STAR Awards recognize leaders in franchise recruitment
Written by KEVIN BEHAN
2025 STAR AWARDS
PRODUCED BY: FRANCHISE UPDATE MEDIA & THE INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION
From startups to legacy brands, franchisors want to find the right people to grow their systems. The 2025 STAR Awards put franchise recruitment and lead-generation efforts to the test and celebrated the brands that stand out from the rest.
The awards were announced at Franchise Update Media and the International Franchise Association’s Franchise Leadership & Development Conference in Atlanta in October. While the techniques and strategies varied among the category winners, each franchisor attempted to make the recruitment process easy and convenient for candidates.
Top franchisors were honored for their excellence in Franchise Development Website and Online Lead Form Submission & Follow-Up. Awards were given for five different investment levels: up to $100,000, $101,000 to $250,000, $251,000 to $500,000, $501,000 to $1 million, and more than $1 million. In the event of a tie, winners were selected based on their responses to telephone calls from potential prospects.
Awards were also given for Overall Best Franchise Development Website, Overall Best Online Lead Form Submission, Most Responsive Brand, and Runner-Up Most Responsive Brand. BrightStar Care was named the Most Responsive Brand and won the award for Overall Best Online Lead Form Submission & Follow-Up. PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans won for Runner-Up Most Responsive Brand and Best Franchise Development Website in the $501,000 to $1 million range. Tropical Smoothie Cafe took home the title for Overall Best Franchise Development Website.
Winners of the Franchise Innovation Awards for Franchise Development were also announced at the event. The four categories were: Most Innovative Onboarding Program, Most Innovative Lead Generation Program or Platform, Innovation in Support of Franchisee Profitability & Validation, and Most Innovative PR or Social Media Campaign.
Here is a look at each category winner and thoughts from executives about their successful franchise development strategies.
Most Responsive Brand: BrightStar Care
BrightStar Care won the top overall STAR Award for Most Responsive Brand. The recognition was based on the results combined by mystery shoppers, who pose as ideal candidates and contact franchisors through company websites. The mystery shoppers contacted more than 100 brands. Each franchise was evaluated with a list of standard criteria.
Shelly Sun Berkowitz, BrightStar Care’s founder and CEO, says the brand immediately connects with a candidate following an inquiry and has a personal interaction with the prospect within hours. She credits Ruth Chavez, senior manager of franchise development, with guiding candidates through the sales process by personally contacting each lead.
“This award means we have a process that is treating our prospects the way we want all brand stakeholders to be treated,” Berkowitz says. “We care about our clients and our caregivers and want to deliver the highest quality care. This commitment to our customer experience also shows in how we are treating our franchise prospects, who will be the ones providing the higher standard of care in their communities. We are beginning our journey by showing what excellence looks like and what our expectations are of ourselves and of our franchisees.”
Runner-Up Most Responsive Brand: PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans
After a franchise candidate contacts PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans, they receive a text, email, and phone call within 24 hours. The company also has multiple other points of outreach. Franchise Development Coordinator Lindsay Lambert responds to each prospect inquiry.
“This award confirms for our team that we are putting our best foot forward and presenting our opportunity with accuracy and excitement,” says Lory Schwartz, franchise development manager. “We are honored that so many individuals wish to learn more about our brand, and we take their interest seriously. We appreciate being recognized by our franchise peers as they know how hard we all work to create opportunities to share what we do.”
Overall Best Franchise Development Website: Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Tropical Smoothie Cafe sought to create a website that authentically reflected the brand while clearly communicating the franchise opportunity to an audience of sophisticated candidates. Beyond being a lead-generation tool, the site is designed to educate prospects about Tropical Smoothie’s brand story, highlight the simplicity of the business model, and showcase the brand’s strong national momentum. By aligning design, messaging, and functionality, the site gives candidates an idea of what joining the system feels like from the first interaction while attracting experienced operators and business-minded investors.
The website features bold visuals, vibrant storytelling, and intuitive navigation to share the Tropical Smoothie Cafe brand story. Its clean, mobile-optimized design supports SEO-rich content while franchisee voices and authentic storytelling provide a transparent look into the ownership experience. Key features include content tailored to multi-unit prospects, a structured discovery journey, and personalized tools for candidate convenience.
