Mainland

Melanie Heicklen joined <a href="https://www.hellomainland.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-melanie-heicklen-left-the-real-estate-industry-to-join-mainland-2711467" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mainland</a> in April of 2019 and has already solidified her place as a vital member of the account management team. Heicklen grew up in New Jersey, just outside of New York City. While Heicklen struggled to find her niche in school, she discovered that her confidence and strong communication skills made her well-suited for sales and media relations.&nbsp;Melanie attended the University of Colorado in Boulder where she majored in Journalism and Media Studies. “My people skills turned out to be my greatest asset in the workforce because I knew how to leverage personal relationships and interface with clients in a way that really drives results and growth,” said Heicklen.&nbsp;Heicklen’s family is in the real estate business, and it was an industry within which she always felt a certain level of comfort. During school, Heicklen worked several internships in the real estate industry, and after graduation landed a job with <a href="https://www.corcoran.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-melanie-heicklen-left-the-real-estate-industry-to-join-mainland-2711467" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Corcoran Group</a>—a powerhouse of New York real estate.&nbsp;“A big part of real estate is helping people to envision their lives,” said Heicklen. “It’s very aspirational—you’re selling people a lifestyle.”Following her time at the Corcoran Group, Heicklen got her first taste of agency life at a small, 12-person firm in NYC. It was there that she started working in branding, website development and marketing for real estate. “When I moved to Chicago I wanted to recreate a similar environment,” said Heicklen. “I was interested in surrounding myself with high-achieving, intelligent and goal-oriented people, but I also wanted to solidify relationships and create some roots of my own in a new city.”After reaching out to <a href="https://www.nolimitagency.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-melanie-heicklen-left-the-real-estate-industry-to-join-mainland-2711467" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">No Limit Agency</a> after a brief stint with a home services franchise, Heicklen realized the <a href="https://www.nolimitagency.com/about?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=why-melanie-heicklen-left-the-real-estate-industry-to-join-mainland-2711467" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">culture-driven community</a> was exactly what she was looking for.&nbsp;“Something that I learned through my prior roles was that I definitely wanted to do something interactive and relationship-forward,” Heicklen said. “I think the real estate industry really set me up for that in terms of learning how to establish those personal relationships. At the end of the day, marketing is marketing, whether you’re selling a fitness brand or a penthouse apartment. You have to find common ground with your audience.”By working with primarily franchise brands in her role with Mainland, Heicklen has found a calling through which she is allowed to not only form those relationships with clients, but to propel them forward toward growth through strategic marketing, content creation and public relations efforts.&nbsp;“What I love about Mainland is helping local business owners find success and realize their dreams,” Heicklen said. “We find what makes an individual interesting and what sets them apart from the competition, and through that we create their stories and tell them to the world.”“There’s a lot of emotionality that you invest into a business alongside your finances,” Heicklen continued, “and I love being a part of that transformation for franchisees.”Heicklen regularly speaks with business owners who have <a href="https://1851franchise.com/mosquitohunters/how-mosquito-hunters-first-franchisee-overcame-physical-obstacles-to-pursue-business-ownership-2707768">overcome huge obstacles</a>, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/saladworks/why-saladworks-is-the-perfect-franchise-opportunity-for-veterans-2710864#franchisee">served in the armed forces</a>, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/burnbootcamp/christina-hegna-wanted-to-make-more-time-for-fitness-so-naturally-shes-opening-a-burn-boot-camp-franchise-2709824#brand-latest-stories">experienced a physical transformation through fitness</a> and more. “Being able to manage that relationship and be the one that helps them find a tangible piece of success is so special to me. For many of our clients, the work we do for them could result in the first time seeing their name in print. That’s a huge milestone that we get to be a part of.”“I think the biggest part of finding the right career path comes from identifying your strengths,” Heicklen concluded. “Evaluate a job not just based on your career goals, but how it caters to the community that you fit into.”&nbsp;

Why Melanie Heicklen Left the Real Estate Industry to Join Mainland

1851 Franchise

Account Manager Melanie Heicklen found her strength in account management at Mainland through a background in real estate sales. 


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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