MAR_APR 2026 Digital-cp

P.46

Way of the Shark

Daymond John has built incredible brands. He’ll tell you the magic formula. by

JASON FEIFER

P.54 How Success Happens!

We talked to the world’s most successful people in business, sports, and entertainment. Steal their habits. by

BOVA

P.62 Your Growth Playbook

Building a consumer packaged goods brand? Here’s what the experts say to do next. by JASON FEIFER

March-April 2026

16 Overlooked Leadership

The best leadership happens out of sight, in quiet moments. Here are six ways to do it right.

18 How to Tell the Future

Kindness = Growth

When you’re gracious to others, you create customers for life. I talk to the man who taught me that 25 years ago.

by JASON FEIFER

11 The Secret to Business Longevity Is...

Kevin Smith makes cult-classic movies, but he attributes his career to something else: getting personal with his fans. by JASON FEIFER

This pattern repeats across time and industries. Once you spot it, you’ll see what’s coming next. by JASON

FEIFER

22 The Most Important Emotion in Marketing

Marketing stunts are meant to catch you off guard. But the best ones do more than that. by FRANCES

DODDS

28 Spot the Opportunities That Others Miss

The greatest entrepreneurs aren’t lucky. They just see the world differently. Here’s how. by NIR EYAL

43 Work Faster and Smarter

New tech to streamline your work and travel. by

MARIO ARMSTRONG

→ SAY YES TO YOURSELF

Self-made billionaire Lucy Guo bet big on herself. Here’s how she did it. P.54

by JASON FEIFER

FRANCHISE

73 The Franchise 500 Hall of Fame

Here are the most-ranked franchises of all time. Want to buy one?

by TRACY STAPP HEROLD

86 The Biggest Smallest Franchise

Lawn Doctor has achieved what almost nobody else has. by

LIZ BRODY

94 Find the Right Fit

How these lifelong sweethearts found the right franchise. by

KIM KAVIN

96 Taking Care of Faces

She built a franchise to solve her skin problems. It worked. by KIM

KAVIN

99 The Fastest-Growing Franchises

Want to buy into a rocket ship? This is the place to start.

by TRACY STAPP HEROLD

CLOSER

120 What Inspires Me

When you choose to help others, you end up helping yourself too.

by LIZ SKALLA

→ PITCH OUR INVESTORS TO BE ON ENTREPRENEUR ELEVATOR PITCH

We welcome founders who have scalable products or services that are ready for investment, and who have a specific plan for how that investment can help them grow. APPLY TO BE ON THE NEXT SEASON: ENTM.AG/EEPAPPLY

March-April 2026

→ YES, CHEF! Robert Irvine explains how to run many businesses at once. P.54

How Reachdesk Scaled Meaningful Corporate Gifting with Amazon Business

Corporate gifting has become a more intentional way for companies to earn attention outside the inbox. Reachdesk shows how pairing gifting with the right infrastructure can turn those moments into measurable business impact at scale.

Corporate gifting has reemerged as a meaningful practice—for customers, prospects, and employees alike—as companies explore ways to stand out from crowded inboxes. It’s a valuable tool that savvy businesses use to create a tangible gesture that opens conversations and strengthens relationships. However, many companies find that gifting is difficult to scale and nearly impossible to measure.

Reachdesk was built to solve these specific challenges. Reachdesk is the one-stop solution for global gifting and swag. Rather than stitching together multiple vendors, catalogs, and fulfillment partners across regions, companies can manage gifting, shipping and storing logistics, and ROI measurement through a single platform. The platform reduces cost for customers by taking the complexity out of gifting and swag, handling everything from setup to performance metrics.

“We started Reachdesk to help companies build deeper connections with their customers and employees,” says Alex Olley, co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer.

Here’s how this strategic company came to collaborate with Amazon Business and their suite of smart business buying tools to do what they do best—except even better.

Delivering moments that matter at scale Reachdesk’s mission centers on what Olley calls “delivering moments that matter at scale,” an idea that shapes how the product is built and used. “We didn’t want to be a business that was just enabling people to send junk,” he says. “Gifting could easily become another channel that you spam people with, and we want to avoid that.”

Instead, Reachdesk integrates directly into customer relationship management systems (CRMs), marketing, sales, and human resources tools, allowing gifting to be triggered at the right moment and measure its business impact after delivery.

When a gift is delivered, that data flows back into the system. “If I send you a gift and I know you’ve received it, and that creates an opportunity in the CRM, we can say we created revenue for you as a business,” Olley says.

How Amazon Business expands what Reachdesk can do

As Reachdesk scaled, customers required a broader product choice and quicker fulfillment without sacrificing simplicity. The Amazon Business API integration became central to solving that. Amazon Business serves as the technology and fulfillment provider, allowing Reachdesk to surface Amazon Business products directly inside its own experience while relying on Amazon Business to handle ordering and delivery.

“What the API has given our customers is a never-ending opportunity to pick gifts,” says James Head, Reachdesk’s Lead Product Manager overseeing the integration. “With Amazon, we kind of get it all now,” Head says. “It really opens the door to opportunity, variety, and then the global piece as we integrate with more of Amazon’s platform.”

Reachdesk also supports campaigns that combine Amazonsourced gifts with items stored in its own global warehouses. “We take it out of the Amazon package, repackage it with their branded swag and a gift note, and send it as one bundle, allowing our users to deliver unique moments that matter at scale,” Head explains.

Scaling globally

Amazon Business has helped Reachdesk expand into new regions while maintaining a consistent experience. “We’re gradually unlocking different regions with Amazon,” Olley says. “It allows us to tap into those regions based on demand from our customers.” Today, customers send gifts through the Reachdesk platform while Amazon Business supports fulfillment across hundreds of countries, resulting in hundreds of thousands of gifts delivered globally.

Looking ahead, Reachdesk continues to invest in AI to help teams make better gifting decisions faster. “We’ve just launched an AI agent, Gifty, that helps you choose the right gift for someone,” Olley says. Integrated with Amazon Business, those recommendations stay tied to the campaign goal, recipient preference, and real product availability.

To learn more about Amazon Business and how it can help your business scale operations, visit business.amazon.com

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Want to Create Fans and Customers for Life?

The answer is simpler than you think.

IN BUSINESS, we talk a lot about LTV—the lifetime value of a customer. Then we come up with complicated systems and processes to increase that LTV.

But here’s the simplest strategy I’ve ever found: Graciousness

True human connection is a competitive advantage. Not enough people do it. I don’t think that’s because they’re cruel; I think it’s because we’re all busy, frantic, and focused on our needs, and it’s easy to forget how small amounts of graciousness can multiply.

Here’s an example I learned from a childhood hero of mine, filmmaker Kevin Smith.

When Smith was six years old, he went on vacation in Florida with his family. While walking with his dad, they spotted Peter Marshall—then the extremely famous host of Hollywood Squares. Kevin’s dad, usually reserved, called out, “Hey Peter!” Marshall turned, smiled, and said hello.

That was it. But to Kevin, it was magic. “He could have ignored us,” Kevin said. “But he didn’t. He was just gracious.”

That moment stayed with Kevin. As he got older, he thought: If I’m ever in Peter Marshall’s position, I will be as gracious as he was. “I always wanted to provide that,” he told me. “I’m going to make you feel like

you’re the person I came to see.” Because in business and in life, he says, you never know which small interaction will become someone else’s lifelong memory.

I know this is true—because when I was young, Kevin Smith had this exact impact on me.

Kevin’s first movies were a revelation to me. He self-funded Clerks, which came out when I was 14, and it taught me that you don’t need other people’s permission to make something. His next movie, Mallrats, taught me that creators can have a distinct voice—something I’ve always aspired to do in my own work.

When I got to college, I was desperate to meet him. So I convinced my school to spend its entire speaker budget to bring Kevin to campus. He showed up, took photos with countless students, and then answered questions for five hours—until the auditorium was nearly empty. Afterward, we walked together to his car. He was still gracious, still present, still making me feel like I mattered.

That experience changed me, just like Peter Marshall changed Kevin. I thought at the time: If I’m ever in a position where people care what I have to say, I’ll be as gracious as Kevin Smith.

Decades later, as editor in chief of Entrepreneur, I arranged an interview with Kevin—just so I

could tell him all this. Because I think about that promise all the time. In business, we’re told to focus on strategy, on growth, on the bottom line. But the foundation of every great business is relationships—and relationships are built on how we make people feel in the smallest moments.

Kevin and I talked about this in our interview. “The audience is your boss,” he said. “When you meet the boss at any job, you’re not like, ‘Hey, here’s the 10 things wrong about you.’ You, you’re like, ‘Hey, great to meet you.’ You kiss ass!” (See our conversation on page 11.)

It’s easy to forget this when you’re busy, or tired, or feeling important. But the truth is, every interaction is a chance to build trust, loyalty, and goodwill. You don’t have to be a celebrity to make someone feel seen. You just need to be present, honest, and kind.

I’ve seen this lesson play out repeatedly. I reply to everyone who emails or DMs me, for example. And when someone buys my

book or online course, they often explain: “You replied to an email of mine five years ago, and I’ve supported you ever since.” These things compound and return. Graciousness is the easiest, most impactful thing you’ll ever do.

So here’s my challenge to you: The next time someone asks for your time, or your advice, or just a moment of your attention, remember that you have the power to make it meaningful. You never know which small kindness will become someone else’s lifelong lesson.

That’s how you build a business—and a life—worth remembering.

P.S. I have a weekly newsletter that’s just like this column, and I always respond to readers! Find it at jasonfeifer.com/newsletter.

Jason

Feifer

jfeifer@entrepreneur.com

@heyfeifer

subscribe: entm.ag/subscribe

→ REUNION TOUR Me with Kevin Smith now (above), and when we first met in 2001 (right)

Jason

‘Make

Kevin Smith

Them Feel Something’

emotional connection with his audience. And he thinks every entrepreneur should too.

Kevin Smith built a personal brand without realizing it. And it probably saved his career.

In 1994, he released a movie called Clerks—and self-funded it with credit cards. When the movie exploded, it inspired a generation of self-funded filmmakers. He followed that up with Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, and a string of other movies that helped define a filmmaking era (and defined him by his character, Silent Bob).

But along the way, Smith noticed something: Fans weren’t just interested in his movies. They were also interested in him. And in a fickle movie industry, where filmmakers live or die on their next project, he saw a lot more longevity in selling himself

So he leaned into it, engaging directly with fans in a way that people back then rarely did. He toured, hosted screenings, and connected on nascent internet forums. He leaned into the role of the everyman geek—a guy just like you, who’s obsessed with pop culture. A following formed, before social media “followers” existed. Even the term “personal brand” was new: It was popularized by management expert Tom Peters in 1997. In the early days of podcasting, Smith created a network called Smodcast that served this new fanbase—and drove even more business opportunities.

Now, decades later, Smith has a lesson for all entrepreneurs: The more people care about you, the more opportunities you can create. “I would have been out of this business a long time,” he says, “were it not for the fact that I feed the audience.” Here, he talks about how to build your brand, connect with your audience, and maintain relevancy without losing your mind.

When you made Clerks, selffunded filmmaking was barely a thing. Why’d you do it? I didn’t want to work for some other guy. I worked for other people for years, and I was terrible at it. The idea of working for myself seemed appealing. I also learned that lesson tacitly from my father. He worked at the post office my whole young life. He hated his job. Whenever he wanted to take off work, he was so afraid of making the phone call. He’d ask my mom to do it, and my mom would. The whole house had to shut up. And once the call was made, he was like a different person. He was our father

→ SHOP TALK

Kevin Smith, left, talking to Entrepreneur editor in chief Jason Feifer for his podcast, Problem Solvers.

again. He was so happy. It was sad to see. I remember thinking, I can’t live like that. I can’t be ruled by being that scared.

Then you started working with film studios. But your DIY attitude seemed to stay the same. I realized that a studio can choose not to let you direct a movie—but they can’t take directing away. I’m a guy who started on his own credit cards. I could finish on my own credit cards if I had to.

Because who’s the boss? It ain’t Miramax. It ain’t Universal. It’s the audience, if they’re buying tickets. And if you work for the audience, they say you never work a day in your life.

How do you think about catering to that audience?

When you meet the boss at any job, you’re a kiss-ass. You’re happy to have the job. So it makes sense that whenever you meet the audience as the artists, be the same way. I was always very fanoriented—what they now call “direct to consumer.”

I did a lot of screening Q&As at colleges. I’d drive halfway across the country. We’d start at full capacity, and I’d keep answering questions even as we’d get down to less than half the crowd. But I had the philosophy of: I’m here. I have nowhere else to go, and they wanna know. And that was before I learned I could make money off of it.

I would also hang out on an early message board. People would write questions about my work, and I would go answer them. But I was never thinking, This is the future of marketing. I was just thinking, These people have jobs, and maybe they’re

making minimum wage, and they spent a few bucks on my movies, and I want to know why. That’s a relationship I want to foster, because I want them to come back.

It feels like your connection to your audience—which you’ve built for decades now—has helped sustain you even beyond movies. I started podcasting back in 2007. Pivoting into that was beautiful, and it created this whole other industry, where I brought my friends along instead of me just standing on stage talking about myself. When I talk to listeners in real life today, the identity factor is still huge. It’s still the same relatability.

At the same time, I had no idea that this job would

I tell young writers, “You can write about space or a comicbook movie. There are lots of those. But there aren’t a lot of the story of you. They’re waiting for that. That’s what people connect to.”

You gotta come up with something meaningful. If you’re trend-chasing, if you’re saying what everyone else is saying, then why are they coming to you? But if you can make them feel something, they’ll pay you for the rest of your life.

It seems to me like your relatability and your relevancy are intertwined. To your audience, you were playing two roles at the same time—the average guy, and the guy who did the thing that other artists dream of doing.

gentleman is talking about how he has three degrees, including a Ph.D., and has sent out 10,000 resumes, and barely heard back from anyone. It’s the first time he’s been out of a job since he was 12. And he says, “In a world where I can’t even get a job at Starbucks, there’s no point for you to not chase your dreams anymore.”

Everybody has some secret sauce. I believe we’re all put together, and we’re all different, because we all have the answers for each other. Everybody has something that somebody else needs, whether it’s experiential, whether it’s something tactile—something they could share.

People get good ideas, but they don’t follow them because of the second voice. The

BELIEVE ME, YOU HAVE NOT HAD AN IDEA THAT SOMEBODY ELSE HASN’T ALSO HAD. THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE IT TO COMPLETION. YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE WHIMSY AND MAKE IT REALITY. THAT’S WHAT AN ENTREPRENEUR DOES.”

become a never-ending thirst and hunt for relevancy. ’Cause that’s the only way we exist. Like, for my dad, he wasn’t “relevant.” He was a cog in the postal machine. He would still get paid either way. But I ain’t getting paid unless somebody’s like, “What are you saying this time?”

What’s the secret to staying relevant to the people you reach?

This is going to sound so basic, but it’s in Shakespeare, man: “To thine own self be true.” We’re all so different and so beautiful. Embrace that. Lean into that.

I was their avatar. One guy said to me, “If I was going to succeed, I’d do it exactly the way you did.” That’s my favorite compliment I’ve ever gotten in my entire career.

How do you think entrepreneurs can use the lessons you’ve learned from your career today?

Human beings are being shut out of the workforce, thanks to AI. So I think we are entering a very entrepreneurial period of human development, because there’s no choice anymore.

I recently watched a TikTok that blew my hair back. This

first voice is inspiration: What doesn’t exist? If you’re irritated that something doesn’t exist, and you know it should exist, then you could bring it into existence. That’s the important voice. But the second voice is like, Nah. Don’t listen to the second voice.

You need passion, because that’s what separates you. Believe me, you have not had an idea that somebody else hasn’t also had. The difference is that you are going to take it to completion. You’re going to take whimsy and make it reality. That’s what an entrepreneur does, and it’s the closest thing to magic that exists.

revenue relax into

What Great Leaders Do Quietly

The best leadership happens out of sight, in the small moments that are easy to overlook. Here, six leaders share their most important tactics.

1/ Be vulnerable—and resilient.

“In high-stakes situations, the goal is often to avoid mistakes. But in day-to-day leadership, it’s important to let employees see the struggle. Leadership is incredibly hard. When I first became CEO, it was a big leap from my previous role. I had to learn quickly, so I leaned on the deeper expertise of my existing team, and was willing to ask for help. The team saw that I wasn’t pretending to know everything, and that built trust. They wanted to help, and together we achieved incredible results. Vulnerability, when paired with resilience, actually shows strength.”

—JULIETTE TANG, president, One/Size by Patrick Starrr

2/ Keep the team focused.

“The best daily leadership skill is the ability to not get distracted or allow your team to get distracted. There’s an infinite amount of ‘good ideas’ to chase, and a finite amount of time. If a leader or team is constantly chasing the newest shiny object, the team can’t execute one idea to the fullest extent. In most things in life, the top 1% to 5% take the vast majority of gains. Executing to that level requires a dedicated focus. We were able to grow so fast because we focused all of our efforts on a single channel, TikTok, and became the best we could at it.”

5/ Practice calm and consistency.

—CALVIN KLASKI, cofounder and CEO, Nobs

—CALVIN

3/ Find your leadership mindset.

“I think of leadership less as a set of skills and more as a mindset. For me, it’s about giving grace—to yourself and your team, especially to parents who are constantly navigating trade-offs. That means creating space for flexibility, acknowledging when someone needs support, and showing my own kids that work and family are interconnected. It’s not glamorous, and it certainly isn’t easy, but that daily empathy and intentionality is what builds resilient teams and creates loyal employees who feel valued, seen, and heard.”

—SARAH HARDY, cofounder, Bobbie

4/ Plan interactions with intention.

“Leadership happens every minute of the day, so I try to be very conscious of how I show up in my interactions with the team. First, I dedicate at least 30 minutes every Sunday evening to planning my week, so I can invest most of my time proactively rather than reactively. I remove meetings, add meetings, block time for deep work, and write down the themes or messages I want to reinforce that week. Second, while honest feedback is critical, I believe most individuals benefit more from positive feedback. I often write down in advance the positive feedback or gratitude I want to share with someone in a meeting, ideally in front of their peers.”

“Culture starts at the top, and the way we treat one another every day determines whether people feel inspired to do their best work. Over the past several years, we’ve all faced reasons to be stressed—economic uncertainty, supply-chain disruptions, and rapid changes in retail—but I continually remind my team that we’ve overcome challenges before and will do so again. Consistency and calm are invaluable. I also believe leaders must treat their teams like adults with full lives outside of work. Flexibility and empathy—recognizing that life doesn’t pause for business—help create an environment where people want to show up, contribute, and stay for the long term.”

—PATRICIA NASH, CEO, Patricia Nash Designs

6/ Leadership is about building more leaders.

“High-stakes moments should be the exceptions—times when a leader needs to trust their gut or make a quick call without all the data. But day-to-day leadership is almost the opposite. It’s about creating space for your team to think, act, and even make mistakes in a safe environment. That’s how people build confidence, develop judgment, and grow into leaders themselves. In the end, daily leadership isn’t about making every decision for the team. It’s about empowering people to make the call in their own domain so that, over time, the organization becomes stronger than any single leader.”

—SAMI INKINEN, and

—SAMI INKINEN, cofounder and CEO, Virta Health

—BRUNO LIMA, cofounder and CEO, Pura

Illustration

Practice calm and

—PATRICIA NASH, and

Big Idea

How to Predict the Future in Business

There’s a pattern that repeats across time and industries. Once you spot it, you can see what’s coming next—and how to give people what they want. by JASON FEIFER

Want to spot opportunities before anyone else does?

Want to know the future of your industry, anticipate major shifts in consumer behavior, or just prepare for the next phase of your own life?

The closest you may ever get is learning to recognize this simple pattern:

Everything bundles, unbundles, and rebundles.

As editor in chief of Entrepreneur, I have met thousands of entrepreneurs and studied hundreds of companies. This is the stickiest, most compelling pattern I’ve ever come across. I think about it a lot, and it’s helped me make sense of major changes in my own work, as well as across industries. After reading this essay, I suspect you’ll think a lot about it too.

Here’s the story of when I first encountered it. It happened in 2024, as I interviewed Notion cofounder and CEO Ivan Zhao for this magazine.

long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. Thus it has ever been.”

In other words: Everything unbundles and rebundles forever. Opportunity comes by spotting when that shift is taking place. That’s all Zhao did with Notion, he says. He started by thinking about the history of workplace productivity tools:

First,

bundle/ Everyone used Microsoft in the 1990s. A bundle of Word, Excel, and so on.

Unbundle/ When cloud computing began, people left Microsoft’s bundle. Businesses started cobbling together more customized apps (Trello, Google Docs, etc.) for their own workflows.

Re-bundle/ Now, people are overwhelmed by options. Zhao recognized this, and built Notion to put everything back in one place. Simplicity is the selling point.

In other words: Thus it has ever been.

The $11 billion re-bundler

The billion

Notion is a workplace productivity tool where you can create anything—to-do lists, sales trackers, collaborative docs, presentations, etc. It’s like Google Docs, Excel, PowerPoint, a calendar, and more, all rolled into one. This is something people really want: Notion has 100 million-plus users and an $11 billion valuation.

