Jane Campbell: Where Culture and Results Align

Name: Jane Campbell
Title: VP of Marketing for Franchise Development
Company: Empower Brands
Years in franchising: 16
Number of units: 1,607

Jane Campbell is the vice president of marketing for franchise development at Empower Brands, where she leads a dynamic team supporting Empower Brands’ portfolio of industry-leading service brands. With more than 15 years of experience in the marketing industry, she excels in leveraging data-driven and new marketing initiatives and opportunities to fuel business growth. Dedicated to sharing franchisee stories, she collaborates closely with senior leadership and the marketing and franchise development teams to ensure efforts align with growth goals. Jane is a graduate of the University of Richmond and is passionate about franchisee support and team development.

Personal & Leadership Journey

What inspired you to pursue leadership in franchising/branding? I fell into franchising a few years after graduating from college. I knew I had a passion for messaging, branding, and small business, and I was lucky enough to find franchising as the perfect combination.

Can you share a defining moment that shaped your leadership style? I learned the importance of acting when culture is at stake in a difficult way. I had a star player on my team who was the go-to person for their specialty. Unfortunately, during a challenging period at work, their frustration and stress permeated the team, creating a negative culture. I didn’t act quickly enough, and they ultimately quit. A few weeks later, a team member said to me that the energy of the team had shifted and was more positive despite the role not yet being filled. At that moment, I knew I would never let that happen again. Since then, I haven’t been afraid to make changes when they are necessary.

How has your personal background influenced the way you lead? My grandmother would always say, “The proof is in the pudding,” and that’s something I’ve always leaned into. I was never going to be the loudest on the team, but I was going to be one of the hardest working and most reliable. If I said I was going to do something, I did it, and results followed. That became the foundation of my lead-by-example, servant-leader mentality.

Who or what has most influenced your philosophy as a leader or changemaker? My dad has influenced my leadership philosophy the most. He was a small business owner who led teams through both good and bad times in the construction industry. His stoicism and unwavering integrity resulted in trust and respect from everyone he worked with, which is something I both recognized and aspire to emulate. Remaining calm in chaos is something I pride myself on, and that comes from my dad.

Driving Change & Innovation

What significant changes or innovations have you led within your brand? The rebranding to Empower was a task that fell primarily to a small team of us. It was a turning point for the company because it represented the official merging of two brands, Outdoor Living Brands and Lynx Franchising. Each had its own teams and processes. It was important to be thoughtful not only about the name and visual identity, but also about defining the who, why, and how of the company.

How did you implement those changes, and what results did they bring? The rebranding was a six to eight-month process. Once everything was defined, the rollout, both internally and externally, was equally important. Internally, we held a leadership meeting that brought together teams from both legacy entities to form the new leadership team. This was a key step in uniting us as one team and aligning on future initiatives.

Externally, the focus was on public relations and education. We partnered with Thunderly PR to introduce our new name to the industry and to our partners. It’s a relationship that continues today and has helped establish Empower as a leader in franchising.

What role have you had in adopting new technologies, including AI? When we got serious about AI, Empower formed an AI task force, which I was part of. Our goal was to define how AI could make both the Empower team and our franchisees more efficient and effective. We developed use cases and plans, many of which have already been implemented or remain on the road map.

Whenever a new technology is considered, we ensure marketing has a seat at the table because of its impact on how we support franchisees. For example, when Archadeck was evaluating new CRMs, I worked alongside its brand marketing manager to assess marketing capabilities: What existed, what was missing, and how we could best leverage the tool?

How do you identify when it’s time for a brand to evolve? There are many factors, but the ultimate indicator is when a brand is not growing or not growing at the pace it should. When brands struggle to connect with their audience, face increased competition, or encounter market shifts, the numbers reflect it. That’s when we assess what we can control and take action.

Evolution is also necessary to stay proactive and ahead of the curve. Are new services required? Do they fit the business? Is there interest in expansion? Are there future needs we must address now? These are critical questions when considering the next iteration of a brand.

Have you led similar change initiatives at other brands? Two examples come to mind. The first is Mosquito Squad, a brand we had when I first joined Outdoor Living Brands. Initially, it focused solely on mosquito control, which was a new category at the time. As tick-transmitted diseases became more prevalent, we needed to expand services, build new content, and adjust messaging.

The second is holiday lighting for Outdoor Lighting Perspectives. The seasonality of OLP’s residential services impacted franchisee sales. Holiday lighting presented an opportunity to expand services, keep teams working year-round, and increase revenue. It remains a key growth driver for the brand today.

