Influential Woman · Franchising / Franchise Development
Heather Harris
Chief Executive Officer, Franchise FastLane
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Her Story
About Heather
Heather Harris is the Chief Executive Officer of Franchise FastLane, a leading franchise sales organization focused on helping brands scale responsibly and build long-term value. With nearly three decades of experience across franchising, retail, fitness, office services, and beauty, she has led companies through growth, transformation, repositioning, and successful exits. Her career began in Manhattan, where she held senior leadership roles with global fashion brands including Calvin Klein Jeans and Donna Karan Intimates.
Harris entered franchising as President of CycleBar, where she grew the boutique fitness concept from four locations to more than 200, leading to its acquisition by TPG Growth. She later guided Intelligent Office to a successful sale within 15 months, led a major fitness concept through a turnaround and sale to Life Time Fitness, and repositioned heritage beauty brand Uni K Wax for national growth. Named CEO of Franchise FastLane in 2026, she now draws on her experience running, transforming, and growing brands to help franchisors strengthen their businesses and partnerships.
A former two-sport athlete at Denison University, where she played soccer and basketball, Harris brings a competitive yet collaborative approach to leadership. She believes in listening, developing others, and building strong teams, guided by the philosophy to “play big, scale smart.” At Franchise FastLane, she is focused on strengthening relationships across the company’s portfolio, developing the team, identifying emerging brands earlier, and creating a culture defined by energy, passion, accountability, and responsible growth.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Heather
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to staying curious, listening more than I speak, and being willing to slow down and learn from the people closest to the business. My experiences as a two-sport athlete also taught me the value of discipline, teamwork, competition, and giving 100% effort. Most importantly, I surround myself with people I trust, believe deeply in what I am building, and focus on bringing out the best in others rather than needing to be the star of the show.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is to listen more than I speak and to stay close to the people and customers who are closest to the business. I’ve learned that taking the time to understand what is really happening at the ground level often leads to better decisions and stronger growth. I also believe in finding the “it” factor—the human connection and real impact behind a brand—and building something I genuinely believe in.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the franchise industry is to be confident in your perspective, stay curious, and never be afraid to learn from the ground level. Build strong relationships, listen more than you speak, and surround yourself with people who challenge and support you. Most importantly, believe in what you are building, bring your authentic strengths to the table, and focus on helping others succeed along the way.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities in franchising right now is identifying strong emerging brands early and helping them scale responsibly. The challenge is making sure growth does not come at the expense of brand health, franchisee relationships, or the customer experience. I believe the key is to simplify the message, focus on being best in class, and build strong partnerships that support sustainable, long-term growth.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are integrity, teamwork, accountability, curiosity, and genuine connection. I believe in listening, treating people with respect, giving 100% effort, and surrounding myself with people I trust. I also value humility and the willingness to keep learning, while staying true to what I believe in and helping others grow along the way.
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