But Zhao told me that, despite its complexity, his business is very simple: “Notion is in the bundling business,” he said.

He says he often thinks about the opening line of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a historical novel about the rise and fall of Chinese empires. It starts with this line: “The empire,

Another bundle in action

A few months after meeting Zhao, I was listening to the podcast Search Engine. It ran an episode called “How Do We Survive the Media Apocalypse?” in which New York Times columnist Ezra Klein diagnosed why the newspaper industry fell apart. He said it all had to do with bundles.

Before the internet, Klein said, newspapers were bundles—containing news, sports, recipes, classifieds, movie listings, and more. Consumers might have only wanted one part of that, but they had to buy (and therefore fund) the whole thing.

Then the internet unbundled

Big Idea

those topics. People went to separate places for their sports and recipes and job listings. That left newspapers to primarily sell the news—which is expensive to produce, hard to sell ads against, and not what many of its prior readers wanted anyway.

Despite the deteriorating business model of the media industry as a whole, The New York Times is a financially healthy company. How? In part, it’s because it has rebuilt the bundle—with games, food, sports, podcasts, and events. In the past few years, based on data from the company, people have spent more time in its Games app than they do in its News app!

In other words: The New York Times was a bundle. It was unbundled, then re-bundled.

Now let’s go a step further. As I mentioned, I’m the editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine. A company like ours used to have traditional competitors like Inc., Fortune, Forbes, and so on.

But today, all traditional media companies are also competing against creators— individual people who have huge audiences and influence. As a result, sponsors’ marketing dollars are also shifting toward creators.

People often ask me: Where does this go next? And once I saw this through the lens of bundling/unbundling, I realized: Oh, this is just a version of the same thing

Here’s How It Works

First, the bundle/ People used to trust a media brand. That brand bundled many individual voices (i.e., you subscribe to Time, and Time publishes the writers you know).

Now, the unbundle/ Creators can reach audiences directly, so they don’t need established brands. Audiences love this, because they can feel a direct personal connection to that creator.

Next, the re-bundle/ As creators seek scale, they’ll start media companies—where they’ll promote and monetize other creators’ work. It will be like a network, with these creators sharing audiences and collaborating on content. Eventually, the main creator will get tired and step back, leaving a brand name with its new bundle of creators. At that point, the creator economy will have literally become the traditional media model it is currently challenging.

You can see this playing out right now with Steven Bartlett, who became famous for his The Diary of a CEO podcast. He started a company that, in part,

Why this cycle never stops

In the earliest days of internet browsers, there were lots of questions about how that industry would evolve. Would browsers be separate businesses? Would manufacturers like Microsoft create their own browsers for Windows?

In the midst of all this, Netscape Communications then-president and CEO Jim Barksdale gave some advice that became business lore. He said: “There are only two ways I know of to make money: bundling and unbundling.”

There’s a reason this pattern repeats endlessly. Both bundling and unbundling solve real problems, but they also create new problems.

Bundles are convenient and efficient, but they force you to pay for things you don’t want. Unbundling gives you choice and specialization, but it creates complexity and decision fatigue.

our everything—our social life, our thought partner, our whatever—and then we realize it’s also healthy to find some of these things in others.

We bundle our identities. Our identity gets tied up in our job title, our achievements, and our social circle. As we grow older, growth often means picking these things apart, investing more or less in certain parts of our lives, until we create a new bundle of identity.

We bundle our careers. We start by taking on everything. (“Sure, I’ll do marketing, ops, and sales.”) Then we focus deeply on one thing and become a specialist. Then we become leaders who must bring together multiple disciplines.

It’ll always change. Always unbundling and re-bundling. And once you see the

‘NEW THINGS’ ARE JUST NEW VERSIONS OF OLD THINGS. ARE THINGS CHANGING? GO WITH IT. DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE? GO FOR IT. FEELING LEFT BEHIND? WATCH CLOSELY, BECAUSE OPPORTUNITY WILL LOOP BACK AROUND.”

now launches other creators’ podcasts—and it recently closed a funding round at a $425 million valuation.

If Bartlett plays this right, the name “Bartlett” could become the same as “Forbes” or “Bloomberg”—a name that represents a bundle. In fact, I once shared that thought on LinkedIn, and guess who left a comment: It was Steven Bartlett.

He wrote: Bartlett. I suspect Bartlett is thinking the same thing.

So we swing back and forth. When bundles become too bloated or expensive, we unbundle. When unbundled options become too fragmented or overwhelming, we re-bundle.

And I’d argue that this principle doesn’t just pertain to business.

We bundle our lives.

We bring groups of friends together, then realize we’d rather see them alone (until another group opportunity comes along). Or our partners become

pattern, you can appreciate that nothing is permanent— and that all changes follow the same logic. No direction is set forever. No path is straight and linear. “New things” are just new versions of old things. Are things changing? Go with it. Do you want to make a change? Go for it. Feeling left behind by a change? Watch closely, because opportunity will loop back around.

We live in a cycle. And it’s ours to shape and ride.

We bundle our

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The Most Important Emotion in Marketing

Marketing stunts are meant to catch you off guard. But the best ones do more than that. Here, we break down three stunts that hit the right

When’s the last time you were delighted by an experience with a brand? It’s a surprisingly important question.

In a survey of 25,000 customers across diverse industries, McKinsey & Company found that delight—that bubbly feeling at the intersection of surprise and joy—is the single most powerful emotion a company can elicit. “Delight not only cultivates loyalty and repurchase,” the management consultancy says in a report, “but also fuels revenue growth through cross-selling and upselling opportunities.”

When marketers create stunts, they tend to focus most on the first part of this journey. They capitalize on surprise—crashing into customers’ lives and seizing their attention. But the best stunts take it a step further, by challenging assumptions and prompting people to engage thoughtfully with an idea or narrative. Psychologists describe “incongruity resolution” as the experience of encountering something weird or out of place, which then forces us to grapple quickly with the inconsistency and find some logic in the absurdity. The process of being surprised, and then locating some new logic or truth, can be profoundly joyful.

In other words, delight is the feeling when the joke lands, or we come around to a new perspective that just feels true. And when a brand takes a customer on that emotional journey, they remember it.

Here, we break down three surprising (and delightful) brand stunts from the past year—to inspire your own delightful marketing efforts.

emotional note. by FRANCES DODDS

BREAST MILK ICE CREAM

If your first reaction is “Ew!”—well, that’s what Frida was counting on.

In August, the parenthood product company wanted to build buzz around its new 2-in-1 Manual Breast Pump. So they came up with the idea of creating a custom breast milk ice cream flavor. It was sold online and in-person at a Brooklyn pop-up, and advertised with posters and a “Breast Milk Ice Cream” tanker truck that rolled around New York City. The tagline was: “Just like mom used to make.”

According to the Frida team, their objectives were “to destigmatize breastfeeding by sparking dialogue around a traditionally private topic, and to drive awareness and interest in Frida’s new manual breast pump.”

The campaign went certifiably viral. It got over 300 media placements, including two late-night shows, multiple morning shows, and more than 100 million social media impressions. Six publications ran “I Tried It” stories (including the New York Post, with the memorable headline: “New Yorkers latching on to new breast milkflavored ice cream in Brooklyn: ‘Isn’t all ice cream breast milk?’)”.The Frida website got a boost of 177% weekover-week traffic, with daily sellouts of the limited-time ice cream and a 55% increase in breast pump sales.

Marketing

/ GIANT SCRATCH-AND-SNIFF ARMPITS

2/ MYSTERIOUS POTATO MAILER

When KFC’s beloved potato wedges were returning after a five-year hiatus, the company wanted to cook up some social media hype.

“We designed a physical mailer for a curated group of 70 social media creators—intended to inspire unpaid, earned posts,” says Kimberly Murphy from Small Girls PR, who worked with KFC on the stunt. Each influencer received a premium, KFC-branded, glossy red box. Inside: a single raw potato, stamped only with “8.18”—a cryptic nod to the wedges’ return date. Accompanying it was a simple message: “No matter how you slice it, something big is coming.”

“Rather than explicitly revealing the wedges’ return, we leaned into subtlety and absurdity,” Murphy says.

Delight and hilarity ensued, with 72% of recipients posting, creating 157 pieces of unpaid influencer content and 7.3 million social media impressions—and prompting Instagram to add a suggested search for “KFC Potato Wedges.”

their coconut vanilla fragrance. “Our goal with this stunt was to create

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF KFC AND BILLIE

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How to Spot the Opportunities That Others Miss

The greatest entrepreneurs aren’t lucky. They’re just looking at the world differently. Here’s how. by NIR

EYAL

On a Philadelphia street corner at 5:30 a.m., a twentysomething jogger ran past the same homeless men she’d seen hundreds of times before. They were always there, clustered outside the Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission in the predawn darkness. Like most city dwellers, Anne Mahlum had mastered the art of practiced indifference—averting her eyes, maintaining her pace, treating their presence as just another fixture of the urban landscape.

But one morning, one of them waved. She waved back.

The next day, one of the men made a sarcastic joke as she passed. These casual interactions sparked a question that stopped her midstride during a run: “Why do I get to be the runner, and these guys get to be the homeless guys on the corner? Why can’t we all be runners?”

She didn’t have an answer. It would’ve been easy to let that question dissolve with her footsteps. Most people would have. But Mahlum saw something in those men that others had missed: potential

So she invited them to run with her. That invitation would evolve into a national nonprofit called Back on My Feet. Bolstered by that success, Mahlum went on to launch and sell a fitness business, making more than $100 million.

When reporters ask her if she ever imagined such success, Mahlum answers with an unusual kind of confidence: “Of course I did!”

What Mahlum is saying is that she believes deeply in the potential in everyone, including herself. Later in her journey, Mahlum will learn that this kind of unwavering

self-assurance can create blind spots. But without it, she would never have taken that first step.

Fortune isn’t the result of luck. It’s the product of what psychologists call “entrepreneurial alertness”—a unique (and learnable!) ability to recognize opportunities that others do not.

The first turnaround

For some, this mindset comes naturally. For others, like Mahlum, it was the result of a childhood experience that taught her something very important about people, and our infinite potential to grow and change.

Long before Mahlum ran a company, she ran circles around her neighborhood in Bismarck, North Dakota. At 12 years old, she was desperately trying to outpace the chaos waiting at home.

Mahlum’s father had gambled away $50,000 that the family didn’t have. The marriage collapsed. “I just felt really inad-

Slowly, painstakingly, he rebuilt his life. He got help. He controlled his gambling. The marriage didn’t survive, but he did.

Watching her father’s transformation planted a belief that would define her worldview: that anyone, no matter how far they’d fallen, could rebuild, so long as they had structure, support, and someone beside them who refused to abandon hope.

That belief became an internal compass. It shaped what she noticed, what she remembered, and what she interpreted as progress versus failure. That’s why, years later, when that invisible man outside the homeless shelter waved, she saw him in a way no one else did.

Back on My Feet

The first time Mahlum invited the men from the shelter to join her for a morning run, nine of them showed up. She had no program, and no degree in social work—just an unshakeable belief that perhaps running

responsible, ambitious.”

Mahlum had trained herself to look for what she believed in. Where others saw setbacks, she spotted breakthroughs. A man showing up on time. Another man running an extra city block. The more Mahlum believed in their potential, the more she noticed evidence of it. Simultaneously, the men began to see themselves differently as well.

That small circle of runners became Back on My Feet. Of course, not every mile was easy. Some men stole from the organization. Others weren’t ready. But Mahlum processed these as temporary setbacks rather than proof of failure. She wasn’t ignoring reality—she just chose to focus on possibilities rather than problems.

Just seven years after its founding, Back on My Feet had grown into a national movement, with 16 chapters, more than 15,000 people facing homelessness served, and over 10,000 jobs and housing placements.

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE REGULARLY REVIEW AND REFINE THEIR BELIEFS. YOU CAN DO THE SAME BY ASKING: WHAT BELIEFS HELPED YOU GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY? WHICH ONES STILL OPEN DOORS? WHICH MIGHT BE QUIETLY CLOSING THEM?

equate,” Mahlum said. “In my small town, people knew my business. Everybody knew that my dad was a gambling addict and my parents didn’t live together.”

Running became her therapy, giving her “this sense of confidence and accomplishment before most people even wake up.”

What happened next would reshape everything Mahlum believed about human potential. Her father—the man who had lost everything—began to change.

could do for them what it had once done for her.

“Over the course of a few weeks, I began to see these guys light up about what they were doing and who they were becoming,” Mahlum recalls. “You think about homelessness and the stereotypes that surround it, right? You’re lazy, you’re probably a drug addict, dangerous. And then you think [about] somebody who runs three days a week at six in the morning—that person is disciplined, focused, reliable,

Making your own luck

Mahlum’s early experience is an example of “provoked luck”—when small actions create big opportunities that, in hindsight, seem like simple good fortune. However, researchers now know that, more often than not, “luck” isn’t chance.

Dr. Richard Wiseman spent over a decade studying why some people feel perpetually “lucky” while others always feel “unlucky.” His research ▶

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revealed that so-called lucky individuals don’t actually experience more good fortune; they simply see more of it.

In one of Wiseman’s most famous studies, he asked participants to flip through a newspaper and count the number of photos it contained. What they didn’t know was that on page two, a huge ad proclaimed: “Stop counting. There are 43 photos in this newspaper.” Halfway through the paper was a second message: “Tell the experimenter you have seen this and win $250.”

Most “unlucky” participants missed the two messages entirely. They were so focused on completing the assigned task, they filtered out everything else—including a cash prize staring them in the face. Meanwhile, those who considered themselves “lucky” were far more likely to spot the message and claim the money. The winners weren’t imagining their luck. They were looking with a wider lens and seeing more.

Mahlum’s transformation from a runner who ignored homeless men to someone who saw untapped potential in them wasn’t random. It was the result of specific perceptual training. Watching her father’s recovery had instilled in her the belief that transformation was possible. That belief changed what her brain flagged as important, focusing her attention on new possibilities others couldn’t see.

The belief blind spot

Her approach worked.

Mahlum wasn’t consciously scanning for nonprofit opportunities. This is how beliefs create visionary entrepreneurs. Beliefs don’t just change what you think is possible; they change what you’re capable of seeing is possible.

After Back on My Feet’s success, Mahlum spotted another opportunity—a small fitness studio in Los Angeles with untapped potential. She invested $175,000 of her own savings to launch Solidcore. Within years, it became a phenomenon. Studios opened across the country. Mahlum was earning seven figures. Each success seemed to reinforce what she believed about herself: Her vision was crystal clear. Her judgment was sound.

However, the same filters that help us see what’s possible can also conceal things we’d rather not see. Mahlum’s intensity was everywhere at Solidcore. In the early years, that energy was rocket fuel. But her passion often erupted in harsh critiques and public callouts. As one employee put it, “She expected everyone to care about Solidcore as much as she did, which just wasn’t realistic.”

One team member said, “The anxiety of seeing an

email come through from Mahlum or a phone call…your heart would jump.”

When dozens of employees signed a petition calling for her resignation, she didn’t retreat into defensiveness. She invited the board to launch an independent investigation. “There’s a lot of expectations and responsibilities that come with leadership,” Mahlum said on a companywide call. “Not only do I know better than that, but you guys deserve better than that.”

The same woman who had built her identity around helping others transform now stood face-to-face with the one transformation she hadn’t expected to make: her own. She drew on the same belief that had shaped everything else in her life: transformation is always possible.

Building new beliefs

Mahlum evolved. She recognized that sustainable organizations don’t just need

WHY DO SOME PEOPLE FEEL PERPETUALLY “LUCKY” WHILE OTHERS ALWAYS FEEL “UNLUCKY”? WISEMAN’S RESEARCH REVEALED THAT SO-CALLED LUCKY INDIVIDUALS DON’T ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE MORE GOOD FORTUNE; THEY SIMPLY SEE MORE OF IT.

awarded millions of dollars to employees—not out of legal obligation, but because she said she would. “Solidcore’s success is far from just my own,” she said.

At every stage, Mahlum’s

You can do the same by asking: What beliefs helped you get where you are today? Which ones still open doors? Which might be quietly closing them?

It’s tempting to dismiss success as a matter of just being

Are you consciously choosing your beliefs, or letting old programming run on autopilot?

Mahlum’s insight was that belief-driven transformation is always possible—including her own. The same is true for

Saudi Arabia

A DECADE OF VISION 2030: FROM AMBITION TO DELIVERY

As Saudi Arabia approaches the tenth anniversary of Vision 2030 in April 2026, the Kingdom is no longer telling a reform story. What began as one of the most ambitious national transformation programs of the modern era has evolved into a narrative of execution, translating national ambition into investable reality.

The International Monetary Fund has highlighted Saudi Arabia’s increasingly resilient growth profile, with non-oil expansion of around 5 percent as domestic demand, private investment, and reform-driven productivity reshape the economic base. For international investors, the signal is structural rather than cyclical: growth is no longer tethered solely to hydrocarbons, but increasingly driven by consumption, services, industry, and private capital.

That momentum is underpinned by fundamentals few countries can replicate. Saudi Arabia sits at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa, anchoring global trade routes and logistics corridors. It has one of the world’s youngest populations, with a majority under 30, and retains the fiscal capacity and political continuity to invest counter-cyclically while many economies remain constrained.

A decade on, Vision 2030 has entered what policymakers describe as its delivery phase. The focus has shifted decisively from frameworks to outcomes. Expo 2030 in Riyadh and the Kingdom’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup in 2034 are not symbolic milestones; they are operational deadlines that align infrastructure, logistics, hospitality, digital systems, and workforce readiness with immovable timelines, materially reducing execution risk for investors.

Tourism has emerged as one of the clearest demonstrations of this delivery mindset. In less than a decade, Saudi Arabia has built a tourism economy at scale by liberalizing visas, expanding aviation capacity, and rapidly deploying hospitality and destination infrastructure. With more than 100 million domestic and international visitors recorded annually and targets raised to 150 million by 2030, tourism is no longer a future ambition but a material non-oil growth engine absorbing foreign capital and generating recurring economic value.

At the center of this transformation is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose launch of Vision 2030 redefined expectations for the role of the state in economic development. Reflecting on the journey, he has emphasized that “Vision 2030 launched with the citizen at its heart; everything achieved today is thanks to their effort and belief.” This reflects a defining feature of the Saudi model: reform anchored not only in capital deployment, but in broad social participation and workforce activation.

Over the past decade, the Saudi government’s role has evolved from regulator to market builder. Licensing has been modernized, public services digitized, and sectors once closed to foreign participation opened. Starting a business is faster, approvals are clearer, and decision-making is more centralized and, critically for investors, more predictable. In parallel, privatization and public-private partnership pathways have widened participation across infrastructure, transport, utilities, healthcare delivery, education services, and digital platforms, embedding private execution into national development.

The clearest expression of this platform-building approach is the Public Investment Fund. Far from acting solely as a financial investor, PIF has positioned itself as an ecosystem creator, anchoring new sectors, absorbing early risk, and crowding in private capital. Its scale matters for what it enables: coordinated industrial strategy, accelerated market formation, and bankable

pipelines for global partners. PIF’s assets under management have grown to more than $1 trillion, reinforcing its position among the world’s largest and fastest-growing sovereign wealth funds.

PIF’s flagship initiatives are best understood not as symbols, but as signals of economic intent. Diriyah illustrates how culture and heritage are being converted into year-round economic infrastructure through integrated residential, hospitality, education, and commercial development. Red Sea Global reflects the Kingdom’s ambition to lead in sustainabilitydriven premium tourism rather than volume-based models. In advanced manufacturing, CEER signals a deeper strategic shift by anchoring high-value production, supply chains, and engineering capability inside the Kingdom, ensuring that future industries are built domestically rather than imported.

Capital flows were already accelerating before market access formally widened. By the third quarter of 2025, total foreign direct investment stock in Saudi Arabia had reached approximately SAR 1.05 trillion ($280 billion), up around 10 percent year on year, as regulatory reforms and diversification deepened foreign engagement. Net FDI inflows rose to about SAR 24.9 billion in Q3 2025, more than 34 percent higher than the same period a year earlier, signaling growing international confidence in the Kingdom’s long-term trajectory.

That momentum is mirrored across the real economy. In mid-2025 alone, Saudi Arabia issued 83 new industrial licences and opened 58 factories representing more than SAR 2.85 billion in investment, highlighting expanding industrial capacity and private-sector dynamism. Non-oil revenues grew by 7 percent in the second quarter of 2025 and now account for nearly half of total government income, underlining the depth of the diversification underway.

Against this backdrop, one of the most consequential developments for investors followed. From February 1, 2026, Saudi Arabia granted full access to its main equity market for all foreign investors, removing long-standing eligibility restrictions and aligning participation with global standards. The reform materially expands liquidity, broadens the investor base, and embeds the Kingdom more deeply into global capital flows, marking a decisive step in Saudi Arabia’s evolution into a fully investable market.

