Kelly Gray: Turning Communication Into Performance

Name: Kelly Gray
Title: VP and Co-Owner
Company: Hot Head Burritos
Years in franchising: 11
Number of units: 86

Kelly Gray is a vice president and part of the ownership team of Hot Head Burritos Franchising and a vice president and co-founder of Rapid Fired Pizza. Kelly oversees real estate for the Hot Head Burritos and Rapid Fired Pizza brands, handling new site selection, review, and acquisition in addition to lease renewals. She has been a licensed real estate professional for 15 years and is a Certified Commercial Investment Member of the Board of Realtors. Kelly has her bachelor’s degree in public relations from Capital University, Columbus, Ohio. She is also an adjunct professor at Sinclair Community College, where she teaches real estate investing.

Personal & Leadership Journey

What inspired you to pursue leadership in franchising/branding? I was drawn to franchising through the influence of my childhood best friend’s family, who were involved in a franchise concept. Franchising gives entrepreneurs the best of both worlds: a proven playbook paired with the flexibility to build an organization as big or small as they choose. As a leader, I thrive on the fact that I’m not just building a brand; I’m helping others build their livelihoods. That responsibility inspired me to step into leadership because strong brands don’t happen by accident; they’re built through clarity, consistency, and people who believe in what they’re doing.

Can you share a defining moment that shaped your leadership style? A defining moment for me was realizing that leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about creating alignment. Early on, I saw how confusion or mixed messaging could ripple through franchisees and teams. That experience shaped my focus on clear communication, transparency, and practical decision-making.

How has your personal background influenced the way you lead? I’ve spent decades in business ownership, real estate, finance, and franchising, and I’ve seen both growth and challenge firsthand. My background and experiences keep me grounded. I lead with empathy for franchisees because I understand the pressures they face. I balance that with a strong expectation for accountability and brand standards.

Who or what has most influenced your philosophy as a leader or changemaker? I’ve been deeply influenced by strong women leaders through organizations like the American Business Women’s Association. Seeing women lead with confidence, integrity, and resilience reinforced my belief that leadership is about service, not titles.

Driving Change & Innovation

What significant changes or innovations have you led within your brand? At Hot Head Burritos, I’ve been involved in strengthening brand consistency, modernizing marketing efforts, enhancing communications with our franchisees, and improving operational alignment between corporate and franchise locations. The goal has always been to make the brand easier for our franchisees to operate and impossible for our customers not to love.

How did you implement those changes, and what results did they bring? We began with consistent communication through monthly operations calls supported by regular daily and weekly touchpoints. We also introduced a monthly newsletter that gives franchisees a single, reliable source for updates on changes and brand progress. These efforts have resulted in stronger brand clarity, improved marketing performance, and better adoption at the store level.

What role have you had in adopting new technologies, including AI? I’ve supported the adoption of technology that improves efficiency, marketing insights, and decision-making while also being conscious of the cost to our franchisees. AI, in particular, has become a valuable tool for analyzing data, improving customer engagement, and helping teams work smarter, not harder.

How do you identify when it’s time for a brand to evolve? When customer behavior shifts, costs change, or franchisees start asking new questions, that’s usually the signal. A brand that doesn’t evolve intentionally will eventually be forced to react, and I’d rather lead change than chase it.

Have you led similar change initiatives at other brands? Yes. Across my career, I’ve helped guide businesses and brands through growth, repositioning, and operational changes with a focus on long-term sustainability rather than quick fixes.

How do you communicate change effectively to franchisees? With honesty and respect. Because we also operate corporate stores, we test potential changes internally first, so by the time they reach franchisees, the process is as simple and operationally sound as possible. We believe franchisees deserve clear explanations, realistic timelines, and accurate cost projections along with opportunities to ask questions. When people understand how change benefits them, buy-in follows.

Challenges & Resilience

What obstacles have you encountered while driving change, and how did you overcome them? Change often brings hesitation, particularly in franchising, where consistency and predictability matter. I address that by starting with thorough research, listening carefully to concerns, incorporating feedback that strengthens the outcome, and then leading with clarity and consistency once a direction is set.

