WellBiz Brand’s New CEO Discusses the Self-Care Movement in Franchising
Amanda Clark’s short path to the C-suite included impressive stops at some major brands: Procter & Gamble, Taco Bell and Papa Johns, where she last served as chief operating officer international. Taking the helm as CEO of WellBiz Brands in March 2024, Clark says her journey might’ve been different.
“When I was young, I wanted to be an entrepreneur myself, but I actually found it much more rewarding to support them,” she says. “There is truly something special about the entrepreneurial spirit, and I love having the opportunity to be an important part of that journey.”
Clark says she has great admiration for franchisees who put so much on the line to pursue their dreams. “I love the path franchising creates for people wanting to build something for themselves,” she says. “One of my favorite aspects of the franchise business is being able to work with so many entrepreneurs who have had the heart and grit to start their own businesses. That really motivates me to do my absolute best to drive great results so franchisees can be successful, and in some cases, even pass on their success to other members of their families.”
Clark started in franchising more than 12 years ago working in marketing for Taco Bell. She joined the company to help launch its breakfast platform. “That was a great start in franchising because originally the program did not have franchisee buy-in, and we really had to work with the franchisees to understand what menu items made sense, which didn’t, and create a world-class marketing idea to get breakfast off to a profitable start,” she says.
In her new role, Clark says she’s enjoying learning about each brand in the WellBiz Brands portfolio — consisting of the Amazing Lash Studio®, Drybar®, Elements Massage®, Fitness Together® and Radiant Waxing® brands — and also experiencing their services as a consumer.
Q&A: Amanda Clark, WellBiz Brands
Here, Clark shares her vision for the future, as well as thoughts about the self-care movement, franchising, her career accomplishments and more.
1. What attracted you to WellBiz Brands, and what is your vision for its future?
I am a passionate beauty consumer who also loves the franchise business, having worked in it for more than 12 years. I am always inspired by the owners who have taken personal risks to live out their dreams. With the services that the brands in the WellBiz portfolio provide, we are in a unique position to provide confidence to women and inspire more women to become franchise owners – something I have always wanted to do. As a CEO of a beauty company that can help more women fulfill their dreams, I couldn’t ask for a better job.
2. How has the self-care movement impacted WellBiz Brands and you personally? How important is self-care to you?
Beauty and self-care have been around for thousands of years and will continue to grow because we all enjoy the confidence we get from looking and feeling our best. When companies like WellBiz Brands can truly understand how to bring about that confidence in a meaningful way, we all win.
I have always made self-care a priority. As a busy executive with a family and a full life, regular exercise and self-care allow me to show up as my best self, and reduce stress and give me even more energy to execute at the highest level.
3. Please share your favorite mantra or motto in business.
I don’t think it is a mantra, but a belief. A manager of mine once told me when we were facing a tough business decision, “We need to do the hard right, not the easy wrong.” That has always stuck with me, and it’s been a great guiding principle when answers aren’t always so black and white.
4. What is your greatest career accomplishment?
I think my greatest career accomplishments always involve people. It has been awesome to see people who have worked for me get promoted, either by me or who have gone on to other companies and continue to flourish. It is also awesome when I know my teams and I have had a hand in improving a franchisee’s profitability, or helping turn around a brand that was on the decline and then see franchisees start to develop when they hadn’t before. That’s when I feel like I’m making a difference.
5. What does leadership mean to you?
Many things. In franchising, it means being in customer service. We are here to support franchisees and make them successful, and we can’t do that with a “command and control” mindset. It really needs to be about serving the franchisee. If our team works with that attitude, we can all win.
6. What do you love about franchising?
My creative and analytical background enables me to appreciate the win-win of the franchising model. You have established key performance indicators, training and additional data to help grow and manage the business, as well as marketing assets, support and tools to help an owner recruit and retain a team. And lastly, I love that the franchising model provides the opportunity for owners to go into business for, but not by themselves.
7. How are women empowered by franchising?
Early in my franchising career, I often noticed that I was the only woman in the room. That is changing. And I’m excited to be a part of that change. Not only are more women in leadership positions in the franchising space, but more franchise owners are also women. The brands in the WellBiz Brands portfolio resonate with women and we offer women and minority-owned discounts to help them on their journey to ownership. Nearly 45% of new franchise agreements signed in the last 24 months have been by women and minorities. The brands in the portfolio bring joy and confidence to the consumers they serve, and the support and infrastructure of the WellBiz Brands platform help give women the confidence to make the leap to make their dreams come true.
For more information, visit https://wellbizbrands.com/.
