Meet Dan Stone, Chief Business Officer at The Melting Pot Restaurants! What is The Melting Pot? The Melting Pot, the 94-unit experiential fondue franchise, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025. As a leader in this niche sector, they have excelled as the go-to fondue concept thanks to the power of a passionate corporate team and a focus on operational execution of new initiatives. In the past year the brand has found success in two major projects with the launch of "Melting Pot at Home", a retail and e-commerce product that is now available across over 2,500 grocery locations, as well as breaking ground on the "Melting Pot Evolution" - a systemwide initiative to modernize the design of the brand, streamline operations and revolutionize the guest experience. Since 2006, Dan Stone (CFE) has led the expansion of the Melting Pot's franchise network in domestic & international markets. With a drive for responsible growth, Stone leads the business unit of the Melting Pot's Restaurant Support Center based in Tampa, Florida.

Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club! Learn more about franchising with The Melting Pot.

Meet Ralph Bower, CEO at The Melt!

What is The Melt?

Founded in 2011 in San Francisco, The Melt is a heavy-hitting, indulgent restaurant in the fast-casual sector. Known as the home of the "World's Meltiest Burger," this brand has found massive success in the West with 17 locations, including its recent expansion into Arizona.

As CEO, Bower has led a culture shift focused on guest feedback and delivering an “I Love It Here” experience, a philosophy so far-reaching it even transformed the entire menu. Under Bower's leadership, the Average Unit Volume (AUV) has skyrocketed from $700K in 2016 to $3.5M in 2023 across their corporate locations.

As The Melt gears up for a renewed push into franchising, it's spreading the word about where it wants to grow next and the kind of franchise partners it will be looking for to support its long-term development plans.

Learn more about the The Melt here.

Need help finding a franchise to own? Join the Growth Club!

Meet Clint Rowley, Brand President of Screenmobile!

What is Screenmobile?

With 28 consecutive years on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, Screenmobile is the original mobile screen repair and installation franchise with a broad menu of services including patio enclosures, motorized screens, sun control products, pet-resistant screens and custom outdoor living solutions. With more than 120 units operating in over 30 states, franchise owners run home-based businesses using a branded truck and trailer that functions as a mobile workshop, allowing them to measure, manufacture and install screens on-site, often in a single visit.

Clint Rowley has served as Brand President since January 2025, following a steady progression through various leadership and operational roles within Screenmobile and its Authority Brands' affiliate franchise, Monster Tree Service. Rowley has owned an ASP - America's Swimming Pool Company franchise in Mesa, Arizona for more than decade.

Screenmobile appeals to entrepreneurs who enjoy working with their hands, enjoy being outdoors, and value punctuality and professionalism. With flexibility built into the mobile workshop model, owners benefit from a schedule that supports both business goals and family life.

Learn more about franchising with Screenmobile: https://screenmobilefranchise.com/

Meet Amy Addington, President and Co-Founder of Woofie's Pet Venture.

What is Woofie's?

Founded in 2004 in Ashburn, Virginia, by Amy Addington and neighbor Leslie Barron, Woofie's is a full-service mobile pet care franchise that combines mobile pet grooming, dog walking, and pet sitting into one platform. In 2022, the brand joined the Authority Brands family and, as of 2025, Woofie's currently operates over 90 units nationally.

As a mobile, service-based business, Woofie's is attractive for its inexpensive operations overhead, flexible offerings, and consistent customer demand. These factors make it a great option for community-focused franchisees looking for a lower-cost entry into the pet services sector.

Filled with the spirit of an entrepreneur leaving a six-figure corporate role to create a business they love, Amy has been a dedicated leader to the Woofie's franchise community for over 20+ years. She currently owns a Woofie's franchise in Delray Beach, FL, because of her commitment to staying attuned to the challenges of owning a franchise.

For prospective entrepreneurs who love pets and have experience running a professional operation, Woofie's offers a clear path to fruitful business ownership.

Learn more about franchising with Woofie's.

Discover the Magic Behind FSC Franchise Co.'s Differentiated Sports & Community Concepts.

Nick interviews Scott SirLouis, COO of FSC Franchise Co., to explore the dual-brand opportunity this parent company offers with Beef 'O' Brady's and The Brass Tap — two complementary concepts built around Food. Sports. Community.

