WellBiz Brands Hired Franchise Growth Lead
The franchisor of Drybar and Elements Massage has appointed an executive to accelerate its national expansion.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in People
Live Poll
Do you trust that new corporate leadership will improve the services offered in your area?
WellBiz Brands has appointed John Thuringer as its new vice president of franchise growth to lead the company's next phase of brand expansion. Thuringer joins the franchisor following a 17-year tenure at Purpose Brands.
Why it matters
The appointment signals a strategic push by WellBiz Brands to scale its portfolio, which includes brands like Fitness Together and Radiant Waxing, through aggressive franchise recruitment. This shift underscores a focus on growing unit counts by leveraging experienced leadership in high-volume franchise sales.
John Thuringer sold 800 new licenses during his 17-year tenure at Purpose Brands, including 250 in the last three years alone. His performance has been validated by FranNet's No. 1 award, earned twice over that three-year period within a network of 300 total brands.
The players
John Thuringer
A franchise growth executive who previously sold over 800 licenses during a 17-year tenure at Purpose Brands.
WellBiz Brands
A national franchisor managing a portfolio of wellness and fitness brands including Drybar, Elements Massage, and Amazing Lash Studio.
The details
Thuringer focuses on building long-term relationships and trust with prospective franchisees to drive unit growth. He prioritizes helping entrepreneurs develop businesses that establish value within local communities. His role will be to apply this operational model to the WellBiz Brands portfolio to sustain growth across its five core brands.
Timeline
John Thuringer was appointed as vice president of franchise growth on September 22, 2026.
Market Landscape
This appointment follows a broader trend where mature franchisors prioritize veteran sales leadership to maintain momentum in a competitive multi-brand landscape. It reflects the 2024 International Franchise Association report on franchise development trends regarding the value of relationship-based recruitment.
Operators looking to scale their own franchise systems should monitor how WellBiz Brands adapts its recruitment model under new leadership. Evaluate whether your current franchise sales process relies on transactional volume or the relationship-driven strategies highlighted by Thuringer's track record.
The takeaway
WellBiz Brands is betting that a proven track record in high-volume licensing will translate into faster growth for its multi-brand portfolio. Monitor future announcements from the company to identify which of their five brands receive the most aggressive expansion support under this new leadership.
Further reading
For more on shifts in industry leadership, visit our People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sgbonline.
Live Poll
Do you trust that new corporate leadership will improve the services offered in your area?