The private sector response has been decisive. Corporate sentiment has shifted from optimism to conviction. In PwC’s latest CEO survey, 94 percent of Saudi CEOs expressed confidence in domestic growth, a belief reflected through expansion, hiring, partnerships, and regional headquarters decisions. Non-oil private-sector activity remains firmly in expansion territory, driven by execution rather than announcement.

Technology and human capital now form the final and increasingly decisive layer of the investment case. The Kingdom’s demographic advantage is being matched with sustained investment in education, healthcare, and skills development, aligning institutions more closely with evolving labor-market needs. Women’s participation in the workforce has expanded the national talent pool, while artificial intelligence is being deployed as a horizontal productivity layer across government, finance, healthcare, education, and industry, with cybersecurity underpinning trust as digitization scales.

As Vision 2030 reaches its ten-year mark and enters its final phase, the question for global investors has shifted from whether transformation is underway to where and how to engage. With the core architecture of reform in place and execution advancing across the economy, Saudi Arabia’s transformation is now defined less by intention than by outcomes. The task ahead is no longer to measure momentum, but to determine where participation aligns best with the Kingdom’s next decade of growth.

His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia

Kingdom Holding

Saudi Arabia today stands among the world’s most dynamic economies. The International Monetary Fund projects GDP growth of around 4% in 2025, propelled by non-oil expansion, record foreign investment, and structural reforms. The World Bank describes the Kingdom’s transformation as “one of the most ambitious diversification programs in modern history,” noting that strong non-oil growth is now driving the economy. As the Kingdom enters a new phase of economic evolution, it continues to set benchmarks for innovation, resilience, and opportunity worldwide.

AttheheartofthisprogressstandsKingdom Holding Company (KHC)—one of the world’s most distinctive investment firms. Founded by His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, KHC has, for over four decades, exemplified global reach coupled with a deep sense of national purpose. Guided by the Prince’s philosophy of “vision with discipline,” the company has demonstrated how conviction and integrity can drive enduring value. “His Highness taught us that greatness is built on patience,” says CEO Eng. Talal Ibrahim Almaiman. “He believes in investing where others hesitate—and delivering excellence every time.”

Eng. Talal Ibrahim Almaiman CEO

Today, Kingdom Holding stands as one of the world’s most influential investment powerhouses, managing a USD 19 billion portfolio spanning 18 sectors and multiple continents. Its holdings reflect a distinctive balance of international reach and Saudi leadership, anchored in longterm partnerships with some of the world’s most respected institutions. Among its flagship investments are Citigroup, Four Seasons, and AccorHotels—alongside strategic technology positions in Uber and xAI, and transformative ventures across real estate, aviation, and hospitality. With an investment philosophy that blends precision, patience, and vision, KHC operates on a truly global scale—privately led, internationally connected, and Saudi at its core.

With over three decades at KHC, Almaiman now leads the company into a new phase of focused growth and innovation. Since becoming CEO in 2017, he has expanded the firm’s technology and mobility portfolio, deepened its domestic footprint, and strengthened its alignment with Saudi Arabia’s national priorities. The results have been striking: in 2025, Kingdom Holding—listed on Tadawul, the Saudi Exchange—reported a 128.9% year-on-year profit surge in Q3, driven by strong returns from Citigroup and consistent gains in technology and hospitality. KHC shares trade between SAR 8 and 9, while its estimated net asset value stands near SAR 17 per share—evidence, Almaiman notes, that the company’s intrinsic worth remains underappreciated by the market. For long-term investors, this valuation gap presents a compelling opportunity to participate in one of the Kingdom’s most globally diversified and resilient enterprises.

KHC’s investment philosophy, Almaiman explains, rests on three pillars: patience, selectivity, and partnership. “We don’t chase trends— we identify enduring value,” he says. “We invest where we can create strategic advantage, add knowledge, and strengthen Saudi Arabia’s global positioning.” This disciplined approach has enabled KHC to outperform market cycles and maintain agility through changing global conditions.

“Our close relationships with some of the world’s most visionary entrepreneurs and investors give us access to opportunities few

others can reach,” Almaiman adds. “These connections position us early in breakthrough sectors—from mobility and luxury hospitality to artificial intelligence—reinforcing our reputation for foresight and resilience.”

While KHC’s reach spans five continents, over 40% of its portfolio is invested within Saudi Arabia—underscoring its enduring commitment to the Kingdom’s progress and the national transformation led by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. “Our roots are here,” Almaiman emphasizes. “Even as we invest globally, our purpose has always been to create lasting value at home—supporting Saudi Arabia’s growth and diversification.” He adds that KHC’s strategy aligns seamlessly with the country’s development priorities, focusing on sectors that elevate quality of life. “From tourism and mobility to education and healthcare, we remain deeply committed to that foundation for generations to come.”

Few projects capture this ambition more vividly than Jeddah Tower, the centerpiece of the 5.3 million m² Jeddah Economic City. Rising over 1,000 meters, it will become the world’s tallest building upon completionin2028.Beyondscale,itembodiesSaudiexcellence—featuring carbon-fiber elevators that reduce energy use by 80%, world-class safety systems, and dynamic mixed-use zones. “It’s not just a tower—it’s a catalyst,” says Almaiman. “It creates life, value, and opportunity.” The project stands as both an architectural icon and a powerful symbol of the Kingdom’s forward momentum—a testament to Saudi ambition, innovation, and global leadership.

Equally transformative are KHC’s contributions to education, healthcare, and mobility. The company founded Kingdom Schools (K–12) and is expanding education initiatives with leading international academic partnerships. In collaboration with Dallah Group, it supports specialized healthcare facilities and vocational programs that prepare Saudi youth for careers in hospitality and tourism. Through flynas, a flagship of KHC’s domestic portfolio and one of the region’s fastest-growing airlines, the company is also advancing national mobility and tourism, connecting people, cities, and opportunities, and helping position Saudi Arabia as a global travel hub. “We believe a great nation is built on strong education, world-class healthcare, and seamless mobility, and these are pillars we proudly strengthen every day,” Almaiman remarks. This conviction underpins KHC’s approach to human capital and social progress.

As one of the most globally connected investment firms to emerge from the Middle East, Kingdom Holding continues to define the standard for disciplined, long-term value creation. Its diversified portfolio—rooted in Saudi excellence and powered by international partnerships—reflects a philosophy that balances ambition with responsibility. From logistics and mobility to education and healthcare, KHC’s investments shape lives, strengthen economies, and reinforce Saudi Arabia’s growing influence on the world stage. As global markets evolve, Kingdom Holding remains steadfast in its mission: to create value that endures, partnerships that inspire, and lasting impact that transcends borders.

Alkhorayef Water and Power Technologies (AWPT)

BLUE ALPHA: HOW RAMI MOUSSILLI ENGINEERED THE BANKABILITY OF WATER

HOW RAMI MOUSSILLI DISRUPTED THE STATUS QUO TO REDEFINE THE ECONOMICS OF WATER. IN THIS EXCLUSIVE FEATURE, THE AWPT CEO REVEALS HIS PLAYBOOK FOR TURNING INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE INTO THE MARKET’S NEXT FRONTIER OF SMART CAPITAL.

In the lexicon of global asset management, water has historically been a paradox: an essential commodity plagued by fragmented value chains and elusive yields. For decades, the industry was bifurcated, split between low-margin construction risks and public-sector operational burdens. But in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a new operational thesis is dismantling that dichotomy. Under the stewardship of CEO Rami Moussilli, Alkhorayef Water and Power Technologies (AWPT) has fundamentally redefined water infrastructure, transitioning it from a traditional utility play into a sophisticated, high-yield asset class characterized by unprecedented resilience.

At the helm of this transformation stands its architect, Rami Moussilli, whose vision was not merely to compete in the market, but to redefine it. Moussilli designed and implemented a vertically integrated model that positions AWPT as a pioneering developer of precedent-setting privatization projects. By seamlessly fusing market-leading EPC and O&M capabilities with a bold development mandate, his leadership has established an endto-end powerhouse. This holistic approach captures the entire water and environmental value chain, effectively de-risking infrastructure assets from their pioneering inception through to long-term maturity. An accomplished executive with over 25 years of experience leading major international companies and executing high-profile megaprojects in the United States and the Middle East, Moussilli recognized that the sector’s traditional fragmentation was its greatest barrier to capital.

Under Moussilli’s leadership, AWPT has achieved market dominance, serving over 90% of the Kingdom’s inhabitants. Yet the more consequential story lies in the financial architecture. By engineering a model where high-growth construction transmutes into long-term, recurring operational revenue, AWPT has unlocked sustained resilience and accelerating top- and bottomline performance. Over the past decade, Moussilli led AWPT in setting three global precedents in water-sector and infrastructure privatization: brownfield rehabilitation with long-term O&M under private financing; integrated network and environmental upgrades through PPPs; and transmission-line BOT models with storage and bidirectional pumping.

These structures have become case studies for global lenders and off-takers, proof that water infrastructure can be privately financed, sustainable, and profitable. Through its pioneering and entrepreneurial approach, AWPT has turned these principles into practice, demonstrating bankability at scale and integrating innovation with financial discipline. In doing so, the company has elevated AWPT from participant to pioneer in global water reform.

Rami Moussilli outlines this transformation, detailing how his leadership philosophy propelled AWPT from a domestic player to a global standard-bearer, and how engineering the right financial

architecture is turning the challenge of water scarcity into a verifiable source of alpha.

Water security is widely cited as the defining challenge of our time, yet the capital required to solve it has historically been slow to materialize. For Moussilli, the fundamental barrier preventing this influx of investment was not a scarcity of global liquidity, but a structural failure of the industry itself.

“Historically, the water sector has been plagued by fragmentation,” Moussilli says. “You had isolated silos: contractors who just built, operators who just maintained, and developers who just financed. For a sophisticated investor, that fragmentation is a red flag. It obscures long-term risk and limits upside.”

Moussilli argues that the old model failed to provide the financial resilience necessary to command the massive capital commitments required for modern infrastructure. When he took the helm in 2013, armed with a background executing megaprojects across the United States and Saudi Arabia, he did not just seek to manage the company; he sought to recalibrate the entire value chain.

Pioneering the Integrated Model

Moussilli’s strategic response was to dismantle the traditional silos and pivot the company from a service provider to a steward of the entire water cycle. Under his leadership, AWPT pioneered an “Integrated Model” that consolidated the fractured value chain. By unifying financing (Development), construction (EPC), and operation (O&M) under one roof, he created a self-reinforcing ecosystem.

“We de-risked the asset by redefining our identity,” Moussilli explains. “By controlling quality and cost from inception through decades of operation, we proved to the market that we could ensure efficiency and profitability at every stage. We stopped

Rami Moussilli CEO

being just a contractor or just an operator, we became a complete solution.”

The strength of Moussilli’s strategy lies in its financial architecture. He deliberately engineered a revenue mix designed to balance two opposing market forces: the high-growth, capitalintensive nature of EPC, and the steady, recurring cash flows of O&M and concessions.

This structure creates what Moussilli describes as a “complementary cash conversion cycle.” When construction captures market growth, long-term operations contracts provide a predictable safety net. “This operational hedging keeps our balance sheet robust,” he notes. “It allows us to optimize key ratios, specifically maintaining superior Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Assets (ROA), regardless of market volatility. We do not just build infrastructure; we manufacture predictable cash flow.”

The efficacy of Moussilli’s vision is evident in the company’s unblemished track record. Since implementing this strategy, he has guided AWPT to over 12 consecutive years of growth in both revenue and net income. This consistency facilitated the company’s exponential scaling to serve over 90% of the population and provided the governance bedrock for its successful IPO on the Saudi Exchange.

Recent metrics underscore the momentum of this leadership. In 2024, the strategy delivered substantial alpha, with net income surging by 64% year-over-year—significantly outpacing revenue growth. This efficiency resulted in an ROE of 38%, a benchmark figure for capital allocation profitability. The trend has accelerated into 2025, with third-quarter net profit surging 73% and a backlog that has grown exponentially.

This validated financial architecture has enabled Moussilli to unlock a new frontier in infrastructure development—the strategic consolidation of disparate asset types into single, bankable privatization vehicles. By pioneering hybrid models that bundle the development of complex greenfield assets with the large-scale rehabilitation of brownfield infrastructure, AWPT creates the necessary scale and risk-mitigation profile to attract

institutional capital. “We don’t just execute projects; we originate comprehensive asset classes,” Moussilli explains. “Our unique value proposition lies in our ability to simultaneously build state-of-the-art assets and solutions from the ground up while revitalizing and modernizing legacy systems and assets. By combining these distinct risk profiles into one unitary structure, we turn fragmented public needs into cohesive, investable assets that are financially robust and operationally efficient from day one.”

Leveraging this proprietary structuring capability, Moussilli is orchestrating a strategic expansion across the MENA region and globally. The objective is to export this ‘Total Solution’ model to governments seeking to decouple infrastructure development from sovereign balance sheets. By offering a turnkey framework that manages the full lifecycle—from greenfield origination to long-term environmental stewardship—AWPT is positioning itself as a Global Integrator. “We are exporting a methodology for resilience,” Moussilli notes. “We allow nations to accelerate their privatization agendas by partnering with a developer capable of navigating the full complexity of the water-energy-environment nexus, ensuring that sustainability is not just a policy goal, but a profitable reality.”

With a footprint now covering over 30 million people, Moussilli’s objective is to evolve from a national champion into a global standard-bearer. “We have created a business model that is profitable, resilient, and highly scalable,” he concludes. “We are now taking this expertise to global markets—exporting a blueprint for sustainable water security.”

Rami Moussilli, recognized as the 2024 Leading CEO for Publicly Listed Companies, reflecting a year of exceptional financial performance and strategic expansion.

MSC Saudi

SHAPING THE KINGDOM’S LOGISTICS TRANSFORMATION FOR 30 YEARS

As Saudi Arabia advances its ambitious Vision 2030 transformation, the Kingdom is rapidly rising as a key global crossroads for trade, logistics, and investment.

A crucial pillar of this progress, the maritime and logistics sector serves as a vital engine for economic diversification, private-sector growth, and global connectivity across Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Under the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS), Saudi Arabia aims to rank among the world’s top ten logistics hubs by 2030, raise the logistics sector’s share of GDP to 6.3 percent, and expand port capacity beyond 40 million TEUs annually. The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) describes ports as “the main artery of the national economy,” highlighting their significant role in shaping the Kingdom’s next phase of growth.

At the heart of this transformation stands Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Geneva, MSC is today the world’s largest container shipping company, connecting more than 260 ports across 155 countries. Since establishing operations in Saudi Arabia in 1996, MSC has played a defining role in strengthening the Kingdom’s maritime and logistics ecosystem, supporting port modernization, infrastructure development, and global trade integration.

In February 2026, MSC marked three decades of continuous operations in Saudi Arabia, underscoring a deep-rooted partnership shaped by trust, innovation, and shared progress. “Over the past three decades, I have witnessed Saudi Arabia transform on every level socially, culturally, and economically,” says Hisham Al-Ansari, President & CEO of MSC Saudi Arabia. “Today, the ambition, confidence, and global outlook of the Kingdom are reshaping how business is done.”

From its early presence in Jeddah to a nationwide footprint across six major Saudi ports, MSC has evolved in parallel with the Kingdom’s

modernization journey. The company has become a key contributor to supply chain resilience, connecting Saudi Arabia to all major global trade corridors. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when international routes faced unprecedented disruption, MSC worked closely with the Ministry of Transport to maintain continuity of operations and ensure the steady flow of essential goods.

Today, MSC plays a vital role in advancing the Kingdom’s logistics ambitions under Vision 2030, expanding its footprint across Saudi Arabia in alignment with the national roadmap to build a world-class trade and transport hub. In 2025, the launch of the CLANGA service further strengthened trade links between eastern Saudi ports, including Dammam and Jubail, and key markets across Asia and Southeast Asia. Alongside port expansions in recent years and enhanced intermodal rail connectivity between Dammam and Riyadh Dry Port, MSC, through its integrated logistics capabilities, provides advanced cold-storage,

warehousing, and end-to-end supply-chain solutions that support resilient, future-ready logistics infrastructure across the Kingdom.

Customer experience remains a central pillar of MSC Saudi Arabia’s operations. The company continuously monitors and optimizes its services to ensure reliability, responsiveness, and tailored solutions for customers across industries. By combining operational excellence with deep local market understanding, MSC works closely with shippers to overcome logistical challenges and ensure cargo moves efficiently, even in complex or time-sensitive situations.

MSC maintains strong collaboration with government sectors and key stakeholders. Through close coordination with authorities such as Mawani, the Ministry of Transport, and Saudi Arabia Railways, MSC helps align private-sector capabilities with national logistics objectives, supporting the development of integrated infrastructure, efficient regulation, and long-term sector growth. A clear testament to this collaboration is MSC Saudi’s recent agreement with Mawani and the Saudi Exports Development Authority to enhance local non-oil exports, equipping Saudi companies with the tools needed to enhance connectivity with global markets.

MSC Saudi is cultivating the next generation of professionals. Al-Ansari emphasizes that people are at the heart of every achievement, highlighting the growing role of Saudi women in logistics, with some departments now fully led by women, an accomplishment that reflects both the Kingdom’s transformation and MSC’s inclusive culture. As part of these efforts, MSC partners with local universities to develop future-ready talent capable of supporting the Kingdom’s evolving logistics ecosystem.

Reflecting on three decades of progress, Al-Ansari attributes MSC’s success to determination and teamwork. “Challenges and roadblocks are part of every journey, but what defines us is how we respond,” he said. “With strong leadership, global expertise, and a dedicated local team that never gives up, we continue to move forward with purpose. Our people are the real driving force, and that spirit of unity is the true definition of success.”

Looking ahead, MSC plans to strengthen its contribution to the Kingdom’s logistics ecosystem. By 2035, the company aims to operate nine major projects across Saudi Arabia, not only in major cities but also in the north and south of the Kingdom, integrating sea, land, and air logistics into a single connected system that supports industrial diversification and strengthens supply-chain resilience.

As MSC Saudi Arabia marks 30 years of progress, its journey reflects the Kingdom’s vision to become a global logistics hub. By strengthening trade routes, investing in talent, and driving innovation, MSC has helped lay the foundations of Saudi Arabia’s future economy and continues to propel the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambition to lead the next era of global logistics.

Hisham Al-Ansari President & CEO

Tamer Group

Saudi Arabia’s healthcare and life sciences sector is one of the driving forces of the nation’s economic renaissance. Under Vision 2030, the Kingdom is rapidly emerging as a regional powerhouse for biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and digital health—building a system defined by innovation, resilience, and world-class capability. At the center of this evolution stands Jeddah, long regarded as Saudi Arabia’s commercial and medical gateway and home to one of the country’s most influential private-sector pioneers: Tamer Group.

Founded in 1922 by Dr. Mohammed Said Tamer as Saudi Arabia’s first pharmacy, Tamer Group has grown from a pioneering family venture into one of the Middle East’s most diversified healthcare and consumer conglomerates. Today, it employs more than 4,000 people, represents many of the world’s leading pharmaceutical and wellness brands, and plays a pivotal role in ensuring access to medicine, advancing local manufacturing, and accelerating digital innovation. Across more than a century, Tamer Group has become a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s modern healthcare ecosystem—an enduring example of how vision, integrity, and family enterprise can shape both national progress and regional influence.

Ayman Tamer Chairman

For more than 30 years, through SAJA Pharmaceuticals—a joint venture founded in 1995 with Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo and Astellas—Tamer Group has localized the production of high-quality medicines in Saudi Arabia, laying the foundation for today’s biopharma ambitions. “We’ve always been early investors in expanding the healthcare ecosystem,” says Tamer. “Three decades on, our partnership with Daiichi Sankyo and Astellas continues to deliver innovative therapies in cardiology, urology, and pain management—and soon, breakthrough oncology products. Collaborations like these strengthen Saudi Arabia’s capabilities and expand access to advanced care.”

Strategic partnerships remain the cornerstone of Tamer Group’s growth. Guided by a philosophy of collaboration and knowledge exchange, the Group’s latest expansion includes major agreements with Arabio, Sanofi, and Lifera—the Public Investment Fund’s biotechnology arm—to enable local vaccine production covering nearly half of Saudi demand, advancing Vision 2030’s goal of healthcare self-reliance and regional vaccine security. A joint venture with Sweden’s Mölnlycke Health Care manufactures advanced surgical kits and wound-care solutions locally, enhancing hospital efficiency and supporting export growth across the Gulf and North Africa. “These partnerships go far beyond commerce,” says Tamer. “They’re catalysts for technology transfer, Saudi talent development, and the adaptation of global innovation to regional needs—true examples of glocalization in action.”

Supporting this ecosystem is Tamer Logistics, established in 2011 as the Group’s specialized supply-chain arm. Operating a nationwide network of temperature-controlled warehouses and a modern distribution fleet, it underpins the reliable delivery of healthcare and consumer products across the Kingdom. Further reinforcing this capability, Tamer Logistics is developing a USD 200 million, solar-powered logistics park in Riyadh, scheduled to open in early 2026 and equipped with advanced automation and AI-driven systems—strengthening speed, resilience, and continuity across Saudi Arabia’s healthcare value chain while supporting the Group’s expanding manufacturing and biopharma footprint.

