James Franks has learned a thing or two in his career in franchising, which spans more than a quarter century. He looks to put those lessons to work in his newest venture: senior vice president of franchise growth for beauty and wellness platform WellBiz Brands.
‘I get to help people achieve their lifelong dreams, goals and desires by the franchise system I represent and be the vehicle for them to achieve those goals,’ Franks said. ‘Whether it’s the most sophisticated franchisee that owns 200 locations under multiple brands or a first-time entrepreneur that used their life savings opening their first location, it’s very important we handle it correctly and with class.’
Franks joined WellBiz in early March, noting he felt inspired to learn more about the beauty, health and wellness categories after seeing their rise in demand since COVID. The platform is home to five beauty and wellness concepts: Amazing Lash Studio, Drybar, Elements Massage, Fitness Together and Radiant Waxing.
Franks is no stranger to multi-brand platforms, last working as vice president of franchise recruiting for youth enrichment platform company Unleashed Brands.
He oversees market identification, site selection and franchise recruitment in his new role, the last of which he said has a similar process across segments, whether it’s for a beauty brand or a youth-oriented one. Franks said regardless of category, his role comes down to understanding the business model, customer base and ideal franchisee candidate.
‘Understanding this segment is really key and really understanding the type of ideal candidate that’s going through there,’ Franks said. ‘It’s very important to have the strategies and the strategic thinking with the operation team, the marketing team and the real estate team. We want high growth, but we want solid, controlled growth and built-to-last growth as well.’
The platform’s franchisee portfolio features an array of owner types in the system, whether it be first-time franchise owners, second- and third-generation owners, or multi-unit and multi-brand owners involved with other segments.
Regardless of experience, Franks said WellBiz’s franchisees share a passion for their community and customer. ‘Whether they’re in the shop running day-to-day or own multiple shops across the country, they have to really understand that and be able to build the culture within their one location or 10,’ he said.
This high level of franchisee engagement is critical in successful franchise growth.
‘Our top franchisees know their numbers,’ he continued. ‘They know who their customers are. They know how to market the business. They built a culture for their team, and that’s really key.’
Franks looks to build upon this, promoting clear communication with franchisees as they continue to develop, listening to feedback and remaining engaged with WellBiz’s franchise advisory councils.
Clear communication includes a level of transparency about each franchisee’s path. Part of Franks’ role is handling transfers and helping franchisees exit when ready.
‘What we’ll do from the beginning is be talking to our franchisees about starting with the end in mind,’ he said. ‘How would you run your business today like you had to sell it tomorrow?’
These strategies are in play to help the platform open an additional 50 units this year.
‘I’ve been in franchising basically my entire professional career, and my background has been associating with companies that are best in class, number one in categories,’ Franks said. ‘We will continue to strive to do that, not only by the number of locations, but the quality of franchisees we attract to our business, how we open our locations, how we support our locations and how we help our franchisees continue to expand.’
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