Female Fast Risers - Tara Gilad

Name: Tara Gilad

Brand: Vitality Bowls

Title: President, Co-Founder

Age: 46

Years in franchising: 6

No. of units: 76 open; 146 total open and in development

What attracted you to franchising? Our first few locations were well-received and we wanted to bring our healthy food to more communities. We felt everyone should have access to nutritious and delicious superfoods with a focus on allergy safety.

What was your first job in franchising? I worked at a Round Table Pizza in college.

What do you attribute your success to? Identifying a healthy menu that is also delicious, along with having talented and dedicated team members.

What challenges and obstacles have you overcome in your career? Being a female in a male-dominated industry as well as going through a pregnancy and raising two children while growing an expanding business. It was also challenging to find a work/life balance when we started. In the last couple of years, as we’ve grown and been able to bring on more team members, I’ve finally achieved this. 

Describe your journey to your current position: I started creating recipes in my kitchen before we opened our first location in 2011. We opened our second location 5 months later, and our third a year later. We began franchising in 2014 and today have 146 locations either open or in development.

What are your future career goals? To maintain my current role as president and continue to expand the company and bring healthy foods to all communities. Since fewer than 10% of brands ever launch more than 100 open stores, it has been a personal goal for me to try to achieve this by 2022. 

Advice to young female executives in franchising: Find something you are passionate about and give it all you have! Be willing to stay flexible, focused, and driven.