About Us
Janice Charles - President
When it comes to franchising expertise, Janice stands in a league of her own. With 40 years of hands-on experience, she has lived and breathed every aspect of the franchise world—from growing up in a family-owned McDonald's franchise to earning recognition as an award-winning franchisee and working with some of the biggest brands in the industry.
Her impressive brand experience includes McDonald's, Coors, Taco Bell, Coke, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Nestlé, Kroger, the Dallas Cowboys, the Dallas Mavericks, Baskin-Robbins, Mrs. Fields, TCBY, Camp Bow Wow, and Smiling Moose Deli. Janice has also been a successful business owner, scaling Rocky Mountain Popcorn Company from a small regional brand to national distribution before selling the company.
In recent years, Janice has become one of the most respected Franchise Consultants in the industry, earning multiple "Top Ten" awards for her expertise in Franchise Development, Operations, Brand Management, Marketing, and Local Store Marketing. Her deep industry knowledge, strategic approach, and commitment to helping others succeed in franchising make her the ultimate resource for franchisors and franchisees alike.
In both 2024 and 2025, Janice was honored as an SEO Samba Top 100 Global Influencer, a prestigious recognition awarded by her peers in the franchise industry. This achievement is a testament to her expertise, influence, and dedication to helping franchisors and franchisees succeed. Being recognized among the top global leaders in franchising reflects not only her decades of hands-on experience but also her ongoing impact in shaping the industry. When you work with Janice, you're partnering with one of the most respected and trusted voices in franchising today.
Beyond business, Janice is driven and passionate, balancing her time between family, volunteering, and sports like basketball, volleyball, and tennis. She has recently discovered a love for playing the drums and enjoys time with her son, daughter-in-law, and her dog, Brody.
If you're looking for an experienced, knowledgeable, and results-driven franchise expert, Janice is the best in the business—ready to help you navigate the franchise world with confidence.
Cody Teets - Advisor
Executive Leader, with proven success growing market value, driven around a consumer-centric strategic plan and vision. Strategic Pillars of success include revenue growth, talent development, disciplined innovation, customer loyalty real estate growth, and profit optimization
30+ years in a Fortune 150 company, McDonald’s Corporation (MCD: NYSE), leading their 8th largest global market. Responsible for over 800 US restaurants, multi-state $2B P&L, Franchise Relationships, Real Estate Development, and Multi-channel Marketing. Awarded the Real Estate ROI and Global Women’s Leadership honors. Served as VP of Franchise Relations, working closely with C-Suite executives to influence the turnaround strategy for 1,800 independent franchise owners and 14,000 restaurants.
Most recent position was Interim President at Regis University. This came about after 8 years serving as a Trustee on the Board and 3 years as an affiliate professor in the MBA program. Led a strategy and culture transition in the changing industry of Higher Education. Engaged independent director with thirteen years of collective service on four boards. Served as Board Chair for a private company in the Healthcare Industry developing pre-IPO governance. MBA with emphasis in Finance and Accounting.
Honored to be profiled as "Director to Watch" by Private Company Director Magazine.
Sue Thirlwall - Advisor
Known for building strong iconic and aspirational consumer lifestyle brands. Broad cross-functional leadership experience and core strengths in strategic and operational leadership, technology, brand management and concept development. Accomplished at driving results in complex fast paced industries and creating breakthrough strategies for global brands seeking to grow and transform profitably.
Highly effective communicator with the ability to quickly identify and solve strategic and tactical challenges, develop relationships and create and lead high impact business teams that consistently drive extraordinary results.
Significant expertise in transforming company and franchise organizations, motivating and inspiring winning teams and positively affecting change. Exceptional track record in driving record revenue, profit, customer satisfaction and increased asset and shareholder value.
World-class know-how and accomplishment in the beauty/health/wellness/longevity/self-care, foodservice, restaurant, retail, hospitality, fitness, CPG, fintech, advertising and publishing industries. Accomplishments and expertise cover all facets from inception of new concepts and products to evolving, mature and saturated product life cycles.
Previous experience includes:
- YUM! Brands National Director
- Baskin-Robbins Brand Operating Officer
- MiniLuxe CEO and President
- Skin Laundry – CEO
- Innovative Growth and Franchise Ventures – CEO & Founder
- Norwest Venture Partners – Operating Partner
Bob Charles - Advisor
In 1965, after earning a master’s degree in horticulture, leading innovative projects in Tucson, and working as an agronomist for a chemical company in New York, Bob Charles ’59 relocated to Boulder, Colorado, with his wife, Judy, to manage the town’s first McDonald’s restaurant. By 1969, he owned the restaurant, and by the early 1990s, he was operating 13 McDonald’s franchises. Over the years, Charles pioneered the double drive-through concept, co-developed McDonald’s iconic "Happy Meal," and introduced the use of tray liners to promote community events, in-store activities, and meal deals.
While achieving these milestones, Charles also cultivated partnerships that significantly enhanced Boulder’s reputation as one of the best places to live in the United States.
The creation of the Happy Meal was sparked by a challenge posed by his wife, Judy, in 1979. Frustrated by the lack of entertainment for children at McDonald’s, Judy remarked, “You’ve got these commercials with Ronald McDonald saying how much fun it is to go to McDonald’s. When I take the kids there, I’ve got one of them in the chair screaming while the other one runs around bored. Where’s the fun?”
