April 6th, 2023

Mentor Master Class Session 1: Interviewing the Greatest Minds in Franchising with Mary Thompson, COO of Neighborly

Recorded Webinar

April 6th, 2023 true false

Watch this webinar on-demand where Keith Gerson, CFE interviews Mary Thompson, COO of Neighborly Brands. Mary shared her experiences and skills that have led to one of the most successful careers in franchising. She answered questions ranging from best practices for running a successful franchise to dealing with competition and differentiation in your industry.

 

Viewers will benefit from this session that we believe will make a difference in the lives of those watching such as learning:

  • What is the most important lesson learned from her mentors or role models?
  • Advice to a new franchisor entering the world of franchising and what advice they should ignore?
  • What KPIs she measures and what actions she does to improve the performance and satisfaction of Neighborly’s franchisees? 
  • Franchise trends or changes that Neighborly anticipates and is preparing for. 

About the Presenter

Keith Gerson-1
Keith Gerson, CFE, President of Franchise Ops, FranConnect

Keith Gerson brings 40+ years of executive level expertise as a passionate and driven Franchisor and Franchisee with a proven track-record in building rapid-growth, and highly profitable franchise organizations. Over the last eight years, Keith has served as President and Chief Customer Advocate for FranConnect. Recognized in franchising circles for his extensive leadership experience, and ability to drive execution, Keith is a highly-rated keynote speaker and has created several leading franchise systems from conception through launch and sustained growth.

Mary-Kennedy-Thompson-1
Mary Thompson, Chief Operating Officer of Franchise Brands, Neighborly®

As chief operating officer (COO), Mary oversees the ongoing business operations within Neighborly. Working hand-in-hand with 13 brand presidents, she leads the execution of strategies. Prior to her appointment as COO, Mary served as executive vice-president of Neighborly and president of Mr. Rooter® for nine years.

Under Mary's leadership, Mr. Rooter® was included in Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500, Franchise Business Review's Franchisee Satisfaction Award, PHC News Top 100 Contractors and USA Today's Top 50 Franchises for Veterans. As president of Mr. Rooter®, U.S. Business Review selected Mary as one of its Editor's Choice Executives of the Year.

The International Franchise Association (IFA) awarded Mary the Bonny Levine Award, IFA’s highest award for women who have made an impact on franchising and the Crystal Compass award for extraordinary leadership in franchising. A certified franchise executive, Mary serves as a trustee for the IFA’s Educational Foundation.