Stratus Building Solutions’ Michele Nichols Recognized as a 2025 Franchise Rock Star by Franchise Business Review

Grand Rapids, MI – Stratus Building Solutions’ Michele Nichols was honored by franchise research firm, Franchise Business Review, as one of 2025’s Franchise Rock Stars.

Michele was selected from hundreds of nominations from brands that participated in Franchise Business Review’s franchisee satisfaction research.

The Franchise Rock Stars were nominated by their franchise brand’s leadership in one of eight categories as franchisees who set admirable examples when it comes to leadership, business acumen, financial and professional success, and contributing to their community. Categories included: Giving Back, Women, Millennials, Veterans, Family-Owned, “Freshmen”, Top-Performers, and Multi-Unit Owners.

“There are so many stories of inspiring franchise owners who are living their dreams of successful business ownership. Each franchisee brings unique abilities, values, and skills to their franchise brand,” said Eric Stites, founder & CEO of Franchise Business Review. “We’ve seen that most successful franchise owners demonstrate an incredibly strong work ethic, a deep passion for their businesses, and a real commitment to their communities. Our Franchise Rock Star Awards are for those who truly go above and beyond in some special way. We’re thrilled to recognize these Rock Stars as exceptional examples of achieving success within the franchise model.”

When Michele opened the Stratus Building Solutions territory as a Master Franchisee in Grand Rapids in 2020, she wasn’t just launching a business – she was laying the foundation for a legacy. As the heart of this family-run operation, she emerged as a true rockstar in the Stratus system, proving to be a dynamic leader, an organized operator, and a shining example of what it means to be a Master Franchisee.

Michele’s journey into franchising was inspired by the desire to pursue something she and her family could really make their own, creating a legacy for years to come. As such, Michele always intended for this to be a family business – after years of being located separately across the U.S., she was thrilled to have the whole family reunited by Stratus in the Grand Rapids area.

Since opening, Michele has played a central role in every facet of the business. While her sons, Cole and Chase, focus on sales and brand compliance, Michele is the day-to-day leader and heads up the charge in operations, human resources, franchise development, and organizational leadership. She’s the glue that holds the Grand Rapids territory together, building systems, maintaining relationships, and ensuring every franchisee and client feels supported and valued.

Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full list of 2025 Franchise Rock Stars.

About Stratus Building Solutions
Stratus Building Solutions is an international franchise company in the commercial cleaning industry, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Stratus was developed to provide environmentally friendly commercial cleaning services driven by dedicated, entrepreneurial, small-business owners and regional support offices. Stratus has over 4,400 unit-franchisees in 80 major cities across the United States and Canada. Stratus is setting new standards in the building services and maintenance franchise industry by being the first to offer green janitorial products with their proprietary Green Seal Certified line of cleaning chemicals. To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit StratusClean.com/Franchise/Master-Franchise.

About Franchise Business Review

Franchise Business Review (FBR) is a leading market research firm serving the franchise sector. FBR measures the satisfaction and engagement of franchisees and franchise employees and publishes various guides and reports for entrepreneurs considering an investment in a franchise business. Since 2005, FBR has surveyed hundreds of thousands of franchise owners and over 1,300 leading franchise companies. FBR publishes free and unbiased franchisee satisfaction research reports throughout the year online at http://www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com. To read our publications, visit https://franchisebusinessreview.com/page/publications/.