With more than four decades in franchising, Catherine Monson is a well-recognized name in the franchise community. She has been at the helm of FASTSIGNS since 2009, and in 2021 oversaw the formation of Propelled Brands, which includes Fastsigns, NerdsToGo, and Suite Management Franchising (My Salon Suite and Salon Plaza). In addition, she has been recognized with the IFA’s prestigious Bonny LeVine Award and has been chair of the IFA twice. She was even featured on the CBS TV show “Undercover Boss.”
She is a consummate leader and has the skill set needed to oversee an organization with more than 1,000 franchised locations worldwide. “I want to cast a ‘leadership shadow’ in such a way that even when I am not around, my team knows how to solve problems and make decisions in line with our company values,” she says.
Under Monson’s leadership, Propelled Brands is characterized by a growth-oriented culture that prioritizes fostering integrity and positivity throughout the organization. “I believe in the power of positive thinking and goal-oriented behavior,” she says. “Visual displays, such as our ‘Inspiration Hall’ at the corporate office, inspire and motivate employees, franchisees, and visitors.” She says expressing gratitude, celebrating milestones, and recognizing team members and franchisees is essential to how she leads.
Monson says the future looks bright for Propelled Brands. “We believe that all of our brands are going to continue to grow. We’re having a successful year in franchise sales with all three brands and have strong same-center sales growth or occupancy growth in all three brands. We believe that the more proactive you are the better the results will be.”
With three brands presently under the Propelled Brands umbrella, Monson says the company is looking to acquire two more in the next 18 months.
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