Catherine Monson currently holds the position of CEO at Propelled Brands, where she utilizes her extensive expertise in management and business leadership, as well as her over 25 years of experience in franchising and digital printing. With her impressive background, she is well-suited to lead the company and drive its growth in the franchising industry.
Below are highlights of the interview conducted between World’s Leaders and Catherine Monson:
Describe who you are as a person, inside and outside of the workplace.
I knew as a young child that I wanted to lead a company. While I had to deal with the effects of growing up with an abusive, alcoholic mom, I came to understand in my early 20s that I had a decision to make: I could either be a victim or a victor. I could wallow in “woe is me” victimhood, or I could decide to take personal responsibility for my life, my choices, and my happiness, by choosing to be a victor. I chose—and I choose daily—to be a victor.
I manage with a combination of business acumen, adaptability, and compassion. I am a strong advocate for small businesses and franchising, which is why I spend a large portion of my time and energy serving on the Board of Directors for the International Franchise Association (IFA), the world’s oldest and largest organization representing franchising worldwide. I am now serving as the Immediate Past Chair of the IFA after serving as the Chair of the IFA from February 2020 to February 2022, the only Chair in the 66-year history of the IFA to serve two one-year terms. I truly love championing the franchise business model and supporting so many in the franchising world. I pour myself into the company and the people, spurring them on to even greater success and achievement.
Describe your background and what did you do before you joined the company?
I grew up in a small family business. My parents started one preschool, and over time, they opened another preschool, getting to five locations, then adding kindergarten to all locations and elementary school at their largest location. Growing up in the family business, I would go with my dad on the weekends to the schools to mow the lawns and clean the kitchens and restrooms. While there and on our drive to the schools and back home, we would talk business. I fell in love with the business of business at a very young age. By high school, I wanted to be the president of a large company.
My background in franchising began in 1980 with Sir Speedy, Inc., where I served in many roles, starting as a sales coordinator and quickly being promoted to Western Region Operations Manager. In 1984, I was promoted to Assistant Vice President of Franchise Development and later Vice President of Franchise Development, where I was responsible for opening over 400 Sir Speedy locations. In 1991, I was promoted to Group Vice President of Marketing and Communications, playing an integral role in Sir Speedy developing and becoming the first printing franchise to launch a website. In 1996, I became Vice President of Business Development for Franchise Services, Inc. (FSI), the parent company of Sir Speedy. From January 1997 until April 1999, I was responsible for the turnaround of MultiCopy Europe, FSI’s European subsidiary, serving in the role of Managing Director. My vision of becoming president was fulfilled in 1999, when I was named President of PIP Printing & Document Services (PIP was acquired by Franchise Services, Inc. in 1996). As president, I had the pleasure of successfully reorganizing the company and changing the strategic marketing direction, increasing franchisee satisfaction and profits after six years of decline.
What has made you successful? What do you value?
In my reading, studying, and the mentoring I received, I came to understand that there are 5 common characteristics of all highly successful people, and that all 5 are learned skills. These five common characteristics are a positive mental attitude, goal-directed behavior, self-motivation, a sense of urgency, and never stopping learning. I work to improve at least one of them every day. If I wake up on the wrong side of the bed, I know it’s up to me to get myself in the right frame of mind with a positive mindset. I do something every day to achieve my goals. I work hard to keep learning and to build upon my skill set.
In addition to being CEO of Propelled Brands, I also serve on the boards of directors of Brain Balance, a franchisor with a non-drug alternative for children with behavioral challenges, and Big Blue Swim School, one of the nation’s fastest-growing swim schools.
What are the most important aspects of a company’s culture? What principles do you believe in and how do you build this culture?
I believe in creating a growth-oriented, positive culture and leading my team and the company to meet goals and achieve success. I also know how important it is to create an engaging and positive work culture with integrity, from the top down. Creating and maintaining a positive culture and hiring the best people is imperative. I am truly grateful for my employees, eagerly welcoming new employees aboard and celebrating performance, milestones, and anniversaries.
Give us your opinion on; do organizations rely heavily on individual heroics or team processes?
Team processes and systems are far more important than individual heroics, as team processes and systems are repeatable and scalable. Creating processes and systems and training our team members to implement them with excellence created the foundation that Propelled Brands is built upon. The team mentality and reliance on strong processes and systems are infused into everything we do. Our philosophy of franchise support is to, first and foremost, improve franchise profitability; then, increase average unit sales; continually work to increase the value of the brand, both by outstanding marketing and increasing the number of locations; successfully sell and open franchises and get them to ramp quickly; and increase already-high franchisee satisfaction.
While individual heroics can be nice to have, they are rarely reproducible. Reproducible business processes are what lead to sustainable, long-term business success.
What advice would you give someone going into a leadership position for the first time?
The most successful leaders cultivate a positive mindset and use positive leadership skills. They also need to establish goals for themselves and their team and hold team members accountable for their results to drive the organization forward. It’s important for the leader to be self-motivated as well as thoughtful, considerate, and approachable. It is essential to become an expert in your industry and company and to also become accomplished in leadership. I believe in creating an open-door policy and providing all employees the opportunity to visit with thoughts, questions, or concerns. I would advise any new leader to continually “sharpen the saw.” I do that by reading books on leadership, watching TedTalks, and reading blogs by influential thinkers. I’m also a collector of motivational quotes. I believe strongly in the power of positive thinking and goal-directed behavior. In our office, we reinforce this with visual displays such as our “Inspiration Hall,” which is filled with over 150 quotes that inspire and motivate employees and visitors.