In parallel, Tamer Group maintains an exclusive strategic partnership with Kuehne+Nagel, focused on modernizing Saudi Arabia’s logistics landscape in direct alignment with Vision 2030’s ambition to position the Kingdom as a global logistics hub. The collaboration centers on operational excellence, scalability, and supply-chain resilience—strengthening critical healthcare and consumer distribution networks and ensuring the Group is equipped to

scale regionally with world-class operational standards.

Digital transformation is reshaping every part of the organization. The company has migrated its enterprise systems to Oracle Cloud and deployed AI dashboards that enable real-time forecasting, operational visibility, and faster decision-making. In healthcare, Tamer Group, in strategic partnership with global innovators, has enabled the deployment of AI-enabled diagnostics such as LumineticsCore, the FDAand SFDA-approved platform that detects diabetic retinopathy, expanding access to early detection across the Kingdom. “We’re collaborating globally to introduce frontier technologies to the Kingdom,” says Tamer. “Digital Diagnostics and Celularity are among our partners exploring new applications of AI and regenerative medicine. Ultimately, innovation for us is not an option; it’s a responsibility.”

A defining moment in the Group’s diversification came with the acquisition of Mumzworld, the region’s leading B2C mother-and-child e-commerce platform. Initially a minority investor, Tamer Group acquired full ownership during the pandemic—strengthening its connection to end consumers and bridging healthcare distribution with the Kingdom’s expanding digitalconsumer economy. “Mumzworld represents what innovation truly means,” Tamer reflects. “It’s about understanding people’s needs and meeting them where they are—with reliability, care, and trust.”

Complementing this consumer platform, Tamer Group operates VitaCare, a B2B one-stop-shop serving pharmacies, clinics, and small-to-medium enterprises with a broad assortment of pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, personal care, and beauty products across Saudi Arabia and the region— extending the Group’s digital reach across both consumer and enterprise channels.

Human development remains central to Tamer Group’s mission. With a majority-Saudi workforce and strong corporate governance, the company blends family stewardship with modern best practices—empowering local leaders while preserving its founding values.

Looking ahead, Tamer Group is deepening its role in shaping Saudi Arabia’s healthcare future through Taam, a strategic advisory company driven by digital innovation and launched in 2024. Taam delivers differentiated advisory solutions across supply chain, biotechnology, healthcare, and public-private partnerships, supporting healthcare operators and government stakeholders to optimize performance, accelerate growth, and drive systemlevel transformation aligned with the Kingdom’s healthcare reforms.

Tamer sees the decade ahead as a new era of cross-border collaboration— spanning biotechnology, AI diagnostics, regenerative medicine, and digital health—driven by a shared commitment to innovation, partnership, and national progress. “Saudi Arabia is rapidly becoming a regional hub for health innovation and sustainable development,” he says. “Our goal is to harness our networks, partnerships, and passion for progress to build a healthier, more prosperous future for society.”

From its origins in Jeddah to its expanding reach across the region, Tamer Group’s story mirrors Saudi Arabia’s own transformation—a legacy built on trust, strengthened by purpose, and continually renewed through innovation. As the Kingdom advances toward 2030 and beyond, the Group stands as both a symbol of national achievement and a catalyst for what is yet to come: a future where growth and human wellbeing move forward together.

Hayat National Hospitals Group

Hayat Hospitals

BUILDING A NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM FOR A

TRANSFORMING SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation has been defined not by incremental reform, but by structural recalibration. As the Kingdom accelerates its transition toward a diversified, investment-led economy, sectors tied directly to national resilience and quality of life have moved decisively to the foreground. Healthcare, in particular, has emerged as both a social priority and a strategic investment frontier. According to international institutions such as the World Bank and the IMF, Saudi Arabia now ranks among the fastest-expanding healthcare markets globally, driven by population growth, rising life expectancy, and a policy framework designed to encourage long-term private-sector participation alongside public capacity.

Yet the Kingdom’s healthcare challenge is not one of demand alone. Unlike many Western systems constrained by funding pressures and prolonged waiting lists, Saudi Arabia operates within a different reality: patients are willing to pay for care, but only when it is timely, efficient, and delivered by highly qualified clinicians. Access without quality is insufficient; quality without reach leaves regions behind. The next phase of healthcare development therefore favors operators capable of building integrated systems that function across geography, rather than isolated centers of excellence concentrated in a few urban hubs.

Dr. Fouziyah Al Jarallah Group CEO

It is within this national context that Hayat National Hospitals Group has evolved into one of Saudi Arabia’s most geographically integrated private healthcare platforms. Founded in 1999, the Group today operates 13 hospitals across the Kingdom, serving more than 1.5 million patients annually, with a clearly defined trajectory to reach 15 hospitals and approximately 15 polyclinics by 2030. Its footprint spans Riyadh, Medina, Qassim, Jazan, Aseer, Khamis Mushait, Abha, and surrounding regions — a national presence shaped deliberately over more than two decades.

From its earliest years, Hayat’s growth has been cumulative rather than abrupt. The Group has expanded through a combination of acquisitions, purpose-built hospitals, and systematic upgrades to existing facilities, allowing it to scale while preserving clinical consistency. This long-term approach has positioned Hayat not simply as a hospital operator, but as a healthcare system designed to serve communities across the full geographic breadth of Saudi Arabia.

Central to this model is a cluster-based approach to care delivery. Rather than concentrating services in a handful of metropolitan centers, Hayat prioritizes under-represented and high-growth regions, where large, full-service hospitals act as regional anchors supported by satellite clinics typically located within a 15-kilometer radius. This structure allows patients to access primary and secondary care locally while remaining seamlessly connected to tertiary services when required, reducing unnecessary travel and improving continuity of care.

The southern provinces offer a clear illustration of this strategy in

practice. Hayat operates six hospitals across the south, organized around a tiered referral structureinwhichonemajorfacilityfunctions as a tertiary hub, supported by secondary hospitals and satellite clinics across surrounding cities. Care flows within the same regional ecosystem, while clinicians collaborate across sites. Healthcare, in this model, functions as a coordinated network designed around patient journeys rather than institutional boundaries.

This philosophy is reinforced by disciplined execution. Hayat has demonstrated a consistent ability to acquire, transform, and operationalize hospitals with speed — an advantage that has allowed the Group to scale while maintaining clinical and operational standards. Backed by a planned SAR 7 billion investment over the next five years, the Group is expanding its capacity and capabilities across multiple regions. In 2024, Hayat opened a new hospital in Abha, strengthening its presence in the Aseer region. Looking ahead, Mahayil Asir is scheduled to open in 2026 as a 250bed long-term care facility, responding to growing national demand for rehabilitative and extended-care services. Additional hospitals and expansions are planned for 2027 and 2028, supported by secured land and advanced licensing processes.

This expansion is guided by a long-term capital philosophy focused on sustainability rather than short-term growth. As Dr. Fouziyah Al-Jarallah, Owner and Group CEO, explains, “Our investment strategy is about building long-term healthcare infrastructure for the country. We are investing not only in hospitals, but in systems, capacity, and capabilities that allow us to serve communities sustainably across Saudi Arabia.”

The scale of this commitment reflects a view of healthcare as national infrastructure — capital deployed not for rapid consolidation, but for durability, regional balance, and system-wide resilience. The Group projects that this growth will increase overall patient capacity by approximately 25% by 2027, reinforcing its role as a nationwide healthcare provider.

A critical pillar of Hayat’s execution capability is its vertically integrated development experience. Many of the Group’s purposebuilt hospitals have been constructed by a family-owned construction company with decades of experience in healthcare infrastructure, including the delivery of more than 50 hospitals for Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health. This integration has enabled tighter control over timelines, quality, and the transition from construction to operations — a decisive advantage as the Group expands across regions with varying logistical and regulatory demands.

As physical infrastructure has expanded, digital capability has become inseparable from scale. In recent years, Hayat has invested heavily in building a digital backbone that connects its hospitals into a single operating system. Telemedicine, teleradiology, tele-ICU, and telepathology now link facilities across regions, allowing specialist

Geographic Footprint

expertise to travel digitally rather than physically. This has proven particularly impactful in areas where attracting sub-specialists remains challenging, ensuring consistent standards of care regardless of location.

Centralized command centers play a pivotal role in this architecture. Through partnerships with global healthcare and technology leaders including Philips, GE Healthcare, Siemens, and Ardent, Hayat has implemented real-time monitoring, diagnostics, and decision-support systems across its network. Telepathology enables cases from multiple hospitals to be reviewed centrally, while cardiology and specialty hubs coordinate interventions across regions. The Group has achieved HIMSS Level 6 digital accreditation, with a defined pathway toward Level 7 — positioning it among the more digitally mature healthcare operators in the region. Hayat also uses population and disease-pattern data to tailor capacity and specialties to each region, aligning services with local needs.

For patients, this approach has translated into tangible results. Diagnostic timelines are shorter, referrals more targeted, and care pathways clearer. “In Saudi Arabia, people are willing to pay for healthcare,” says Dr. Al-Jarallah. “But they expect speed, quality, and highly qualified clinicians. That expectation shapes everything we do.” Patient satisfaction reflects that focus, with outpatient satisfaction rates approximately 30% higher than market averages, reinforcing long-term trust and loyalty.

As the Group scales, partnerships have become another strategic pillar. Hayat actively seeks collaborations that bring not only technology, but knowledge transfer and clinical depth. The Group is open to joint ventures, Centers of Excellence, and strategic alliances with international healthcare players seeking to enter or expand within Saudi Arabia — particularly in specialized areas such as oncology, advanced diagnostics, and AI-enabled care. “We understand the market, the regulations, and patient behavior,” Dr. Al-Jarallah explains. “What we look for in partners is experience that complements our platform and strengthens the healthcare system as a whole.”

This openness reflects a pragmatic approach to globalization. Saudi Arabia does not require imported healthcare models; it requires integrated ones. By combining international clinical standards with local operational understanding, Hayat positions itself as a long-term partner of choice for global healthcare players seeking to create lasting clinical, operational, and societal impact across the Kingdom.

At the center of this evolution stands Dr. Fouziyah Al-Jarallah, whose leadership has shaped Hayat’s transformation into a scalable, systemdriven healthcare platform. She joined the family business in 2006 after training abroad, initially preparing for a clinical career before choosing a different path. Armed with an MBA in healthcare administration and

EXISTING PROJECTS

executive education including RCSI Dublin, she stepped into leadership at a time when private healthcare leadership in Saudi Arabia was overwhelmingly male. In 2010, she took operational control of the Group, formally becoming Group CEO as the organization entered its next phase of structured expansion.

Reflecting on her journey, she notes: “When I stepped into leadership, there were very few women leading private healthcare organizations. It wasn’t easy, but it made me more disciplined and more patient. Over time, I learned that leadership is not about proving yourself — it’s about building systems and teams that can last.”

Under her stewardship, Hayat has expanded from two hospitals into a national healthcare platform, navigating acquisitions, greenfield developments, and complex integrations with discipline and speed. She has overseen the transformation of women-only facilities into multi-specialty hospitals, the expansion of advanced clinical services including cardiac surgery, oncology, dialysis, and home healthcare, and the development of regional clusters capable of delivering high-acuity care locally rather than deferring patients to major urban centers.

Equally significant is her focus on leadership development and institutional depth. Women today comprise approximately 60% of Hayat’s workforce, including nurses and physicians, and the Group has made the advancement of women into senior and C-level roles a deliberate priority. Visibility, she believes, is not symbolic, but structural — a prerequisite for sustainable progress.

As Saudi Arabia continues its national transformation, Hayat National Hospitals Group reflects a broader story unfolding across the Kingdom: institutions built for endurance rather than acceleration, systems designed to serve rather than impress, and leadership grounded in responsibility as much as ambition. The Group’s trajectory mirrors the country’s own — expanding outward, deepening inward, and aligning growth with purpose.

In a healthcare landscape increasingly defined by complexity, Hayat’s strength lies not in any single hospital or technology, but in its coherence. It is a platform shaped by geography, guided by data, and anchored by leadership that understands healthcare as both a social commitment and a strategic asset. As the Kingdom moves deeper into its Vision 2030 journey, Hayat emerges not simply as a healthcare operator, but as a national platform shaping the future of care across Saudi Arabia.

BUILDING THE MIDDLE

HyperPay

Saudi Arabia today stands at the forefront of a digital economic revolution, with financial technology playing a central role in the nation’s transformation agenda. Over the past decade, the Kingdom has become one of the region’s most connected and innovation-driven markets, where digital solutions are reshaping sectors from commerce and logistics to banking and finance. The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) reports that electronic payments accounted for 79 percent of all retail transactions in 2024, surpassing the national target of 70 percent non-cash transactions by 2025. Meanwhile, the number of licensed fintech companies has surged from fewer than 20 in 2018 to more than 200 by 2024—an extraordinary tenfold increase fueled by Vision 2030, open-banking frameworks, and regulatory support for new market entrants.

Muhannad Ebwini Founder & CEO

This momentum has positioned Saudi Arabia as a regional powerhouse for digital finance and a model for large-scale cashless transformation. By combining world-class paymentinfrastructurewitharapidlyexpandingfintechecosystem,theKingdom is building a secure, competitive, and innovation-led financial landscape that empowers both consumers and businesses while attracting international investors and entrepreneurs alike.

At the heart of this transformation stands HyperPay, the Riyadhheadquartered fintech that has become one of Saudi Arabia’s leading online payment platforms and one of the Middle East’s most influential digital innovators. Founded in 2014 by serial entrepreneur Muhannad Ebwini in Amman, Jordan, HyperPay quickly expanded to Saudi Arabia, choosing Riyadh as its headquarters for its scale, infrastructure, and progressive regulatory environment. Securing licensing from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), the company built the technical rails that connected banks, merchants, and consumers—helping lay the foundation for the Kingdom’s modern digital economy.

A decade later, HyperPay processes over USD 2.5 billion in transactions every month, serving more than 17,000 clients, enterprises, and government entities across the region. Its growth has been explosive—often exceeding 100 percent annually since the pandemic—and it now accounts for nearly onethird of Saudi Arabia’s online payments. Ebwini attributes this momentum to a deep understanding of local needs: HyperPay localized its technologies to match national preferences, introduced real-time split-payout systems that helped delivery and insurance platforms scale, and supported key government programs such as the e-visa network by integrating global systems within weeks.

“We built our reputation by delivering precision and earning trust,” says Ebwini. “In Saudi Arabia, quality isn’t optional—reliability, speed, and cultural respect define our journey.”

Security remains a cornerstone of that philosophy. As digital transactions surged, HyperPay maintained an exceptionally strong fraud-prevention record, reflecting its advanced security architecture and alignment with SAMA’s cybersecurity framework. Ebwini notes that Saudi regulators have been instrumental in shaping one of the world’s safest digital ecosystems.

From its Riyadh headquarters, HyperPay continues to expand across the GCC—operating in the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, and Oman, and through strategic partnerships in emerging markets such as Iraq. Its ambition now extends well beyond payments. The company recently secured Saudi Arabia’s Electronic Money Institution (EMI) license—one of the most advanced fintech authorizations for non-bank providers—and is preparing to launch HyperSpend, aspend-managementandcard-issuingplatformenablingcorporatestomanage

expenses through prepaid cards and smart analytics.ThesystemwillsupportB2BandB2G clients and form the foundation for a regional digital bank.

In 2025, HyperPay reinforced its leadership through several landmark initiatives. The companylaunchedacommercialcardprogram with Mastercard to empower Saudi and regional SMEs with scalable, secure expensemanagement solutions—marking a major step in serving the business segment end-to-end. At Money20/20 Middle East in Riyadh, HyperPay also signed strategic MoUs with Mastercard and Mozn, expanding collaboration on fraud prevention, compliance, and next-generation digital-payment technologies. These partnerships underscore HyperPay’s growing influence across MENA’s financial ecosystem and its alignment with Saudi Arabia’s vision of building a globally competitive fintech sector. Internally, the company has built an AI division transforming operations and customer experience. Its proprietary platform, HyperSight, uses predictive analytics to help merchants interpret sales trends and reduce risk in real time. AI tools now assist with fraud detection, automation, and client integration—streamlining work that once required entire teams. “Our vision is to evolve into a fully fledged digital B2B bank for Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East,” Ebwini explains. “We deliver merchants speed, transparency, and control end-to-end.”

Looking ahead, 2026 marks a pivotal year in HyperPay’s growth story. Building on strong momentum, the company is entering a new phase of expansion—scaling next-generation fintech products, deepening regional partnerships, and strengthening operational excellence. The focus is on sustainable growth: maintaining core payments leadership while introducing new solutions that meet the evolving needs of Saudi Arabia’s digital economy. Investor confidence is strong, with Mastercard’s 2022 investment signaling global trust in HyperPay’s strategy and in Saudi Arabia’s fintech ecosystem, now among the world’s fastest-growing.

Beyond business performance, HyperPay’s journey reflects the evolution of Saudi Arabia’s entrepreneurial landscape. Ebwini, whose vision has consistently bridged technology and business across the Middle East, credits the Kingdom’s forward-looking regulation and openness to innovation for accelerating HyperPay’s success.

“Saudi Arabia has become one of the easiest places to build something meaningful,”hesays.“Clearframeworks,world-classinfrastructure,andlimitless ambition create opportunities for anyone ready to innovate.”

Thatinclusivity,combinedwithboldinvestmentintechnology,haspositioned the Kingdom as a regional benchmark for digital progress.“Saudi Arabia doesn’t wait for trends; it sets them,” says Ebwini. “It’s one of the fastest-moving markets for adopting new technologies.”

From regional beginnings to market leadership, HyperPay embodies the entrepreneurial spirit driving Vision 2030. Built on trust, innovation, and adaptability, it empowers businesses embracing the digital economy. As Saudi Arabia cements its role as a leader in financial innovation, HyperPay stands as both product and partner of that vision—a regional fintech champion redefining what’s possible in the Middle East.

Work Faster and Smarter

Emmy Award–winner Mario Armstrong highlights the latest tech gadgets designed to simplify your tasks—and maybe even make them more colorful.

1/ A portable office.

Creating content is easier with a reliable work surface, which isn’t always findable on the road. The Loft Station 150 [$650; loftgear.com] is a 16.5‑pound wheeled duffel that holds about 150 liters of gear or clothing, then quickly unfolds into a 34 inch tall sturdy tabletop for typing, video editing, or equipment staging. Optional mesh pouches attach with hook and loop tape to store spare batteries, lenses, drives, and small gear, while a false floor adds extra storage, letting you switch setups efficiently.

2/ An e-reader that’s easy on the eyes.

The Boox Note Air5 C [$607; boox.com] is built to be a productive happy medium: It’s not a full laptop (where you fall down YouTube rabbit holes), and it’s not a bare bones e ink reader (where you can’t get anything done). Instead, its 10.3 inch Kaleido 3 color display lets you read, review, and high‑ light PDFs or Google Docs with‑ out eye strain, while the stylus makes notetaking, sketching, and editing intuitive. Paired with a keyboard and weighing just two pounds, it’s a lightweight, travel ready digital notebook with access to the Google Play store and expandable storage.

3/ A micro charger for minimalists.

If you miss the days of the iPhone’s cube, the Anker Nano Charger [$40; anker.com] gives you far more power in nearly the same compact size. With 45 watts, it supports a rotating screen that shows charge rate, temperature, and battery status. Pivot‑ ing prongs ensure read‑ ability, whether plugged into a wall or desktop. The Anker keeps batteries cool and healthy, and while it’s universal, it’s designed to autodetect iPhone 15 and later models.

4/ A webcam that wanders.

Static webcams can’t keep up with everything you do at your desk. The Insta360 Link 2 Pro [$250; insta360 .com] delivers 4K video with AI powered subject tracking and a two axis gimbal that keeps you perfectly framed as you move. Its large sensor and HDR ensure clear low light video, with noise reducing microphones capturing crisp audio. Switch to desk view for work from your perspective shots, or mount it on a stand to create content anywhere.

5/ Buds that embrace your ears.

Noise canceling earbuds are great, but if you’re com‑ muting or moving fast, they might fall out of your ears.

The JBL Soundgear Clips [$150; jbl.com] fix that. They have an open‑ear, clip on design that clings lightly to your ear—so you’ll never drop a conference call. With eight hours of playback before needing a recharge and four microphones for clear calls, these versatile, bendy buds deliver rich sound and all day comfort, making them a practical choice for the office, travel, or coffee runs.

Recent Tax Law Changes Are Creating Real Opportunities for Solopreneurs

From maximizing deductions to new tax credits, here’s what solo entrepreneurs and other small-business owners should know.

From maximizing deductions to understanding new tax credits, here’s what solo entrepreneurs and other small-business owners should know.

The one constant in business is that ever stays the same Products evolve. Services expand and customers come and go. Taxes tend to change just as and for and small-business owners, those are easy to overlook.

The one constant in business is that nothing ever stays the same. Products evolve. Services expand. Employees and customers come and go. Taxes tend to change just as quietly, and for solopreneurs and small-business owners, those changes are easy to overlook.

