United Water Restoration Group

As vice president of franchise operations at&nbsp;<a href="https://uwrgfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-a-new-franchise-owner-elevated-her-business-to-a-record-breaking-year-while-working-full-time-2730226" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">United Water Restoration Group (UWRG)</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissy-gregory-258bb4b/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-a-new-franchise-owner-elevated-her-business-to-a-record-breaking-year-while-working-full-time-2730226" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Chrissy Gregory</a> spent years helping franchise owners grow their businesses, building systems and shaping strategy from the home office. But in 2024, she decided to take on a new challenge — purchasing her own franchise in&nbsp;<a href="https://uwrgportstluciefl.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=how-a-new-franchise-owner-elevated-her-business-to-a-record-breaking-year-while-working-full-time-2730226" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Port St. Lucie, Florida</a>. Less than a year later, Gregory turned that location into a record-breaking performer, earning the Inspire Award at the 2025 conference.“I love my role at UWRG and the chance to work alongside franchise owners to help them grow,” Gregory said. “Becoming a franchisee myself just felt like a natural next step. With my background in operations, I knew I could take what I’ve been building at the corporate level and apply it directly to the Port St. Lucie location.”<h2>Taking Over an Existing Business</h2>Gregory bought the location with the intention of running it as a semi-absentee owner while keeping her operations leadership role at the UWRG’s home office. “It was very much an owner-operated location that relied on the owner for a lot of tasks, and to take the business to the next level, it really needed to be a place that could run on its own,” she said.As a critical next step, she hired a general manager, a marketer and a technician to fill key positions and heavily invested in both community outreach and digital marketing. As boots-on-the-ground marketing developed, these efforts revealed a need to focus on building strong relationships with local contracting partners. Gregory also put significant capital into strengthening the location’s online presence, leading to strong gains in just six months.<h2>Setting a New Standard</h2>For Gregory, turning the Port St. Lucie UWRG into a top performing location in the franchise, meant empowering her team to lead with confidence and authority. She shared a bigger vision for what the business could achieve, encouraging her team to set ambitious goals and own their results.&nbsp;“From the very beginning, we discussed what my vision for this company was, which really kind of fed into everybody that works there,” she said. “We opened up everybody's mind to the fact that there are no limits to this, and together, we could build something truly powerful.”She also gave her employees space to make decisions without stepping in to control every outcome. The result was a culture where team members felt empowered to exceed expectations and take responsibility for the location’s success.Owning her own location also gave her a chance to test the very systems she was responsible for rolling out at the franchisor level. She viewed it as both a personal challenge and an opportunity to strengthen the brand.&nbsp;“Becoming a UWRG franchisee has given me and the franchise support team incredible insight into what we are rolling out as a franchisor and how our franchisees are operating,” Gregory said. “Being able to leverage my own experience as a franchisee has led to asking key questions like: Is the process feasible? Is it working? Is it keeping up with the times? All of the insights we’re gleaning are truly impacting how we grow and develop an operations and support model for the entire system.”<h2>Numbers With Meaning</h2>The record breaking business growth didn’t happen by accident. Gregory brought focus, structure and a strong financial drive to the role. She maintained a consistent development schedule with her team despite her corporate job, spending four to five hours a week coaching them to operate independently.“I'm most proud of putting a team together that operates for the most part without me; that’s not easy to do. Everybody that was with the Port St. Lucie office when I purchased it still works there,” she said, noting that revenue growth came from the same staff who were there before she took over.That commitment to empowering her team and driving measurable results is exactly why Gregory was honored with UWRG’s Inspire Award in 2025. The award isn’t about being the biggest operation — it recognizes franchisees who raise the bar for their teams and for the system as a whole.In less than a year, what started as an average-performing location, became one of the network’s fastest turnarounds, proving that with the right leadership and systems in place, extraordinary growth is possible.<h2>Lessons for Future Franchise Owners</h2>Gregory’s success shows that it is possible to run a semi-absentee franchise, but only with the right approach. Her results came from being hyper-focused on building and coaching a strong team, and following the operational playbook that UWRG has spent nearly two decades developing.For entrepreneurs considering ownership while balancing another career, Gregory’s first year proves that with the right structure and commitment, the model can thrive.&nbsp;To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/unitedwaterrestoration.">https://1851franchise.com/unitedwaterrestoration.</a>&nbsp;

How a New Franchise Owner Elevated Her Business to a Record-Breaking Year — While Working Full-Time

How Chrissy Gregory Turned UWRG Port St. Lucie Into a Top Performer

1851 Franchise

Chrissy Gregory of United Water Restoration Group in Port St. Lucie, Florida, earned the brand’s Inspire Award for redefining ownership, effort and what’s possible in year one.

