Monica Feid Talks Franchise Marketing
In the weeks leading up to Street Fight LIVE 2025, we’ll be getting up close and personal with some of our speakers, encouraging them to share stories of how they found themselves in the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. Once such speaker is Monica Feid of agency, Thunderly.
Monica Feid is COO & Co-Founder of Thunderly Marketing, a company with extensive experience supporting franchises with strategic marketing and PR. Here is her perspective on how the agency and franchise ecosystems have evolved.
What compelled you to get into marketing and the franchise world in the first place?
“My first job out of college was for a publishing company on Madison Avenue. My second job was in-house, working my way up to director of marketing at Baylor University. In both roles, I had the opportunity to hire agencies, and I loved what they did. On any given day, their work was so exciting with the range of clients they served.
Then, when I moved to the agency side, my first client account was The Dwyer Group. Let’s just say I learned about franchising from the very best with that assignment. Today, that company is now called Neighborly, the world’s largest home services franchisor with more than 5,500 locations around the world…. and still a client.”
What are some of the most significant changes in the franchise world you’ve seen in the past ten years?
“Without a doubt it’s the PE and M&A activity and the formation of umbrella companies amassing multiple franchisor networks under one roof. The Thunderly client roster is proof. Neighborly, BRIX Holdings, Propelled Brands, Empowered Brands, Best Life Brands, Kahala Brands, and more. We have a front-row seat to platform companies providing shared services to a number of national and international franchise networks under their care. Supporting them has been amazing.”
The agency world?
“Same thing. Agencies have merged to expand services. You cannot be a one-trick pony out there and get the full job done. We’ve learned a thing or two by being on the front lines of client mergers and acquisitions. That’s why we made an agency acquisition of our own. We’ve tripled in size to serve our growing roster and expanded our integrated programs across lead gen advertising, video and podcast production, public relations, content creation, influencer marketing, web design, crisis comms and more.”
You brought two agencies together six months ago under one brand. What was your thinking behind that?
“The world of marketing is changing and agencies must change with it. Likewise, franchisors can hire multiple agencies across various disciplines or focus budgets on full-service agencies with integrated services.
We merged agencies because what worked to support and scale multi-unit location businesses in the past has evolved. You cannot buy your way into winning that audience with only paid advertising or PR or individual tactics. You must take an integrated approach of paid, earned, shared and owned media [a.k.a. the PESO model]. We expanded our team to do that and drive bigger impact in a zero-click era. We have a media relations division, a digital division, a creative services division, and a brand management division that ties it all together.”
What are some of your favorite franchise brands and why?
“Mr. Rooter, Mr. Appliance and Rainbow Restoration (all with Neighborly) top the list. Because home services are recession resistant, we are not a society with DIY skills, and when Winter Storm Uri put the entire State of Texas in a deep freeze, these were the trusted service providers that put my busted pipes and flooded house back in order. I’m a die-hard fan of professionals who can fix things an emergency.
Lastly, I’ve always loved restaurants. And nostalgia runs deep at Thunderly for two of the oldest franchise brands in operation today. Friendly’s, which just celebrated its 90th anniversary, and A&W Restaurants, which is the oldest restaurant franchise in America, at a whopping 106 years and counting! We don’t just support restaurants, we champion icons that pioneered the franchise business model.”
What do you to for fun outside of work?
“I love traveling with my husband, mostly in Europe. London, Paris, Rome, Athens, Florence… you name it. The tourist attractions are great, but we always make time to linger off the beaten path. That’s where the real cultural discoveries live.”
We invite you to Join us and meet meet Thunderly’s Monica Feid (as well as other brand and agency leaders) at Street Fight LIVE 2025 , September 30th in Los Angeles.
