STAR Makers - Recognizing Franchising's Recruitment Elite
written by Sara Wykes
The lingering effects of the pandemic may still be in play, but if anything remains consistent in franchising, it’s the value of listening and a commitment to doing better. This year’s STAR Award winners all strike those notes—and more—as the elements behind their success and the awards.
The annual STAR Awards demonstrate the resilience and strength of the franchise business model and have long been a benchmark for measuring franchise recruitment efforts. The winning franchise brands all face unique circumstances and challenges as they grow their brands. They also share a determination to create and implement a recruiting process that gets results. Those results are successful franchisees and successful brands.
[DreamMaker won the Best Overall Performance STAR Award at the 2022 Franchise Leadership & Development Conference.]
“We are always working on making improvements, on how we can get better,” says DreamMaker President and Chief Stewarding Officer Doug Dwyer.
To do that, the franchise asks for constructive feedback, poses a “make one recommendation to senior management” question, and pays attention to the categories in franchise surveys that point to areas where the brand could do better, he says. DreamMaker also has revamped its advisory council, adding a business coach to the group. It also has updated its technology and made sure that quality of life, in addition to strong margins, is at the core of its brand positioning. “Our values are the foundation of our success,” says Dwyer.
DreamMaker is now in 24 states with 40 locations and has set a goal of reaching 100 by 2030. Dwyer also is proud of the average growth franchisees have seen: 192% between 2011 and 2019.
