Meet the Franchise

What is holding your franchise development engine back from scaling?  On this episode of Meet The Franchise, 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills sits down with Art Coley CEO of ROS® CGI Franchise, to discuss how ROS is a game-changing Recruitment Operating System built specifically to strengthen your franchise development. Rather than acting as a traditional brokerage or lead-generation agency, ROS® provides the technology, rigorous training, and structured coaching franchisors need to optimize their internal development engines.  With over 30 years of hands-on franchise leadership experience as a Chief Development Officer and CEO across 12 distinct brands, Art Coley designed ROS® around a core truth: a great business model is only as strong as the recruitment system behind it.  Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!

We sit down with Danielle Mahon, Founder and CEO of Topsail Steamer, to discuss how her innovative brand is expanding its footprint in the food and beverage sector. Topsail Steamer offers a unique take-home seafood experience, with ready-to-cook steam pots delivered directly to customers or available for local pickup at locations across Alabama, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey, and North Carolina. This convenient concept combines a distinctive customer experience with a scalable business model and low labor overhead. Drawing on her extensive sales and leadership experience, Danielle Mahon turned her passion for fresh seafood into a business by launching Topsail Steamer in Surf City, North Carolina, and growing it into a multi-state franchise.Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!

Nick sits down with Maureen Anders, co-founder and CEO of AR Workshop, to discuss the brand’s growth, its approach to experiential retail, and the opportunities it offers prospective franchise owners.  AR Workshop combines instructor-led DIY home decor workshops with private events, youth camps and curated retail offerings, giving franchise owners multiple revenue streams. The brand also offers two business models: traditional brick-and-mortar locations and mobile Crafty Cruiser units, allowing owners to reach their communities in different ways. With more than 100 locations across over 30 states, AR Workshop has grown into a nationwide franchise network. With her extensive experience in design, marketing, and crafting, Maureen offers valuable insight into the brand's creative vision and the importance of providing engaging, hands-on experiences for people of all skill levels.Start your Growth Club Journey today https://bit.ly/4azU9fs

1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills sits down with Michele Henry, CEO and Founder of FACE FOUNDRIÉ, to discuss how her personal experience with skin struggles inspired her to disrupt the traditional wellness industry with a high-frequency, open-air facial bar concept. FACE FOUNDRIÉ currently operates 85+ open locations with 120 stores in development. Demonstrating high franchisee satisfaction and strong system health, over 90% of current owners are multi-unit developers. With standard store openings taking only 10–12 months from signing, the brand is targeting rapid expansion toward 400 to 500 locations over the next 3 to 5 years, along with future international development. Before launching FACE FOUNDRIÉ, Michele built and scaled a successful women's clothing chain, Primp, growing it to $25 million in revenue during an eight-year tenure. In December 2018, she sold her shares to pursue her vision for an accessible, approachable skincare concept, opening the first FACE FOUNDRIÉ facial bar in 2019. Under her leadership, the brand began franchising in 2021. Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club now!

Nick Powills sits down with Bret Schneider, Founder and CEO of WOW Window Boxes, to discuss how he turned custom container gardening into an automated, year-round service model that generates over $5.3 million in corporate revenue with an 87% customer retention rate.  Originally founded in 2007 and franchising in partnership with REP'M Group, WOW Window Boxes delivers custom-built PVC planter products paired with a proprietary, automatic drip-irrigation system. The franchise is built for rapid national scaling, leveraging a centralized Sales Support Center that qualifies incoming leads, issues estimates, and processes client deposits directly for local operators.  Bret Schneider began his career as a product manager for building materials before stepping in to help commercialize his mother Sue’s custom window box concept in 2007. Utilizing his background in product design, supply chain logistics, and brand marketing, Schneider transformed a local service into a highly systematized, scalable enterprise. Under his executive leadership, WOW Window Boxes expanded its corporate footprint in Cincinnati to 11 active service vehicles and 30+ team members while pioneering a high-retention, year-round seasonal subscription model. In 2024, Schneider partnered with REP'M Group to officially launch national franchise expansion.  Start your Growth Club Journey today https://bit.ly/4azU9fs