Mainland

At <a href="https://www.hellomainland.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-career-at-mainland-started-as-a-writer-now-im-here-2711379" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mainland</a>, brand storytelling takes a 360-degree approach. That means that, for each story Mainland tells, there is a team of <a href="https://www.hellomainland.com/marketing?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-career-at-mainland-started-as-a-writer-now-im-here-2711379" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">account managers</a>, <a href="https://www.hellomainland.com/pr-influencer?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-career-at-mainland-started-as-a-writer-now-im-here-2711379" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">media relations experts</a>, <a href="https://www.hellomainland.com/content?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-career-at-mainland-started-as-a-writer-now-im-here-2711379" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">writers, designers and more</a> working to ideate and execute strategies to best tell that story. Madeline Lena has worked on both ends of this storytelling process, starting as a writer and now occupying a hybrid account manager role in which she retains some of her writerly and editorial duties while also working closely with clients to achieve their strategic initiatives. Lena spoke to 1851 Franchise about her background, her passions and how her journey with Mainland evolved into her current position.&nbsp;Lena grew up in Chicago as an avid sports fan. She attended college at Saint Louis University, where she studied communications with a focus in journalism and media studies. While she took some courses in public relations and media, Lena ultimately gravitated toward journalism. She worked at a radio station, did some editorial internships and wrote for a lifestyle magazine before graduating. After college, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/mainland/why-i-left-espn-to-create-content-for-mainland-2709323">Lena landed what she thought was her dream job: a role with ESPN</a>.&nbsp;Lena relocated to Connecticut and worked for ESPN doing real-time reporting and writing short-form content, but she felt frustrated by the lack of interdepartmental mobility. After two and a half years, Lena moved back to Chicago and was brought on as a writer at Mainland.&nbsp;“I started writing for <a href="https://estatenvy.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=a-career-at-mainland-started-as-a-writer-now-im-here-2711379" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ESTATENVY</a>, Mainland’s emerging online real estate development and lifestyle publication, and <a href="https://1851franchise.com/">1851 Franchise</a>, a leading business and franchise-focused magazine that highlights the latest news, thought leaders and trends within the industry,” said Lena.&nbsp;“I knew almost nothing about the franchising industry, but I was up for the challenge,” Lena continued. As a writer, her primary duties included interviewing both franchisees and brand executives to write stories for 1851. “One of the biggest learning curves came with being comfortable understanding a topic and formulating questions around it. I learned a lot very quickly,” Lena said.As she grew increasingly comfortable in her role, Lena honed her writing skills to adapt to a wide range of varying brand voices. “I learned to write in so many different voices across so many different platforms,” Lena said. “As my position grew, I got to write web copy, do press releases and complete other projects like bylines for high-visibility publications. I began to understand the nuances between content marketing and journalism.”Lena found that she was comfortable talking to even the most accomplished executives and CEOs. “People in this industry are very down-to-earth,” said Lena. “I think you find in talking to people that’s it’s possible to hold your own with almost anyone.”Although Lena was excelling as a writer, Mainland’s leadership noticed that her natural charisma and personability would do well in more client-facing roles. “[Mainland’s CEO] Nick approached me and asked if I would be interested in account management, and a few months later I began shadowing <a href="https://1851franchise.com/author/cassidy-mcaloon">Cassidy McAloon</a>, one of our <a href="https://1851franchise.com/nolimitagency/lets-get-ampd-secure-your-target-audience-with-1851s-proprietary-digital-marketing-tool-2711245#brand-latest-stories">Senior Account Managers</a>,” Lena said.Lena began to train on public relations and digital strategy from McAloon, and she continues to learn and grow in the role she has occupied since April of 2019.&nbsp;Presently, Lena wears many different hats at Mainland. “I like defining the editorial calendar and the content strategy aspect,” she said. “It’s fun learning what is special about brands and how to highlight that in an engaging manner. I’m tapping into everything I’ve learned across different brands and then adapting that to best serve my clients.”The biggest skill Lena feels she has learned thus far? Defining the voice of a brand and telling the stories within it.&nbsp;“Coming from a writer’s perspective, I have seen the end product of these client stories and that has given me valuable insight on how to ask the right questions,” Lena said. “In my role, you’re contributing to brand messaging in a way that’s never complete, which is exciting. There are always more stories to be told for a brand and there are so many different ways to tell them. That keeps me engaged and motivated every single day.”&nbsp;

A Career at Mainland: Started As a Writer Now I’m Here

1851 Franchise

How Madeline Lena learned account management skills and took on new opportunities through her journey with Mainland. 


This brand page has been paid for by MAINLAND. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

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Scaling the Soon-to-Be Famous: How Layne’s Chicken Fingers Leveraged a Mainland Franchise Assessment to Fuel a 110% Growth Surge

