Through its partnership with Franchise FastLane, Dakota London is building its franchise network with a focus on finding the right owners and closely supporting them throughout the development process. And for Jen Gebetsberger, Dakota London’s second official franchisee, that approach is already shaping her experience.
As she prepares to open her first salon in North Denver, Colorado, Jen’s experience offers a firsthand look at what smart franchise growth can look like when development is built around fit, transparency, and strong support.
Smart Franchise Growth Starts With the Right Fit
After spending several years as a stay-at-home mom, she re-entered the workforce with a small campus security SaaS company. After 7 years of climbing from admin assistant to director of U.S. operations at a SaaS company, she and her husband, Greg, started looking for what’s next.
Jen and Greg spent roughly a year and a half exploring franchising, considering concepts across both the trades and beauty industries. They wanted to pursue a business they could operate with a manager while Jen handled administrative responsibilities behind the scenes.
Then their franchise consultant introduced them to Dakota London. As a longtime hair-extension customer herself, Jen immediately understood the consumer side of the concept, which gave her a head start in evaluating the brand. She joined executive calls, spent time getting to know the brand’s senior leadership, evaluated the opportunity, and ultimately signed with Dakota London in January 2026.
“I loved the concept. I loved the product. I loved the senior leadership team. I loved everything about it,” Jen said. “So I haven’t looked back.”
That kind of alignment is an important part of responsible franchise growth. Sustainable development is about bringing people into a system who understand the concept, believe in its potential, and are prepared to participate actively in building the business. That’s why Franchise FastLane works to make sure prospective owners have the information they need to fully understand the opportunity before they sign.
Support Grows with the Franchise System
Joining a young franchise system comes with a different set of considerations than joining a brand with hundreds of established franchisees. Jen understood that when she became one of Dakota London’s earliest owners. What gave her confidence was the level of access and structure surrounding her.
Dakota London holds weekly stylist calls covering techniques and customer-facing tools, as well as cohort calls organized by each franchisee’s stage in the opening process. Early-stage owners might discuss leases, construction, and permitting, and as they progress, those conversations evolve into product ordering, salon design, hiring, technology, and operational execution.
Outside of those structured meetings, Jen has direct access to the leadership team when questions arise. On the stylist and hiring side, she turns to Katy, COO and co-founder, and for construction and build-out questions, she works with Scott, CEO and co-founder. Jenni, VP of Franchise Operations, has been her go-to for implementing operational systems and ensuring prospective customers can properly connect with the salon through its digital platforms.
“The accessibility to the senior team is very open and fluid so that I can have those questions answered quickly,” Jen said.
A brand can add franchisees quickly, but that growth can become increasingly difficult to sustain if its systems and franchisee support do not mature at the same pace. Franchise FastLane’s role is to help brands ensure the infrastructure behind the development pipeline is ready for the people entering it.
Early Franchisees Can Help Build a Stronger Brand
Being an early franchisee also gives Jen an opportunity to help shape Dakota London as it grows. By identifying questions, testing systems in real-world conditions, and sharing feedback along the way, she can help strengthen the experience for the owners who follow.
Jen has developed relationships with franchisees in Salt Lake City and Cleveland, comparing notes on stylist hiring, interviews, administration, and the opening process. The owners can share challenges and wins as they progress through different stages of development.
Franchise FastLane is also bringing that firsthand experience into conversations with the next wave of prospective owners. Jen stays in regular contact with Megan Tewes, Director of Franchise Development at Franchise FastLane, and has joined introductory calls with candidates evaluating Dakota London. Because Jen is still moving through the development process herself, she can offer a current perspective on everything from costs to hiring and working with Dakota London’s leadership and stylist teams.
Those conversations provide prospective franchisees with another layer of real-world insight as Franchise FastLane helps them understand the opportunity and determine whether Dakota London is the right fit. For an emerging franchise system, that creates a valuable cycle: each new franchisee helps the brand learn and refine its processes, and those experiences help Franchise FastLane better prepare the owners who may come next.
Responsible Growth Continues After the First Location
Jen is now working toward opening her North Denver salon. Even before the doors are open, she already has prospective customers reaching out and a stylist ready to get to work. She’s also spent months laying the groundwork in the community, joining chambers, attending networking events, and introducing herself locally as the future owner of Dakota London.
Jen and Greg expect to evaluate a second location roughly two years after opening their first. They have already conducted market research across Broomfield, Boulder, Westminster, and the surrounding area and have an idea of where another salon could eventually fit within the market.
Before they get there, though, they want proof: a loyal customer base, an established culture, a clear read on the local market, and results from the first salon strong enough to justify the next one.
“If you build strong relationships, those relationships will drive your success,” Jen said. “Let’s focus on listening to our clients and delivering great results—success will make all the noise.”
Responsible franchise growth is built on relationships with the right franchisees, strong communication, responsive support, and systems that evolve with the network. With Franchise FastLane guiding development, the brand can build momentum without losing sight of who is joining the system or what they need to succeed.
Franchise FastLane’s approach to sustainable growth is worth a conversation. Connect with our team to learn more about what smart scaling looks like for your brand.
FAQs
Does Franchise FastLane only work with brands that are ready to scale quickly?
No. Some brands come in with the infrastructure to grow fast, and others need to build out training, support, or operations first. Franchise FastLane works with brands wherever they are, including advising a slower pace when the systems underneath aren’t ready yet.
What advantage does Franchise FastLane offer over an in-house franchise development team?
Partnering with Franchise FastLane gives brands a full franchise development department, best-in-class marketing team, and a network of trusted industry partners, without the overhead of building it in-house. Brands also gain access to the MasterMind program, where founders learn directly from others who have faced the same growth challenges and can help them avoid costly mistakes.
What kind of support does Franchise FastLane provide to franchise brands?
Support varies by brand, since every franchise system faces different challenges. For some, that means building out a stronger sales process; for others, it’s marketing support or operational consistency. In some cases, Franchise FastLane also advises brands to slow growth until the right infrastructure is in place, rather than scaling ahead of their systems.