The following is an excerpt from an article originally published in the October 2026 issue of Franchising Magazine USA.
In a landscape crowded with Al tools and virtual everything, these franchise executives are finding that some of the industry’s oldest playbooks still deliver the best results.
Franchising has never been more technologically advanced, with Al-powered site selection, virtual tours, and algorithm-driven lead scoring reshaping how brands find and evaluate candidates.
However, alongside these advances, we’re seeing some of the most effective growth tactics from the past were never broken.
From in-person meetings to old-school relationship building, a handful of franchise leaders are proving that “old school” and “high performing” aren’t mutually exclusive.
Here, five executives across different sectors of franchising share the 90s-era strategies and why they’re driving results in 2026.
Bringing Back the Membership Economy—Ryan Rao, Chief Development Officer of VIO Med Spa
In franchise development, we spend a lot of time talking about what is new: new technology, new acquisition channels, and new ways to drive transactions. But one of the strongest growth models is one businesses used exceptionally well in the 90s: membership. Gyms, warehouse clubs, and video stores understood that the goal was not simply to make a sale. It was to create a reason for customers to return consistently and drive lifetime value for the business.
When I evaluate a franchise model, I look closely at the customer acquisition cost and lifetime value of the customer. If an owner has to win every customer back from scratch each month and is overly reliant on one-time purchases, the business can become dependent on LTO promotions to drive revenue. A strong membership model changes that dynamic by creating a base of recurring revenue and customers who are already invested in the brand.
For franchise owners, that predictability is powerful. Greater visibility into monthly revenue and demand allows them to make smarter decisions around staffing, inventory, marketing and future investment.
It also gives owners the confidence to focus on building the business for the long term instead of continuously chasing the next one-time transaction.
But membership alone is not a strategy. A recurring charge only becomes recurring revenue when the customer continues to see real value. Franchise leaders have to build the right service mix, operating systems, and customer experience around the model so franchisees are equipped to earn that renewal every month.
At VIO Med Spa, we have applied that thinking to aesthetics, but the lesson holds across franchising. Sustainable growth comes from creating a model that benefits both the owner and the customer over time.
To me, that is the 90s lesson worth reviving. Do not build a business that has to win the same customer over from scratch every month. Build a recurring revenue engine by giving people enough value to keep choosing you.