FBR analyzed research from over 27,000 franchisee surveys, across more than 300 leading franchise brands, to identify the best of the best in franchising today. They narrowed the search to just a few hundred candidates – successful franchise owners worthy of the title “Rockstar”.

“There are so many fantastic success stories out there; it was painful to narrow our list down to just 50 Rockstar Franchisees,” said Michelle Rowan, President of Franchise Business Review. “There were hundreds of deserving business owners. In the end, we picked 50 that really stood out. Franchisees that not only excel in their businesses, but provide strong leadership within their franchise organizations and their local communities.”

In an interview with Lindsay read what she had to say about her experience as a franchise owner along with advice she would give to future owners.

Q:What advice do you have for someone considering investing in a franchise?

A: My advice for anyone looking to purchase a franchise would be to gather as much information as you can, especially from current franchisees. Shadow someone if you can so you are 100% sure of what you are purchasing. Day-to-day life for a business owner can be kind of crazy, but in the end I have found it very rewarding.

Q: What are you most proud of when it comes to your career in franchising?

A: I am most proud that I have been able to stay home with our children (ages 7, 7, & 18 months) while running our franchise. We’ve found grade school schedules, sports, twins, a baby and a home based business to be crazy, but we have managed it and I couldn’t be prouder! Yes, with lots of help from family and friends.

Q: What was your career path before you entered franchising? 

A: I actually was a dental assistant for six years before purchasing your photography franchise. I had worked part time for the previous owner for several years. We decided in the end purchasing our franchise would be better for raising a family. I do miss dentistry sometimes though!

Q: As a business owner, what has been the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?

A: I think the biggest challenge as a business owner is the various aspects of staffing, including finding the right candidates, who are responsible and reliable workers, and keeping them with us. Our work can be seasonal so we can’t always offer a steady income, while that works well for some we’ve lost good workers because of that.

Q: What do you like most about your franchise organization?

A: I think what I love most about our franchise organization is that we truly have a family atmosphere. Our franchisor is amazing and always makes us feel like a valuable part of the team. We have so many colleagues that we now call friends. We love being able to share our knowledge on professional levels and offer compassion and an ear on personal matters as well. It’s the relationships we have developed in this business that keep us going.

Congratulations Lindsay!