JOINING FORCES TO GROW

After running her sign-and-awning business for 18 years, Nikki Taheri decided to turn the operation into a FastSigns franchise.

FROM FLYING HIGH TO PIZZA PIE

Former Air Force intelligence analyst Stephanie Moseley became a Marco’s Pizza franchisee. And yes, those jobs do have something in common.

Finding Investors FIRST, GET INVESTORS— THEN, MAKE THE PRODUCT?

When she set out to launch the new paint brand Clare, Nicole Gibbons was told to build first and raise money later. But to really create the startup she wanted, she’d have to go in reverse.

Customer Service STOP DOING WHAT PEOPLE HATE

That’s the philosophy Jesse Cole used to build the Savannah Bananas, an unusually popular (and weird) baseball team. And it can work for any business.

Brand Name SAME WORD, NEW OPPORTUNITY

It’s easy to fear changes to your brand. It’s harder (but more fulfilling!) to embrace them. That’s why Edible Arrangements finally embraced a new definition of edibles.

Better Business, Better Business World

Stitch Fix CEO Katrina Lake is one of just a few female “unicorn” founders. And she has learned to embrace that power.

When?

When do you launch? / When do you act? / When do you change? It just might be the most important question an entrepreneur ever answers.

Mom Knows Best

When entrepreneurs really listen to their customers, their businesses can transform. That’s what Michelle Kennedy learned when building Peanut, a social networking app that set out to help moms make other mom friends…but has become about so much more.

Don't be a brand. Be a voice.

Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross spent 10 years getting a hair care company off the ground.One thing is clear:The message matters as much as the product.

Can The Black Market Be Stopped?

The biggest threat to marijuana startups isn’t coming from the legal competition. It’s coming from the illegal market, which thrives even in states that have legalized weed. To extinguish the threat, licensed dealers might have to work together.

The Pitchman's New Pitch

Celebrity salesman Anthony Sullivan, known for his OxiClean commercials, bought a hemp farm and launched a CBD brand. Why? Because to succeed, he says, you must be authentic.

Need to Make a Decision? Ask the Machine

Artificial intelligence can now guide employees’ actions at work. But don’t take it too seriously…yet.

Could You Use an Apprentice?

The old plumber and electrician trainee model has been reimagined for the new world—and could be exactly what a bootstrapped, growing startup needs.

Breaking a Few Eggs

Founders can give their companies a lot of charm and personality— but is that always a good thing? It’s the question facing Eggs Up Grill, a quirky breakfast spot that now has private equity owners, a CEO from TGI Fridays, a mandate to grow, and a delicate balance to strike.

'Not in My Neighborhood'

Sometimes a community just isn’t ready to welcome a strange new business. Here’s how dispensaries have managed to quell (or be defeated by) local objections.

The Founder & The Idea Man

The founder of MeUndies would have never met a man named Grease if both of them hadn’t ended up in the same federal prison. But their friendship changed everything (including the business).

Franchising's Fountain Of Youth

Young franchisees often prove to be a franchisor’s biggest asset. The challenge is finding them, funding them, and letting them take control.

The Hottest Chill In Franchising

Cryotherapy is the new wellness trend in franchising, and more than a dozen brands have already cropped up. Will it stick around like yoga or dissipate like oxygen bars? The truth is, it might not matter.

People Are Not Data

Want to really connect with consumers? Take it from me, a guy who ran marketing at You Tube, Spotify, Google, and Instagram : You can’t rely on data alone. It’s time to build some truly human connections.

Five Strategies For Franchise Growth

Every year, a few companies show massive gains in our Franchise 500 list by either leaping hundreds of spots or making a strong debut. How do they do it? We called them to ask.

Restaurant rescue?

Jon Taffer, host and executive producer of the TV show Bar Rescue, sees problems lurking in the franchise food space. To fix them, he’s opening his own restaurant concept, called Taffer’s Tavern. Will it work?

You Can't Control Everything

Diane von Furstenberg knows that things will go wrong, and that she’ll have doubts—even today! But she says there’s one thing entrepreneurs always can control: themselves.

First, Get Investors. Then, Make the Product

When she set out to launch the new paint brand Clare, Nicole Gibbons was told to build first and raise money later. But to really create the startup she wanted, she’d have to go in reverse.

How To Succeed In 2020

We’re not just about to enter a new year. We’re heading into a whole new decade. That means plenty of fresh opportunities, new challenges, and the chance to build businesses that will create a better tomorrow. Thirteen entrepreneurs and experts talked us through the trends to come—and offered advice on how to navigate your way to a successful future.

What If Your Product Doesn't Sell?

Jesse Wolfe created a delicious hummus that people loved, but he struggled to make big sales. Then he discovered that to succeed, you have to spot the opportunity in failure.

How To Survive A Wipeout

What happens when a company ignores its hard-core customers and tries to grow at all costs? GoPro discovered the answer: It crashes hard. Now the action-camera company is trying to pick itself back up—by thinking a lot smaller.

Stop Doing What People Hate!

Jesse Cole built a baseball team from scratch into the Savannah Bananas, the hottest ticket in town. Now he has a lesson for every CEO who wants to turn a company around:

Want To Keep Employees? Educate Them

Franchises struggle to attract and retain good entry-level workers. That’s why many are starting to pay for their employees’ education. The results are good—but franchises still have a lot to learn.

Learning To Work Together

When four friends decided to open a Coder School franchise together, they were nervous about what it could mean for their relationship. So they created a structure that left no room for gray areas.

Pure Barre's Ultimate Workout

The fitness brand pushes customers to be the best they can be. As company president, Sarah Luna is challenging the business to do the same. by STEPHANIE SCHOMER