Meet the Franchise

Meet Jamie Cecil, VP and Head of Franchise Development for Mellow Mushroom. / jamie-cecil-0682a314 What is Mellow Mushroom?

https://www.mellowmushroom.com/franchising/

Mellow Mushroom isn't your typical pizza place. Every location has its own style and fresh, stone-baked pizza that keeps people coming back. But behind all that creative energy is a business model that's buttoned up where it counts. Cecil is a seasoned franchise development leader who has lead a number of businesses towards franchise success. With his focus on expansion while maintaining stellar quality, Mellow Mushroom has made serious moves to solidify their place in the franchise industry like investing in centralized dough production, standardized kitchen layouts, and streamlined equipment packages.

1851 Franchise Publisher Nick Powills interviews Latisha King, Director of Field Operations at Children's Lighthouse on how the brand's dedicated Franchise Business Coach (FBC) program provides unparalleled support to its franchisees. / latisha-king-27b9a786 Children's Lighthouse, a leader in early education, stands apart with its commitment to ensuring franchisees are never alone on their journey. The FBC program is a cornerstone of this support, offering personalized, hands-on guidance every step of the way.

Meet Katie Dills, President of The Cleaning Authority. https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-clark-dills-bb1802176/ What is The Cleaning Authority? In a world where time is scarce and peace of mind is priceless, The Cleaning Authority fills a critical gap as a home service cleaning company.

Demand for residential cleaning has never been higher, and with strong brand awareness, smart technology, and proven operational systems, TCA is positioned for continued growth. The Cleaning Authority doesn't require any cleaning experience, just leadership skills and a willingness to invest in your team. TCA owners are expected to be hands-on in the early stages. Over time, as operations stabilize and reliable teams are in place, owners can step into a more strategic leadership role with greater flexibility. Find out more about The Cleaning Authority: https://cleaningauthorityfranchise.com/

Meet Jef Flournoy, President of Mosquito Squad. www.linkedin.com/in/jef-flournoy-8579a2104/

What is Mosquito Squad? Founded in 2005, Mosquito Squad is the original and leading mosquito control franchise in North America, providing essential outdoor pest control services that help families reclaim their yards and enjoy outdoor spaces safely.

Mosquito Squad is looking for hands-on operators with leadership experience and a desire to build a business with both purpose and profit. You don't need a background in pest control — you need a growth mindset, community focus and a passion for delivering reliable service. Learn more here: https://mosquitosquadfranchise.com/

Learn why Newk's, with nearly 100 U.S. units strong and reporting AUVs around $2.3M, is signing 5 units new units so far this year, including including 2 new franchisees. Discover how Todd Jackson, a fan of the brand, became a multi‑unit owner.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-cheek-01a4901/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-jackson-868aa624/

Meet Richie Drew, Vice President of Operations at One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning. https://www.linkedin.com/in/richie-drew-468b7712/ What is One Hour? Franchising since the early 2000s, One Hour is one of three essential home service brands under Authority Brands' “Trades” portfolio, alongside Mister Sparky Electric and Benjamin Franklin Plumbing. The brands were originally developed by independent contractors seeking to formalize the industry through a national buying group. After a period of foreign ownership, Authority Brands acquired the brands and provided the structure, technology and leadership needed to scale across the country.

Learn more about One Hour: https://1851franchise.com/one-hour-heating-and-air-conditioning

Meet Michael Russo, Chief Growth Officer, and Michael Quilty, CEO, of Wild Bill's Soda.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-quilty-4b973b4/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mruddo/

What is Wild Bill's Soda?

WBS is a premium, veteran-owned craft soda brand that makes old-fashioned carbonated sodas using pure cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. This western themed brand offers nostalgic flavors like Root Beer, Black Cherry, Vanilla cream while also supplying soda drinkers with varying seasonal options throughout the year.

While WBS has expanded online and in stores in the past decade, the goal for leadership remains focused on creating career opportunities for as many veterans as possible by offering an exclusive discounted initial franchise fee, as well as additional support like equipment financing and working capital assistance.

Franchising with WBS is part of an ongoing effort to find owners across the US to move responsibility from headquarters down to small teams in local markets that are closest to the customer. Along with local operations, these franchisees would assist the execution of the several hundred events a year the brand participates in with a western-themed wagon mobile stand, loaded with soda taps.

Find out more about Wild Bill's Soda: https://drinkwildbills.com/pages/franchise-opportunity

Meet Dan Mock, Vice President of Operations at Mister Sparky. https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielmock2015/ What is Mister Sparky⚡? Mister Sparky is a national network of locally owned electrical service companies, providing residential electrical repair, installation, and maintenance. Mister Sparky began franchising in the early 2000s a part of a group of independent service providers seeking to formalize and professionalize the trade. After being acquired by Authority Brands, the brand gained the structure, technology and support to expand nationally while staying laser-focused on residential needs. Mister Sparky combines the security of an essential service with the sophistication of a modern franchise system. Dan Mock is an experienced executive with a robust background in operations, brand management, and experience driving significant revenue growth and operational efficiency. Learn more about Mister Sparky here: https://1851franchise.com/mister-sparky-electric

Meet Kerri Quigley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerriq/), Owner of The Fashion Class. What is The Fashion Class? The Fashion Class is not your grandma's sewing class! It's an immersive fashion education for everyone from age 2 to 102. The Fashion Class combines hands-on sewing lessons with the complete world of fashion, teaching students not only how to craft real clothing, but also the art of illustration, the history of design, and the business behind the industry. For children, This business provides an unforgettable learning experience where they build confidence, have fun and explore skills they might not have the opportunity to use at school. Kerri Quigley is a Parsons School of Design graduate, and her women's loungewear line was sold in Bloomingdale's and featured in Teen Vogue before founding The Fashion Class. Inspired after teaching a single children's sewing class in 2009. Inspired by the sheer joy and pride she saw in her students, she created a curriculum that was less of a traditional sewing lesson and more of a fun, comprehensive introduction to the entire world of fashion. Today, her flagship stores thrive in NYC, and her specialized curriculum is now being franchised across the US, bringing her passion for fashion education to students of all ages. Learn more about The Fashion Class here: https://startafashionschool.com/

Nick Powills meets with Kevin Shen, Chief Development Officer at Mathnasium, and Andrew Boules, a multi-unit franchise owner.

Discover how Andrew Boules went from a high-powered career in finance and tech to owning six thriving Mathnasium centers across Southern California, all in under two years.

Like many driven professionals, Andrew reached a turning point. After years in high-frequency trading and venture capital, he was ready to build something of his own, something with purpose, scalability, and staying power. His search led him to Mathnasium, where he found not just strong unit economics, but a mission he could truly stand behind: helping kids gain confidence through math.

/ kevinshen7 / andrewboules