CEO (Chief Executive Officer)

Hire Ground Talent; United States; Remote; USD 350,000 - 750,000; Full time

Job summary

Hire Ground Talent is seeking a Chief Executive Officer to lead a multi-location franchise brand through a growth phase. The role demands hands-on leadership, deep stakeholder engagement, and a track record of scaling franchise networks.

The CEO will connect with employees, franchisees and coaches, manage the P&L, guide strategy, and drive sustainable growth while preserving brand culture and customer experience across domestic and international markets.

Qualifications

• Proven track record leading multi-unit franchise networks.
• Experience in P&L ownership and strategic planning.
• Ability to engage with franchisees, employees and boards.

Responsibilities

• Set growth strategy balancing expansion, profitability and shareholder value.
• Partner with franchisees to improve AUV and unit profitability.
• Own the P&L and report performance to the Board.
• Build scalable systems and organizational capabilities for expansion.
• Lead executive team and foster a high-performing culture.

Skills

Franchise Leadership

P&L Ownership

Strategic Growth

Board Governance

International Expansion

Job description

The Opportunity

On behalf of our client, we are searching for a Chief Executive Officer to lead their company through an ambitious, disciplined growth phase. This is a rare opportunity to take the helm of a franchise brand with real momentum: a differentiated product, a passionate community, and a model built to scale. The right leader will protect the brand and culture they’ve built while pushing them further, driving sustainable growth, stronger unit-level economics across their franchise network, and long-term shareholder value.

This is a visible, hands-on leadership role requiring someone who can connect with employees, franchisees and coaches at every level, building a high-performing organization committed to delivering world class experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategy and Growth: Set and execute the company’s growth strategy, balancing expansion, profitability and long-term shareholder value.
• Franchise Performance: Partner with franchisees to improve average unit volume (AUV), unit-level profitability, operating consistency and new-location development.
• Financial Leadership: Own the P&L, drive financial accountability and report regularly to the Board on performance, growth and strategic priorities.
• Operational Excellence: Build scalable systems, processes and organizational capabilities to support responsible domestic and international expansion.
• Leadership and Culture: Develop a high-performing executive team, foster accountability and maintain a strong, collaborative culture.
• Brand and Innovation: Protect and evolve the brand, leveraging technology and innovation to enhance the customer experience and business performance.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships with the founder, Board, franchisee leadership, employees and strategic advisors.

Leadership Approach

The CEO must balance strategic leadership with a hands-on, relationship-driven approach. They will be expected to advance the existing strategy rather than disrupt it, working constructively with the founder, senior franchisee leadership and strategic advisors while strengthening accountability and execution across the organization.

Measures of Success

Success will be measured by progress against agreed objectives, including:

• Revenue, EBITDA and sustainable business growth.
• Improved AUV, unit-level profitability and franchisee performance.
• Successful new-location development and domestic and international expansion.
• Strong operating systems, leadership capabilities and organizational accountability.
• A consistent customer experience, engaged franchise network and high-performing culture.

The Opportunity Ahead

This is an opportunity to lead a distinctive, growth-oriented franchise brand with the potential to expand its reach and impact. The right CEO will combine strategic vision, financial discipline and exceptional people leadership to protect what makes the company special, strengthen business performance and scale the brand with purpose and ambition.

Requirements

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be a proven executive with a track record of scaling multi-unit, franchise-driven businesses and delivering sustainable, profitable growth.

They will bring:

• Significant franchising experience (minimum 100 locations), including improving franchisee performance, AUV and unit-level profitability.
• Experience scaling businesses through disciplined operations, franchise development and strong business systems.
• International expansion experience, including master franchise arrangements, preferred.
• Strong financial acumen, managing $200M in revenue, P&L ownership and an understanding of the metrics that drive shareholder value.
• Experience leading boards, shareholders and senior leadership teams; capital-raising experience is an asset.
• A dynamic, approachable leadership style, high emotional intelligence and a passion for building strong teams and culture.
• An appreciation for sports, fitness or other experience-driven consumer brands, strongly preferred.
• An ability to turn technology and innovation into meaningful commercial advantages.
• Genuine alignment with the company’s mission and commitment to its franchisees, customers and communities.