“This recognition reflects the thoughtful strategy, creative excellence, and measurable impact behind the site,” says Cheryl Fletcher, chief development officer. “Rather than treating it as a functional asset, the team approached it as a core driver of franchise development, merging best-in-class user experience, storytelling, and brand consistency. The site communicates who Tropical Smoothie Cafe is and what makes the opportunity unique, helping the right prospects feel confident and inspired to take the next step. This strategic and emotionally resonant approach sets it apart in a competitive category.”
Fletcher says that since its launch, the site has driven high-quality traffic and strong engagement, exceeding industry benchmarks for conversion performance. Prospects arrive informed and aligned with the brand, leading to conversations early in the process and a short education curve. The website has become a core asset to support national growth goals and positioned the brand as a strong, scalable investment to help build meaningful connections with future franchisees.
Overall Best Online Lead Form Submission & Follow-Up: BrightStar Care
Leaders at BrightStar Care believe some of the key features of the brand’s franchise website are the transparency about territory availability, franchisee testimonials, and unit economics. The site highlights the characteristics of the brand’s most successful franchisees to help a candidate assess their fit before proceeding.
Shelly Sun Berkowitz says the lead conversion to application has increased with candidates having greater access to information and a chat AI tool to make it easy to engage. BrightStar offers comprehensive information on the website and automated tools to allow a candidate to book an appointment without having to get on a call until they are ready. “Growing the brand with culturally aligned franchisees is critical,” Berkowitz says. “Prompt, personalized follow-up helps us maximize connectivity and create a great first impression as we evaluate franchise prospects to join our brand.”
Best Franchise Development Website (up to $100,000): Snapology (Unleashed Brands)
Unleashed Brands sought to build a franchise development website for Snapology to attract, educate, and convert qualified prospects by telling the brand story in a way that feels inspiring and approachable. The team wanted to highlight both the business model and the mission, showing the effect franchise owners can have on their communities. Every page was created to guide candidates in the process, help them find what they need, understand the investment, and take the next step toward ownership.
The website balances creativity and performance with a clean design, strong visuals, and clear messaging that walks users through the discovery journey. Candidates can explore start-up costs, training and support, available territories, and how to get started. The site blends brand storytelling with a smart conversion strategy.
Abby Fogel says Snapology has seen significant improvements in both lead quantity and quality. The qualified lead ratio rose from 7.2 to 10.9%, a sign that the brand is connecting with candidates who are aligned with the brand and prepared to take the next step. Fogel added that in the first year after the relaunch, the conversion rate improved, rising from 1.49% in 2023 to 5.87% in 2024. She says these results confirm that the website is effectively attracting the right prospects and converting them into meaningful franchise opportunities.
Best Franchise Development Website ($101,000 to $250,000): Hungry Howie’s
Hungry Howie’s launched its new franchise development website in December 2024 with the intention of becoming more SEO friendly. The brand’s goal was to increase the site’s functionality and include blogs and videos to help drive leads.
“We wanted to make sure the content we are putting on the site was relevant for people who are researching franchises,” says Steve Clough. “Visually, it is a pretty, eye-catching site. There are pictures of storefronts and designs but also the food. Our franchise is 53 years old, and people need to understand it is a successful brand that has withstood the test of time.”
Clough says the new website reduced the amount of text and relied on images and headlines as the key messages. Hungry Howie’s has seen the amount of organic search traffic double under the new site with an increase in visitors continuing to trend upward. The changes to the website have also helped streamline leads and reduce the number of unsuccessful leads the brand receives.
Best Franchise Development Website ($251,000 to $500,000): Mighty Auto Parts
Mighty Auto Parts created a franchise development website specifically dedicated to potential franchisees. Leadership wanted the site to clearly articulate the brand’s unique business model, which is wholesale only, exclusively B2B, preventive maintenance, and product focused. The goal was to make it easy for candidates to understand the opportunity, assess fit, and move forward with the next steps. The site emphasizes Mighty’s wholesale structure, the stability of the automotive aftermarket, and its franchise benefits, such as income potential, a balanced lifestyle, and brand legacy.
