1851

Founded in April of 2017, <a href="https://www.oakscale.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Oakscale</a> is a tech-driven franchise development company incubated by technology-and-digital-marketing company <a href="https://www.metriccollective.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Metric Collective</a> and led by CEO <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuakovacs/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Joshua Kovacs</a>. In October 2019, the fledgling company received a major boost when it <a href="https://1851franchise.com/what-oakscales-12-million-seed-funding-round-means-for-technology-and-the-franchising-industry-2711426#franbuzz">raised $1.2 million in a seed funding round</a> led by angel investors Brett Barna, Timothy Tully, Pen King Jr. and Robert Huntington with participation from Horsman Holdings and Liveris Family Office, as well as other investors. Kovacs spoke with 1851 about how and why Oakscale was founded, how it works and what it means for the future of franchising.&nbsp;1851 Franchise: Tell us a little bit about your background.Joshua Kovacs: At 26, I’m probably one of the younger executives in the franchise space. My jump into franchising started back in high school when <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2016/02/17/former-teacher-builds-a-multimillion-dollar-global-business-engineering-for-kids?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">my engineering teacher Dori Roberts developed Engineering for Kids</a>, a <a href="https://www.engineeringforkids.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">supplemental education franchise that teaches fundamentals of engineering to students ages 4 to 14</a>.&nbsp;I was an instructor at her initial location, and I saw that I was on the ground floor of something pretty big. I really learned the pros and cons of franchising, and I got to be part of the team that took it from one location to more than 130. I learned firsthand how powerful the franchise model is at scaling businesses.Engineering for Kids became one of <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500/2020?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 brands</a>. From there, I decided to explore franchising a little further. I attended Georgetown University to earn a certificate in Franchise Management, and shortly after that, I began working for <a href="http://www.fransmart.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">FranSmart</a>, the world’s largest franchise development company focused on restaurants. I joined just as <a href="https://thehalalguys.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The Halal Guys</a> was taking off, and I really cut my teeth there on their franchise sales team.1851: What was the inspiration for founding Oakscale?Kovacs: I realized the franchise industry, for all its benefits, is a very sleepy industry. Many of the people who work in franchising are of an older generation, and some of the most widely-used strategies can be quite antiquated.&nbsp;I stumbled across a Forbes article talking about franchising and technology. Of course, it piqued my interest. I began to consider digital marketing as a stronger way to reach a franchising audience.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.metriccollective.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Metric Collective</a>, a large tech company in NYC that owns <a href="https://www.franchisehelp.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">FranchiseHelp.com</a> as well as <a href="https://www.franfunnel.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">FranFunnel</a> and <a href="https://www.metricdigital.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising-2712410" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Metric Digital</a>, was mentioned in the article. I couldn’t believe I was reading the words franchise and technology in the same piece, and I wanted to learn more about what Metric Collective was doing. I traveled to New York to visit the office and got to see that they were solving issues that franchisors didn't even realize needed to be solved yet. On the other hand, I noticed that out of all of the incredible, intelligent people on this team, none of them had ever actually sold a franchise themselves. I left Virginia and moved to New York to start Oakscale.&nbsp;1851: In a nutshell, what does Oakscale do?Kovacs: We call ourselves a tech-enabled franchise development agency. I’ve taken data and best practices from Metric Collective to work with emerging franchisors anywhere between just starting out and having 50 to 100 units. Many franchisors are good at support or have developed a solid product but don’t know how to execute on the franchise development side — that’s where we come in.&nbsp;Our thesis is that most franchisors know their business model, but when it comes to scaling a business, the skill sets aren’t often aligned. Franchisors are most successful when they’re able to focus on their core business model.&nbsp;1851: How does Oakscale differentiate itself from other franchise development companies?Kovacs: When we look at franchise development, we see that many companies are following the same basic business model. The industry is still focused on shows and broker networks but very few have really figured out how to generate leads and scale via digital marketing. We’ve developed a mature tech stack to communicate with leads the way they want to be communicated with, through text messages, and allows us to reach a broad audience across a variety of channels to find the perfect franchisees.&nbsp;We’re always thinking of different ways of increasing the visibility of franchise brands. The gold standard right now is a discovery day, where candidates fly out to meet with the franchisor. We want to bring discovery days as close as possible to people without having to make that jump. We have to give people more than just a brochure and let them see the team in action.&nbsp;There are a lot of initiatives that we have seen in the franchise space to lure in Millennials and the next generation of franchise buyers. The people who are buying franchises are communicating in a more tech-focused way. People want more transparency and want to get as much information as they can online, and that’s where Oakscale comes in, to meet those needs through technology and digital marketing.

