April 15, 2025 • 35 mins
In this episode of The Advisory Board Podcast, host Dave Hansen sits down with Michelle Henry, founder and CEO of Face Foundry, one of the fastest-growing skincare franchise brands in the country — and a masterclass in modern franchising done right.
Michelle shares the incredible journey of launching Face Foundry within minutes of selling her $25M apparel brand and why she built the entire concept out of a personal need for accessible, results-driven skincare. With 75–80 locations expected by the end of 2025 and a record-breaking Q1 in the books, Face Foundry is scaling fast — but Michelle’s growth strategy is anything but rushed.
This episode dives deep into the mindset and methods behind the brand’s success, including:
Why she refused early offers from hands-off investors (and how that decision protected the culture).
The importance of local owner-operators who act like the “mayors” of their communities.
How the Franchise Advisory Council (FAC) became the engine of innovation, feedback, and trust.
What “Open Big” really means in marketing — and how one franchisee’s bold launch reset the system-wide strategy.
Her unapologetically frugal approach to spending (her family calls her Stingy McFrugal Pants… and she owns it).
Why happy franchisees are the most powerful marketing tool — and how strong validation has created a flywheel effect.
Michelle also shares how Face Foundry has built a scalable support system that adapts to every franchisee’s strengths — whether they’re financial whizzes or community connectors — and how her team is preparing to maintain intimacy and feedback as the system doubles in size.
Special thanks to our episode sponsor, ClientTether, for supporting this powerful conversation. ClientTether is helping franchise brands automate follow-up, streamline operations, and close more deals — faster.
👉 Don’t miss this one if you care about brand integrity, franchisee success, and building something beautiful under pressure.
Want to connect with Michelle or check out Face Foundry? Visit thefacefoundry.com.
Let us know what inspired you in this episode!
Michelle shares the incredible journey of launching Face Foundry within minutes of selling her $25M apparel brand and why she built the entire concept out of a personal need for accessible, results-driven skincare. With 75–80 locations expected by the end of 2025 and a record-breaking Q1 in the books, Face Foundry is scaling fast — but Michelle’s growth strategy is anything but rushed.
This episode dives deep into the mindset and methods behind the brand’s success, including:
Why she refused early offers from hands-off investors (and how that decision protected the culture).
The importance of local owner-operators who act like the “mayors” of their communities.
How the Franchise Advisory Council (FAC) became the engine of innovation, feedback, and trust.
What “Open Big” really means in marketing — and how one franchisee’s bold launch reset the system-wide strategy.
Her unapologetically frugal approach to spending (her family calls her Stingy McFrugal Pants… and she owns it).
Why happy franchisees are the most powerful marketing tool — and how strong validation has created a flywheel effect.
Michelle also shares how Face Foundry has built a scalable support system that adapts to every franchisee’s strengths — whether they’re financial whizzes or community connectors — and how her team is preparing to maintain intimacy and feedback as the system doubles in size.
Special thanks to our episode sponsor, ClientTether, for supporting this powerful conversation. ClientTether is helping franchise brands automate follow-up, streamline operations, and close more deals — faster.
👉 Don’t miss this one if you care about brand integrity, franchisee success, and building something beautiful under pressure.
Want to connect with Michelle or check out Face Foundry? Visit thefacefoundry.com.
Let us know what inspired you in this episode!
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