Empower Brands, a world-class franchising portfolio consisting of industry-leading residential and commercial service providers, announced today that FRSTeam by Dryy NOVA owner Ken Sandy has been selected by Franchise Business Review, a franchise research firm, as one of its Franchise Rock Stars of 2025.

FRSTeam, a leader in the restoration of fabrics and electronics, is one of Empower Brands’ industry-leading commercial and residential service providers. The Ashburn location began as a Dryy Garment Care of Northern Virginia, but converted to a FRSTeam franchise partner in 2021.

“When you hear the term ‘franchise rock star,’ Ken Sandy certainly springs to mind,” Empower Brands CEO Scott Zide said. “Ken has made a real impact on both the FRSTeam franchise and his community. By leading with empathy and compassion, Ken has developed strong bonds in his service area that have contributed to his success and made him a pillar of the community. Empower Brands is honored to have Ken as part of our franchise family.”

Sandy said he chose to join FRSTeam because of the brand’s strong core values, authentic leadership and commitment to the communities it serves.

“From the first day that I joined Empower Brands and their FRSTeam brand, I felt like I belonged,” Sandy said. "When we began looking to convert our business into a franchise, we weren’t looking for the flashiest brand. We wanted to join a team with genuine grit, and FRSTeam showed us they do the work. We knew right away they were the right choice because of our mutual alignment.” 

The Franchise Rock Stars were nominated by their franchise brand’s leadership in one of eight categories as franchisees who set admirable examples when it comes to leadership, business acumen, financial and professional success, and contributing to their community. Categories include Giving Back, Women, Millennials, Veterans, Family-Owned, “Freshmen,” Top Performers and Multi-Unit Owners.

“There are so many stories of inspiring franchise owners who are living their dreams of successful business ownership,” said Eric Stites, founder and CEO of Franchise Business Review. “Each franchisee brings unique abilities, values and skills to their franchise brand. We’ve seen that most successful franchise owners demonstrate an incredibly strong work ethic, a deep passion for their businesses and a real commitment to their communities. Our Franchise Rock Star Awards are for those who truly go above and beyond in some special way. We’re thrilled to recognize these Rock Stars as exceptional examples of achieving success within the franchise model.” 

FRSTeam Brand President Holly Murry said that Sandy is the epitome of a rock star franchisee and proves it daily with his commitment to his FRSTeam location and to his neighbors.

“Ken has the raw, grassroots energy that embodies FRSTeam’s commitment to leading your business with heart,” Murry said. “His Dryy Run 5K continues to raise money for local causes, people and programs that need support. He is not only there for his customers, he’s there for his entire community.”

The Dryy Run 5k is an annual marathon that raises funds for local causes. The marathon started in 2021 and has provided funding for the KidOvation Stage Scholarship Fund; the Empower, Value, Overcome, Learn, Venture and Excel (E.V.O.L.V.E) Foundation; and local opportunities like buying football cleats for high school girls in the District of Columbia Public Schools system.

For more information about Empower Brands, visit https://empowerfranchising.com/ or call (804) 353-6999. For more information about FRSTeam, visit https://frsteam.com/ or to contact the Ashburn location, call (202) 599-9090 or visit them at 44710 Cape Court, Unit 136.

About Empower Brands

Empower Brands is an award-winning franchise platform consisting of industry-leading commercial and residential service providers across North America. Empower Brands include: Archadeck Outdoor Living, Bumble Roofing, Canopy Lawn Care, Conserva Irrigation, FRSTeam, Jan Pro Systems International, Koala Insulation, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives, Superior Fence & Rail, and Wallaby Windows. At Empower Brands, our passion is to champion the success of our franchisees. For more information about Empower Brands, visit https://empowerfranchising.com/.

About FRSTeam

Founded in 1988, FRSTeam has long been a leader in the restoration of fabrics and electronics, helping families and businesses recover from disasters such as smoke, fire, water, and mold by bringing a personalized and efficient service to everyone involved in the claims process. Many of FRSTeam's franchise operators have 20 or 30 years of experience in the fabric and electronics restoration industry. Today, the FRSTeam franchise system extends nationwide with over 40 franchise territories and 10 company operated locations. FRSTeam will manage over 13,000 jobs through its local referral sources and national agreements with major insurance providers. This is done through FRSTeam operators in all 48 continental states and Ontario, Canada.

About Franchise Business Review

Franchise Business Review (FBR) is a leading market research firm serving the franchise sector. FBR measures the satisfaction and engagement of franchisees and franchise employees and publishes various guides and reports for entrepreneurs considering an investment in a franchise business. Since 2005, FBR has surveyed hundreds of thousands of franchise owners and over 1,300 leading franchise companies. FBR publishes free and unbiased franchisee satisfaction research reports throughout the year online at http://www.FranchiseBusinessReview.com. To read our publications, visit https://franchisebusinessreview.com/page/publications/.