Many view taxes as an annual obligation. File the return, stay move on That often misses that show income, expenses, and timing are reviewed at tax time.

Many solopreneurs view taxes as an annual obligation. File the return, stay compliant, move on. That approach often misses opportunities that only show up when income, expenses, and timing are reviewed at tax time.

That’s where TurboTax comes in. Business owners are matched with a TurboTax Business Expert who knows their industry and can find potential tax opportunities throughout the year, making tax planning an easier process and ensuring they maximize their tax savings.

comes in. Business owners are matched with a TurboTax Business who knows their industry and can find tax opportunities throughout the year, tax an easier process and maximize their tax

Here, Lisa Greene-Lewis, CPA and Tax at TurboTax, outlines several important opportunities created by the recent tax law changes

Here, Lisa Greene-Lewis, CPA and Tax Expert at TurboTax, outlines several important opportunities created by the recent tax law changes.

The Qualified Business Income deduction continues to save businesses money. With the Qualified Business Income (QBI) deduction, up to 20% of qualified business income was permanently extended under the One Big Beautiful Bill and remains one of the most valuable benefits available to eligible business owners. Eligibility, however, is not automatic.

“Your Qualified Business Income Deduction can be to limitations if you have Service Trade or business like a health, law, or service and income exceeds certain income thresholds,” Greene-Lewis says

“Your Qualified Business Income Deduction can be subject to limitations if you have Specified Service Trade or business like a health, law, or accounting service and your income exceeds certain income thresholds,” Greene-Lewis says.

For tax year 2025, the thresholds are up $197,300 for filers and $394,600 for married Income can deduction

For tax year 2025, the thresholds are up to $197,300 for single filers and $394,600 for married couples filing jointly. Income above those levels can reduce or eliminate the deduction entirely.

Equipment expensing can improve cash flow. to Section 179 are also how small businesses think about purchases “The section 179 was extended and the threshold increased to 2 5 million under the new tax GreeneLewis says and small business owners are still able to fully deduct the cost of business equipment they as well as certain for business in the year they start using them instead of spreading the cost over the life of the equipment.”

Equipment expensing can improve cash flow. Recent changes to Section 179 expensing rules are also reshaping how small businesses think about purchases. “The section 179 provision was permanently extended and the threshold increased to 2.5 million under the new tax law,” GreeneLewis says. “Solopreneurs and small business owners are still able to fully deduct the cost of business equipment they purchased as well as certain vehicles purchased for business in the year they start using them instead of spreading the cost over the life of the equipment.”

Vehicle purchases are often misunderstood, she continues. “Many business owners are also surprised to find that certain trucks classified as heavy business vehicles qualify as business equipment and the cost can be fully deducted as long as they use the heavy truck more than 50% for business,” Greene-Lewis notes. Understanding those rules before making a purchase can prevent missed deductions, something TurboTax experts can help clarify.

Vehicle are often misunderstood, she continues business owners are also to find that certain trucks classified as heavy business as business equipment and the cost can be deducted as as use the truck more than 50% for business,” Greene-Lewis notes. those rules before making a can prevent missed deductions, TurboTax experts

R&D credits apply more broadly than expected. Research and development credits are another area where perception limits participation. Many solopreneurs assume the credit applies only to laboratories or large technology companies.

R&D credits more and credits are another area where limits participation Many assume the credit to laboratories or companies

Improving workflows, testing prototypes, or refining a product offering may qualify if the activity meets IRS criteria. Under recent changes, certain R&D expenses can now be deducted immediately, and eligible businesses with revenue under $31 million may be able to apply the change retroactively to 2022.

workflows, testing prototypes, or a offering may if the activity meets IRS criteria Under recent certain R&D expenses can now be deducted and businesses with revenue under $31 million may be able to the to 2022.

Third-party payments still require attention. Compliance has also shifted for businesses that rely on third-party payment platforms like Venmo or PayPal. While 1099-K reporting thresholds reverted to more than 200 transactions and more than $20,000, that does not remove the need for careful tracking.

payments still require attention. has also shifted for businesses that rely on payment like Venmo or While 1099-K reporting thresholds reverted to more than 200 transactions and more than that does not remove the need for careful

“You could still receive a 1099-K at lower thresholds,” Greene-Lewis cautions. “Make sure you keep track and validate the payments processed through third parties, and also track your expenses directly related to your business paid using third-party payment apps, which can reduce your taxes.”

With tax season in full swing, Greene-Lewis says now is a good time to gather your business income and expenses so that you don’t leave anything out. “Even if you don’t have all of your expenses gathered together TurboTax will surface industryspecific deductions you’re eligible for so you can decrease your taxes, enabling you to put more into your business.”

To learn more about how TurboTax can your small business on new opportunities and maximize visit

To learn more about how TurboTax can help your small business capitalize on new opportunities and maximize savings, visit turbotax.intuit.com/small-business-taxes

TurboTax Experts for Business provides unlimited year-round expert support at no extra cost, finding every deduction and maximizing tax savings.

The SmartestFounders Don’t Guess

Want to build a great brand? Daymond John has a formula: Learn what people want, how you can uniquely deliver it, and then get in front of their faces.

by JASON FEIFER

Imeet a lot of celebrities. Only one has ever asked for my home address.

Daymond John and I were backstage in Las Vegas this past August, after speaking to 500 business leaders at Entrepreneur’s Level Up conference. He gave me his cell number. “Text me your home address,” he said. “I want to send you a gift box.” I did. A few weeks later, a package arrived filled with products from companies in John’s orbit—beverages from Once Upon A Coconut, Boost Oxygen canisters, and more. Another box came the next month. And another after that.

Each time one arrives, I have the same thought: This is how a great entrepreneur thinks.

Most people know John’s origin story— Queens kid, cofounder of FUBU, original Shark Tank investor. But what’s less discussed is how constantly he’s building. Over the years, he’s developed a pattern: He pays attention to the needs, questions, and opportunities that show up naturally in his world, and then builds businesses around them.

Executives kept asking him for social media advice, so he launched an advisory service called CEO Access. His personal interest in biohacking turned into a health and wellness brand, SharkGevity. And because he works closely with both brands and influential people, he realized he could play connector— putting products directly into the hands of people who might amplify them. That’s the ecosystem behind those boxes on my doorstep. He calls it The Shark Group.

The greatest entrepreneurs, like John, don’t invent businesses in isolation. They look at where demand already exists, and then build something better to serve it.

In this conversation, he explains how founders can do the same: stand out in crowded markets, recognize the right opportunities, and earn the attention of investors like him.

When you and I last saw each other, you looked at my socks and gave me crap for not wearing Bombas. So I want you to know that I’m wearing Bombas right now. Thank you. It’s the number-one product that has ever appeared on Shark Tank. And by the way, it’s mine.

There are a lot of socks out there, though. How do you take an old idea and turn it into an incredible business?

There really is nothing new in this world. Instead, there’s a new form of delivery. A new customer. A new value proposition. It’s about

“ There really is nothing new in this world. Instead, there’s a new form of delivery.”

putting a different twist on the old thing. One of the top products in Shark Tank history, for example? It’s a stupid sponge. That’s Lori’s company, and I lost on it. There’s also Ring—a new version of a doorbell. There’s Poppi. So socks, soda, doorbells, sponges.

So it’s about identifying the new thing you can do inside a proven category. Yes. Before starting a business, ask yourself: Why this? Why me? And why now?

Here’s an example of why now: When Bombas came around, Instagram was just taking off—enabling them to sell socks directly to the customer. They also realized: If you give people a good reason to talk about you, they will. So for everything Bombas sells, they give away a pair to those in the homeless community. That way, a Bombas customer can say, “I’ve helped X number of people.” They can brag.

It’s always a question of: What’s in it for the customer?

That’s a great way to increase visibility for socks, which aren’t an especially visible product.

To market and brand FUBU, I had to put these big “05”s and “FUBU” on the shirts. That made them recognizable. We can’t do that with Bombas; you never know who’s walking around wearing them. But the ambassadors for the brand are at the dinner table every single night saying, “I bought this and it’s helping people. And by the way, I’m buying you 10 pairs because I want you to help 10 people.”

It’s about communication. It’s about positioning. And it’s about value.

And it’s also about how the customer connects with you, the founder. Let’s talk about that for a moment. Because long before the term “personal brand” was popular, you understood the importance of it. In the early days of FUBU, you hired LL Cool J as a brand ambassador—but also carved out marketing budget to promote you and your FUBU cofounders. Why?

We divided our marketing campaigns into four different silos:

First, we had LL Cool J. He’s great. He’s a superstar. But maybe you don’t like his music. Maybe he gets in trouble. Then we

would be in trouble ourselves.

So we had our second silo: models. We showed really beautiful people in the product, so that the customer would say, “Wow, I could see myself looking like that.”

The third silo was the FUBU founders. We wanted people to see that this brand is by and for young African American men.

And if you didn’t like any of that, we had the fourth silo: product. We were saying: “Here is the product. We make it much better than most of the stuff on the market, so invest in that.”

Since that time, it seems like it’s become even more important for founders to be visible. Why do you think?

Because today, people are researching the CEO and founder. They want to know about you. And if you aren’t telling your story yourself, then other people are going to tell it for you.

Also, when you have a strong personal brand, your name precedes you. You walk into a room, people already know who you are. They’ve already done their homework. And they say, “I want to work with this person, or buy from this person. This person cares.”

What’s your advice to founders who hesitate to become more visible?

Your personal brand doesn’t have to be glossy. It just has to be you. You must understand and communicate who you are, and do it clearly. Here’s something you should try: Describe yourself in two to five words. Do it like Apple: “Think different.” Nike: “Just do it.”

FUBU: “For us, by us.” Use that as your navigation, so that your personal brand is as clear as a real brand.

How do you think about your own personal brand? You’re on social media all the time. Shark Tank airs about 40 times a week on CNBC. We call ourselves the Kardashians of CNBC. And on the show, I can’t have a sense of humor. I don’t do anything else besides sit around in a suit. So that tells a very limited, edited version of me.

On social media, I have an opportunity to tell a more complete story. It’s why my videos contain no editing, unless it’s a brand activation. I want my social media to feel real and personal. I mean, we’ve all seen the fake

“ Your personal brand doesn’t have to be glossy. It just has to be you.”

videos—where a CEO has posted something seemingly authentic, but it’s full of transitions and edits, and you’re thinking: This person set this up. They had the cameras ready. So most of the time with my social, I’m in regular clothes, right? I’m arguing with my wife, and she’s always right. I’m making sure you understand that I’m a father, that I’m a fisherman, that I’m a prepper because technology’s gonna kill us all. I travel 250 days a year. I want to spend time with my wife. What’s my work-life balance? What am I doing it for? What’s my legacy going to be? How much money is enough? These are all the questions every entrepreneur has.

I talk about taking care of my health. I love showing that I don’t take private jets, because everybody believes that you have to be on a private jet. No, you don’t. When you show that to people, you get their attention. They go, Wait a minute. I’m getting a peek into your world. So you gotta understand what’s in it for those people.

In other words, you’re consciously filling in the gaps. People see one version of you on Shark Tank, and you want to control the narrative and fill in the rest yourself. Across all my platforms, I’ve got about 5 million that follow me. But I always think: I’m just talking to a small number of people. I don’t care about the rest of the world.

So who am I talking to? Number one: God is watching me. I make sure that he is okay with what I say on there, and that I will never upset him or go off course. Two: My family’s watching me. I want my daughters to be able to walk into a room when I’m gone and have people say, “Your father was an honest man. I’m going to give you an honest shake.” Three: It’s my employees. It’s my team. I don’t want my team going home, and their mother or husband going, “That’s your boss?” And four: People who want to work with me.

How do you decide how much of yourself to share?

I put my faults on there. I shared that I’m dyslexic. I shared that I started to think I had a problem with drinking a couple of years ago. I shared that I failed at losing weight for a certain time until I changed my life and became more of a biohacker. I shared that I had cancer, and I decided I was going to write everything off and drink myself to death, until I realized that I had to be here for my little baby girl and my wife. When you do that, people see the human side. And when they see the human side, they want to get behind you. They want to relate to you. You must have people relate.

Let’s talk about live-selling on social media. I don’t think a lot of people are there yet, but you are.Tell me what you’ve learned. It’s QVC in your pocket. That is all it is. Like I said, there’s nothing new in this world. You have live selling on TikTok, and you have it on an app called Whatnot. You can stream and make sales live—either selling your own products, or selling other people’s products for an affiliate fee.

My buddy sells on TikTok. He sells this stuff from a brand called GuruNanda. It takes plaque off of your teeth and various other things. He does well into the millions a year on live-selling.

Whatnot runs auctions. People sell things every 15 seconds. So you can turn around the goods about three times a minute.

I was once talking to a makeup artist who was doing my makeup. She was like, “AI is taking all our jobs, and I don’t know what I’m going to do.” I told her: Do you know how many people in Hollywood have their own makeup lines or brushes? You can sell their products! Reach out to them and say, “I’ll help you get rid of your inventory on my platform.”

To show her what I meant, I pulled up Whatnot. We found people selling brushes. We found one woman selling brushes for $15. The makeup artist watched this, and then told me it doesn’t make sense. The brushes probably cost $5, and she has to ship them, so her profit is probably only $5 per brush. But I said: Look, she sold three of them in one minute. That’s $15 in profit in a minute. Multiply that by hours. In fact, I know a young lady who sells brushes and made $8 million this year. That’s the power.

Have you seen this woman in China, who holds up the dresses?

Yup, it’s wild. She holds a dress for one second, people buy it, then she holds up another. They said she did, like, $400 million this year. But do you think she just held up a dress and it sold like that? Let me tell you what happened.

She has about 100 people that work for her. The week before one of her streams, she hits her entire database, reaching her full community, and she says, “Tuesday, between 5 and 6 p.m., this dress is going up. We only have 2,000 units. So get ready.” So when she holds up the dress, people are ready to buy. It’s a system.

With live-selling, you don’t have to wait for a retailer to answer you. You can get offprice goods gone. You can get rid of inventory without markdown. It used to be: You buy it for $10, sell it to a store for $20, and

they sell it for $40. Now it’s: You buy it for $10. You sell it for $30. It’s still a discount. Everybody’s going to benefit.

Remember, there’s only three ways to deal with the consumer. You can acquire a new one, you can upsell a current one, or you can make one buy more frequently. But to acquire a new one is 25 times harder than upselling one or making one buy more frequently. With live-selling, you have a captivated audience. You know who they are. This is where it’s going.

Everyone should be taking advantage of it. Next year on Shark Tank, if I talk to somebody and they didn’t do any form of research on live-selling, somebody else can invest, because I’m out.

This reminds me of a conversation I had with a teenager who created a cosmetics line. She’s doing millions of dollars live-selling on TikTok. I asked her what drives the most sales, and she said, “The crappier the video quality, the better the sales.” She thinks it’s because the more edited and produced something looks, the more people think you’re trying to pull a fast one. Exactly. If you had a glossy store in a flea market, people are like, “It’s already too much for me.” And if you had a flea market-looking store in a beautiful mall, something’s wrong. There’s no one answer. It’s always positioning. But stop thinking that positioning always has to be glamorous.

You’ve said many times that you don’t invest in a company—you invest in a founder.What does a winning founder look like to you? I want a founder that says, “The train is leaving the station one way or another, with or without you.” That shows me that they’re not going to put all the onus on me.

I want a founder that says, “I hit a brick wall and fell down, and then said, ‘Nope, I’m gonna do it again and here are the things I’ve learned.’”

I want a founder to come in the room and say, “We had 10 problems, and I found eight solutions. These other two, can you work with me on them?”

I want a founder that is absolutely unstoppable. I want the idea of not working with them to give me FOMO. The product is great, and they are always going to figure things out, and I go, “I never want to bet against this person. I want to bet on this person. And maybe, if I do, we’re going to make a lot of money, have a lot of fun, and impact people in a positive way.”

Jason Feifer is the editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine.

→ WORK FROM HOME Daymond John with his wife and business partner, Heather, at their home in Florida.

Habits of the Most Successful People

What does it take to be successful?

Every week on my podcast, How Success Happens, I get to ask that question—and hear answers from people who are smarter, richer, and more talented than I am (it’s not a high bar). While my guests work in vastly different arenas, from making vacuum cleaners to leading soldiers in global conflicts, the common thread is that they all locked in on something that truly excites them. Fame and fortune were a side effect.

Their excitement for what they do is infectious, so we decided to share some of our guests’ greatest hits, ranging from straight-up advice to funny and inspiring stories that may have a kernel you can relate to. Sure, you may not be broadcasting from an NFL game anytime soon, but you could be walking into a pitch meeting—and hearing what Erin Andrews has to say about tamping down nerves before going live to an audience of millions might help you through that moment.

Let the inspo begin!

Dan Bova is a writer and editor at entrepreneur.com and host of the How Success Happens podcast.

Business titans, sports legends, and TV favorites share their strategies for success. Grab some wisdom and get motivated!

by DAN BOVA

JUST SCAN THE QR CODE

HOW

ALEXIS OHANIAN

Cofounder of Reddit and the VC fund 776

HOW TO FULLY COMMIT TO YOURSELF

LUCY GUO

Self-made billionaire, cofounder of Scale AI, and founder of Passes

I dropped out of college to be surrounded by young, ambitious people that wanted to start companies. It was a super easy decision to make. I think people over-index on the risk—like, they think that things are riskier than they actually are. At the end of the day, you’re not really losing much, right? If you drop out of college, you can always go back to college. If you leave that job, you may lose a few years or some money, but that’s not the end of the world. That’s especially true when you compare it against what you’re pursuing, and how it hopefully gives you the knowledge needed to really advance your career. Like, the worst-case scenario is that you gain a bunch of knowledge. Best-case scenario is life-changing money.”

I reset my priorities right around the time I proposed to my now-wife, Serena Williams. We had a conversation where she said that I worked harder than her, and then clarified, ‘That’s not a compliment.’ As an athlete, she knew better than anyone that recovery time is just as important as the time you’re putting in practicing and playing. Or in my case, being in the office. When she’s at work, she’s 110% committed to that, and when she’s not, she’s 110% not. And it’s something I’ve strived for, because ‘working more’ is not the path to greatness. It’s not as simple as just logging as many hours as you possibly can. After a certain number of hours of not reinvesting in yourself and reinvigorating yourself, you’re doing worse and worse quality work. And you’re also losing touch with the things and people that really matter in your life and missing gaining new perspectives. I’ve gotten a lot better about finding balance. I give myself a B-plus, maybe an A-minus. And I would argue that these years have been even more productive and effective than the first, thanks to finding that balance.”

Self-made cofounder of Scale AI, and founder of Passes

HOW TO RUN MANY BUSINESSES AT ONCE

ROBERT IRVINE

Chef, entrepreneur, author, founder of the Robert Irvine Foundation and cofounder of FITCRUNCH

Hard work, empathetic leadership, authenticity, trust, loyalty. I don’t become successful without the people that work with me, not for me. For example, if I have an employee who I know has an autistic son at home, and she’s having a bad day? I tell her to go home. Don’t worry about the time off. I got you. What does that do? Tells me, number one, that Maria knows I care about her and her family. Number two, it builds the best loyal employee you’ll ever have in your life. She will bleed for you till the end of days. And I think for me, that’s what success is— because if I understand Maria’s life, she understands my goal.”

HOW TO TAKE RISKS IN A CANCEL-CULTURE WORLD KEN BURNS

Filmmaker of documentaries like The American Revolution and The Civil War

The problem with cancel culture is that it leaves us feeling lonely. We feel bereft of ideals and heroes. But we have to remember that a hero was never perfect. The Greeks were telling us that here are these imperfect people. Achilles had his heel and his hubris to match his great powers. It is so easy to dispense with somebody when you discover, ‘Aha, you did this!’ It is much more difficult to sit with those contradictions and to not accept them, but to try, as Benjamin Franklin would say, to improve on them. To get better. He did enslave people, but he also became an abolitionist and proposed in the United States Congress the first attempt to outlaw slavery. He was completely ignored in the Senate and voted down in the House, but he tried. So this is what we have to do. We’re too static right now. Everything is frozen because of this interest in ourselves. We have become focused on the transactional, rather than the transformational.”

Chef, entrepreneur, author, founder of the Robert Irvine Foundation and

HOW TO KNOW YOUR IDEA IS GOOD

SUSAN ORLEAN

The New Yorker and bestselling author of and Joyride

always say about shopping online—is don’t do it immediately. Put it out of your head. Force yourself to forget about it. Does it come back? Does it keep surfacing? Does it keep nagging at you?

I think it’s also important to know that there will be points along the way that you begin thinking, Look, this isn’t maybe as good an idea as I thought. Do you then give up, or do you push past that moment of doubt? The best thing in those situations is to pause and give it a beat. Try to analyze why you’re losing your nerve. Is it that the idea is changing from what you first imagined? Changing is not bad. Take a deep breath and say, All right, what I thought it was gonna be isn’t all that important. It’s more important to see what it really is. And proceed.”

