Through your leadership, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit you created a new brand that could be the next big thing in franchising. Start thinking about how this day-to-day business has changed your life. Provide for family, fulfill your drive to support community and provide a product or service no one else offers the way you do. By Dawn Abbamondi
When someone turns on a faucet each morning, they probably don’t think twice about where the water comes from. However, for the families who rely on private wells, keeping that water flowing safely and consistently is vital – and that’s where 180 Water franchise owners come in. By Shelby Green
For entrepreneurs seeking a future in insurance franchising, Goosehead Insurance offers more than just a simple business model. They also deliver rigorous training, coaching and a bulletproof team-building plan. By Jessica Petrucelli
As a highly successful real estate investor, Peter Vekselman has amassed an impressive portfolio of sales over the past two decades, completing well over 3,500 transactions and partnering with like-minded entrepreneurs across the country to help them achieve real estate success. He credits his mentors for their role in his success and through franchise consulting has found a way to inspire the success of others too. By Jessica Petrucelli
For the owners of 1-800-Plumber +Air of Columbus, Ohio, friendship and business go hand in hand. Friends since middle school, this group has always shared a vision of owning a business together. When Branton Cummins and his friends, Jake, Junior and Brennan, discovered 1-800-Plumber +Air, the only combined plumbing and HVAC franchise on the market today, they knew they’d found the perfect fit. By Shelby Green
Lori and Biju Kewalram began their life together by building a software company from the ground up in Australia. Eventually, they exited their start-up, and the husband-and-wife team moved to Long Beach to set up a local company’s software development arm. After their move to California, Lori was faced with hospice care for her mother and, later, home care for her father. Those experiences gave Lori a deeper understanding of the home care industry and left a lasting impression. By Kelsi Trinidad
As late bloomers to franchising, Todd Miller and his wife, Jennifer, were drawn to beem® Light Sauna for its simple yet effective model. “We were excited by their accessible franchise model, training through beem University and its community-driven approach,” Miller said. The brand delivers research-backed benefits through red light and infrared sauna experiences. Sessions are personalized to support the health and wellness journey of each client, including detoxification, muscle recovery, skin health and deep relaxation. By Erika Ortega
Annual awards honor trailblazers who provide inspiration and leadership within their respective fields
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Beth Toenies, vice president of franchise development for BELFOR Franchise Group, has been recognized as a 2025 Woman of Inspiration™ by the Universal Womens Network™. The award honors exceptional women across North America who lead, inspire and motivate others through their professional and personal achievements. A ceremony, held in Toronto, brought together women from numerous industries, celebrating their accomplishments and their impact.
Nominated by BELFOR managers in both the United States and Canada, Toenies joins an elite group of honorees representing diverse industries, from executives and entrepreneurs to creators, athletes and business leaders, all of whom exemplify resilience, innovation and leadership.
“Franchising is such an empowering path for women; it opens doors to leadership, growth and the chance to truly make a difference,” said Toenies. “BELFOR Franchise Group continues to champion opportunities for women in franchising, helping entrepreneurs across North America build sustainable, community-focused businesses. This award reflects that spirit, and attests to the potential for women to lead and succeed in the franchising space. Of course, many men are broadly supportive of this focus, as well.”
With over two decades of experience in franchise development and leadership, Toenies is a Six Sigma Black Belt and Certified Project Manager whose accomplishments continue to elevate the franchising community. Her recent accolades include being named a 2025 American Business Awards Bronze Stevie® Winner for Woman of the Year – Business Services, a 2023 Jacksonville Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree and one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Construction and Civil Works (2025) by Women We Admire.
“Beth’s leadership and passion for empowering others have made a lasting impact across our organization,” said Doug Smith, senior vice president of franchise development at BELFOR Franchise Group. “She exemplifies the values we strive to uphold every day, always serving others and creating platforms for their success.”
BELFOR Franchise Group is a leading global residential and commercial services franchisor, with decades of experience empowering aspiring business owners to create resilient companies. Their brand portfolio encompasses fields as diverse as contents restoration, pest control, drywall repair and plumbing.
For more information about BELFOR Franchise Group, visit belforfranchisegroup.com.
For more information about the Women of Inspiration awards, visit
https://universalwomensnetwork.com/women-inspiration.
About BELFOR Franchise Group
BELFOR Franchise Group is a leading global residential and commercial services franchisor. For decades, their franchise brands have empowered entrepreneurs by offering strong business models, industry-leading training, and ongoing business coaching to help local owners succeed. As the parent organization to a diverse portfolio of service-based franchises, BELFOR Franchise Group provides opportunities across home services, commercial cleaning, and restoration industries. The franchise brands include 1-800-BOARDUP, 1-800 WATER DAMAGE, Blue Kangaroo Packoutz, Chem-Dry Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning, Clear Pest Pros, COOL-BINZ, DUCTZ, Helpful Heroes, HOODZ, JUNKCO+, N-Hance Wood Refinishing, The Patch Boys, redbox+ Dumpsters, WINMAR, and Z PLUMBERZ. For more information, visit belforfranchisegroup.com.
New wellness studio helps residents move better, feel better, and live better—one stretch at a time
MAPLE GROVE, Minn. — Stretch Zone, the nation’s leading brand for practitioner-assisted stretching, has officially opened a new studio in Maple Grove, Minnesota. The location marks the start of local entrepreneur Lara Larson’s journey as a Stretch Zone owner, with plans to open two additional studios across the Twin Cities area.
