It comes from entrepreneurial owners such as Paul and Caren Wolf, who knows their neighborhood, leads with care and those who do not just run our playbook, develop it. Whom do we seek? Those who bet to connect with us.
Because at the end of the day, a great franchise is just one great Local business It is repeated, supported and elevated across the country.
