Mainland

At 30, <a href="https://www.hellomainland.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-i-left-the-big-agency-world-to-join-mainland-account-manager-jason-heilweil-tells-all-2709178" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mainland</a> Account Manager Jason Heilweil has already built an enviable resume.Having worked for both large and small agencies such as Weber Shandwick and DKC - he has had the chance to represent major accounts that included <a href="https://www.today.com/video/cyber-monday-how-to-get-the-biggest-bang-for-your-buck-1103425091853?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-i-left-the-big-agency-world-to-join-mainland-account-manager-jason-heilweil-tells-all-2709178" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Coupons.com</a>, <a href="https://www.ballerstatus.com/2018/02/21/inside-jack-daniels-lynchburg-general-store-pop-la/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-i-left-the-big-agency-world-to-join-mainland-account-manager-jason-heilweil-tells-all-2709178" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Jack Daniel’s</a>, <a href="https://foodsided.com/2018/03/15/chili-madness-best-chili-toppings/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-i-left-the-big-agency-world-to-join-mainland-account-manager-jason-heilweil-tells-all-2709178" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">HORMEL Chili</a> and <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/11/27/black-friday-craft-beer-goose-island/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-i-left-the-big-agency-world-to-join-mainland-account-manager-jason-heilweil-tells-all-2709178" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Goose Island</a>, while securing coverage in outlets ranging from the TODAY Show, to Fortune, to Fansided.In late 2018, he decided it was time for a change, so he started his job search. Like so many public relations professionals, the University of Tampa graduate learned about Mainland the old-fashioned way - through the grapevine.“Friends of mine in the public relations space in the past had heard about Mainland and about the work that was being done here,” he said. “As I was starting to consider making a change in my career path to work for a smaller agency, my friends’ feedback prompted me to take a deeper look. I looked up the Mainland website and its other channels, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/">1851 Franchise</a> and <a href="https://estatenvy.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-i-left-the-big-agency-world-to-join-mainland-account-manager-jason-heilweil-tells-all-2709178" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ESTATENVY.com</a>, and I could tell there was a lot of great work being done here.”Based on the clients Mainland was working with, he felt he could offer plenty of industry knowledge. He also figured he could learn. This was important to Heilweil. While he certainly wanted to contribute to the cause, he also wanted to pick up new skills.“I had never worked with franchise companies before coming to Mainland,” he said. “The majority of my work in the past has been with larger CPG brands, working with everything from food to beverage to technology. I did a lot of work within the pet product space as well. In my professional career, I never want to find myself in a spot where I know everything. I always like to learn new things.”He saw the posting for the Account Manager role at Mainland on LinkedIn and decided to go for it. The role has ended up being a bit different from his previous role as an account supervisor.“As account managers at Mainland, we focus on every aspect of the business, which is similar to other roles I’ve had in the past,” he said. “But the biggest difference is on the content side. Agencies I’ve worked with in the past didn’t have editorial platforms while I was there. That was something new for me, and is a great offering for our clients.”Mainland’s size was also a huge draw for Heilweil. While there are benefits and resources at a larger agency, he also sees many pros to working in a smaller setting. He didn’t feel as if he had as much ownership when he worked in larger settings, whereas he found smaller work settings to be more “invigorating.” Throughout his career, regardless of the agency size, what he enjoyed most is being part of a group of individuals who were prepared to work hard and bring fresh ideas.The decision to make the jump to Mainland ultimately had to do with the enthusiasm he saw when he came in for his interview, and even though Mainland was a smaller enterprise, he still felt the resources would be solid.It was clear to Heilweil from his onsite interviews with five various Mainland executives and account team members that he was in a special place.“You could tell that the passion was there, that they felt their work was benefitting the client,” he said. “At the end of the day, that’s what I care about the most. I want to deliver the best work I can for clients. Knowing I’m surrounded by people who all feel that same way makes me excited &nbsp;to come to work every day.”He felt that everyone he met at Mainland brought something different to the table. He was also excited about the <a href="https://estatenvy.com/details/721/What-Can-1-mill-ion-Get-You-In-Nashville-?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-i-left-the-big-agency-world-to-join-mainland-account-manager-jason-heilweil-tells-all-2709178" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">prospect of writing</a> more as part of his day-to-day job and crafting media pitches.“I view myself as a very creative person, and I’ve always loved the media relations side of the business. I love working with reporters and coming up with real quality stories they can run,” he said. “I’m also a writer on the side, so just knowing I would have the opportunity to draft editorial content was something I knew I’d enjoy here.”Heilweil also wanted a role that would provide him a good sense of work-life balance. Previous work experiences sometimes involved having work carry into the evenings and weekends, as event planning was also a large part of Heilweil’s responsibilities. &nbsp;“To me, work-life balance is not so much the sense of ‘I want to do things on my own terms,’” he said. “I’m a hard worker and I know the people around me are hard workers. Work-life balance, to me, is the ability to come to work during the time you’re supposed to, get your work done, be proactive, not take elongated breaks and really maximize your time. Mainland respects me as a person, and because of that, I work hard.”Heilweil remembers seeing this respect and enthusiasm when he came in for his interview.“I think that when I was explaining to the team what I’m passionate about and what I enjoy, I was able to see in their faces the things they were excited about,” he said. “I could tell this was a place where I could fit in and a team and culture I could believe in and feel passionate about.”

Why I Left the Big Agency World to Join Mainland: Account Manager Jason Heilweil Tells All 

1851 Franchise

A desire to return to a smaller agency and step into a role that would give him more creative license prompted him to make the move. 

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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How To Craft PR Stories That Connect: How Mainland Focuses On The Human Hero Of A Story

Why I Left the Big Agency World to Join Mainland: Account Manager Jason Heilweil Tells All

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