Stories from the Front Lines: How 3 Franchise CEOs See the Future of Their Brand

As part of our ongoing special coverage of Covid-19 and its impact on franchising, we’re asking franchise leaders how they’re responding to the effects of Covid-19 at all levels of their business. Here is how 3 franchise brand leaders see the future of their brand post–Covid-19. If you have a story to tell about what you’re doing to support your brand, franchisees, customers, or suppliers please email us at stories@franchising.com.

Alex Bingham, CEO, The Little Gym 

Right now what we see is that there will be quite a bit of change. With our model requiring so much face-to-face contact, we know that some people will be comfortable coming back right away, especially with our new disinfecting guidelines. But we also realize that the impact of families seeking less contact will be significant. This being the case, we are looking to new programs such as our online classes to provide a way for kids to continue to keep moving, even at home. We think there is new potential for growth in this area we had only dreamed of before. This situation, although not ideal, will help us to get new innovations in place faster than we thought would be possible. As a result of the way we offered classes online – free quickly, and efficiently – we think our system will have an opportunity to capture market share, and we are projecting that this has put us in a position to grow more rapidly than others in similar situations.

Nick Friedman, CEO, College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving

It is all about your mindset. The companies that are committed to staying open, growing, and innovating are the companies that will come out on top. During the 2008 housing crash, junk removal was in low demand. We thought about the core of our business and what we truly have to offer our clients: trucks, labor, and high-quality service. With that thought in mind, we launched the moving side of the business and skyrocketed our growth. It’s this type of mindset that will set businesses apart. Now is the time to adapt and expand (or enhance) your business offerings. If instead, companies choose to shut down their marketing efforts to save some money, they are, in turn, giving up marketing share to the companies that are not fearful. College Hunks will continue to persevere and grow because we have the grit and passion for achieving success regardless of the situation. We pride ourselves on being purpose-driven, values-based, socially conscious, tech-enabled, and results-obsessed. Our culture and values will remain unchanged, while our strategies and tactics will evolve.

Shelly Sun, CEO, BrightStar Care

Our mission always comes first, and that is how we have been able to create a sustainable brand. During these current times we are still putting the mission first by always being the best employer for our staff and the best provider for our clients, which we will continue to do. We also will continue to equip our franchisees with all necessary equipment and training to keep everyone safe. With that said, we are always looking ahead to provide the highest standard of care and will continue to have supplies in the coming weeks and months so that we are always giving our franchisees, staff, and clients the confidence they need to stay home safely. Things will shift, of course, but we will come out of this and reinvent the business model, making sure we are sustainable for the long haul. We will always focus on our nurse-led care and how that can help us accelerate and grow the brand.