Learn how FSC's portfolio approach empowers operators to become the “Mayor of the Market,” pairing a family-friendly sports restaurant with an upscale craft beer bar to drive repeat traffic, diversify revenue, and scale efficiently within one territory.

Learn more about franchising with FSC Franchise Co. here:
https://www.fscfranchiseco.com/

Meet Burton Heiss, CEO of Escapology. What is Escapology?

After opening the first location in Orlando in 2014, Escapology began franchising in 2016 as a leader in the growing escape room & entertainment sector. In 2025, they celebrated their 100th location opening in Glendale, Arizona, spearheaded by a brother-sister team of multi-unit franchisees.

Escapology stands out for their use of an internal manufacturing team, empowering consistent quality and faster rollouts of games across locations. Their rooms also span beloved universes brought to life through world-class licensing with iconic franchises like Scooby Doo, Star Trek, Batman, etc.

Burton joined Escapology in March of 2022 after a career in the restaurant industry including roles as CEO of Nando's Peri-Peri and Buddy's Pizza. He also held executive positions with &Pizza, Wagamama and Baja Fresh.

Interested in franchising with Escapology? Learn more here: https://www.escapology.com/en/franchise-why-escapology

Meet Brandon & Chantel Gawthorp, Co-Founders of Urban Bird Hot Chicken.

What is Urban Bird?

Started in September of 2020, Urban Bird is a veteran owned and operated Nashville Style Hot Chicken restaurant that has seen massive success through their intentional use of high-quality food products and creative signature flavorings.

After discovering the Hot Chicken craze on a trip to Vegas, Brandon and Chantel Gawthorp opened their first location in Katy, TX, right as the pandemic began in March of 2020. As previous multi-unit Wingstop franchisees, this team has found success in the exploding chicken market by perfecting systems operations, setting expectations, and maintaining quality through expansion by supporting like-minded entrepreneurs.

In Q2 of 2025, the brand celebrated its 20th restaurant and began offering franchise opportunities to dedicated first time entrepreneurs as well as experienced Multi-Unit operators who are ready to be highly involved in taking the brand to the next level.

Learn more about franchising with Urban Bird:
https://www.urbanbirdhotchicken.com/franchise/

What started with grit, focus, and a simple obsession became Dillas Quesadillas — an emerging brand creating a category of its own.

Now, the next chapter is unfolding. Join 1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills for a behind-the-scenes conversation with Dillas Quesadillas Co-Founders Kyle and Maggie Gordon.

You'll hear the real story of how Dillas was built — from early lessons at Raising Cane's to growing a brand. Whether you're a longtime Diehard or simply curious about entrepreneurship and restaurant ownership, this is a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes with the founders.

Learn more about franchising with Dillas here: https://dillas.com/franchise/

Meet Katy Richardson, COO, and Lou DeFrancisco, President, of Extraordinary Brands.

What is Extraordinary Brands?

Since its founding in May 2022, Extraordinary Brands has assembled a portfolio of leading fitness brands including Row House, Neighborhood barre, CycleBar, and Rumble Boxing. By combining a passion for health and wellness with an entrepreneurial spirit, Extraordinary Brands focuses on creating opportunities that inspire growth while empowering people to live healthier lives.

The Extraordinary Brands team helps franchisees create a customized roadmap to build a thriving wellness-focused business, while making fitness and better health accessible to their community.

Learn more about franchising with Extraordinary Brands: https://www.extraordinarybrands.com/

Meet Nick Way, Senior Director of Brand Marketing for Home Helpers Home Care Franchise.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickway1/

What is Home Helpers Home Care?

Named A Top Low-Cost Franchises by Franchise Business Review and a 5-Star Franchise by Vet-Fran, Home Helpers® provides comprehensive in-home care services and assistance for seniors and more. With more than 330 locations across the US, serving more than 1,500 communities, Home Helpers Home Care provides franchisees performance coaching, continuous training and networking, strategic vendor partnerships, and professional marketing and lead-generation resources.

Many franchisees do not have healthcare experience and the majority have never owned their own business, however a strong desire to help others in a local community is important!

Nick Way has been with Home Helpers Home Care since 2014, rising fast into his current position in marketing.

Learn more about franchising with Home Helpers Home Care here: https://www.homehelpersfranchise.com/