Just Between Friends Honors Franchisees at Annual Conference

After another successful year with system-wide sales topping $31 million, Just Between Friends (JBF) franchise recently celebrated that performance at their Annual Conference. The two most prestigious awards — Franchise of the Year and the Community Impact Award — were awarded to franchise owners Sue Endle and Karen Miner, respectively.

Sue Endle has owned and operated her Minnesota franchise for two and a half years after purchasing it from the previous owners. During that time, the franchise has experienced tremendous growth. 

The independent judges who chose Sue Endle and her Woodbury event as the winning franchise said one key deciding factor is that Endle had the “strongest economic model” of the franchisee candidates in contention. Since purchasing the franchise in 2016, Endle has increased sales at her event in Woodbury by more than 200 percent. 

“I am thrilled the judges chose Sue Endle and even more excited about this tremendous growth. Not only is this great news for her business, it also means she and JBF are helping even more families save and make money. That is the heart of Just Between Friends,” says Shannon Wilburn, CEO and co-founder of JBF. 

Endle focused on marketing through community building and saw impressive growth through social media. In two years, she tripled the number of Facebook fans and her email list. 

“I am honored that the judges chose my franchise for this award. When my family and I purchased this franchise from the previous owners in 2016, it was a tremendous leap of faith. We truly wanted to create a community event that was a win-win-win for all involved. And I believe our success can be attributed to following the core mission of JBF ‘to glorify God by bringing communities together in a welcoming, friendly venue.’ I am excited to see what 2019 will bring and to be able to help more families in Woodbury,” Endle says.

When Hurricane Michael hit the Florida panhandle last October, Gainesville, Florida, franchisee Karen Miner put out a call for her JBF consignors and shoppers to help. 

Miner’s JBF community responded generously, bringing donations to her venue in Newberry: diapers, clothing and other family necessities. Volunteers joined her, and they worked extra hours to fulfill the needs of their charity partner, Healthy Families. They also sorted and organized 29 boxes and 44 bags to help the families. JBF of Gainesville partnered with the city of Newberry and 10 CAN, a nonprofit based in Newberry, to deliver the supplies to the families in need. 

“It was such a blessing to help our neighbors during this tremendous time of need. I was so proud at how my consignors, shoppers and volunteers all pulled together to make it happen. It truly was a team effort. The city of Newberry, along with 10 CAN, worked tirelessly to help make it all happen and get the supplies to the many families in need,” Miner says. 

An independent team of judges chose Karen Miner and Just Between Friends of Gainesville as this year’s Community Impact Award winner. The judges said they were overwhelmed and impressed with Miner’s generosity and ability to rally her community on short notice for such a big event. One judge noted that “Hurricane Michael was such a devastating event that this franchisee could have stood back and asked for help herself, yet she saw a need and knew she could do something about it. (She) showed her community the love and compassion that JBF works hard to display to communities across the country.” 

“At Just Between Friends we strive to make a difference in every community we serve, and our franchisees make it happen all year long. Karen Miner went above and beyond to help during a devastating event in her state. I am so proud of how she represented JBF then and all year long,” Wilburn says.

There’s never been a better time to join our growing franchise. Just Between Friends franchisees can support their families while having a flexible schedule and helping their communities. Find out more by exploring our research pages or requesting a copy of our free Franchise Information Report.