SIR JAMES DYSON

Inventor of the Dyson vacuum cleaner and home products

Inventor of the Dyson vacuum cleaner and home

It took 5,127 prototypes to actually make my vacuum work. And I enjoyed every minute, because I was learning all the time: How can I make that better? Is this a good route to follow or not? It sounds tedious, but it’s fun, actually. I was and still am a long-distance runner, so I’m in it for the long haul. In my mind, once you’ve started and you’re working on it, you make it work. Every day you do experiments and they fail, and you just have to get used to that failure. In fact, I always get quite excited when there are more failures, because you realize it’s a difficult problem to solve. It wasn’t obvious. If you manage to solve something that other people can’t solve, then it’s quite a strong patent.”

HOW TO INCREASE DEMAND

QUESTLOVE

Musician for The Roots and the in-house The Tonight Show band, director of the Oscar-winning documentary Summer of Soul

In 2008, I announced that it would be The Roots’ last big world tour. People didn’t believe me, because it’s like, Everyone says that it is their last tour, but it never happens. Then we got the gig as The Tonight Show’s house band, which cut our tour schedule from 250 dates to 60. Suddenly, I understood scarcity marketing. Promoters are like, ‘Please come back, please!’ I never knew the power of the word no. When you say no a lot, then suddenly there are extra zeros on that check.”

Staff writer for

HOW YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS CAN GET FUNDED

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL

HOW TO NOT GET NERVOUS

Four-time NBA champion, co-host of ESPN’s Inside the NBA, and cofounder of Big Chicken

Four-time NBA co-host of ESPN’s the NBA and cofounder of Chicken

When you come into somebody’s world and want to borrow their money, you have to be confident. You gotta speak to the experts and know the ins and outs of your business. I do my due diligence so I can really understand what I’m asking for. You don’t want to go into a meeting with Jeff Bezos and just ask for $100 million. You want Jeff to understand your business and [what you will do with that money]. You want him to believe in you.”

ERIN ANDREWS

Cofounder of WEAR by Erin Andrews, NFL on FOX broadcaster, and host of iHeart’s Calm Down podcast

I get nervous for every game. When you don’t get nervous, that’s probably when it’s time to bow out. Once I get my first ‘hit’ over—kind of your first time talking on air—I’m good. But before that, I’m shaking. There’s a lot of eyeballs on you. I’ve practiced it right before I go on air. Once I was practicing a hit I was going to do on Jared Goff and I called him Jarret Stoll, who is my husband. Sometimes you need to smack yourself or do a little smelling salts to get yourself ready to go.”

HOW TO DO WHAT YOU’RE NOT PREPARED FOR

CHELSEA GREEN

The first WWE Women’s United States Champion

I’ve broken bones in the ring. I’ve had concussions in the ring. And had other people been injured in the ring. So I don’t think any pre-match ritual is going to make or break that. But I’ve got Piper and Alba [two wrestlers she fights with] and we do like to do a little something before we walk through the curtain. I turn to them, and we put our hands together and say, ‘We’re pretty, we’re rich, we’re sparkly, we’re tanned, we’re beautiful, everyone loves us, we’re going to kill it!’ And then right before my music hits, I say, ‘Girls, in 10 minutes, we’re going to be done and on our way to bed.’”

States

MIKE ROWE

Creator and host of Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs, host of The Way I Heard It podcast, and head of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation

HOW SPORTS IS (AND ISN’T) LIKE BUSINESS

TOM BRADY

Record-setting seven-time Super Bowl champion and cofounder of brands including TB12 and GOAT Gummies

seven-time Bowl and cofounder of brands TB12 and GOAT Gummies

When I played football, part of me was a psychopath. Am I the same way in business? Actually, no. That’s what I need help with. And that’s why I have business partners that are psychopaths—and they are. They cross every t and dot the i’s. To me, when it comes to dealmaking in business, I was kind of like, ‘Oh, why not? That sounds like it makes sense.’ But I approached football in a very different way, and I was deep in the nuances of the sport I understood so well. I’m realizing that in business, that’s what matters too. Everything matters, especially against tough competition. So partnering with great people in the end is what matters the most. So you gotta bet on people that have vision, experience, great work ethic, and great teamwork.”

tures in animal husbandry into more of a crucible of pain, going to some very high places and some very low places and some very physical tasks. As far as production goes, well, I started looking for the jobs I wanted to profile—but once those were exhausted, we turned everything over to the viewer and asked them to send in suggestions. And they did. Everything you see comes from the fans of the show. The fans program it, the fans watch it, and we just try and stay out of the way. So when you run out of ideas, you can either admit it or pretend you haven’t. And in my experience, there’s no real upside in pretending to have an idea when you don’t. It’s best to just admit it and ask for help.”

HOW TO KEEP

HOW TO LEAD IN UNPREDICTABLE SITUATIONS

RET. ARMY GENERAL STANLEY McCHRYSTAL

Former U.S. commander of Joint Special Operations Command

Sometimes you make a decision to commit people in certain situations, and there’s a high probability that some will be killed or badly wounded. For the leader, it’s quite possible that you can get yourself almost stunned into an action. You make a decision, for example, and you send people in harm’s way, and it doesn’t work out. Sometimes it turns out that it was a stupid decision, and I have made some.

The problem is: You can’t then go into a fetal position in the corner and sob and feel sorry for yourself because you made a decision and it didn’t work out. That’s not what the organization needs. What the organization needs you to do is to say, my job is to make decisions facing forward. I should learn from the decisions that didn’t work. I should pay attention to that, but I need to make decisions facing forward. And sometimes it’s going to be very, very painful when I don’t get the outcome that I want. But it’s important that the leader knows that’s what they’re there for. If they’re not willing and able to make those decisions, they need to leave that position.”

HOW TO KEEP GOING WHEN IT’S HARD

MICHAEL STRAHAN

Cofounder SMAC Entertainment, cofounder

for Fox NFL Sunday

I wake up and I don’t mope around. I put on positive music, get myself in the right mood. I can’t control a lot of things that are thrown my way; I can only control the way that I deal with them. So I just try to get my attitude as close to being as good as it can be as soon as possible. There were times I hated football. Who wants to get beat up and hit when it’s cold and it’s wet? The games are fine. I’m talking about practice. It’s freezing out there, man. My fingers are hurting, knees are hurting, and you want me to run into the same guy I’ve been running into for the last six months? So I had to tell myself I love this game. I love it. There will always be negative, but within a negative or within failure, I try to find what the lesson is. I don’t look at things as failure; I look at it as an opportunity that I had a chance to learn something that I won’t repeat in the future if I get the opportunity to use that lesson.”

HOW TO MAKE SMART BUSINESS DECISIONS

GABRIEL WEINBERG

Founder and CEO of DuckDuckGo

People have to be really wary of narratives, like why you think this is going to be successful, why you think this is going to work. Instead, put some numbers to things. That starts with having a defined goal. Let’s say your goal is getting your first 100 customers, or your goal is to get to profitability. That is a numeric goal. Then you can start to think about each of your channel marketing strategies and ask, ‘Is this going to achieve that goal?’ Because I see a lot of people who say, ‘I’m going to go to conferences and I’m going to tell everybody about my product.’ That may work in certain situations, but if that is going to get you 10 customers and you need 100, that’s not going to work. Pull away from narratives and put your goal into something more concrete that you can call a business plan.”

of Michael Strahan apparel brand, coanchor of Good Morning America, analyst

Former U.S. commander of Joint Command

How to Build A CONSUMER BRAND

It’s exhausting, exhilarating, and will require everything you’ve got.

But there’s also a clear playbook for success. I work with dozens of CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS (CPG) founders.

Here are the most common lessons I’ve learned—about fundraising, retail, marketing, and growth.

by JASON FEIFER

Get FUNDED

How to Find INVESTORS

Fundraising is about fit, not volume. Look for investors who care about your category, your mission, or have backed similar brands. CPG-specific funds, local angels, and alumni networks are gold mines

How to Build A CONSUMER BRAND is about fit, not volume. Look for investors who care about your category, your mission, or have backed similar brands. funds, local and alumni networks are mines

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Research each investor’s portfolio, thesis, and recent deals—so that when you reach out, you can show why your brand is a fit for what they already love.

TAP YOUR NETWORK

Use LinkedIn, cold emails, and warm intros to get in front of the right people. Don’t be shy about asking for introductions at events or through mutual connections.

QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

A list of 20 well-matched investors beats 200 random names. The more targeted your list, the higher your hit rate—and the better your fundraising experience.

THE TOP 3 THINGS INVESTORS LOOK FOR

→ VCs used to invest in CPG brands, thinking they could achieve the same exponential growth as tech startups. But no more. Today’s CPG-focused investors want to see profitability—and a model that doesn’t require a ton of capital.

Here’s how to prove you’ve got the stuff, according to Grace Gould of Touch Capital.

YOUR TEAM.

1

“No matter how good your product is, the right team is so important,” Gould says. There will be pitfalls and challenges; no way around it. But where a subpar team will struggle, a strong team can often find a way to succeed.

2

YOUR GROWTH POTENTIAL.

In other words: How much market demand is there, and how will you capture it? This is about showing a potential for fast growth and a big exit.

YOUR NUMBERS.

3

“CPG investors want to understand your economics and profitability,” Gould says. They want to be sure their investment is enough to carry you through.

THE BEST RULE FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

→ RAISING FROM PEOPLE WHO LOVE YOU? WHATEVER THEY WANT TO INVEST, ONLY ACCEPT HALF OF THAT. That’s a rule from investor Ankit Agarwal, who’s also building a charcuterie company called HappyBoards. Let’s say a friend or family member wants to invest $10,000. Agarwal will say, “I only want $5,000.” When they ask why, he’ll say, “Because you won’t be as mad at me if we lose it. And if we make a ton of money, I would rather deal with the problem of you saying, ‘I wish I invested more.’”

Get OUT THERE WHAT TO DO AT A RETAIL BUYER MEETING

THE PACKAGING MISTAKE MOST FOUNDERS MAKE

Early-stage founders often put the wrong language on their packaging. Why? Because they’re using the words that make sense to them—and they forget how foreign it might sound to their consumer.

Olipop’s evolution is instructive. The brand went through many iterations, and is now reportedly on track for $500 million in sales.

Look closely at those cans, and how the product description changed over time:

→ You’ve landed a first meeting with a retail buyer. Here’s how to impress them, and ultimately get your product on their shelves, according to former Target buyer (and now vice president of food and beverage at The Genesis Company) Matt Adelmann.

ASK MORE QUESTIONS.

1

Too many founders talk nonstop. Your real goal is research. Understand the buyer’s strategy and category priorities. That helps you position your product as their solution.

KEEP THE DECK SIMPLE.

2

Retailers value brevity. In fact, many explicitly ask brands to limit the number of slides in their deck. Follow that signal. Concise, structured information wins every time.

3 FIRST “SPARKLING DIGESTIVE TONIC” Confusing language.

NEW KIND

NEXT “SPARKLING TONIC” Less clinical, but still meh. NOW “A NEW KIND OF SODA” Clear and appealing!

ALONG THE WAY, Olipop also added “Supports Digestive Health” at the top of the can. Your consumer doesn’t speak your language. They speak their language. They care about their problems, their desires, their familiar territory—so that’s what you need to care about too.

Not sure if your language is clear enough? Try this three-second test: Show your package to a stranger. If they can’t immediately say what it is and why it’s worth choosing, your language is wrong.

WARNING: DON’T

→ Many CPG brands offer subscriptions. But it’s easy to lose subscribers by over-emailing them. Do this instead:

GET EXPLICIT ON SUCCESS METRICS.

Ask how they measure success: category role, velocity, margin, sales per store per week. Every retailer has targets. Know what you must deliver to stay on the shelf.

REMEMBER: Buyers see lots of brands. Your job is to help them grow sales and grow the category. That’s how you win.

IN THE FIRST 10 DAYS: Send a few onboarding emails to reaffirm their decision to subscribe, explain the product, share why customers love it, and set proper expectations (like how often shipments will arrive). AFTER THAT: No marketing emails. If you send any, they might cancel.

WHY IT MATTERS: Subscribers are already committed to your product. Constant emails feel like pestering rather than adding value. They want the product to work, not to be sold to.

Get BIG

How to Launch a NEW BRAND

HOW TO BRAG WITHOUT LOOKING LIKE A JERK

→ Did you hit a major milestone? Wondering if you should share it on social? The answer is yes, do it! Just not every day.

Here are three ways to make your post more valuable and gracious:

FRAME IT AS GRATITUDE.

It’s not easy to get attention for a new CPG brand. Here’s how I.V. did it at the very says CEO Mike Keech. Here’s his

It’s not easy to get attention for a new CPG brand. Here’s how Liquid I.V. did it at the very beginning: “Community, community, community,” says CEO Mike Keech. Here’s his playbook:

START SMALL

Liquid I.V. seeded product with a large network of micro-influencers—real people with real, engaged audiences—to build trust and authenticity. And they’re affordable, so you can use lots of them to expand your reach.

LET THE COMMUNITY DO THE TALKING

As your audience grows, get your early fans to post reviews, testimonials, and anything that tells people, “I tried this, and it works.” (You can test a variety of incentives: sending free product, offering discounts, amplifying their posts on your socials, etc.)

The more voices talking about your product, the more credible and discoverable you become.

FOCUS ON REAL USERS, NOT CELEBRITIES

NOT

Celebrities may have reach, but they don’t always have trust. Everyday consumers who genuinely use and love your product can be more believable than big names.

DON’T MAKE THIS HIRING MISTAKE

Why are you sharing? It’s because you’re thankful—since without your customers, this wouldn’t have happened. You all accomplished this together.

MAKE IT A TEACHING MOMENT.

Don’t just say, “We hit $1 million in sales!” Instead, say, “We hit $1 million in exactly one year—here are three things I learned that might help you.” People love success stories when they come with actionable insights.

1 2 3

SHARE THE STRUGGLE.

Even more relatable than celebration? “We hit $1 million, but here’s what nearly killed us along the way.” Vulnerability makes success stories truly inspiring.

→ READY TO MAKE YOUR FIRST BIG HIRE? It’s tempting to hire someone with a killer resume who’s worked at the huge brands you admire. But be warned: They may not have the stamina for startups, or the instincts for thriving with small budgets. Instead, OPTIMIZE FOR SCRAPPY EXPERIENCE. For executive roles, either promote from within or only hire people who did exactly what you need them to do for a very similar company, at a very similar size. Does this mean your search will take longer? Yes. Will this save you money and time in the medium-to-long run? Absolutely.

Get YOURS

F

SELL YOURSELF,

NOT JUST YOUR BRAND

ounders often ask: Do I have to be in our social media posts? The answer is yes! People buy from people, not faceless brands. That’s why, especially at the early stage, you’re an incredibly valuable asset—because you are the thing that consumers can connect and relate to.

Sober(ish) founder Kim Gamez threw herself into this work, and now has more than 230,000 Instagram followers. “I only care about social media because it helps build Sober(ish),” she says. And it has: In less than two years, her brand has hit $1 million in monthly sales and has a 46.5% customer retention rate. Here’s how to get started, she says:

SHOW FACE

Be in your stories, videos, and posts—even if it feels weird.

SHARE NOTES

People love personal lessons and the “why” behind your brand.

RESPOND

Reply to comments and DMs as yourself, not just “the brand.”

REMEMBER, you don’t need to be perfect. Authenticity beats polish every time. Sharing your wins, struggles, and behind-the-scenes moments makes your brand memorable and trustworthy, and ultimately something people really want to be part of.

HOW MUCH TO PAY YOURSELF

Good news: “Investors don’t want you suffering,” says Lisa Barnett, who helped raise $90 million as a cofounder of Little Spoon and also has a venture background. “They want you to be able to live so that you can operate the business.”

That said, keep your salary stage-appropriate: If you’re in the pre-seed or seed stage, particularly with limited capital raised, lean salaries maximize runway. While there’s no one-size-fits-all number, many founder salaries can fall below $100K (or even lower). Here are three smart moves when you’re struggling with cash:

PULL BACK ON YOUR SALARY

If growth is flat or you don’t hit your targets, this shows commitment.

BASED ON MILESTONES

“I’m not taking salary this quarter, but will pay myself once we hit X goal.”

SHIFT EQUITY AND CASH

Balance lower equity with higher cash compensation for new hires.

FOLLOW THE “GOLDEN RULE,” Barnett says: Capital should go toward growing the company and team, not bloating overhead. Investors want to see that you’re a responsible custodian of their money.

SMALL STEPS TO AVOID BURNOUT

→ Founder life can feel all-consuming. Here are some common ways founders stay sane and focused.

BLOCK YOUR TIME FOR EVERYTHING.

Include exercise, going outside, and social time in your calendar. Treat them as seriously as client meetings—because your energy and mental health directly impact your business performance.

ATTACH DOWNTIME TO OTHER PEOPLE.

Schedule sports with teammates, dates with your partner, or any other activity with built-in accountability to others. Without that, you’re more likely to ignore it and keep working.

1 2 3

START SMALL TO BUILD HABITS.

Balance isn’t achieved in a day. Start by setting time aside for short walks or coffees with friends, then expand outward. The key isn’t perfection—it’s building the system and sticking to it daily.

Jason Feifer is the editor in chief of Entrepreneur and cofounder of CPG Fast Track, a coaching platform that helps CPG founders grow.

500 Franchise

HALLOF FAME

TRACY STAPP HEROLD

Want to buy a brand that’s stood the test of time?

This is the best resource you’ll ever find: It’s Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 Hall of Fame list.

Here’s what makes it so special.

Every year, we publish our highly competitive Franchise 500 ranking. Now, we’re also looking back at all our rankings—47 years’ worth!—to see which brands have ranked most consistently. To be part of our Hall of Fame, a company must rank for at least 25 years consecutively.

In the Hall of Fame, brands are listed in descending order based on the number of years they have been ranked—starting at the top, with the three companies that have ranked every year that the Franchise 500 has existed.

Following the Hall of Fame, you’ll also find our “10+ Club” franchises. Those companies are on their way to Hall of Fame status, having ranked for 10 to 24 years. And following that, we recognize the brands that are true category leaders: In the Franchise 500, they’ve ranked No. 1 in their categories for 10 or more years.

These lists can be a great place to start your franchise search, but they are not intended as a recommendation of any particular company. It’s always important to do your due diligence on any franchise, no matter its track record, to find out if it’s the right investment for you in the here and now. That means reading the company’s legal documents, consulting with an attorney and an accountant, and talking to current and former franchisees about their experiences. ▶

+ YEARS

YEARS

Screenmobile Ranked 28 years

Sport Clips Haircuts

Minuteman Press

Dream Vacations Ranked 29 years

Home Instead Ranked 29 years

Jiffy Lube Ranked 29 years

Kumon Ranked 29 years

Mr. Appliance Ranked 29 years

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors

Ranked 29 years

Two Men and a Truck Ranked 29 years

Glass Doctor Ranked 28 years

The

PIRTEK

THREE ANSWERS/ 25+ YEARS

Anago Cleaning Systems

ASK A FRANCHISE LEADER/

What is

the key

to long-term success in franchising?

Buildingstars Ranked 25 years

Cruise Planners Ranked 25 years

DoubleTree by Hilton Ranked 25 years

Embassy Suites by Hilton Ranked 25 years

Fish Window Cleaning Ranked 25 years

Hampton by Hilton Ranked 25 years

Hilton Garden Inn Ranked 25 years

Hilton Hotels and Resorts Ranked 25 years

Homewood Suites by Hilton Ranked 25 years

Plato’s Closet Ranked 25 years

“Culture, values, and operational excellence are critical to franchise success. We were founded on a core set of values many would recognize from famed coach Lou Holtz, who gave our founder—my dad, Gordon Logan—his permission to use them: Do what’s right, do your best, and treat others the way they want to be treated.”

—Edward Logan, CEO and president, Sport Clips Haircuts

“Ultimately, we believe success is shared. Franchising works when everyone is in it together—when the franchisor and franchisees collaborate, support one another, and grow as a unified network. That partnership mindset is what allows a brand to thrive for decades.”

—Nick Minuteman Press

—Nick Titus, president, Minuteman Press

“Recognizing that the franchisee is your customer. This means fostering continuous communication and focusing on unit economics to ensure they are supported and empowered to succeed. This is how franchisors create a strong foundation for sustained success.”

—Clarissa Bradstock,

CEO, Any Lab Test Now

—Clarissa Bradstock, CEO, Any Lab Test Now

Franchise

THE 10+ CLUB

Here’s another elite group of franchises!

These brands have hit the Franchise 500 for 10+ years.

Once they hit 25 years, they graduate to the Hall of Fame. We list them here, ranked by years on the list.

