School of Rock’s Bob Jones was honored by franchise research firm, Franchise Business Review, as one of 2025’s Franchise Rock Stars. Jones was selected from hundreds of nominations from brands that participated in Franchise Business Review’s franchisee satisfaction research.
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 included: 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. Each franchisee brings unique abilities, values, and skills to their franchise brand,” said Eric Stites, founder & CEO of Franchise Business Review. “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.”
From teacher to multi-franchise owner
Bob Jones began his journey with School of Rock over a decade ago as an instructor at the School of Rock location in New York City. Through a combination of leadership, dedication, ambition, and sharp business sense, he rose to the role of General Manager. Under his guidance, the school experienced its highest student enrollment and revenue in years, and customer satisfaction reached an all-time high.
Bob had grander aspirations and set his bar for success even higher. He had innovative ideas and system best practices he wanted to implement, which were often challenging to execute without being an owner of the business, and without having final say in crucial business decisions. The school’s performance, while a significant improvement from the previous few years, still ranked in the bottom 25% of all domestic franchise locations via comparative qualitative and quantitative data in performance and purpose. The owners formally requested to open a second location in the city with Bob as part owner, however, they were denied because of their ranking. This decision was disappointing and very difficult, and the after-effect could have been devastating and demotivating.
GROWING THROUGH THE CHALLENGES
This situation galvanized Bob, who methodically went to work on improving all his metrics in the areas that he could influence. Around the same time, an opportunity to make an even more substantial impact came in late 2022. The Franchise Agreement for the NYC school was expiring, and it was time to renew. With that renewal, a couple of partners were bought out and Bob was brought into the ownership group. Bob officially became an owner in September of 2022.
The changes in the few months leading up to the renewal and immediately afterward were stunning.
Led by Bob’s renewed energy and passion fueled by his entrepreneurial drive and true ownership in the business, Bob helped turn the NYC school from ranking in the bottom 25% of all domestic franchise locations into one of the top-performing School of Rock franchises in the country in 2023. 
They received the prestigious School of Rock “Headliner” Award, for being a top 25% performing school for all four quarters in 2023. They experienced over 30% revenue growth in Bob’s first year as owner, as well as smashing their highest student count records and keeping students enrolled throughout the summer (NYC’s enrollment notoriously drops to almost zero in the summer with customers traveling and leaving the city for the season). Bob’s success led him to being approved for growth, and in 2024, he purchased the School of Rock location in Brooklyn. After relocating the school and rebuilding the broken culture, School of Rock Brooklyn’s revenue is, at the time of this article, a whopping 28% up over last year, and improving each month.
A True School of Rock Rockstar
We are proud to congratulate Bob for the “Millennials” Rock Star Award. Bob exemplifies a level of business acumen and maturity that is rare for someone his age within our system. As a multi-unit owner, Bob has achieved impressive success by remaining curious, seeking out mentorship and training when needed, and fully committing himself to the School of Rock mission and the communities he serves.
His growth, both personally and professionally, is a testament to his drive and dedication. Bob is one of the most successful and committed young owners in the School of Rock network, and we believe he is truly deserving of this recognition.
