Entrepreneur's Startups

We Sell Restaurants is a business brokerage serving clients looking to buy, lease, sell, or resell restaurants of all types. CEO Robin Gagnon shares the three things she’s excited about this year. 1 ▶ New technology! “Earlier this year, we launched a proprietary new technology platform that has been a game changer for our franchisees, streamlining their workflow and what can be accomplished in a day.” 2 ▶ New hires! “We recently made some strategic hires to lean into multiple technological advancements with new product offerings on the horizon.” 3 ▶ Virtual tours! “We are proud to be the first in the business brokerage sector to offer 360-degree virtual tours. A recent success story comes from our Charlotte, North Carolina, franchisee, who worked with a group from Indianapolis. They were…

Shortly after Ellie Mental Health started franchising in 2021, the company hosted its first discovery day at its very first clinic in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Four potential franchisees showed up. The next month, it was five people. And by month three—in October 2021—40 people and 17 groups came in looking to buy a territory. Chris Pash, Ellie’s senior vice president of growth and development, was floored—not just by how many people were interested in opening a therapy-based franchise business, but by how vulnerable they were with their personal stories. “I would ask them, ‘Why Ellie? Why mental health?’” says Pash. “And they all would share these stories that were emotional and deep. They were really going deep in the first five minutes of meeting me.” They mentioned children who were…

Tierra Encantada is a daycare and preschool set apart by its bilingual education program and fresh-cooked meals. Founder and CEO Kristen Denzer shares the three things she’s excited about this year. 1 ▶ A new investor! “The thing I am most excited about is our first institutional investor. Their patient capital and operational resources allow us to deepen our proven ability to provide a premier experience for families and franchisees.” 2 ▶ New talent! “Having the right people in the right seats to accelerate our national expansion is a major focus this year. I am thrilled we were able to hire two talented C-suite leaders, our chief marketing officer and chief financial officer, and their early efforts have already had a tremendous positive impact.” 3 ▶ Technology upgrades! “Informed by…

Miri Offir knows how to talk to people in crisis. After serving in the Israeli military, she came to the U.S. in 2003 and took a secretary job at the post-disaster recovery franchise 911 Restoration. She worked her way up—eventually becoming the company’s CEO in 2022, now overseeing 336 units. So when Offir stepped into a leadership role at 911 Restoration, she already knew some changes she wanted to make. It had long bothered her that when people called the company, their experts stuck to “just the facts, ma’am”—even if the person was clearly traumatized. For example, a mom would call, sounding upset with babies next to her, and the 911 Restoration expert would only ask how many inches of water were in the house. Was this person cruel? No,…

Gigglewaters is a 1920s-themed restaurant, bar, and movie theater, combining classic films with food and drinks. Founder and CEO Rachel Fine Wilson shares the three things she’s excited about this year. 1 ▶ Restaurants are back! “The return of full-service restaurants has been incredible. On a Friday or Saturday night, we can run up to a two-hour wait. While quick-service restaurants focus on transactions, full-service is about building relationships.” 2 ▶ Expansion! “We’ve just sold our first franchise. It’s exhilarating to connect with the trailblazers who will collaborate with our founders to build something remarkable from the ground up.” 3 ▶ Cinema Supper Series! “Recently we launched our Cinema Supper Series, where we follow the exact food cues of the film we’re showing, for a curated 10-course culinary event. This…

Zoom Room expected to have 45 total locations open by the end of 2023. It hit more than 60. That growth caps an incredible turnaround story. Zoom Room’s past troubles are notorious. Shortly after it started franchising in 2009, the company made some bad deals. It was “picking the wrong franchisees and growing without a plan,” says Mark Van Wye, who was the company’s COO at the time. In 2016, the year Van Wye took over as CEO, the franchise had just 10 locations—down from 14 the year prior. So his first act was to implement a two-year moratorium on sales of new franchised locations. He used the hiatus to build out the support team, bring on a VC partner, and improve unit economics. Eventually, the company started growing again.…