20–24 YEARS Ranked For

Ben & Jerry’s Ranked 24 years

Fully Promoted Ranked 24 years

Kiddie Academy

RooterMan Ranked 24 years

Image360 Ranked 23 years

Right at Home Ranked 23 years

Moe’s Southwest Grill Ranked 22 years

Palm Beach Beauty & Tan Ranked 22 years

Cinnabon Ranked 21 years

Papa Johns Ranked 21 years

Spherion Staffing and Recruiting

Ranked 21 years

Ace Hardware Ranked 20 years

Baymont by Wyndham Ranked 20 years

Baskin-Robbins

Ranked 19 years

Carl’s Jr. Ranked 19 years

Circle K Ranked 19 years

Dairy Queen Ranked 19 years

Hardee’s Ranked 19 years

KFC Ranked 19 years

Pizza Hut Ranked 19 years

Primrose Schools Ranked 19 years

Senior Helpers Ranked 19 years

Bojangles Ranked 18 years

Chester’s Ranked 18 years

Camp Bow Wow Ranked 17 years

H&R Block Ranked 17 years

Pearle Vision Ranked 17 years 15–19 YEARS Ranked For

hise

HALL OF FAME 500 Franc

THE 10+CLUB

ASK A FRANCHISE LEADER/

THREE ANSWERS/

“Smoothie King is expanding its Power Eats food menu nationwide, marking a major evolution beyond smoothies and bowls. This unlocks new meal occasions, broadens daypart appeal, and gives our guests even more delicious ways to nourish their healthy habits.”

—Gavin Felder, president and CFO, Smoothie King

—Gavin

“We’re deepening franchisee collaboration with franchisee-led committees focused on profitability, performance, and shared best practices. That peer-driven approach helps owners learn from one another and strengthen the system together. We’re also strengthening the support behind that work.”

—Kathy George, president, Spherion Staffing & Recruiting

“One exciting new development is our partnership with KnowHow, an AI platform that is helping drive op erational efficiency for our franchise owners at the local level. We are also utilizing AI at the home office level to automate pro cesses and increase support for franchise owners.”

—Brandon Mangual, vice president of franchise development, PuroClean

—Brandon Mangual, vice of franchise PuroClean

The use of portable power is on the rise, with new technologies becoming increasingly reliant on portable power. For over 35 years, Batteries Plus has provided a stable franchise investment, offering power solutions that remain essential even in the most challenging economic conditions to both consumers and businesses. With our focus on commercial business, owners have the ability to sell to business customers before their physical store even opens, thus creating a way to become profitable sooner. Not only are our products needs-based, but our business is built to offset many of the challenges facing small business owners today.

visit

HALL OF FAME 500

THE 10+CLUB

Continued from previous page

ASK A FRANCHISE LEADER/ How has the franchise industry changed since your brand began franchising?

THREE ANSWERS/

“The industry has become far more sophisticated and data-driven, particularly in the last few years with the rise of AI. At the same time, franchisees expect deeper support and transparency. Brands need to embrace innovation, but also remember the human relationships franchising was built on.”

L. Jameson, chief development officer,

—Mark L. Jameson, chief development officer, FastSigns

“The biggest shift has been access to real-time data. Franchisees now expect visibility into performance as it’s happening, not weeks later. The next evolution is helping owners actually apply that data in a manageable way. Brands have to translate insights into clear actions that drive better results.”

—Ashley Gundlach, president, British Swim School

—Ashley Gundlach, British Swim School

“Buyers are more educated, and franchisees want systems that generate measurable results. Brands that provide strong methodology, consistent support, and long-term value have gained the advantage over those that rely mainly on name recognition or one-time transactions.”

—Jonah Erbe, president, Leadership Management International

—Jonah Erbe, Management

Mark

HALL OF FAME 500

THE 10+CLUB

Continued from previous page

ASK A FRANCHISE LEADER/

What do you think the future holds for the franchise industry?

THREE ANSWERS/

“Franchises will adapt to meet consumer expectations for speed and accessibility across industries. As consumer behavior shifts toward convenience, personalization, and technology integration, franchises must continue to adopt and scale these changes nationwide.”

—Steve Chambers, vice president of retail and business development, The UPS Store

—Steve vice of retail and business The UPS Store

“The future will favor brands that feel like true partners, not just systems. Today’s owners expect transparency, strong economics, and support that actually shows up in the field. Franchisors that use data well, invest in people, and stay closely connected to their fran chisees will continue to attract strong operators.”

—Adam Biedenbender, vice of franchise deCertaPro Painters

—Adam Biedenbender, vice president of franchise development, CertaPro Painters

“The future will be shaped by brands that empower a strong culture and community for members, franchi sees, and employees. Franchises that can deliver strong local relationships, personalized experiences, and spaces where peo ple feel they belong will continue to thrive.”

—Nick Herrild, brand president, Anytime Fitness Domestic

Designed to Scale. Built to Last.

• Affordable entry point with quick build-out time

• High-earning centers with potential 7-figure annual revenue

• Industry-leading 30%+ average profit margins

• Recession-resistant business model

• Comprehensive training and ongoing support

Franchise

Franchise

#1 IN CATEGORY 500

Snap-on Tools

Dunkin’

Another elite status from our Franchise 500. These brands have topped their categories for 10+ years

You’ll find many Hall of Famers and 10+ Clubbers here

Ranked No. 1 in category

The UPS Store

Ranked No. 1 in category 36 years

Budget Blinds

Ranked No. 1 in category 31 years

Kumon

Ranked No. 1 in category 25 years

Ranked No. 1 in category 23 years

Minuteman Press

Ranked No. 1 in category 23 years

Servpro

Ranked No. 1 in category 23 years

Hampton by Hilton

Ranked No. 1 in category 17 years

Once Upon A Child Ranked No. 1 in category 17 years

Cinnabon

Ranked No. 1 in category 15 years

Express Employment Professionals

Ranked No. 1 in category 15 years

Ranked No. 1 in category 14 years

Transworld

Business Advisors

Ranked No. 1 in category 14 years

Taco Bell

Ranked No. 1 in category 13 years

Kona Ice

Ranked No. 1 in category 11 years

Culver’s Ranked No. 1 in category 10 years

FastSigns

Ranked No. 1 in category 10 years

Goldfish Swim School

Ranked No. 1 in category 10 years

Kilwins

Ranked No. 1 in category 10 years

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue

Ranked No. 1 in category 10 years

Pet Supplies Plus

Ranked No. 1 in category 10 years

PIRTEK

Ranked No. 1 in category 10 years

YESCO Sign & Lighting Service

Ranked No. 1 in category 10 years

DUNKIN’ → #1 IN CATEGORY 40 YEARS

500+ Franchise Owners Across North America

82% of Franchise Owners Say They Enjoy Operating the Business Top Franchise Grosses $19,000,000 in Annual Revenue*

THE BIGGEST SMALLEST BRAND

Lawn Doctor isn’t a household name like some other franchise giants. But it has achieved what almost no other brand has.

by LIZ BRODY

Pop quiz: What three brands have had the greatest consistency in franchising?

Two of them are easy to guess: Dunkin’ and McDonald’s. These are giants, internationally known for their food as much as their impact on culture. But the third brand flies more under the radar—succeeding without high-profile collabs with Megan Thee Stallion (Dunkin’) or promotions with box-office hits like A Minecraft Movie (McDonald’s).

That brand is Lawn Doctor. And unlike Dunkin’ and McDonald’s, which have tens of thousands of franchises, Lawn Doctor only has 665.

Let’s back up for a moment to explain. Every year, Entrepreneur publishes its Franchise 500 ranking—the definitive ranking of franchise brands, which evaluates companies on more than 150 data points in areas like growth, franchisee support, and financial strength. This isn’t just about number of units; it’s about brand strength as a whole, celebrating consistency and not just rapid growth.

We’ve been publishing the Franchise 500 for 47 years— and in that time, only Dunkin’, McDonald’s, and Lawn Doctor have ranked in every single list, across all 47 years. (You can see the other long-timers in our Hall of Fame list on page 73.) That gives them the greatest consistency in franchising.

So, we wanted to know: How has Lawn Doctor remained this strong for this long?

Chairman and CEO Scott Frith was happy to answer. He has a nearly lifelong history with the brand: His dad started by selling franchises out of his home office, rose to CEO, then passed the role along to him. Under Frith, Lawn

Doctor expanded into a parent company called Happinest, which now acquires and runs other home services brands that cross-fertilize each other.

In this conversation, Frith explains the company’s history, evolution, and how a brand like this grows strategically—while always taking care of its franchisees.

How did you first hear of Lawn Doctor?

I was seven years old, playing on our front lawn in Warminster, Pennsylvania, when my dad came home. I remember it like a photograph that’s burned in my mind: Him stepping out of his car in his three-piece suit with his tie and talking to my mom, and I’m like, Something’s going on here. It turned out he’d just had an interview at Lawn Doctor and

gotten a job as franchise development manager.

My mom and my dad were the first ones in their families to own a home. And ours was so small— very humble beginnings. But we got a used desk and set up his office in the laundry room, and he sold franchises from there. This would have been in 1978.

Who started the whole thing?

What was that story?

So there were two founders, Tony Giordano and Bob Magda. Bob was a tool and die maker for Singer sewing machines. Tony had this hardware store in Matawan, New Jersey. And much like our family, who’d originally come from Philly, people were moving out from the city to the suburbs, and coming to the store to buy lawn-care products they didn’t know how to use. One day

Tony went to lunch with Bob and said, “Maybe you could create a piece of equipment with your engineering background…” And that’s where it all started.

So Lawn Doctor launched in 1967. Your father, Russell Frith, became CEO in 1983.When did you first get a job there?

I was 13 when I worked for the summer in the manufacturing plant. It was the definition of the dirty job. I would clean up, patch the roof that was leaking. But I also built equipment—we design and build all our own. Currently, for example, we have a unique power seeder that mixes the seeds with the soil, and a stand you ride on that puts down fertilizer, weed and insect control, calibrating the exact amount to the speed. Back then, Bob would be up in his elevated office, surrounded by glass,

engineering what we were gonna build next. And seeing those blueprints come down to the floor, and then making those parts, gave me a perspective on pioneering—charting a different course—which is one of our core values today.

Then, just as I was about to graduate college, I got a call from the marketing director. He says, “Hey, I need an assistant.” I was going to be a lawyer, but I’d started leaning toward business and jumped at the opportunity. I had a little folding table in a corner and an old, broken chair, and I went to work. At first it was like, Hey, I’ll just get paid and figure out what’s next. But there came a moment when I said, You know, this isn’t a job. This is my career I loved this idea of our role relative to the franchisees and how that synergy works. We have the brand, the operating system, the training and support. The franchisee brings their energy, their capital, their dreams. And that power, right? I just thought there was a tremendous amount of potential to fuel entrepreneurship, but do it within a structure.

So I went back to school for an MBA, and my goal was to be the CEO of a franchise brand by the time I was 40. And I became the CEO of Lawn Doctor at 39.

It was 2011, when you took the reins from your father and the company was acquired by a private equity firm. What was that like?

He was a legend, and I did feel the “big shoes to fill” kind of thing. The company had been on the verge of bankruptcy, and he’d turned it into a household name. But he told me he was ready to retire.

Tony had passed away, and my father had become a majority shareholder, and we decided to have a liquidity event. Bob exited

at the same time. So we brought in institutional capital. Today, that private equity firm has a minority position as a comanager and we’ve brought in another firm alongside them.

It was something like out of a movie. We’re in a Manhattan skyscraper at this huge table. The transaction closes. My father and I fly to Florida for the holidays. And then I come back, walk into his office, and sit in his chair.

You started acquiring other home services brands and founded Happinest in 2018. These were very small emerging franchises. How did that affect Lawn Doctor?

As you grow a multi-brand platform, you can attract talent that

form. So certainly that brings value to emerging brands that are small and learning.

As far as investments in the platform, what has been the most significant driver of growth?

My father once said, “Treat a franchisee as if they can leave you tomorrow and you’ll be okay.” In other words, make sure you understand their value in building this business alongside you. And that’s been a guiding principle.

So a real differentiator for us is how we’ve created the structures to help every franchisee unlock [success]. We’ve really ramped up training. For new franchisees, we have pre-training with digital content, then class

sees who meet on a regular basis to discuss financial and operational issues: What are your wins? What are your challenges? And they hold each other accountable to the things they say they want to improve in the business.

Then we have a specific mentorship program for franchisees who aren’t doing as well as they, or we, expect them to. They’re paired with a successful franchisee. Our strategy is to overlay all of these structures to allow best practices.

Has it worked?

Our average franchisee does over a million dollars a year in revenue. Our largest franchisees are well over $10 million.

IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE OUT OF A MOVIE. WE’RE IN A MANHATTAN SKYSCRAPER AT THIS HUGE TABLE. THE TRANSACTION CLOSES. MY FATHER AND I FLY TO FLORIDA FOR THE HOLIDAYS. AND THEN I COME BACK, WALK INTO HIS OFFICE, AND SIT IN HIS CHAIR.

otherwise you may not be able to. You can also make investments in the platform itself that, if you’re a smaller company with one brand, may not make sense. So you’re spreading some of those costs across a number of different brands.

I will also say that those really innovative, scrappy brands that are growing and finding their space, also do things in a way that benefits Lawn Doctor. We very much have a startup, West Coast kind of vibe here, something that’s important to always keep intact regardless of how successful you are.

And it cuts both ways. Lawn Doctor, almost 60 years old now, is bringing a lot of operational experience—nearly 4,000 years between our franchisees and our team—across the plat-

for a week, practical training in the field—and then it’s ongoing with new initiatives. You also have a dedicated person with you for two years.

After that, it’s a revenue- based support model. So as you move into a higher revenue band, you have a different support person who also supports all franchisees in that same band. The idea is, if someone in your cohort is doing something great, it’s very relevant to your size of business and circumstance. Then, to continually help franchises move up, we have what we call the Ladders program, where a host location will bring in a number of franchisees who are at a level below them so they can see exactly what the next-level business looks like. We also run small performance groups of franchi-

What hasn’t worked?

I’m very ambitious. I want to do really big things. But sometimes I try to take on too many. And you really have to look at execution risk and make sure that not only can the team execute on those things, but the franchisees can absorb them. Because change for a franchisee’s business can be very disruptive. Sometimes, as a leader, you have to slow down to go fast.

Quite frankly, the world may move faster than a particular franchisee may want to. As consumers evolve—how they discover the brand, what they expect for service, how they buy—phone, text, email, etc.— it’s really important that we move [with them]. But we have some large franchisees who are

BE AT THE FRONT. THE BUFFET LINE IS FORMING AGAIN.

very successful. And they’re like, “I’m really happy with how it is. What’s happening?”

It’s our job to support and develop a relationship with each franchisee. But it’s also our job to keep the brand relevant, and continue to create value for everyone. So that’s the tension.

Today Happinest’s brands include Lawn Doctor, Pest Hunters-Mosquito Hunters, Ecomaids, Elite Window Cleaning and Sparkle Squad, which together have over 900 locations. Obviously, customers who want their lawns maintained, might also need their homes and windows cleaned and mosquitos killed. But what stage were those brands when you acquired them?

One had two franchises. Seven in another case; 11 in another. It’s typically very scrappy, where the founder started a company and then learned about franchising. And there’s a moment of realization which is like, “This is harder than I realized. The first 10, 20, 30—it’s very capital intensive to build a franchise and a totally different business. I need help.”

What are the challenges of unit economics with these tiny franchises?

It’s honestly not the easiest thing. There are a lot of companies that are interested in well-established brands. But getting emerging brands to the next level is hard and there’s also less margin for error. A lot of the brands we acquire don’t have a strong operating model. So we build some assumptions and work toward those assumptions, and they won’t always be

right. Also, new franchisees are starting from zero. It’s not like they can go, “Hey, this isn’t working. Let me talk to someone who has been there and built this really large business.” Because there is no precedent. And that’s why it’s very rewarding when you get it right and you really start scaling it up.

What’s the first step?

Customer acquisition is always one of the first conversations. So coming up with a clear go-to-market strategy and an avatar of who is the ideal customer. Having a marketing stack that gives you different

new Lawn Doctor franchisees and driving same-store sales—2025 systemwide revenue was about $250 million. It’s continuing to scale up with new locations of our emerging brands, which includes expanding from residential customers to commercial ones. It’s bringing additional brands into the portfolio and scaling them up with the experience we have.

Any advice for entrepreneurs who want to start their own franchise company?

A lot of things will pull you in different directions, even with one franchisee.

And talk to companies like us. Just build the relationship, even if it doesn’t turn into anything. Most will help you, because they want entrepreneurs to be successful. There’s enough for all of us.

You have teenagers—a daughter and a son. Any possibility they’ll catch the bug and buy a franchise or start one? Maybe even become a third-generation leader of Lawn Doctor?

I’ll tell you: Giving your kids the opportunity to carve out their own path, and then watch what they do next for the business? That to me is

I’M VERY AMBITIOUS...BUT I TRY TO TAKE ON TOO MANY [THINGS]. AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY CAN THE TEAM EXECUTE ON THOSE THINGS, BUT THE FRANCHISEES CAN ABSORB THEM. SOMETIMES AS A LEADER, YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO GO FAST.

ways to reach them and a sales process to convert those leads into customers—that’s the first thing they really need help with. Once we have that, then we need to create a brand that people are excited about.

Curious if you’re using AI?

We’re still in the process of trying to figure it out! What are we really trying to accomplish? Which use cases are the best? Where do we start? It’s one of my big initiatives and we’re certainly on the journey.

Do you have a vision for Happinest down the line?

Definitely to be a billion-dollar-plus business—and that is very much within our reach. And it means all the things that you would think. It’s continuing to grow existing and

But focus really hard on making those unit economics work, so the franchisee does well and is happy in the model. In that early stage, you want to anchor to that success of the franchisee.

From the beginning, think about building the company to scale. For example, how do you leverage data and technology? What kinds of things can you do even when you’re small to plan for when you’re big, so that you can accelerate when the time is right? Also, be very careful with your vendor selection, and have the mindset that they’re not just a supplier, they’re a partner. They often have a lot of knowledge, and it’s in their interest to help you. And they can really be a part of your support.

the ultimate American dream. We have a guy who started as a Lawn Doctor technician operating a piece of equipment. He went on to buy a franchise. He has since bought many more, and is gonna be a $10-million-plus franchisee. And both of his sons will operate that business. We have many operators who are second generation. And we actually just found out we even have a third generation.

My kids have seen different areas of the business. And my son is really interested in manufacturing. When he turned 13, he told me, “I’m old enough. I could start.” I’m like, “It’s kind of different now.” But, you know, I’ll be really interested to see what they decide to do.

Entrepreneur

Finding the Right Fit

These preschool sweethearts (yes, preschool!) say that in business, as with love, finding your match makes a world of difference. by

KIM KAVIN

Technically speaking, Andrew and Rachel Adams didn’t start dating until they were 15. But Rachel made her intentions clear more than a decade earlier, in preschool, when she told Andrew’s mom she was going to marry him.

Today, at age 36, they’re true partners in life and business. They each earned business degrees at the University of Alabama and then worked at the same bank right out of college, before realizing they wanted to own a business. But their first effort was rough: It was a DIY craft shop near Birmingham, which opened in late 2019 and got squashed by the pandemic.

While figuring out his next move, Andrew became the manager of a local franchise restaurant. The work reminded him of the restaurant his grandparents owned when he was a kid. “I would wait tables, cook, and wash dishes there,” he says. “I’d always talked about [owning] a restaurant, but Rachel always said no because of the time commitment.”

Then, in mid-2020, Andrew was approached about becoming a franchisee for Biscuit Belly. It was a breakfast-andlunch concept that, at the time, had mostly corporate stores. They offered him the second franchise location. The fact that it wasn’t an all-day restaurant eased Rachel’s mind, and Andrew finally achieved his dream of restaurant ownership. Here, the couple shares how they navigated the challenges of becoming franchisees.

What challenges did you face when you stepped into the

franchise ownership role?

What did you see as the pros and cons of franchising?

ANDREW: The good thing about franchising is that the model is already there. It’s proven. So we were excited to have that in place and not start from scratch. But on the flip side of that, with a franchise, you never know if it’s going to be overly hands-on or strict. We wanted autonomy to be part of the community and make choices.

How did meeting Biscuit Belly’s cofounders, Chad and Lauren Coulter, impact your thinking?

RACHEL: They’re really authentic people. You can just tell. They had their own business, like we did. They had restaurant experience, but they also had more of an open mind than some franchise operators that say, “This is the way we’re doing it, my way or the highway.” They were new to it too.

ANDREW: One thing was taking off my manager hat and putting on an owner hat. Owners have to worry about bills getting paid and more of the behind-thescenes stuff that I didn’t necessarily have to do as a manager. For me, it was a hard transition, because I really enjoyed managing a restaurant. Rachel is the opposite. She had to remind me that I’m not just a manager. I’m an owner.

What are some ways you’ve gotten creative within the

franchise system?

we put a bigger focus on catering than the corporate stores and the other Biscuit Belly franchise. Part of it was that the previous franchise I worked at did a lot of catering. But also, the thing about breakfast is that you may not always have foot traffic during the week. So how do we keep a good set of employees and give them their hours and be able to make payroll? We needed something else, and this worked. The owners were flexible in letting us bring ideas to them and implementing them. Kudos to them for that.

Taking Care of Faces

When her face broke out, she couldn’t find a good solution to clear her skin. So she built a franchise to help everyone. by KIM KAVIN

Michele Henry built a strong business, then wanted to sell it and start over with something new. People thought she was nuts.

