Franchise Leader Applies Experience Gained as Franchisee and Franchisor
Koala Insulation, an insulation franchise under the Empower Brands umbrella, has appointed Joel Worthington president. Worthington’s background includes more than two decades of franchise leadership experience at DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen and Neighborly. He also owned a Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids franchise and founded Joel Worthington Leadership, a consulting firm offering keynotes and workshops.
“The more I learned about Koala Insulation, Empower Brands and the opportunity in front of the brand, the more excited I became,” he said. “I saw a tremendous amount of potential — a strong concept, a growing category and a brand with significant room to expand the system and help our existing franchise owners grow profitable businesses.”
Worthington said Koala’s continued expansion hinges on combining technical execution with stronger systems, better training, smarter marketing and a focus on franchisee success. “Insulation may be the physical product we provide, but building a successful Koala business involves much more than insulation. Marketing, lead generation, sales, customer service, dispatching, recruiting, financial management, operational discipline and leadership are all critical. Those fundamentals translate across home services, and I’ve spent much of my career helping businesses improve in those areas.”
He said Empower Brands’ resources, expertise and shared services are also important to Koala’s growth. “The brain trust created by having experienced leaders from multiple brands working alongside one another is a great advantage. I can walk down the hall, pick up the phone or sit around a table with executives who have faced many of the same challenges we’re working through. We can challenge one another’s thinking, share ideas and learn from successes — and mistakes — across the portfolio. That collective knowledge allows us to move faster and make better decisions while still maintaining what makes Koala unique.”
Worthington, a former senior pastor at Waco First Assembly of God, finds that leading a franchise organization is similar to leading a congregation. “In both cases, you’re responsible for the welfare of a group of people you don’t simply command — you have to earn their trust, influence them and help them move toward a shared destination. But influence has to be earned. People first have to trust my character — that I’m ethical, disciplined, consistent, fair and that I genuinely care about them. They also have to trust my competence — that I understand how to lead, that I’m willing to learn the business deeply and that I can help create an environment where people can win.”
Scott Zide, CEO of Empower Brands, praised Worthington as a franchise leader. “His experience growing nationally recognized brands, combined with his passion for developing people and creating strong organizational cultures, makes him the ideal leader to guide Koala Insulation into its next phase of growth,” Zide said.
Beyond speaking in front of franchise organizations and leadership classes, Worthington utilizes his storytelling skills by writing songs and poetry.
About Koala Insulation
Koala Insulation provides insulation installation to residential and commercial properties. The emerging brand specializes in a full-range of insulation options, including spray foam, blown-in and blanket insulation.