Lara discovered Stretch Zone while researching franchise concepts that make a real difference in people’s lives. “I loved that Stretch Zone combines a science-backed methodology with an approachable, welcoming atmosphere,” she said. “It’s simple, effective, and you can feel the results right away. That combination really stood out to me.”
Before launching Stretch Zone Maple Grove, Lara worked in venture capital and M&A finance, helping founders grow and scale consumer brands. Now, she’s channeling that same strategic mindset into building a purpose-driven business. “Every day feels meaningful,” she shared. “You can see the difference a 30-minute stretch makes in someone’s posture, mood, and confidence. Our team is passionate about health, service, and helping people feel their best.”
At Stretch Zone, certified practitioners use a patented strapping system to guide members through personalized, fully assisted stretch sessions. The process helps increase flexibility, reduce tension, and restore range of motion—all without the member needing to lift a finger. “Imagine lying on a comfortable table while a trained practitioner moves your body through stretches you could never do on your own,” Lara explained. “You just relax, breathe, and let them do the work.”
The Maple Grove studio serves everyone—from athletes and busy parents to older adults looking to maintain mobility. “Maple Grove is such a vibrant, health-minded community,” Lara added. “We’re excited to make recovery, flexibility, and wellness more accessible for everyone.”
Stretch Zone Maple Grove officially opens on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at 7748 Main Street North, Suite 08A. The studio will operate Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday from 12 noon to 5 p.m. New members are invited to experience a complimentary first stretch consultation and session. For more information, visit www.stretchzone.com.
About Stretch Zone
Founded in 2004 by Jorden Gold, Stretch Zone has redefined how people approach flexibility and movement. With over 400 locations across North America, the brand’s patented equipment and certified practitioner training deliver a safe, effective stretching experience that improves mobility and enhances quality of life. Stretch Zone continues to earn national recognition, appearing on the Inc. 5000 and Franchise Times Top 400 lists. To learn more, visit www.stretchzone.com
DAYTON, Ohio — Choosing new flooring can be stressful, especially during the holidays. Between juggling color samples, hauling planks from the store, and second-guessing how everything will look at home, consumers often find themselves overwhelmed. But Floor Coverings International of Southeast Dayton put the showroom on wheels, changing that forever. (Watch the full story.)
Floor Coverings International of Southeast Dayton operates on a simple but effective premise: bring the entire flooring selection process directly to the customer’s doorstep. The company’s mobile flooring showroom, a van packed with hundreds of flooring samples, allows homeowners to view options right where they’ll be installed — in their own homes, under their own lighting.
“It’s one thing to pick a sample under bright store lights; it’s another to see it next to your furniture or in your natural light,” said Eric Curtis, owner of the Southeast Dayton franchise. “We realized that customers make better choices when they can actually see how a floor will look in the environment where it’s going to live.”
Curtis, who has a background in retail and customer experience management, said the idea isn’t just about convenience — it’s also about accuracy. The mobile showroom is equipped with a wide range of materials including hardwood, luxury vinyl, carpet, and tile. Customers can compare texture, tone, and durability on-site, while a design consultant measures the space and creates an estimate during the same visit.
Production coordinator James Morrison oversees many of the installations and noted that the approach improves workflow from start to finish. “We take the guesswork out. When people see how the flooring interacts with their wall color or lighting, they make confident decisions. That means fewer returns, fewer delays, and a better final result.”
The company’s service model also integrates installation planning into the same visit, which office manager Jeremy Totten said reduces miscommunication between sales staff and installers — a common complaint in the flooring industry. “We order everything and prepare it for the installers, so they have everything they need when they go out.”
“By the time we arrive to install, the customer already knows exactly what they’re getting. The measurements are done, the materials are correct, and they’ve seen everything in place ahead of time,” Morrison continued. “That cuts down on surprises and helps us deliver a cleaner, faster installation.”
Customers who have used the service have echoed those sentiments, noting that seeing samples in their own spaces helped them make better decisions. Curtis said that kind of feedback confirms what the company has seen nationwide: that convenience, paired with transparency, builds stronger relationships.
“The flooring business has always been about trust,” Curtis said. “People are letting us into their homes — that’s personal. When we can bring the entire process to them and make it easy, it changes the tone completely. They feel like we’re partners in the project, not just salespeople.”
As the home improvement industry continues to adapt to changing consumer expectations, Curtis believes this model represents a broader shift toward mobile and in-home services. “We’ve seen people order everything from cars to groceries from their phones,” he said. “Why shouldn’t they expect the same level of service and convenience when they’re making a major design decision for their home?”
For now, the team at Floor Coverings International of Southeast Dayton is focused on serving homeowners across the region, rolling their showroom from neighborhood to neighborhood. “It’s still about craftsmanship,” Curtis added. “We just found a way to make the process smarter — and a lot less stressful for the customer.”
About Floor Coverings International
Floor Coverings International is the #1 Mobile Flooring franchise in North America. Utilizing a unique in-home experience, the mobile showroom comes directly to the customer’s door with more than 3,000 flooring choices. Floor Coverings International has 250-plus locations throughout the U.S. and Canada with plenty of opportunity for continued expansion. For franchise information, please visit https://flooring-franchise.com/ and to find your closest location go to www.floorcoveringsinternational.com.
*See Item 7 of the current Franchise Disclosure Document for more information and context about the initial investment.
**Please see Item 19 of the current Franchise Disclosure Document for more information. Results may differ. There is no assurance that any franchisee will perform as well.