The site is designed with clear audience segmentation, beginning with a “Who are you?” navigation that allows visitors to immediately self-identify (car dealerships, wholesale distributors, quick service and tire dealers, or entrepreneurs) to immediately self-identify and access content tailored to their needs. From the start, the site communicates a strong value proposition by emphasizing that the franchise model is wholesale only, setting it apart from retail auto-parts concepts and helping candidates quickly grasp how the business operates. The website also provides transparent steps to ownership through a clearly defined seven-step process, guiding prospects from their first conversation with a home-office representative to the signing of a franchise agreement.
“Our website allows potential candidates to quickly grasp how our franchise operates, what sets it apart, and whether it’s the right fit for them,” says Lamar Russo, director of franchise development for Mighty Auto Parts. “At the same time, it strengthens our brand storytelling and credibility by showcasing our history dating back to 1963, emphasizing our core values, highlighting key performance metrics, and featuring authentic testimonials that build trust and legitimacy. Those are all crucial elements in effective franchise recruitment.”
Lamar Russo says the website has significantly increased the quality of inquiries. By tailoring the site to the brand’s ideal investor segments, the company has received more relevant prospects in the sales funnel.
Best Franchise Development Website ($501,000 to $1 million): PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans
PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans created a website that combined information about franchise ownership with clear and concise messaging about who the company is as a brand and its New Orleans roots. That includes the typical statistics for ownership and the frequently asked questions that all candidates expect to see along with the story of PJ’s craftsmanship and the hospitality the brand provides.
“Our site clearly and concisely defines our value proposition as a franchise business model while also allowing the end user to feel as though they have experienced the flavor, the environment, and the people that make us special,” says Lory Schwartz, PJ’s Coffee franchise development manager.
Schwartz says candidates who inquire often express their personal feelings of connection to the brand based on what they have seen on the website. She also says that many who have never been in a PJ’s café shared how the design and colors spoke to them and how the commitment to craftsmanship appealed to their senses.
Best Franchise Development Website (more than $1 million): Goldfish Swim School
For the second straight year, Goldfish Swim School won the STAR Award for this category. The site provides clear and transparent information, including the Six Golden Steps to Ownership and detailed investment ranges. It lists the Six Golden Steps to Ownership, which includes investment ranges and information about training and support so that candidates can self-qualify and confidently move forward in the process.
“Because the site combines clarity and credibility, it publicly displays the investment requirements, a disciplined ownership process, and comprehensive support while reinforcing brand purpose and safety education,” says Patty Crowe, director of franchising. “That blend of transparency (hard numbers/process), operational readiness (training and tools), and mission resonates with serious, well-capitalized candidates.”
Crowe says Goldfish has seen stronger, better-qualified inquiries since the site’s launch. Candidates arrive having reviewed the investment ranges, the six steps, and the training and support, which makes early conversations substantive and efficient.
Online Lead Form Submission & Follow-Up (up to $100,000): Touching Hearts at Home
Touching Hearts at Home places an intentional effort on quickly responding to candidate inquiries by calling them the same day of the initial inquiry. The franchise has implemented technology upgrades into its franchise development process and has been able to quickly speak with interested candidates.
“We captured their attention enough for them to fill out a form, and we must reach them before they move on to the next thing,” says Glenn Leingang, VP of franchise development. “The most shocking part is that the candidate will often thank us for responding so fast.”
Leingang says the franchise has seen a 12% increase in scheduling introductory calls with candidates. He also added that Touching Hearts at Home is having a record-breaking year in franchise development. It has awarded 21 franchises in the year since implementing this system after not awarding a franchise in the previous four years.
Online Lead Form Submission & Follow-Up ($101,000 to $250,000): Comfort Keepers
Scott Oaks, vice president of franchise development for Comfort Keepers, says the brand tried to balance both technology and the human touch in how it responded to candidate inquiries. The brand set up an AI scheduler to immediately respond to a candidate via text, and a representative with Comfort Keepers will follow up directly with a call.
“We felt it was important to incorporate tech and human interaction as part of the experience and not have one replace the other,” Oaks says. “Our candidates can be Gen Xers or older millennials, and they don’t necessarily want to interact with a chatbot. Candidates can schedule a call via the text thread and then speak with someone directly.”
Oaks says the contact rate with positive leads has more than doubled. Without the AI capabilities a year ago, responses were disjointed, and candidates didn’t have the most favorable first impression of the brand. He says candidates now have a much higher standard of what they should expect should they become franchisees with Comfort Keepers.
