HOW FRANCHISE FASTLANE CELEBRATES WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

Every year in March, the United States celebrates National Women’s History Month, which coincides with International Women’s Day on March 8. These causes represent our duty to honor and cherish the accomplishments and contributions of women both domestic and international. It’s a tradition dating back to 1980, when then President Jimmy Carter signed the first proclamation designating the first week in March at National Women’s History Week in the U.S.

Here at Franchise FastLane, we’re all in, once again. With a female CEO at the helm, we’re proud to share that our organization includes more women in top leadership positions than any other franchise sales consultancy in the industry. Over the past few decades, franchising has helped countless women and men secure, achieve, and maintain an entrepreneurial life in which they themselves are in charge of their own destiny.

According to data nearly 30% of all franchise establishments are women-owned & 40% of women lead all of small businesses. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Accelerate Action,” a global call to action in acknowledging the strategies, resources, and activities that positively impact advancement for women in the workplace. In the spirit of this “can-do” mantra, we decided to seek commentary and opinions of some of the most influential female leaders here at Franchise FastLane. Since we greatly value their opinions, we decided to give them a chance to share their thoughts on a wide range of topics related to women’s causes. In their own words, are what they had to say about celebrating the advancement of women’s contributions, both on a personal and professional level.

CARIN SKOWRONSKY

Senior Director of Franchise Development

With six years at the company, Carin Skowronsky is a veteran FastLaner who has worked closely with over 2,000 entrepreneurial candidates on franchise ownership. A self described “connector,” Carin has a passion for matching qualified candidates with the emerging brands in Franchise FastLane’s portfolio. Here are a few of her comments related to celebrating the accomplishments of women:

On What Makes Women Natural Entrepreneurs:

“When you look at a high performing female franchisee or entrepreneur, you most commonly see this individual radiating grit, tireless effort, passion, patience and strong mentorship traits. She plays to win each day she wakes up, levels up her business year over year, and tends to operate with a ‘skies the limit’ mentality.”

On the Many Female-Led Brands in FastLane’s Portfolio:

“I think it shows that Franchise FastLane values visionary, growth-oriented leaders who are breaking barriers and building strong, sustainable businesses. These are women with a super-sized vision of making a difference. In working with female-owned brands, FastLane demonstrates its commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and innovation - recognizing that great franchisors come from all backgrounds. Often, this means females who show up in less common or non-traditional spaces. Our female-led brands bring fresh perspectives, strong leadership, and a passion for empowering others - aligning perfectly with FastLane’s mission to grow and scale high-potential franchises with the right partners. At its core, this emphasis reflects our dedication to supporting brands that inspire, disrupt, and drive long-term success - regardless of who’s at the helm.”

On What Makes the Franchise Industry so Welcoming to Females:

“Franchising allows for flexibility - enabling women to balance entrepreneurship with personal, family responsibilities - and the million other things we take on in our day-to-day lives. The industry also values collaboration and leadership development, creating opportunities for women to build, scale, and lead successful businesses within a network of like-minded professionals. With more franchises actively championing diversity and inclusion, women continue to break barriers, bringing fresh perspectives and innovative leadership to the space. It’s truly refreshing to see so many more leaders emerging from this space.”

KELLY MACHT

Director of Franchise Development

A 12-year industry veteran, Kelly Macht believes that franchising is all about opportunity – a way to continually challenge yourself in the quest to achieve greatness. Here are a few of her thoughts and comments related to celebrating the accomplishments of women:

On Contributing to the “Accelerate Action” Theme for International Women’s Day:

“Working for a franchise accelerator like Franchise FastLane, founded by a visionary female leader, has profoundly shaped my commitment to advocating for gender equality in the industry. This unique perspective empowers me to take swift and decisive actions aimed at promoting inclusivity and representation throughout our network. I actively contribute to initiatives that support female franchisees and encourage female ownership in our brand, fostering an environment where women can thrive and share their experiences. By championing a brand that embraces women, and the impact they have on their families, I am not only helping to elevate women within our network but also by inspiring future generations of female entrepreneurs to pursue their passions in this dynamic field (while their children watch and learn by example). My own journey personifies a commitment to creating a more equitable landscape in franchising, where every voice is valued and heard.”

On What Makes the Franchising Industry so Welcoming for Women:

“The franchise industry is increasingly becoming a more welcoming space for female owners, leaders, and contributors - and this shift is evident in the growing number of women who are breaking barriers and thriving in this field. One of the most empowering aspects is the abundance of support networks and resources specifically designed for women, which foster a sense of community and collaboration. Additionally, the franchise model often provides a structured pathway to success, allowing women to leverage established brands, while applying their unique insights and leadership styles. The flexibility inherent in many franchise opportunities also enables women to balance personal and professional commitments more effectively. Overall, the franchise industry not only encourages female entrepreneurship but also celebrates diverse perspectives that enrich the business landscape.”

DANA DEMARINO

Director of Franchise Development

A self-described “girl’s girl,” Dana is a world traveler who never turns down an opportunity to experience new things. It should come as no surprise she fell in love with franchising at first sight – all of it. She’s the owner of not one - but two - franchises of her own, so she definitely speaks from authority. Bonus – her birthday just so happens to be March 8 – International Women’s Day! Here are a few of her comments related to celebrating the accomplishments of women:

On How the Franchise Industry Continues to Close the Gender Gap:

“The franchising industry is definitely making moves to help more women step into business ownership roles. The sheer amount of available resources are just unmatched. There are mentorship programs, financing options specifically for women, and just more support in general to help female franchisees succeed. For me personally, franchising completely changed my life - it gave me the confidence and resources I needed, and I’ve been able to take what I’ve learned and apply it to so many other areas of my life! The more women who eventually see what’s possible and have the right support network to rely on, the more that gender gap is going to continue closing.”