Tech Spotlight: How Oakscale Is Using Tech to Change the Future of Franchising

1851 Franchise

The NYC-based franchise development company is poised for growth following a $1.2 million seed funding round.

tech-spotlight-how-oakscale-is-using-tech-to-change-the-future-of-franchising

Sola Salons

Sola Salons Targets Chicago for Strategic Franchise Growth

sola-salons-targets-chicago-for-strategic-franchise-growth

Melting Pot

Photo of Melting Pot white chocolate fondue

How Melting Pot Franchisees Drive Year-Round Success Through Strategic Promotions and Local Marketing

melting-pot-franchise-year-round-success

Crust Pizza Co.

Crust Pizza Co. - Technology Piece - CTO Nick Fontenot - May 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Crust Pizza Co. Builds the Future of Franchising With Tech-First Strategy

crust-pizza-co-technology-nick-fontenot-cto

Paris Baguette

Paris Baguette’s Recipe for Expansion: Leadership, Community and A Vision for 1,000 Cafés by 2030

paris-baguettes-recipe-for-expansion-leadership-community-and-a-vision-for-1000-cafes-by-2030

Seniors Helping Seniors®

Franchisee Spotlight with Billy and Anita Clark and Seniors Helping Seniors

Heart and Purpose: Couple Launch Seniors Helping Seniors® Franchise in Northern Arizona

heart-and-purpose-couple-launch-seniors-helping-seniors-franchise-in-northern-arizona

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands - 1851 Franchise

DoorDash Expansion Could Reshape Delivery and Operations for Franchise Brands

doordash-acquistions-deliveroo-sevenrooms

Crumbl Franchise Investment - TSG Consumer Partners -  1851 Franchise

TSG Consumer Partners Takes Minority Stake in Crumbl, Signaling Franchise Growth Potential

crumbl-franchise-investment-tsg-consumer

Yum Brands Reports Strong Q1 Results with Big Boost from Taco Bell

yum-brands-reports-strong-q1-results-with-big-boost-from-taco-bell

QSR: McDonald’s Gains Momentum With Chicken Innovation, Value Deals and Franchisee Support

mcdonalds-franchise-recovery-chicken-strategy-value-deals-2025

The Future of Franchising: Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond

the-future-of-franchising-trends-and-predictions-for-2025-and-beyond

Layoffs Surge to Pandemic-Era Highs, Opening Doors for Franchise Growth

layoffs-surge-to-pandemic-era-highs-opening-doors-for-franchise-growth

Restaurant Business: Crumbl Cools Its Expansion, Refocuses on Profitability

restaurant-business-crumbl-cools-its-expansion-refocuses-on-profitability

Franchisee spotlight image with Randy and Sandy Craft, Children's Lighthouse logo on blue background

The Crafts’ Successful Journey from New Parents to Children’s Lighthouse Franchisees

the-crafts-successful-journey-from-new-parents-to-childrens-lighthouse-franchisees

Franchisee spotlight image with photo of Robert Trujillo and UWRG logo on blue background

How Robert Trujillo Expanded His Construction Business With UWRG

how-robert-trujillo-expanded-his-construction-business-with-uwrg

District Taco Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2025

franchise-deep-dive-district-tacos-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: Building Your Brand’s Growth Machine

ultimate-guide-to-selling-franchises

Tech Spotlight: How Oakscale Is Using Tech to Change the Future of Franchising

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS