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Fast 50 No. 28: NTY Franchise Co.

NTY Franchise Company is Number 28 on the Fast 50! Take a look at this interview with Chad Olson. Source: bizjournals.com

We asked Chief Operating Officer Chad Olson:

What was a key accomplishment for your company in 2014? Our largest brand, Clothes Mentor, had a record year for new store openings — 34 in 2014.

Chad Olson and Ron Olson together
Chad Olson (left) and Ronald Olson of NTY Franchise Company.

What was the most difficult challenge of 2014, and what did you learn from it?Keeping the lead funnel full for selling new franchises. We learned we needed to focus our online strategy for generating leads and we needed our people to be in the right positions to qualify the leads and sell the prospects on our franchises.

Where do you see your company in five years? Crossing the 500-store mark and well on our way to seeing our longer-term goal of over 1,000 stores across America coming into view.

How does it feel to be one of the Twin Cities’ fastest-growing private companies? We are excited to be one of the Twin Cities fastest-growing companies. But the reality is, we have a lot more to accomplish and a lot of room to keep growing.

  • Growth Rate: 89.19%
  • 2012 revenue:$2,790,682
  • 2013 revenue:$3,663,794
  • 2014 revenue:$5,279,737
  • Top executives: Ron Olson, Chad Olson
  • Founded: 2007
  • Business: Franchise sales of resale retail brands
  • Employees: 2012 — 28; Now — 61
Brandon Yeager

Brandon Yeager

Software Engineer

Software Engineer
Leah Weisbecker

Leah Weisbecker

Franchise Business Consultant

Franchise Business Consultant
NTYHeadshots_Michelle

Michelle Vaudrin

Senior Director of Operations

Michelle Vaudrin is the Senior Director of Operations for  Children’s Orchard and Clothes Mentor. Before joining Children’s Orchard in 2016, she worked in leadership roles for Burlington, American Eagle, and Macy’s.

Michelle attended the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a Retail Merchandising and Business Administration degree. She brings an extensive background in training in strategies, merchandising, customer service, and multi-unit store operations to the team.

NTYHeadshots_Jen.jpg

Jenny Mann

Vice President of Operations | Executive Director of IT

Jenny Mann is the Vice President of Operations for Clothes Mentor and Children’s Orchard. In January of 2020, Jenny also took on the role of Executive Director of IT, overseeing BST, our Point of Sale system, and the e-commerce platforms for both brands. Prior to this, Jenny was the Director of Marketing for NTY Franchise Company since January 2013. Jenny started with the NTY Franchise Company in 2008 with Clothes Mentor and has held many roles, including; Store Manager, New Store Opener, and Regional Operations Manager. Before joining NTY Franchise Company, Jenny worked for Old Navy (Gap, Inc.) and Target in management roles.

NTYHeadshots_Chad2.jpg

Chad Olson

Chief Operations Officer

Chad Olson has been Chief Operations Officer of NTY Franchise Company since January 2007. From May 1994 to December 2006, he held various positions for Winmark Corporation (f/k/a Grow Biz International, Inc.), including Field Operations Manager for the Once Upon a Child concept from 1999 to 2002, and Regional Operations Manager for the Plato’s Closet concept from 2002 to 2006.

Sean Marrs

Sean Marrs

IT/Tech Administrator

IT/Tech Administrator
Marissa Stacy

Marissa Stacy

Jr. Graphic Designer

Jr. Graphic Designer

Ashlyn Aarness

Ashlyn Aarness

Social Media Specialist

Social Media Specialist
Ashley Huebner

Ashley Huebner

Director of Marketing

Ashley Huebner oversees Children’s Orchard’s marketing and advertising efforts to drive sales, build brand awareness, and lead the planning on how to market the brand effectively. She leads creative initiatives by driving the brands’ vision in aesthetics, tone, and trends to elevate our brand position as a leader in the resale category.

Ashley joined the Children’s Orchard team in 2015. Ashley has 10+ years of Graphic Design experience. Ashley holds a strong background in design, user experience, and a passion for creativity. She holds a BA degree in Advertising and Art.