The Founder’s Dilemma: Shelly Sun on Scaling, Exiting, and Starting Again

"This week, Shelly Sun Berkowitz, founder ofBrightStarCare, joins host Stan Friedman for a deeply personal and inspiring conversation about the intersection of franchising, family, and female entrepreneurship. Shelly’s journey was born out of her personal need to find care for her grandmother. Shelly’s decision to expand BrightStar through franchising came later though, and began with a spark — watching her mother-in-law invest in a Choice Hotels franchise.  The passion to help families with care andthe franchise spark ignited a career that would lead to one of the most respected senior care brands in America. But during COVID, she found herself working 20-hour days while caring for her autistic son, Luc. It was a breaking point that led to her decision to sell BrightStar and prioritize family — but also lead her to her next great purpose.  

Today, through Founder to Founder and Next Phase Capital, Shelly mentors entrepreneurs and provides “patient capital” for founders scaling and exiting on their own terms. She’s also tackling the harsh truth that only 1.9% of women-owned businesses ever reach $1 million in revenue, helping women founders overcome systemic barriers to funding and confidence.

 👉 Listen now to hear Shelly’s hard-earned wisdom on balancing ambition with authenticity — and building businesses that honor both profit and purpose.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Bill Chaffee and his undying effort to promote initiatives to assure the furtherance of success, for women in C-Suites of franchising."