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<a href="https://uwrgfranchise.com/">United Water Restoration Group</a> ended a strong year on solid footing. The brand expanded its footprint in California and the Midwest, adopted new technology and continued supporting local franchise owners while laying the foundation for a momentous 2026.&nbsp;The launch of a digital marketing dashboard as well as a financial benchmarking platform delivered measurable results in 2025, setting the table for a tech-driven, highly supported franchise system heading into the new year.&nbsp;“Overall, it was a strong year,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/unitedwaterrestoration/info">UWRG</a> President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-moore/">Bob Moore</a>. “We added a number of locations, and they’re opening stronger than in the past, which creates significant opportunity moving forward.”<h2>Expanding the Footprint: Midwest Strengthens, California Grows</h2>2025 growth wasn’t focused in a single region, with UWRG focusing on California, the Northeast and Midwest as specific areas of attention this year.A franchise thrives when a strong, dependable system is in place, driven by franchisor support. That support is a priority for UWRG as the new year nears, with a goal of allocating more time to each operator thanks to the promotion of a new franchise business coach.“We’re excited about 2026. We just had an internal promotion for someone to become a franchise business coach. We only had one before, and his time was getting stretched thin as we added more locations. He’s going from trying to support 40-plus locations down to 20. And the other coach will have 20 as well. So, each franchise owner will get a lot more individual attention,” Moore said. “We have a regimented program of what they’ll cover on each monthly visit: basics of the business, reviewing the P&amp;L to ensure we’re on the right track for good financial health, key metrics, people and any other open items.”<h2>New Tools Roll Out: Dashboards and Benchmarking</h2>2025 also marked a significant step forward in terms of system technology. UWRG launched a digital marketing dashboard early in 2025, delivering franchise owners a centralized view of critical metrics, as well as a new financial benchmarking platform.&nbsp;The impact was measurable, delivering consolidation which rendered simpler, more consistent performance management.&nbsp;“The digital marketing dashboards were a huge hit. They put all the digital metrics in one place for our franchises. And even though the industry’s been flat, we did see a jump in our digital leads this year. I think that was attributable to the dashboard and our franchises getting better at managing that part of their business,” Moore said. “The financial performance platform took a while to calibrate. We have that in place now and franchises can take a quick look at their P&amp;L. And with the franchise business coaches making it the first thing we cover in every monthly meeting, it puts front and center our goal: to have healthy, profitable franchises. That’s how we start every meeting.”<h2>A New Job Software Platform—and More AI Ahead</h2>2026 will mark a full transition to Albiware, a new job-management platform that aligns more closely with modern user expectations. UWRG is also continually navigating the brisk onset of tech, further exploring how artificial intelligence can help streamline operations.&nbsp;“We are looking to see how we can leverage AI in our platforms. We’re excited that some of the platforms in our tech stack available to franchises already have that built in,” Moore said. “I think we made some smart choices in terms of partners. We’re excited about that and about other ways we can leverage technology to work more efficiently and stay a step ahead.”<h2>Stronger Foundations, Bigger Opportunities Ahead</h2>While 2025 proved to be a challenging year in the restoration services sector, UWRG persevered. Focused expansion drove growth in California, the Northeast and Midwest while the roll out of new dashboards and financial benchmarking delivered concrete results, shining a light toward a 2026 where further utilization of tech and even greater support of franchise owners will be significant UWRG hallmarks.“We strengthened our footprint in the Midwest with three more locations in Ohio and Michigan. That’s exciting. We have two more franchises coming on board in California. And we’re continuing to get a lot of interest there. Obviously, that’s a huge state, so there’s a lot of opportunity,” Moore said. “I’m excited for our franchises and the support they will receive in 2026 based on the additional investment we made in personnel.”To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/unitedwaterrestoration">https://1851franchise.com/unitedwaterrestoration</a>.About United Water Restoration GroupSince 2008, United Water Restoration Group (UWRG) has helped thousands of home and business owners restore properties to pre-loss condition. Through a commitment to excellence and a focus on personal attention, clients’ expectations are exceeded every time, without exception. Today, with a philosophy of hiring the best staff to provide professional restoration services, UWRG has grown to more than 50 locations and maintains a level of customer service rarely seen in the industry. Although UWRG assists those experiencing disasters, this growing, recession-proof industry is also supported by fundamental infrastructure issues like aging systems and reconstruction.&nbsp;The initial investment to open and begin operation ranges from $300,000 - $700,000. For more information on franchising, visit https://uwrgfranchise.com/investment-opportunities/

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Bob Moore, president of United Water Restoration Group, details 2025 franchise growth, new locations, digital tools and expanded coaching, setting up stronger support and innovation for 2026.