How do you maintain momentum when new ideas face resistance? I keep momentum by focusing on steady progress rather than perfection. Celebrating early wins builds confidence, and maintaining a consistent message helps reinforce trust and long-term commitment. A perfect example is when we decided to closely focus on building our catering sales, including catering through online ordering. While initially receiving resistance from the franchisees, we provided data that this extra revenue stream was profitable, evidenced by the experience of our 12 corporate stores. Now, we consistently celebrate the rise of catering sales across the brand as pushback faded and franchisees embraced the process.

What lessons have you learned from an initiative that didn’t go as planned? We view every setback as a learning opportunity. During Covid, we rolled out curbside pickup out of necessity, and in hindsight, it wasn’t executed as effectively as it should have been. As operations stabilized, we returned to carryout, third-party delivery, and dine-in options that we knew we could execute consistently and at a high level.

How do you balance short-term pressures with long-term vision? By asking one key question: Does this decision strengthen the brand five years from now? Short-term pressure is real, but long-term clarity keeps you from making reactive choices.

Culture & People

How do you build and motivate high-performing teams? By setting clear expectations, recognizing effort, and empowering people to own their roles. We often say, “People respect what you inspect,” because performance improves when expectations are clear and consistently applied. We actively solicit feedback from both corporate employees and franchisees, and that openness builds trust and accountability.

What practices help you connect with employees and franchisees at every level? Being accessible, listening actively, and communicating regularly. We feel our monthly meetings are key to connection. They allow people to ask questions of leadership, get clear responses, and voice their concerns, opinions, and suggestions. We consider our franchisees and employees family, and family takes care of family.

How do you build buy-in and bring others along when pushing for change? I start by involving people early in the process so that change never feels like something being imposed on them. I take time to clearly explain the purpose behind decisions, the “why,” the “how,” and the expected impact, so everyone understands not just what is changing, but why it matters. Most importantly, I attribute change to their individual success, showing how it can make operations stronger, improve profitability, or simplify their day-to-day. When people feel heard and can see themselves in the outcome, buy-in becomes a shared commitment rather than a mandate.

How do you mentor or empower the next generation of leaders or changemakers? I mentor by encouraging continuous education, a strong work ethic, and open conversations about real-world experiences. I focus on not just the wins, but the challenges and lessons that come with them. I believe it’s important for emerging leaders to understand that growth often comes from setbacks and uncomfortable moments. I also emphasize taking initiative and learning through action because leadership isn’t about being perfect or having every answer; it’s about showing up, making informed decisions, and being willing to learn along the way.

Future & Vision

What excites you most about the future of your brand or the industry? What excites me most is the momentum we’re seeing at Hot Head Burritos. We’re already on pace to outgrow last year’s performance, and that tells me our focus on brand clarity, operational discipline, and franchisee support is working. Looking ahead, the opportunity to combine strong, authentic branding with smarter technology and data-driven tools is incredibly energizing. When franchisees are empowered with better insights, streamlined systems, and clear direction, they can focus on execution and growth. The brands that will lead the industry are the ones that adapt thoughtfully, embrace innovation, and stay true to who they are. That’s exactly where we’re headed.

How do you stay true to a brand’s core while still adapting for the future? You stay grounded in what matters most, great food and a consistently strong guest experience, while continually simplifying and improving operations. The commitment to quality never changes, but the systems, tools, and processes evolve to make it easier for franchisees and teams to execute that promise every day.

Where do you see the greatest opportunities for women in franchising? In ownership, leadership, and influence. Franchising offers a scalable path for women to build wealth, lead teams, and shape industries. Our first franchisee was a woman, and she has grown with us and now has seven Hot Head Burritos locations.

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be? Trust your instincts sooner, and don’t wait for permission to lead.

What advice would you give to leaders who want to create lasting impact? Lead with clarity, listen with intention, and make decisions that serve people as much as profits. That’s where lasting impact lives.