The Work Behind Fast-Growing Franchises

Some franchise brands seem to pop up overnight, filling every empty storefront in a city. Curves, the women’s circuit-training gym, went from zero to 10,000 franchise units in seven years. Quiznos sandwich shop started in 1981 and had more than 5,000 units by the late 2000s. But franchises that shoot up quickly often come down quickly. Quiznos now has only 2,100 restaurants, closing most of them after franchisee lawsuits and a bankruptcy. Curves is down about 4,000 clubs from its peak after many franchisees found it difficult to turn a profit.

But rapid growth isn’t always a formula for disaster. In fact, many strong franchises reach a point of maturity where rapid growth almost takes care of itself. Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, for instance, went from 500 units in