JESSICA MCLEAN

Vice-President of Franchise Development

Though she’s a relative newcomer in the FastLane family, Jessica McLean is no stranger to the franchise industry, with over a decade of experience working with over 1,000 candidates to make their entrepreneurial dreams become a reality. She never gets tired of witnessing how people’s lives change for the better as franchise owners with a business of their own. Here are a few of her thoughts on celebrating the accomplishments of women:

On How the Scope of Franchising has Changed Over the Years:

“The scope of franchising has changed drastically over the last few years. The most significant shift is related to education and exposure – there is more franchising-related education out there than ever before. As a result, more and more people of all ages are recognizing that franchising doesn’t equate solely to Subway or McDonald’s. There is a great deal of beauty and power in knowledge and understanding! This has subsequently lead to a shift in both the volume and demographic of people exploring business ownership.”

On How the Franchising Industry Welcomes Female Owners, Leaders, and Contributors:

“The franchising industry is welcoming in general. One of the things that made me fall in love with it during the early stages of my career was the people – ask anyone who has been doing this for 10+ years and I bet they would say the same. Franchising fosters an environment that allows everyone (all genders) to contribute, develop, and lead just as they are. The ‘your success is ours’ mentality eliminates gender, race, age, etc. from the equation. It is a community dedicated to helping each other succeed through education, execution, and collaborative work.”

On What Makes Franchise FastLane a Place Where Female Leadership is Celebrated:

“Our CEO Carey Gille! She is one of the primary reasons that I decided to leave the franchise brand I was with for years and start with Franchise FastLane. One of FastLane’s previous VP’s of development and I were connected for years before I made the shift – he caused me to keep an eye on FastLane’s progress as a company. I will always remember a keynote presentation that Carey gave as a part of a virtual conference when the pandemic hit. I was so inspired by her story and life journey both personally and professionally. Beyond Carey, FastLane has multiple females (me included) in leadership roles on both the sales/marketing and operational sides of the business.”

On the Many Female-Led Brands in FastLane’s Portfolio:

“One of the biggest honors of my career to date has been partnering with The Tox and leading the development charge for them. Courtney Yeager, founder of The Tox, is a female force to be reckoned with in the entrepreneurial and now franchising space. Not only does her brand offer a first-ever service type (lymphatic drainage) in the franchising sphere, but it also demonstrates the new-age power of social media influencing and marketing. Beyond this, The Tox’s mission statement is particularly focused on female empowerment. Thus far, more than 90% of the franchise partners The Tox has welcomed to their community have been female. The Tox is proof that Franchise FastLane is intentional in our efforts to support and promote femaleowned brands. Female founder, female VP of development, female directors of development, and vast majority female franchisees.”

On What Makes Women Natural Entrepreneurs:

“Oh goodness, I could go on and on here – simply put, women are hard-wired to get things done. Personally, professionally, it’s just what we do. Franchising is all about executing a playbook vs. reinventing the wheel. This means putting your ego aside and following a system. Generally, women are enthusiastic about this approach – ‘Tell/show me what works, and I will do it.’ In addition to this, women tend to be empathetic beings which is a key trait (in my opinion) when it comes to leadership, team building, and cultivating a positive work environment – all of which are important ingredients for success for the majority of franchise opportunities out there.”

CAREY GILLE

Co-Founder and CEO

A serial entrepreneur for her entire career, Carey has led Franchise FastLane on its journey to become the No. 1 franchise accelerator in the industry and ranked on the highly prestigious Inc. 5000 list three of the last four years – an honor strictly reserved for the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. In leading from the front, Gille embodies the effort to promote responsible and sustainable growth for the chosen few brands in their portfolio, thereby enabling them to become the next big thing in franchising. Though she’s proud to have helped Franchise FastLane to become the No. 1 franchise accelerator in the industry, nothing is more important to her than witnessing the sheer number of personal lives changed for the better thanks to franchise ownership. From someone who definitely ‘walks the walk’ when it comes to female empowerment, here are a few of her thoughts about celebrating the accomplishments of women:

On How the Franchising Industry Celebrates Female Leadership:

“You would be hard-pressed to find an industry that encourages, celebrates, and empowers women to the degree that franchising does. What we have here isn’t just lip service or window dressing. It’s real, actionable programs and initiatives that place emphasis on developing the next generation of female leaders, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this effort. As women, we’re so fortunate to work in an industry that always leads from the front and allows us to set examples for others to follow.”

On the Topic of Celebrating Merit-Based Achievement in the Workplace:

“I firmly believe that nothing is more important to a company than the people who work there and give their best effort to see the organization succeed. In fact, there isn’t a single success story I can share that hasn’t come from a people-first perspective. When anyone asks me what my favorite part of the job is as a female CEO, the answer is simple – I love nothing more than empowering people to be the best versions of themselves, celebrating merit-based accomplishments in the workplace regardless of gender."

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Franchise FastLane, the #1 proven franchise accelerator focuses our mission on responsibly driving extraordinary growth to empower brands to thrive. We have vetted hundreds of brands and actively partner with over 35 of the best franchise brands in North America! To learn more about the brands we represent, explore our brands page today. If you are interested in learning more about the possibility of joining Franchise FastLane, please click here for more information.  To keep up with all the latest happenings, make sure you follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.