By Richard Huffman, Celebree School

In the franchise world, growth metrics are often measured in units sold, market share gained, and quarterly profits earned.

But after more than 25 years as an entrepreneur and leader, I’ve learned that those numbers tell only part of the story.

The most successful leaders I know don’t just scale their companies, they scale people. They create opportunities for others to build wealth, find purpose, and make an impact in their own communities. Profits matter, but they’re the byproduct of a deeper commitment: serving others first.

At Celebree School and Huffman Family Brands, this philosophy guides everything we do. It’s not just about how fast we can grow; it’s about how many lives we can help transform along the way. Here are my five best practices to help grow your leadership and brand sustainably, with a people-first mindset.

Serve First, Scale Second

Leadership starts with service. Too many CEOs chase growth for growth’s sake, forgetting that sustainable success is built on relationships and trust. When you put your team, franchisees, and community at the center of your decision-making, you create a foundation that naturally fuels growth.

Serving first means listening to your people, understanding their challenges, and showing up with humility and integrity. It means celebrating their wins as much as your own and stepping in with support when times get tough.

When service is the priority, scaling stops being forced, it becomes inevitable. People want to be part of something that values them. They stay loyal, work harder, and innovate more because they know their contributions matter.

Build People, Not Just Profits

In franchising, your brand’s success is tied directly to the success of the people who represent it. That’s why I believe in supporting the whole person, not just their professional output.

At Celebree we frequently discuss the “Five Fs”. For me, the ‘Five Fs’ are faith, family, finances, friends, and fitness — but the truth is, everyone’s list might look a little different. What matters is that, as leaders, we create an environment where franchisees and team members feel supported in the areas that are most important to them. Our role is to provide the resources and culture that help people thrive — whatever their version of the ‘Five Fs’ may be, so they bring their best selves to the business. And when they grow personally, the business grows with them.

This isn’t just a feel-good idea. People who are supported holistically are more resilient, creative, and engaged. They’re also more likely to reinvest their success back into the brand, whether through opening additional units, mentoring new franchisees, or finding new ways to serve customers.

Empower Through Trust and Autonomy

One of the hardest lessons for many leaders to learn is how to let go. Early in my career, I thought I had to be involved in every decision. But real growth only happened when I started delegating with intention and trusting my team to take ownership.

Empowerment is about more than just handing off tasks, it’s about giving people the authority and autonomy to make decisions, experiment, and innovate. That trust breeds confidence, which in turn breeds results.

When franchisees know they have the freedom to adapt within the brand’s framework, they bring forward ideas that corporate might never have considered. And when team members feel trusted, they step up in ways that surprise you.

Giving up control is one of the most powerful tools in a leader’s toolkit. It frees you up to focus on the big picture while your people push the day-to-day forward with energy and ownership.

Lead with Purpose, Impact, and Legacy

I’ve always believed that the true measure of a leader isn’t what they build for themselves, but what they help others build. The businesses we run today are temporary; the people we impact are the legacy we leave behind.

That’s why I focus on mentoring, developing financial literacy, and equipping others to step into leadership themselves. At Celebree, we’re creating pathways for entrepreneurs to achieve financial independence while making a meaningful difference in their communities. Through one-on-one sessions, financial literacy workshops, and access to resources and tools, we empower franchisees and team members daily to ensure they are reaching their full potential.

When leaders commit to helping others grow, the ripple effect is enormous. A franchisee who achieves success will create jobs, mentor others, and give back locally. Over time, this creates a network of empowered leaders whose combined impact far exceeds what any single company could accomplish on its own.

Practical Steps for Scaling People

If you’re ready to shift your focus from just scaling profits to scaling people, there are a few practical steps to start.

• Create personal development roadmaps for your team and franchisees that include both business and life goals.
  • At Celebree, this has been instrumental in creating a growth culture, where every member of our organization feels they have the support, resources, and confidence to reach every career goal.
• Equally as important is building mentorship into your culture so that every leader is also a teacher. Whether that be pairing up a new franchisee with a legacy operator, scheduling one-on-one sessions in the home office, or hosting webinars for key topics like financial literacy – these touchpoints go a long way in communication the value you see in each person.
• Celebrate more than just business wins, but the life moments like family milestones, community contributions, personal achievements.
• Ensure that you are consistently auditing your delegation habits to make certain you’re empowering, not micromanaging.
• Stay close to your people via regular check-ins, open lines of communication, and authentic listening.

The New Metric for Success

The best leaders measure success not just by revenue, but by the number of lives they’ve helped transform. Scaling people creates stronger companies, more resilient teams, and communities that thrive alongside your business.

As franchisors, we have the unique privilege, and responsibility, of helping others achieve ownership, independence, and impact. When we lead with service, empower with trust, and commit to building people first, profits will follow.

The question isn’t just how fast can we grow? The question is how many people can we help grow with us? That’s the kind of scaling that lasts.

Richard Huffman is the founder, president, and CEO of Celebree School. For more information about IFA franchisor member Celebree School, please visit franchise.org/franchise-opportunities/celebree-school/.