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The chicken wars aren’t slowing down. If anything, the quick-service chicken category feels more crowded than ever, with brands battling for real estate, franchisees and customer loyalty. Some have hit a wall.&nbsp;<a href="https://layneschickenfranchising.com/">Layne’s Chicken Fingers</a> has not.&nbsp;In 2025, the Texas-founded Soon to Be Famous™ concept posted 110% footprint growth, doubling its restaurant count in a single year. For a brand that built its early following in College Station near Texas A&amp;M, the leap to national relevance has been swift — but it wasn’t accidental.Behind the expansion is a coordinated effort between Layne’s leadership and PR firm&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/">Mainland</a>. The partnership blended operational discipline with sustained media visibility, giving the&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/info">Layne’s</a> brand both the infrastructure and the spotlight needed to grow. With a focus on perfecting chicken fingers, fries and toast, the Layne’s menu is pretty straightforward. But the growth strategy employed was anything but casual.<h2>A Defining Year</h2>By the end of 2025, Layne’s had 40 restaurants open and 10 new franchise owners added to the system. Development momentum continued with a 44-unit agreement and a 15-unit expansion in Wisconsin, pushing the brand toward its ambitiously stated goal of 300 units by 2030.Those numbers quickly began attracting national attention. Layne’s secured the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/future-50-2025/laynes-chicken-fingers">No. 6 position</a> on the Restaurant Business 2025 Future 50 list and ranked No. 366 on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500">Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500</a>. Systemwide sales grew as well, climbing 67% to reach an impressive $30 million.For the Layne’s leadership team, the growth traces back to a clear philosophy: delicious food and franchise support above all else. Layne’s COO&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/samir-wattar-0a4187a/">Samir Wattar</a> describes the company’s unique approach."Franchisees sign with us for services," he said. "That’s a mind shift because they run restaurants. Part of servicing franchisees is saying no to protect them and protect the brand. We’re building a support organization for a brand that we’re really passionate about."Layne’s treats franchisees as the primary customer. And it’s a mindset that shapes everything from operations to development strategy.<h2>Getting the Word Out Before the Doors Opened</h2>A central piece of Mainland’s approach was securing credible, third-party exposure. Rather than relying solely on traditional advertising, the focus was on great storytelling that would secure earned media in each new market.In Little Rock, Arkansas, Layne’s appeared on KARK-TV (CBS), where Director of Marketing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-reynolds-957a3151/">Ashley Reynolds</a> introduced local viewers to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kark.com/video/game-day-made-easy-with-layne%e2%80%99s-tailgate-packs/11136197/">brand’s tailgate packs</a>. In Oregon, KDRV-TV (ABC) profiled franchisee Dalton Dennis and his efforts to bring&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon-2730210">Layne’s to Grants Pass</a>. KWTX-TV (CBS) in Waco covered an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kwtx.com/2025/12/06/restaurant-report-card-waco-central-texas-12525/">upcoming opening in Lampasas</a>.At the national level, outlets such as QSR Magazine, Nation’s Restaurant News and Franchise Times ran deeper features on the brand’s culture and leadership, including coverage of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cuyler-e-51047a2a/">Cuyler Esposito’s</a> appointment as vice president of culture and operations.&nbsp;For prospective operators, this kind of coverage signals more than enthusiasm for the brand. It signifies organizational maturity.<h2>Turning Attention Into Traffic</h2>The real impact of that media push showed up at store openings.In Virginia, a franchisee reportedly opened without spending on traditional marketing. As a result of Mainland’s marketing efforts,&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/layneschickenfingers/laynes-chicken-fingers-franchise-six-figure-opening-2729437#stories">opening day traffic backed up onto the highway</a>. Local news coverage had already introduced the brand to the community and explained what made it different.That kind of momentum carries weight beyond consumer traffic. For potential franchisees, seeing a brand featured in Restaurant Business, or highlighted on local television, reinforces confidence. Visibility suggests stability. Stability supports multi-unit decisions.<h2>More Than a Vendor Relationship</h2>Wattar has worked with Mainland across three different concepts. He describes the relationship as long-term and built on trust rather than transaction."They’ve been there for me through thick and thin," Wattar said. "They’ve been there when things are bad and helped me out of it. And they’ve been there for me when things are good and helped me celebrate. I’ve never had the intention of looking elsewhere. The most important thing is having the relationship with the person you’re dealing with and building that trust."Layne’s sets development targets each year: how many restaurants to open, how many franchisees to bring on. And Mainland has become a significant part of that strategic conversation."I’m not an expert in getting leads or PR. But I know how to sell and I believe in our brand," Wattar said. "I rely on Mainland to come up with the ideas. ‘How am I going to achieve my goal?’"<h2>Scaling With Structure</h2>As Layne’s pushes toward 2026 and beyond, the company views public relations and media exposure as part of the scaffolding that supports growth. National expansion requires more than signed agreements. It requires awareness in markets where the brand name might still be unfamiliar. And Mainland can help.The investment to open a Layne’s Chicken Fingers franchise ranges from $451,500 to $1,050,000. For many operators, that figure represents years of saving, planning and personal commitment. It’s something Layne’s Chicken Fingers not only understands but embraces, supporting franchisees at the local level which helps further scale the brand."To us, it’s a job. To them, it’s a livelihood," Wattar said. "The restaurant business has evolved, but the fundamentals haven’t changed. Service. Transparency. Be open. Franchisees are your bread and butter. They’re making the investment. We have to listen to them.”Layne’s growth story isn’t built solely on a hot category or a trending menu item. It’s built on disciplined operations, selective franchise development and a steady drumbeat of visibility in the markets it enters.For brands hoping to follow a similar path, the lesson is straightforward: growth requires both a strong internal foundation and a clear external voice. When those two move in sync, a regional favorite can begin to look like a national contender. And a&nbsp;<a href="https://hellomainland.com/company/#our-services">Mainland franchise assessment</a> can help deliver strategic growth.Growing and selling franchises is difficult. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisors grow their franchises with confidence? Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.1851growthclub.com">www.1851growthclub.com</a> and see what we can do for you.

The rapidly expanding chicken concept used expert operational insights and earned media placements to secure a landmark 44-unit deal and double its restaurant footprint in a single year.

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