Online Lead Form Submission & Follow-Up ($251,000 to $500,000): Marco's Pizza
Marco’s Pizza online lead form incorporates financial and market-based qualifiers that align with its strategic growth plan. That allows the development team to immediately understand a candidate’s investment capability, desired market, and relevant experience. With that information, the brand can prioritize high-potential candidates in markets where it is actively expanding. On the back end, the process triggers an immediate acknowledgment and initiates a timely follow-up call, ensuring prospects experience a hands-on, consultative connection from the start.
“This approach has empowered our sales team to work smarter, not harder,” Flores says. “By capturing key information up front, our team can tailor conversations to each candidate and focus on those who are both financially and operationally prepared to grow with Marco’s. As a result, we are spending less time on unqualified leads and more time building relationships with the right operators in the right markets. That efficiency not only accelerates development, but also strengthens the overall quality of our franchise network, fueling long-term, strategic growth.”
Gerardo Flores, Marco’s Pizza chief development officer, says the lead-qualification rate continues to climb year over year. Not only are more leads generated, but the company is attracting aligned, serious candidates from the start. This has translated into productive initial calls, fast movement through the pipeline, and strong conversion rates. He says the company has also seen improved engagement from prospects who appreciate the clarity and responsiveness of the process.
Online Lead Form Submission & Follow-Up ($501,000 to $1,000,000): Pinch A Penny
Guided by the belief that people do not want to complete a long inquiry form in the initial stages of researching a business, Pinch A Penny made its lead form as concise as possible. It then attempts to contact any lead received within 24 hours.
“Our process is to call, email, and text three times each from a real person and not our automated process until we place their info into our drip program,” says Adam Heflin, Pinch A Penny director of franchise development. “So, each lead will receive a minimum of 12 contacts within eight days between our lead screener and our automated emails and texts.”
Heflin says the brand has received positive feedback from candidates about its communication. He added that the process is consistent with Pinch A Penny’s business operations with all candidates and franchise owners.
Online Lead Form Submission & Follow-Up (more than $1 million): Celebree School
Celebree School has two business development representatives who quickly reply to inbound inquiries with a phone call. It also has built-in custom workflows using a FranConnect CRM platform to automate responses to inbound inquiries via email with engaging content, videos, and useful information. The franchise uses an auto scheduler, which allows candidates to set up an initial call at a time convenient for them.
“We know that the faster we can connect with a candidate, start the discovery journey off with an exceptional experience, and deliver on that experience at every step, the more likely we are to convert that candidate to a franchise owner,” says Kimberly Wolff, Celebree School VP of franchise development.
Wolff says having multiple touchpoints at different times of the day and through different types of contact has improved initial call results. She added that the brand’s connection KPIs and the number of introductory calls booked as a result remain above target.
INNOVATION AWARDS WINNERS
Franchise Update Media’s Innovation Awards honor franchisors who find new ways to cut costs, save time, engage customers, and recruit franchisees.
Most Innovative Onboarding Program: Shipley Do-Nuts
Shipley Do-Nuts’ onboarding effectively begins at discovery day when the brand shows candidates a day in the life of a franchise owner. Shipley gives candidates an opportunity to experience an early-morning shift by making and kneading the dough, working with customers, and getting an overview of the brand’s management tools.
The company provides its new franchisees with a comprehensive onboarding experience from the time a candidate signs the franchise agreement to when they open their first location. Shipley Do-Nuts offers support with site selection and lease negotiating, design and architecture, permitting, and construction project management. It also includes a six-week operator training course with “Do-Nut University” at corporate headquarters in Houston. In addition, Shipley provides field training support for the first three new store openings and creates a custom marketing plan for each location.
The company connects franchisees with its real estate, construction, and new store opening teams, conducts site tours, and holds weekly calls with franchisees to manage the process. Jonathan Massey, vice president of franchise recruiting, says the onboarding process gives new franchisees knowledge and confidence. It has reduced the number of days between signing and opening and improved new store opening performance by 10% over the past two years.
Most Innovative Lead Generation Program or Platform: Cousins Maine Lobster
Cousins Maine Lobster embarks on a road show to take its food trucks to various markets to meet potential franchise prospects. This model reimagines franchise development as an event-driven, community-based experience rather than a digital-only pipeline. It gives candidates a front-row seat to the brand and motivates them to meet the Cousins’ team.