How do you communicate change effectively to franchisees? Proactive and clear communication is critical. Franchisees need to understand the reasoning behind a change, how it will be implemented, and how it will impact them. If they don’t understand those elements, you’ve missed the mark.

Challenges & Resilience

What obstacles have you encountered while driving change, and how did you overcome them? Resistance to change is natural. Clear communication and expectations are essential. When you can test and prove impact, it becomes much easier for people to embrace change.

How do you maintain momentum when new ideas face resistance? It depends on where the resistance is coming from: brand teams, other departments, or franchisees. Demonstrating positive impact and identifying advocates for change help significantly. At Empower, we leverage franchise advisory councils and marketing committees to review initiatives early, ensuring alignment. Setting expectations that innovation takes time and clearly defining the desired outcome and road map also help maintain momentum.

What lessons have you learned from an initiative that didn’t go as planned? Failure is both inevitable and important. Sometimes, you have to try something to learn it’s not right. Ideally, you fail fast, but there should always be a postmortem to capture learnings. One lesson I’ve been reminded of recently is never to assume someone is confident just because they aren’t voicing concerns. Asking clarifying questions like, “How are you feeling about this?” or “Do you have concerns at this stage?” provides invaluable insight.

How do you balance short-term pressures with long-term vision? At Empower, we use the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), which helps define our vision and road map. Senior leadership sets and communicates the long-term vision while quarterly and annual goals serve as steps toward it. Day-to-day tasks will always arise, but consistently reporting on goals ensures long-term priorities remain front and center.

Culture & People

How do you build and motivate high-performing teams? “Right person, right seat” is a core EOS principle we rely on. It starts with finding the right person in terms of skill and culture. From there, it’s about clarity of accountability and ensuring they have the necessary training, technology, and support to succeed. Proactive, clear feedback is also a key motivator.

What practices help you connect with employees and franchisees at every level? At Empower, we have an open-door policy and a culture grounded in people and results. Each week, the entire team meets for 30 minutes to stay connected and informed. We also host social and community events that encourage open communication. With franchisees, it’s all about relationships. Those often begin with training and continue long after someone has sold their business. Through office hours, system-wide calls, in-person meetings, and one-on-one conversations, franchisees know support is always available.

How do you build buy-in and bring others along when pushing for change? Our franchise advisory councils serve as the voice of the franchisees. I regularly lean on them for feedback on both large and small initiatives. Their support is essential. When concerns arise, it often reflects broader system sentiment that needs addressing. Transparency, even when views differ, strengthens franchisor-franchisee relationships.

How do you mentor or empower the next generation of leaders or changemakers? It starts with checking in and listening. Understanding their professional goals and what they need to achieve them is critical. Giving people space to take action fosters growth while gauging the right level of support helps prevent avoidable mistakes. Creating an environment where ideas are welcomed benefits both the company and the individual.

Future & Vision

What excites you most about the future of your brand or the industry? Providing opportunities for business ownership never gets old, so welcoming new franchisees will always excite me.

From marketing and technology to sales and services, many of our brands are embracing change in meaningful ways in 2026. There is a tremendous opportunity across our service industries, and our franchisees are well positioned to succeed.

How do you stay true to a brand’s core while still adapting for the future? Our brands have clear values and missions that guide daily operations. If a change doesn’t align with a brand’s values, it shouldn’t be pursued. If it doesn’t align with the mission, a deeper conversation is needed. Sometimes, that means revisiting or evolving the mission to meet future needs. Regular check-ins ensure the brand stays authentic while embracing innovation.

Where do you see the greatest opportunities for women in franchising? In the words of Beyoncé, “Who runs the world? Girls!” In all seriousness, there are countless opportunities for women in franchising. Women-led franchise ownership now accounts for 30% of franchise units in the U.S., which is incredible. I’d love to see that continue to grow year over year.

There is also a significant opportunity for women to lead operations teams across service industries. At Empower, many of our most successful franchise business coaches and directors of operations are women, which is exciting to see.

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be? Curiosity is a superpower. Ask “why” and “how” until you understand something at its core, and don’t forget to ask, “Why not?” Asking thoughtful questions and seeking answers will make you a go-to resource and one of the most knowledgeable people in the room.

What advice would you give to leaders who want to create lasting impact? Lasting leadership isn’t about the authority you project but the accessibility you provide. I learned this from my mentor, Scott Zide, Empower’s CEO. Over the past 15-plus years, he’s shown me that the most impactful leaders don’t talk at their people; they converse with them. They balance transparency and respect with the courage to make tough decisions. If you want to lead, open your door, answer the call, and remember that your team is your greatest asset.