Meet Rachel Southard, the Woman Leading Men In Kilts

Despite its name, Men In Kilts has long included a powerful group of women that lead from all ranks. With a female president, corporate marketing manager, franchisees and technicians, the women of Men In Kilts play a critical role. Most recently, the brand’s president, Rachel Southard, has been making waves through her leadership.

“There’s something very unique about having a woman as President of a concept called Men In Kilts, and I’m excited to be in a position to lead in a way that considers a wider range of life experiences.”

Before joining Men In Kilts, Southard led global innovation operations for Self Esteem Brand’s premier brand, Anytime Fitness for about 10 years. Southard has been committed to creating innovative customer experiences that disrupt industries and help companies grow for her entire career. Her work at Men In Kilts has been no different.

Recently, Men In Kilts has undergone a rebrand as Southard works to shift the brand into something that will be even more appealing to franchisees and clients alike. In many cases, modernizing a brand brings it to the current day and positions it well for future growth and success. 

Beyond her work within the brand, Southard has impacted women in the larger home services franchising space. Men In Kilts is backed by Threshold Brands, a multi-brand home services giant, and Southard has worked to reach beyond her brand’s network to connect with women in the larger Threshold Brands network.

She Dreams, a program Southard recently founded and launched, is another initiative she has taken to include and empower women in the industry. Through networking among the Threshold Brands concepts, She Dreams provides community and empowerment to the women franchise professionals in the heavily male home services space.

As a millennial woman in a male-dominated industry, Southard is not especially advantaged within the space. Regardless, she has worked diligently to find personal success and empower fellow women and others within the network to exceed their goals, demonstrating the values a leader should have.

At the forefront of the brand, Southard is not only shifting visibility and representation within the industry, but she is painting a picture of what strong leadership can look like, making innovation, connection and empowerment an integral part of everyday operations.

The total investment required to begin the operation of a Men In Kilts franchised business ranges from $157,290 to $191,950. This includes $38,000 that must be paid to the franchisor. For more information about Men In Kilts, visit https://meninkiltsfranchising.com/.