The events combine in-person energy with strategic PR and digital campaigns in each market. The result is a powerful mix that builds excitement, credibility, and connection with the brand. Instead of a transactional process, the road show is memorable and relational, which ultimately drives high-quality leads and strong franchisee commitment.
“Since launching the road show, we’ve seen tangible success across the markets we’ve entered from high turnout and strong press coverage in key growth regions,” says Sabin Lomac, co-founder of Cousins Maine Lobster. “Each road show creates a ripple effect by building local awareness, driving digital lead flow, and fostering meaningful face time between our team and prospects. It’s also helped enhance the validation process as candidates leave with a deeper emotional connection to the brand.”
Lomac says the road show helps build brand exposure in new markets so that local awareness and excitement are established by the time franchisees launch. It has become a powerful way to scale franchise development while staying authentic to the brand’s identity. The program deepened community engagement, boosted visibility in key regions, and improved both the quality and conversion rate of leads.
Innovation in Support of Franchisee Profitability & Validation: Empower Brands
Empower Brands recently launched the Empower Partner Information Connection (EPIC) portal, a new technology platform that gives franchise consultants real-time access to everything they need to help candidates explore business ownership opportunities with the brand. EPIC provides territory availability and brand information and allows consultants to register candidates directly in one central location. EPIC brings together multiple brands and data sources under one system and saves consultants time, helps them serve their clients, and creates an efficient and transparent process.
“EPIC embodies what innovation in franchising is all about by using technology to make the process smarter and more supportive,” says Cristin Smith, senior director of revenue operations for Empower Brands. “By giving consultants and candidates instant, accurate access to information, we’re helping everyone make better, faster decisions that lead to stronger franchisee outcomes.”
Since EPIC launched, Smith says the brand has seen an increase in how quickly and effectively consultants can engage. The portal has helped improve communication, speed up lead follow-up, and increase the number of qualified candidates entering the system. Internally, it has given the development team better visibility into activity across all of Empower’s brands and markets, helping the team focus on where to make the most impact.
Most Innovative PR or Social Media Campaign: Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop
Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop produced a testimonial video with franchisee Tom Donovan about his experience as an owner with the brand. Donovan offered a glowing endorsement of the quality of food, support, business model, and positive culture Capriotti’s provides. He also shared his overall satisfaction with being a franchisee. The video was featured on the Capriotti’s website and email drip campaigns.
“Each day, we are all finding new ways to solve long-standing challenges,” says Julia Ledford, senior director of franchise development. “Being able to think outside the box and consistently create new content helps us stand out in the very crowded franchise world. Prospects have access to so much more information these days, and they do a large portion of their research before ever reaching out with an inquiry.”
Ledford says many of the new leads she speaks with on initial phone calls say the testimonial video resonated with them. She says emotional connection and relatability often come before financial details early in the journey when franchise candidates are first evaluating their options. Hearing from franchisees who share similar motivations or life experiences makes the opportunity feel attainable and authentic.
2025 STAR Award Winners Summary
Most Responsive Brand
BrightStar Care
Runner-Up Most Responsive Brand
PJ's Coffee of New Orleans
Overall Best Franchise Development Website
Tropical Smoothie Cafe
Overall Best Online Lead Form Submission & Follow-Up
BrightStar Care
Franchise Development Website
- Snapology (Unleashed Brands), up to $100,000
- Hungry Howie's, $101,000 to $250,000
- Mighty Auto Parts, $251,000 to $500,000
- PJ's Coffee of New Orleans, $501,000 to $1 million
- Goldfish Swim School, more than $1 million
Online Lead Form Submission & Follow-Up
- Touching Hearts at Home, up to $100,000
- Comfort Keepers, $101,000 to $250,000
- Marco's Pizza, $251,000 to $500,000
- Pinch A Penny, $501,000 to $1 million
- Celebree School, more than $1 million
2025 Franchise Innovation Awards Winners
Most Innovative Onboarding Program
Shipley Do-Nuts
Most Innovative Lead Generation Program or Platform
Cousins Maine Lobster
Innovation in Support of Franchisee Profitability & Validation
Empower Brands
Most Innovative PR or Social Media Campaign
Capriotti's Sandwich Shop