Charles took this feedback to heart. He collaborated with Dale Pond, a marketing agency contact, and began brainstorming solutions. Leveraging a cardboard box resembling a car from a Coke distributor and inexpensive paper toys, Charles tested the concept in his store. The result? A simple, engaging meal box that captivated children and transformed the dining experience.
Another of Charles’ impactful innovations came in response to drive-through bottlenecks. Recognizing the inefficiency of single-lane drive-throughs, Charles proposed the idea of dual lanes to McDonald’s corporate leadership. Although initially met with skepticism, he offered to fund and implement the concept independently. Within a month of installation, the store’s drive-through volume skyrocketed from 180 cars per hour to nearly 400. This success paved the way for double drive-throughs to become a standard feature across McDonald’s locations.
Through creativity and determination, Bob Charles not only shaped the fast-food industry but also enriched his community with forward-thinking solutions that continue to leave a lasting legacy.
Jodi Holloway - Advisor
Jodi Holloway is the CEO and Founder of DZYN Solutions. An expert in marketing, communications, and strategic direction, Jodi has over 30 years of experience improving companies and their messaging, as well as a track record of leading those organizations to greater health, success, and profitability. Jodi is accredited in cultural assessment, emotional intelligence, and self-managed team trainings.
With experience across a variety of sectors, Jodi is gifted at guiding companies to answer the core question of why they exist and using that purpose as a starting place from which to build a strong strategic plan. During her tenure, Jodi has seen time and again the transformation that occurs when the leadership of a company is in touch with its purpose and shares that purpose with all of its stakeholders.
Brody Charles - Top DOG
Don’t let the squishy face and curly tail fool you—Brody means business (especially if that business involves treats). At just 2 years old, this tenacious Pug shows up to the office every single day with unmatched enthusiasm and a nose for snack opportunities.
With a background in advanced rabbit-chasing and elite-level leaf wrangling, Brody brings a unique skill set to the Your Franchise Advantage team. Whether he’s supervising meetings from his favorite sunbeam or patrolling the break room for crumbs, Brody keeps morale high and tails wagging.
His Office Management skills are improving daily—he's already mastered "sit," "stay," and "stare lovingly until someone shares their lunch." We couldn't be more proud to have him as part of the pack.
Brody: a true professional, a loyal coworker, and without question, the most adorable member of the team.y face and curly tail fool you—Brody means business (especially if that business involves treats). At just 2 years old, this tenacious Pug shows up to the office every single day with unmatched enthusiasm and a nose for snack opportunities.
With a background in advanced rabbit-chasing and elite-level leaf wrangling, Brody brings a unique skill set to the Your Franchise Advantage team. Whether he’s supervising meetings from his favorite sunbeam or patrolling the break room for crumbs, Brody keeps morale high and tails wagging.
His Office Management skills are improving daily—he's already mastered "sit," "stay," and "stare lovingly until someone shares their lunch." We couldn't be more proud to have him as part of the pack.
Brody: a true professional, a loyal coworker, and without question, the most adorable member of the team.
Our Approach
At Your Franchise Advantage, we bring unmatched expertise in franchising and business development, providing strategic guidance to help you scale, invest, and succeed. Our comprehensive franchise audit and evaluation process pinpoints critical opportunities for growth and expansion, allowing us to craft a customized franchise investment plan tailored to your goals.
We go beyond basic consulting by delivering in-depth franchise cost analysis and a detailed operational roadmap, ensuring you have the insights and structure needed to make informed franchise decisions. Our franchise experts—who live and breathe the franchising space—partner directly with you, offering the resources, support, and industry connections necessary for long-term franchise success.
With decades of experience as franchisors, franchisees, and franchise consultants, we understand the complexities of franchise ownership and what it takes to build a profitable franchise business. Our expertise extends to private equity placements, strategic growth planning, and franchise management, supporting both emerging and established franchise brands across retail, finance, and energy sectors.
At Your Franchise Advantage, we are committed to helping franchisors and franchisees unlock their full potential and achieve franchising success. Contact us today to discover how we can help you expand your franchise, maximize profitability, and turn your business dreams into reality.
Your Premier Partner in Franchising Success
At Your Franchise Advantage, we bring together unmatched expertise, integrity, and strategic insight to help business owners, franchisors, and new franchisees navigate the franchise journey with confidence. With over six decades of combined experience, we know that choosing the right franchise partner is critical to long-term success—which is why we take a selective, results-driven approach to franchise development.
Our team of franchising experts provides personalized, hands-on support, starting with a comprehensive business audit and evaluation to identify key growth opportunities and expansion strategies. We develop a custom franchise investment plan with clear timelines, milestones, and financial analysis, ensuring every decision is strategic and data-driven.
Unlike generic consulting firms, we recognize that franchise success isn’t one-size-fits-all. We take the time to understand your unique business goals, offering tailored solutions that align with your vision. With a strong foundation in integrity and ethical franchising, we always prioritize our clients’ best interests, providing expert guidance that positions you for long-term profitability and sustainable growth.
Whether you're an emerging franchisor, an established brand seeking expansion, or a new franchisee looking for the best investment opportunity, Your Franchise Advantage is the trusted partner you need. Contact us today and let’s build a thriving, successful franchise together.
