Franchise FastLane Shares Track Record of PE-Backed Success

Franchise FastLane and private equity
Carey Gille

How Private Equity and Franchising Forge a Win-Win Partnership

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Thanks to successful business models, training, and support, the franchising industry is growing and changing in exciting ways. One of the most promising developments in recent years has been the ever-increasing acquisition rate of select brands by private equity (PE) groups. In a symbiotic relationship, private equity groups provide access to capital designed to accelerate growth and brand awareness.

Why do private equity groups like franchises? It’s simple – franchises are a smart investment. They have stable business structures and agreements that bring in money regularly. This makes franchises a safe choice for investors, reducing the risk of putting money into a new franchise brand.

Franchise FastLane knows how valuable PE groups can be for a brand’s growth. They are supported by Southfield Capital, a private equity firm that helps growing companies. In less than seven years Franchise FastLane has assisted in PE events of ten brands. In each case, it’s a deal that benefits both sides, making it a win-win situation in the fast world of franchising.

You can learn more about brands that have been boosted by private equity groups, both now and in the past, by reading on.

Franchise Fastlane and private equity
Above: Franchise FastLane CEO Carey Gille poses with Scott Zide and Scott Sutton from Empower Brands. Below: Gille with the team from Southfield Capital.
Franchise Fastlane and private equity

Franchise FastLane’s Success with Private Equity

Below you will see several brands, both past and present, that have secured investment and backing from private equity groups.

  • D-1 Training, acquired by Princeton Equity Group – among the most experienced franchisor and multi-unit investors in the U.S. in 2021
  • Monster Tree Service, acquired by Authority Brands in 2020
  • Premier Martial Arts, acquired by Unleashed Brands in 2022
  • Mosquito Shield, acquired by Five Star Franchising in 2022
  • Fastest Labs, acquired by LP First Capital and Genesis Park in 2023
  • Conserva Irrigation, Koala Insulation, and Wallaby Windows were acquired by Empower Brands – a firm that was created through the merger of Lynx Franchising and Outdoor Living Brands
  • Redbox+, acquired by BELFOR Franchise Group in 2021 – the world’s largest residential and commercial services franchise group
  • Color World Painting, acquired by Authority Brands in 2022

Brands in Franchise FastLane’s Current Portfolio Backed by PE

Below is a list of brands currently featured in Franchise FastLane’s portfolio of select brands. These include:

  • Conserva Irrigation, acquired by Empower Brands in 2021
  • Koala Insulation, acquired by Empower Brands in 2023
  • Wallaby Windows, acquired by Empower Brands in 2023
  • Zoom Drain, which received strategic investment from MPK Equity Partners in 2021
  • Five Star Bath Solutions and Mosquito Shield, acquired by Five Star Franchising in 2022
  • Strickland Brothers, acquired by Princeton Equity Group in 2021

Franchise FastLane is proud of the brands, past and present, that private equity groups believe in. The capital these PE groups provide can be extremely helpful in driving incremental growth and expansion at the brand level. And, if these brands continue their upward trajectory, a healthy ROI flows back to the benefactors. FastLane prides itself on its discriminating brand selection process, and if the abundant amount of brand-level interest generated from various PE groups is any indication, we’re clearly on the right track.

About Franchise FastLane

Franchise FastLane is an accelerated turn-key franchise sales organization that works with select franchisors to perfect their discovery process, bring qualified franchisee leads and drive responsible, accelerated growth.

For more information, www.franchisefastlane.com.

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Carey Gille

Carey Gille

Carey Gille is the co-founder and CEO of Franchise FastLane, a leading franchise sales organization. Her many accomplishments include co-founding four start-up companies and awarding over 240 franchise locations in only 18 months for her last franchisor. She has been a featured expert guest on CNN Headline News, MSNBC and more.

As a serial entrepreneur and a new venture adrenaline addict who also needs a clear picture of provision, VISION might be her favorite word in the entire Merriam-Webster Dictionary. VISION is defined as “a clear and compelling picture of a preferable future.” After an early career, spent exploring the two parts of that definition as if they were separate, Carey is sold on franchising as the ideal combination. It takes “a preferable future” and wraps it up in “a clear and compelling picture.” Franchising gives the gift of VISION.

She is the daughter of a Pastor, so the 9-5 schedule was never something she experienced, even as a kid. Carey always saw her parents chasing their vision, living their passion. She is married and a mom to three boys. She can throw a football pretty well and is accustomed to broken furniture and decor. "Mom" is Carey's favorite title of all. Her eldest son is a pilot so with him, she flies. Her middle is her mini-me. They are so alike; he finishes her sentences. Carey's baby will forever be the spoiled baby...no rules apply! Carey also has four bonus kiddos through marriage, so the holidays are full! She enjoys running, reading, writing, sitting in the stands at her boys' sports, co-piloting with her eldest and traveling with friends or family.

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