“My family and friends asked, ‘You’re going to leave a great business to do something that doesn’t even exist? There’s no proven concept?’” she remembers.

But this wasn’t just about business to her. It was personal. Her first business was a chain of clothing boutiques called Primp, which she’d grown to nine locations. But then, in 2017, Henry gave birth to her third child—and her face kept breaking out. Estheticians were helpful, but pricey at $350 a month. She wished there was a simple place to go and take care of her face. So she came up with the idea for Face Foundrié, a facial bar.

“Back then, we didn’t have ‘skinfluencers’ on TikTok or social media,” she says. “You were on your own unless you went to an esthetician.”

So she sold Primp, opened Face Foundrié, and has proven her hunch correct: There are now 70 Face Foundrié stores across 24 states, with projections to hit 100 by the end of this year. Here’s how she did it, and why franchising was such an appealing way to grow.

Did you still own Primp when you opened Face Foundrié?

On December 14, 2018, 10:30 a.m., at the Starbucks in the Galleria in Minnesota, I signed over the purchase agreement to sell my shares in Primp. At 10:35, I walked downstairs and signed the lease for what would become our flagship location with Face Foundrié. I didn’t want two businesses at once. I wanted to be all in.

Wow. Just five minutes in between the paperwork?

If I had given myself a day or a week, that’s a lot of room

for self-doubt. But not so much with five minutes.

When you opened your first location in 2019, did you get everything right from the start?

You don’t know what you don’t know with version one.

We opened with five beds and a juice and wellness bar, because good skin starts with what you feed your body. Long story short: Juice has the shortest shelf life, and nobody wanted juice. People just wanted facials.

We shut down and reopened less than 30 days later with

eight beds, and already had a lease for the second site. If you listen to your customers, they will tell you exactly how the business should look and what they want.

How do you choose franchisees?

We go through a pretty strenuous process. We bring them up to Discovery Day. If you can make it through a Minnesota winter Discovery Day, we already know you’re tough as nails. But do they have a track record? Have they been part of another system? We like when they’re not 100% new to franchising. Then again, some of our very best franchisees didn’t have that prior experience, and they knock it out of the park.

Also, it’s attitude. Are you positive and uplifting? That’s what the brand is about—making people feel confident.

And if you just want to own a concept that you can operate from a distance, then you’re not aligned with our mission. That’s my biggest red flag.

What are new things the brand is trying?

When we were mandated to shut down during COVID, we created an at-home facial kit that saved us. We’re launching it again as a $24.99 package. It doesn’t exist on the market as an esthetician-backed step-bystep. You can do a facial with your friends at a cabin or at the beach.

We’re also launching an AI skin analysis tool. It’s in-store. It magnifies your skin, uses AI to determine pore size, hydration, wrinkles, and then analyzes what services are best for your skin in the moment.

Skincare is so personal and ever-changing. Ultimately, you have to innovate in our industry.

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The List

The Fastest-Growing Franchises

If you want to buy a fast-growing brand, this is the list to start with.

by TRACY STAPP HEROLD

ore than 11,000 new businesses. Thousands of new jobs within those businesses. And even more happy customers using those businesses’ products and services. If you want a snapshot of the economic impact of franchising, this is it—our list of the fastest-growing brands in the industry.

Here, we celebrate the 150 companies that have harnessed the power of the franchise model to supercharge their growth, adding dozens and even hundreds of units over the one-year period from July 31, 2024, to July 31, 2025. Brands are ranked based on their net franchise unit growth in the U.S. and Canada during that period, with ties broken based on per-

centage growth. Altogether, these companies added a combined net total of 11,090 new franchises in North America in just one year! (If you’re curious about the brands growing the most outside the U.S. and Canada, see pages 104 and 106.)

Remember as you read that this list is based purely on unit growth and is not intended as a recommendation of any particular company. Growth is only one of many factors you should consider when researching a franchise opportunity. Before investing in any brand, always do your due diligence. Read the company’s legal documents, consult with an attorney and an accountant, and talk to current and former franchisees to make sure it’s the right fit for you.

1

sides

TOTAL UNITS

(Franchised / Co.-Owned) 2,764/54

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +375

STARTUP COST

$4.7K-$79.8K

2

$298.2K-$1M

4

Dream Vacations

Travel agencies

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 2,363/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +285

STARTUP COST $2.6K-$20.97K

5

Corvus Janitorial Systems Commercial cleaning

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 2,538/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +285 STARTUP COST $7.6K-$32.5K

6

Jersey Mike’s Subs Subs and Philly cheesesteaks

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 3,107/24

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +282 STARTUP COST $181.9K-$1.4M

9

Dunkin’ Coffee, doughnuts, baked goods

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 14,094/34

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +186

STARTUP COST $437.5K-$1.8M

10

Signal

Private security guard and patrol services

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 1,647/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +182

STARTUP COST $157.7K-$5.2M

11

That 1 Painter

Residential and commercial painting and cosmetic repairs

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 274/16

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +169

STARTUP COST $113K-$189K

12

McDonald’s Burgers, chicken, salads, beverages

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 42,059/2,054

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +148

STARTUP COST $1.5M-$2.7M

Men’s hormone replacement therapy and wellness services

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 368/6

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +265

STARTUP COST $224.6K-$410.5K

8

Club Pilates Group Reformer Pilates classes

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 1,319/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +188

STARTUP COST $385K-$839.1K

13

Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee

Coffee and beverages

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 283/3

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +144

STARTUP COST $201.8K-$255.3K

14

Taco Bell

Mexican-inspired food

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 8,225/521

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +143

STARTUP COST $934.8K-$4.3M

15 The UPS Store Shipping, packing, package management, mailboxes, printing, faxing, shredding, notary services

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 5,818/15

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +140 STARTUP COST $57.1K-$608.98K

16 Tropical Smoothie Cafe Smoothies, salads, wraps, sandwiches, flatbreads TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 1,595/1

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +132 STARTUP COST $340.8K-$814.5K

17

Spark by Hilton Premium economy hotels

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 185/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +123 STARTUP COST $3.1M-$5.5M

18 Kona Ice Shaved-ice trucks

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 1,930/4

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +121 STARTUP COST $102.4K-$226.8K

19 Five Star Bath Solutions Bathroom remodeling

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 322/3

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +119 STARTUP COST $162K-$293.5K

The Fastest-Growing Franchises

20

Nothing Bundt Cakes Bundt cakes and gifts

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 714/8

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +119

STARTUP COST

$667.1K-$1M

21

Valvoline Instant Oil Change Oil changes and preventive maintenance

TOTAL UNITS

(Franchised / Co.-Owned)

1,042/942

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +116

STARTUP COST

$192.4K-$3.5M

22

Dave’s Hot Chicken Nashville-style hot chicken

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 308/23

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +113

STARTUP COST

$617.8K-$3.2M

23 Ace Hardware Hardware and home improvement stores

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 5,520/262

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +107

STARTUP COST $603.9K-$2M

24

Stand Strong Fencing Fencing, railing, staining, and sealing

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 199/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +106

STARTUP COST

$160.2K-$241.1K

25

Planet Fitness Fitness clubs

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 2,487/275

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +106

STARTUP COST

$1.5M-$5.2M

26

Cruise Planners Travel agencies

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 3,062/1

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +101

STARTUP COST

$1.9K-$20.5K

27

Pink’s Window Service

Residential and commercial window services

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 112/2

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +100

STARTUP COST

$128K-$166.5K

28

Hotworx 24-hour infrared sauna fitness studios

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 771/7

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +100

STARTUP COST

$252.2K-$1.2M

29

Cinnabon Cinnamon rolls, baked goods, coffee

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 2,127/29

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +94

STARTUP COST

$215.6K-$675K

30

Take 5 Oil Change Oil changes

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 496/767

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +91

STARTUP COST

$912.2K-$2.1M

Firehouse Subs

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned)

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH

STARTUP COST

$379.7K-$1.4M

Charleys Cheesesteaks & Philly cheesesteaks, fries, wings, lemonade

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned)

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH

STARTUP COST $203.7K-$984.7K

Pest Authority

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned)

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH

STARTUP COST $40.5K-$105.7K

34 Crunch

Fitness centers

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 494/32

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +79

STARTUP COST $804K-$6.7M

35

Amada Senior Care Home care, medical staffing, assisted-living placement

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 275/6

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +78

STARTUP COST $118.2K-$430.1K

36

Scooter’s Coffee Coffee, espresso, smoothies, pastries, breakfast items

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 854/24

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +78

STARTUP COST $692.2K-$1.5M

37

Zoomin Groomin Mobile pet grooming

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 211/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +77

STARTUP COST $64.97K-$205.4K

38 Paris Baguette Bakery cafes

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 3,884/139

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +76

STARTUP COST $727.4K-$1.8M

39 Temporary Wall Systems Rental, installation, and service of modular containment systems

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 324/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +74

STARTUP COST $154.4K-$366.4K

40

Home2 Suites by Hilton Upper midscale extendedstay hotels

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 821/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +74

STARTUP COST $15.7M-$24.4M

/ Co.-Owned) 400/10

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +68 STARTUP COST $143.3K-$286.7K

49 Smoothie King Smoothies and smoothie bowls

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 1,221/44

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +67 STARTUP COST

$346.4K-$1.3M

50 Exit Factor Business coaching and consulting

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 81/4

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +66 STARTUP COST

$62.8K-$86.99K 51

Papa Johns Pizza

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 5,623/554

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +66 STARTUP COST

The Fastest-Growing Franchises

FASTEST-GROWING FRANCHISES INTERNATIONALLY

OUR MAIN fastest-growing franchises list focuses on North American growth, but many brands have set their sights on global expansion. Here are the businesses with the greatest franchise growth outside the U.S. and Canada from July 31, 2024, to July 31, 2025.

Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming Pet stores and pet grooming

U.S./CANADA

$70.8K-$117.2K

57

The Fastest-Growing Franchises

Hello Sugar Waxing, sugaring, and laser hair removal

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 136/18

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +58 STARTUP COST

$90.98K-$736.3K

Techy Selling, buying, trading, and repair of consumer electronics

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 164/3

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +58

STARTUP COST

$112.5K-$399.5K

59 The Learning Experience Academy of Early Education Preschool/educational childcare

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 418/32

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +58 STARTUP

Synergy HomeCare Nonmedical home care TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 577/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +58 STARTUP COST

$51.9K-$159.1K

61

Jiffy Lube Oil changes and preventive auto maintenance

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 1,927/321

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +58

STARTUP COST

$167.3K-$208.7K

→ CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

FASTEST-GROWING FRANCHISES INTERNATIONALLY

38/ Planet Fitness

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +23

39/ Hardee’s

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +23

40/ Wyndham Garden

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +21

41/ Body Fit Training

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +19

42/ Slim Chickens

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +18

43/ Pepper Lunch

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +18

44/ Ramada by Wyndham

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +18

45/ Tru by Hilton

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +17

46/ Realty One Group

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +17

47/ Carvel

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +17

48/ Signarama

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +17

49/ Auntie Anne’s

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +17

50/ Mathnasium Learning Centers

INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE GROWTH +16

FRANCHISE GROWTH +24

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May. 29-30, 2026

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Feb. 5-6, 2027 Ft Lauderdale, FL

The Fastest-Growing Franchises

68

Prime IV Hydration & Wellness

IV therapy, micronutrient injections, NAD+ therapy, weight-loss solutions, hormone replacement therapy, wellness plans

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 186/2

COST

$201.4K-$357.6K

66

Auntie Anne’s Soft pretzels

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 2,076/11

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +53

STARTUP COST

$156.2K-$638.3K

67 Kumon Supplemental education

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 23,380/20

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +53

STARTUP COST

$73.1K-$165.4K

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +51

STARTUP COST

$187.7K-$631.2K

69

Alloy Personal Training

Small-group personal training

TOTAL UNITS

(Franchised / Co.-Owned) 101/1

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +50

STARTUP COST

$298.7K-$541.1K

70

Barrio Burrito Bar

Mexican food

TOTAL UNITS

(Franchised / Co.-Owned) 377/1

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +50

STARTUP COST

$423.3K-$773.9K

71

Up Closets

Custom closets and home organization services

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 93/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +49

STARTUP COST

$71.4K-$218K

72

Mathnasium Learning Centers

Math tutoring

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 1,227/4

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +49

STARTUP COST

$112.9K-$149.6K

73

Woofie’s Pet-sitting, dog-walking, mobile pet grooming

TOTAL UNITS

(Franchised / Co.-Owned) 95/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +48

STARTUP COST

$180.4K-$294.7K

80 Tommy’s Express Car Wash Car washes TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 238/19

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +45 STARTUP COST $4.98M-$8.5M 81 The Good Feet Store Arch supports, related products TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 297/0

Jimmy John’s Sandwiches TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 2,653/42

FRANCHISE GROWTH +47

STARTUP COST $201.9K-$532.6K

77

Top Rail Fence Residential and commercial fencing

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 212/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +46

STARTUP COST

$161.4K-$297.4K

78

Chicken Salad Chick

Chicken salads, soups, sides

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 236/70

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +46

STARTUP COST $777K-$1M

79

TourScale Mobile entertainment tours

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 70/10

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +45

STARTUP COST

$140.1K-$683.6K

→ KUMON

HOUSTON,TX

MARCH 14 & 15, 2026

CHICAGO, IL

APRIL 11 & 12, 2026

ORLANDO, FL

APRIL 25 & 26, 2026

NEW ENGLAND –

PROVIDENCE / BOSTON

MAY 2 & 3, 2026

WASHINGTONBALTIMORE

MAY 16 & 17, 2026

PORTLAND, OR

JUNE 13 & 14, 2026

DETROIT, MI

SEPTEMBER 12 & 13, 2026

PHILADELPHIA, PA

OCTOBER 3 & 4, 2026

TAMPA, FL

OCTOBER 17 & 18, 2026

LOS ANGELES / PASADENA, CA

OCTOBER 31 & NOVEMBER 1, 2026

ATLANTA, GA

NOVEMBER 14 & 15, 2026

The Fastest-Growing Franchises

→ BRITISH SWIM SCHOOL

The Fastest-Growing Franchises

Private infrared saunas, cold plunge therapy, vitamin-C showers TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 47/16 U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +37

104 Senior Helpers In-home senior care

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 417/13

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +36 STARTUP COST $149K-$201K

105 Bojangles Chicken, biscuits, and breakfast

(Franchised / Co.-Owned) 42/0

U.S./CANADA

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 564/266

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +36 STARTUP COST $2.7M-$3.8M 106 Tru by Hilton Midscale hotels

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 319/0

107 Tiger Adjusters Insurance adjusting

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 34/1

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +34

STARTUP COST

$43.1K-$159.5K

108

The Little Gym Child-development/fitness programs

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 370/1

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +34

STARTUP COST

$519.3K-$756.99K

109

Property Management Inc

Commercial, residential, association, short-term rental, and multi-family property management

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 417/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +34

STARTUP COST

$77.2K-$153.8K

110

PuroClean

Property damage restoration and remediation

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 505/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +34

STARTUP COST

$226.3K-$262.1K

111

Family Nest

Senior relocation services

TOTAL UNITS

(Franchised / Co.-Owned) 33/1

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +33

STARTUP COST

$55K-$118.6K

112

Teriyaki Madness Asian food

TOTAL UNITS

(Franchised / Co.-Owned) 201/1

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +33

STARTUP COST

$376.2K-$975.9K

116 Poolwerx Pool and spa maintenance, service, remodeling, and supplies

UNITS

113

Mister Sparky

Residential electrical maintenance, repair, and replacement services

TOTAL UNITS

(Franchised / Co.-Owned) 220/6

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +33

STARTUP COST $133.3K-$276.7K

114

The Entrepreneur’s Source Franchise/business coaching and development

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 255/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +33

STARTUP COST $114.4K-$133.5K

115

Stretch Zone Assisted stretching

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 402/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +33

STARTUP COST $138.7K-$320.1K

118 Sharkey’s Cuts For Kids Children’s hair salons

UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 189/1 U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +32

119 Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers Frozen custard, steakburgers, hot dogs

UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 529/36 U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +32

120 Carstar Auto collision repair

UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 785/1 U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +32

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Whether you read it cover to cover or keep it as your go-to reference, this book gives you the tools and confidence to make smarter decisions for your business and your financial future.

121

Waterloo Turf Artificial turf

TOTAL UNITS

(Franchised / Co.-Owned) 31/5

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +31

STARTUP COST

$106.3K-$151.5K

122

Success on the Spectrum Autism treatment services for children and young adults

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 72/1

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +31

STARTUP COST

$320.5K-$848.2K

123

ComForCare

Nonmedical home care

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 281/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +31

STARTUP COST

$72.98K-$163.9K

124

Bumble Roofing Roofing

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 55/4

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +30

STARTUP COST

$171.99K-$313.8K

The Fastest-Growing Franchises

125

Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken & Wings Hot chicken sandwiches and wings

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 109/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +30

STARTUP COST

$305.5K-$518K

126

PIRTEK

Hydraulic and industrial hose maintenance, repair, and replacement

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 772/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +30

STARTUP COST

$235.1K-$666.6K

127

Superior Fence & Rail Fence sales and installation

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 322/2

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +30

STARTUP COST

$133.5K-$275.3K

128

beem Light Sauna Light therapy studios

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 45/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +29

STARTUP COST

$392K-$666.9K

129

Content Recovery Specialists Personal property restoration

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 65/1

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +29

STARTUP COST

$201.3K-$422.7K

130

Next Day Access

Wheelchair ramps, grab bars, stairlifts, and other accessibility and mobility products

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 68/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +29

STARTUP COST $176.2K-$352.1K

131

Rolling Suds Commercial and residential power washing

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 76/2

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +29

132 House Doctors Handyman services and home repairs

133

Wetzel’s Pretzels

Soft pretzels, lemonade, hot dogs

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 426/35

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +29

$183K-$712.5K

134

Qdoba Mexican Eats Mexican food TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 524/167

U.S./CANADA

$545.5K-$1.3M

Perspire Sauna Studio

Infrared sauna and wellness services TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 83/3

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +28

Window Hero

Exterior

→ TAPESTRY COLLECTION BY HILTON

The Fastest-Growing Franchises

Tapestry Collection by Hilton Upscale hotels TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 176/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +28 STARTUP COST $3.9M-$129.5M 138

D-BAT Academies

Indoor baseball and softball training, batting cages, merchandise TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 189/0

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 127/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +27 STARTUP COST $57K-$113.3K 147 Pet Wants Natural pet-food stores/ delivery TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 162/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +27

STARTUP COST $137.9K-$219K

148

Dryer Vent Superheroes

Dryer vent and duct cleaning and repair

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 46/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +26

STARTUP COST $71.1K-$212.8K

149

SnapHouss

Real estate photography, videography, 3D virtual tours, aerial/drone photos/ videos

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 80/0

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +26

STARTUP COST $31.3K-$129.7K

150

Clothes Bin

Clothing, shoe, and textile recycling bins

TOTAL UNITS (Franchised / Co.-Owned) 86/4

U.S./CANADA FRANCHISE GROWTH +26

STARTUP COST $161.9K-$216.98K

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This Is How Everybody Wins

by Liz Skalla, cofounder, GIVN Goods

When I cofounded a water company in 2017, I wasn’t trying to reinvent water. I was just trying to build on a simple belief: are inherently good. If you give them a clear way to act on that goodness, I believe they will. That’s why we have a 1:1 model: For every bottle sold, we provide clean water to someone in need.

One day, we heard from a youth basketball coach. He wanted to teach his kids that their choices matter—even small ones, like which water they drink. We shipped him a case every month. He said it helped them bond as a team and feel united around a mission. When his team won a championship, he sent me a championship ring. I kept it in my desk drawer, as a source of pride for a job well done.

In 2019, that ring took on a whole new meaning.

At the beginning of the year, my team planned to install a water filtration system at an elementary school in Haiti. The local kids were getting sick from dirty water, and we were eager to help. But then civil unrest erupted there, and we had to cancel the trip. I was crushed.

To mourn, our founding team decided to fast for the five days we would have spent in Haiti. I would look at the championship ring often, reminding myself of what we’re working for. Then, during that fast, my team discovered something unexpected: There wasn’t a hydration formula designed to help people who were fasting or had limited access to food. So we made it ourselves. It’s called FAST:RX, a line of functional beverages for people who fast.

Now, whenever I see the championship ring, I appreciate how wise that coach was. Yes, choices matter we take actions to support others, we think more deeply about their needs. That helps us identify new ways to support them.

→ SHARED GLORY

We provided clean water to people in need, and found others with that same mission. That coach chose our water to help unite his team, which helped them win a championship. We fasted, and it helped us create a new product.

In other words: When we choose to help others, we also help ourselves.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

The championship ring a coach sent Skalla after her company’s donation.

Tell us about a story, person, object, or something else that pushes you forward, and we may include it in a future issue. And we may make you photograph it, too. Email INSPIRE@ENTREPRENEUR.COM with the subject line “WHAT INSPIRES ME.”