{{title}}
{{byline}}
{{byline}}
Elise Liegel needed just five minutes. That’s how long it took—sitting across from the Tommy's Express team at Discovery Day—before she knew she had found the right franchise fit.
“We have to do this,” she says. “They think like we do — same culture, same values, same priorities in business.”
For Liegel, Tommy’s stood out for more than its innovative business model. It was a cultural match from the start.
Turns out, Liegel’s path to Tommy’s Express would prove to be preparation for what came next.
A graduate of Marquette University, she spent five years at Robert W. Baird as a transaction coordinator, managing up to half of the firm's national real estate portfolio. But franchising was in her roots. Her father and uncle, Jeff Liegel and Chad Stevenson — now her business partners — are the largest Culver's franchisees in the country.
“Growing up working within that brand gave me a deep appreciation for what a well-run franchise looks and feels like,” Liegel says. “I loved everything about it, but I reached a point where I wanted to build something of my own.”
That opportunity arrived with Tommy’s Express. A visit to the brand’s Holland, Michigan headquarters, where they met with the brand’s leadership team, removed any doubt.
One year into ownership, Liegel is developing 11 Tommy's Express locations across Wisconsin and has already acquired three more on Florida's Gulf Coast.
Liegel credits Tommy’s operations and training support for her early momentum. At her first location's soft opening, the entire Tommy's team was on-site. Dedicated trainers stayed for the first two weeks.
“Our Team Members were trained the right way, from day one, and that foundation has carried us forward,” she says.
The infrastructure behind that support runs deep. Tommy’s equips franchise partners with cutting-edge technology—app-based memberships, license plate recognition, real-time business analytics—and backs it with a corporate team that stays genuinely invested long after opening day.
“Tommy’s doesn’t just hand you a playbook and wish you luck,” Liegel says. “They equip franchise partners with nearly every tool needed to succeed.”
That commitment extends beyond the opening, she adds.
“Tommy's doesn't settle — they continually analyze every aspect of the business, challenge the status quo, and push to optimize operations at every level,” Liegel explains. “As a franchise partner, that commitment to continuous improvement means I'm never operating with a ceiling. There's always a better way to serve our Guests, and Tommy's is relentless in helping us find it.”
The membership model is central to Liegel’s growth strategy — fueling a seamless guest experience and repeat business from day one. Her locations have offered two free months at opening, hosted guest appreciation days, and built community moments that keep people coming back.
“Loyalty isn't something you earn once,” she says. “It's something you maintain through consistency and genuine care.”
The biggest surprise of Liegel's first year wasn't operational — it was human.
She expected to run a high-performing car wash. What she didn't anticipate was how quickly her locations would become part of people's routines. Guests, she says, remember team members' names. They come back week after week.
“We're not just in the car wash business — we're in the hospitality business,” she says. “Tommy's culture sets that expectation but experiencing it firsthand was something else entirely.”
This perspective also shapes how Liegel leads. Being present on-site, she says, is a competitive strategy. Walking the property through a guest's eyes, catching the details before they become problems, creates a standard that carries across every location.
Liegel is straightforward about what it takes to succeed with Tommy’s Express. It’s not a passive investment. It requires commitment, leadership, and follow-through. But for franchisees willing to do the work, she says, the opportunity is limitless.
“If you show up with the right mindset and values, you'll find a brand, a team, and a community that will genuinely change your life,” Liegel says. “For us, it has.”
With more than 275 locations across the United States, Canada, and France, Tommy’s Express is expanding as the nation’s fastest growing car wash franchise. Start your journey at tommys-express.com/franchise.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Our team of experienced writers can help tell your story to our audience. Contact Us today to learn more.