NRD Capital announces launch of fund with hiring of Susan Black-Beth

It was going to take something monumental to pull Susan Black-Beth away from her family business, Super Wash, the nation’s largest franchisor of self-serve car washes, where she had spent her entire life working alongside her family as a multi-unit franchisee and then as a franchisor.

“I told my family it would take something truly incredible for me to ever entertain leaving Super Wash. When Aziz told me what he was working on, and explained the kind of work I’d get to do if I joined the team, I knew this was the something truly incredible,” Black-Beth said, noting her and Hashim’s respect for each other’s work and approach to doing business emerged when the two interacted on the Board of Directors of the International Franchise Association. “Aziz is a pioneer, and I couldn’t be more delighted to be a part of his team.” NRD Capital was the perfect next step for Black-Beth, as the entrepreneurial spirit of the company makes it far different from typical corporate private equity. “Making a positive difference has always been a must do for me, that’s what I was raised on,” she said. “I am an operator at heart. Building strong businesses and inspiring franchisees by standing shoulder to shoulder with them is what I love to do. I want to inspire and educate the business owners we engage with to embrace the many intangible values of working with us.  The NRD team is small and mighty!” Alongside Hashim, President and Chief Executive Officer of NRD Holdings and NRD Capital, and incoming chairman of the International Franchise Association, Black-Beth will join the first private, multi-unit franchisee sponsored and managed business fund in the role of Operating Partner, overseeing relationship building with prospective acquisitions and working with portfolio companies to set strategy and help achieve results. “What Susan brings to the table is incredible leadership, deep contacts within the industry and tenacity,” Hashim said. “Her entrepreneurial spirit will vastly help support any acquisition NRD Capital brings on board, especially since we will likely be collaborating with founders and families. Her wealth of experience in franchising will prove pivotal to the success of our fund.” Prior to joining NRD, Black-Beth was Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Super Wash, Inc. In addition to leading franchisee relations and company store operations at her family business, she has been a motivational speaker on topics such as passionate leadership, embracing change, building dynamic teams and cultures. Being part of two traditionally male-driven industries – car washing and franchising – hasn’t impeded Black-Beth in her mentorship and promotion of women, which earned her the IFA’s prestigious Bonny LeVine Award in 2012; the Crystal Compass given by the IFA’s Women’s Franchise Committee celebrating leadership in franchising/company/community in 2013; or from being featured as one of Franchise Times’ “20 to Watch” in 2011. Powered by Hashim, noted as one of the top 50 most influential people within the restaurant industry by Nation’s Restaurant News, NRD Capital finalized its first fund in early January 2015 and is now preparing for the announcement of its first acquisition. “Our strategy, from the very beginning, has not been to necessarily take over completely; rather, to create a partnership. Unlike traditional equity funds or investors, our team has a great deal of flexibility. We value and welcome working with brand founders and effective management teams if they desire to remain involved,” he said.