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Success in the restoration industry requires more than just technical skill. At&nbsp;<a href="https://uwrgfranchise.com/">United Water Restoration Group</a>, a franchise owner’s ability to combine leadership, problem-solving and a genuine desire to help clients can make all the difference between a thriving business and one that struggles.&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/unitedwaterrestoration/info">UWRG</a> has built a reputation by partnering with franchise owners at the local level who share its commitment to excellence, integrity and community impact. In doing so, the franchisor has built a system where motivated entrepreneurs can grow recession-resistant businesses while making a tangible difference in their communities.Resourcefulness sits near the top of the list of qualities UWRG looks for in potential franchise owners. Franchise owners encounter unpredictable situations on a daily basis. From water damage emergencies to scheduling crises, the key is often to expect the unexpected. As a result, the best operators are those who can navigate stressful challenges creatively without losing their composure.&nbsp;“As a small business owner, you’re hit with lots of problems. Sometimes a bunch in a row,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-moore/">Bob Moore</a>, president of UWRG. “Your ability to be resourceful, find creative solutions, keep your head up and keep moving forward is huge.”&nbsp;<h2>Leadership and the Ability to Scale</h2>Organization and leadership skills are both critical when it comes to scaling franchise operations. In the earliest days of any business, franchise owners tend to handle a lot of different business elements themselves. From marketing and sales to hands-on restoration work, it’s important to wear a lot of hats because growth requires the ability to recruit, train and motivate team members.&nbsp;“Part of it is being able to sell people on the vision,” Moore said. “‘We’re small now. But we’re going to build a much larger organization. So, come along for the journey. Because there’s opportunity for growth and advancement.’”<h2>A Service-Focused Mindset</h2>Founded in 2008, UWRG has built and tweaked its system and model for nearly two decades. At the heart of that model lies one very simple but crucial element: service.&nbsp;Most of its work involves residential properties, so customers are often dealing with one of the most stressful moments of their lives. A successful franchise owner needs to approach those situations with a service-oriented mindset. In these moments, it’s important to try to view revenue as the byproduct of genuinely helping people restore their homes.&nbsp;“For most people, the home is the largest investment they’ve made. So, when something bad happens, they call us,” Moore said. “Our top franchise owners can sense that and want to help people feel whole again. They want to help them restore that large investment.”<h2>Coachable and Open to Innovation</h2>Being coachable and willing to learn from corporate training, peers and the franchise system itself sets high-performing franchise owners apart. By adopting best practices and exploring new tools, including emerging technologies like AI, even those with industry experience can benefit. An openness to continually improving can help franchise operators at the local level stay competitive while contributing innovative ideas more broadly.UWRG encourages franchise owners to innovate within the framework of national branding and operational guidelines. Creative problem-solving is valued and often adopted systemwide when proven effective.&nbsp;Franchise owners who can balance adherence to the brand with thoughtful innovation can help shape the way the business operates regardless of market.<h2>Prepare for a Challenge</h2>Getting any new business off the ground can be a challenge, especially early on. As with most new businesses, running a UWRG franchise can be demanding. Emergency services operate around the clock, requiring both flexibility and commitment. Therefore, research and preparation are essential for anyone considering joining the network. But the UWRG franchise model offers a unique advantage: the independence of entrepreneurship paired with extensive support.“Over time, it gets easier and better,” Moore said. “But it requires a fair amount of work in the beginning.”<h2>The Franchise Owner Who Thrives</h2>The combination of resourcefulness, leadership, empathy and a willingness to learn defines the type of entrepreneur who will thrive within United Water Restoration Group. For those ready to embrace the challenges and rewards of the restoration business, the franchisor offers a proven system ready to help build a resilient, service-oriented business capable of making a meaningful impact at the local level.“Success lies on the other side of hard work, determination and consistent effort toward a clear goal,” Moore said. “I love the franchise business model. You can be in business&nbsp;for&nbsp;yourself, but not&nbsp;by&nbsp;yourself. You always have support and you always have someone you can call for advice or solutions to a problem.”To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/unitedwaterrestoration">https://1851franchise.com/unitedwaterrestoration</a>.About United Water Restoration GroupSince 2008, United Water Restoration Group (UWRG) has helped thousands of home and business owners restore properties to pre-loss condition. Through a commitment to excellence and a focus on personal attention, clients’ expectations are exceeded every time, without exception. Today, with a philosophy of hiring the best staff to provide professional restoration services, UWRG has grown to more than 50 locations and maintains a level of customer service rarely seen in the industry. Although UWRG assists those experiencing disasters, this growing, recession-proof industry is also supported by fundamental infrastructure issues like aging systems and reconstruction.&nbsp;The initial investment to open and begin operation ranges from $300,000 to $700,000. For more information on franchising, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://uwrgfranchise.com/investment-opportunities/">https://uwrgfranchise.com/investment-opportunities/</a>.

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Restoration takes a particular mindset. United Water Restoration Group President Bob Moore shares key qualities franchise owners need to thrive in a service-focused, high-demand restoration industry.

What It Takes to Succeed: Top Qualities United Water Restoration Group Looks for in Franchise Owners

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How a New Franchise Owner Elevated Her Business to a Record-Breaking Year — While Working Full-Time

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