From Success to Significance. That’s the topic of this interview with Shannon Wilburn, CEO and Co-founder of Just Between Friends Franchise Systems, Inc.
In this episode Shannon reminisces about the journey from ‘just an idea’ two young mothers had for making a little extra cash to growing a franchise system with over 150 franchisees. Shannon has enjoyed the journey, loved her franchisees, served many communities and remains passionate about making a difference.
Now, after 25 years, she is asking herself: what’s next? This is a question many successful entrepreneurs ask themselves. They ponder who am I without my business? What is my true identity? How can I apply my God-given talents in other ways?
Shannon knows her true identity is in Christ, and a few of her many talents include business – but the rest remains to be seen as she moves from Success to Significance.
Listen to this episode on The Franchise Woman podcast: Where Passion & Purpose Collide here.
Meet Shannon Wilburn
Shannon Wilburn is the co-founder and CEO of Just Between Friends Franchise Systems, Inc., North America’s leading pop-up children’s and maternity consignment sale. Just Between Friends (JBF) has 150+ franchises in 32 states. Each franchise hosts two or more seasonal sales a year in their community where they provide a marketplace for families selling items to earn 60 to 70% on those items sales and families shopping to save 50 to 90% off retail prices.
A critical part of the JBF culture includes each franchise partnering with a local charity to give back to their community. Since 2003, Just Between Friends franchises and consignors have donated more than $40 million in cash and in-kind donations to charitable organizations throughout the nation—almost $6M of it in 2021 alone. Resources stay within the community, benefitting family-serving organizations locally. This giving focus won JBF the Franchising Gives Back Gold Award in 2019—recognition for what it means to be a part of the franchising industry by giving back to his or her local community. A key long-term goal for JBF is to continue to grow that giving to reach $100M in donations by the year 2030—JBF’s “Vision 2030.”
Shannon was awarded the Bonnie LeVine Award in 2021—the highest honor given to women by the International Franchise Association for work done to empower others in Franchising. The Bonnie LeVine award recognizes women who are role models for all, but especially women, by their business and professional accomplishments within franchising and their contributions to the entire society. Bonnie LeVine award winners lead by example, demonstrate purpose, and focus on advancing women in franchising.
JBF was named to Forbes “Top Ten Franchises in America” for 4 years, has been named in the top franchises for franchisee satisfaction by Franchise Business Review for 14 years. Shannon serves as a task force lead on the Membership Committee for the International Franchise Association as well as serves on her church’s Marketing Advisory Team. JBF has received national attention on Good Morning America, The Today Show, ABC News, CBS the Early Show, and FoxBusiness.com to name a few.
Learn more about Shannon Wilburn
Learn more about Just Between Friends