Breaking into Business Brokerage: How Women are Redefining a Traditionally Male-Dominated Industry

 We Sell Restaurants' "WOW" Network Highlights Nearly Double the Industry Average of Women in Business Brokerage

PALM COAST, Fla., March 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As more women pursue entrepreneurship and business ownership, some industries are seeing faster progress than others. In business brokerage, a field critical to helping entrepreneurs buy and sell businesses, women still represent just 17% of professionals, underscoring a long-standing gender gap.

At We Sell Restaurants, that dynamic is beginning to shift. Nearly 32% of the nation's largest restaurant brokerage franchise territories are now owned by women or women-led partnerships. The company is supporting this growth through its expanding network, WOW: Women of We Sell Restaurants.

"Business brokerage hasn't always been an industry where women were well represented," said Robin Gagnon, Co-Founder and CEO of We Sell Restaurants. "What we are seeing now is more women stepping into ownership, building multi-unit businesses, and proving that success in this field comes down to expertise and execution."

The "WOW" network reflects a broader shift in how women are entering entrepreneurship-often through non-traditional paths with diverse professional backgrounds. The result is a growing community of women who are not only participating in business brokerage but actively reshaping it.

This momentum is not happening by chance, it starts at the top with woman in charge. Co-Founder and CEO, Robin Gagnon has helped shape both the brand and the franchising and business brokerage industry by building a model where performance and opportunity, rather than background, define success. A recognized leader in franchising, Gagnon serves on the Board of Directors for the International Franchise Association where she has held key roles including Chair of the Women's Franchise Committee and was Chair of the Franchisor Forum. She is also the recipient of the Crystal Compass Award, recognizing individuals who have made a lasting impact on the industry.

Women to Watch: Turning Opportunity into Ownership:
Across the We Sell Restaurants system, WOW members are translating opportunity into measurable success.

• Brittney Gates has grown from an administrative role into a multi-unit owner and one of the brand's top-performing franchisees.
• Debra and Samantha Sawyer, a mother-daughter team, have built a multi-unit ownership footprint and recently closed a seven-figure deal demonstrating the potential for long-term generational wealth.
• Allison Gregory, expanded to a second territory within her first year while stepping into leadership roles with the broader brokerage community such as the Colorado Association of Business Broker Intermediaries and speaking roles with the International Business Brokers Association.
• Andrea Szabo is helping drive the brand's expansion into Maryland.

"I started behind the scenes, learning how the business worked day by day," said Brittney Gates, Multi-unit franchise owner of We Sell Restaurants. "That experience gave me the confidence to step into ownership, and now I'm building something I never would have imagined at the start."

According to We Sell Restaurants 2025 FDD Item 19, franchisees earned $263,253 in gross commission income, and more than 50% of all franchisees brokered more than one-million-dollars in sales.*

For more information on franchise opportunities, visit www.wesellrestaurants.com/franchise.

About We Sell Restaurants  

We Sell Restaurants is the nation's largest business broker franchise focused exclusively on the sale of restaurants, with 20 years of experience in helping buy, sell and lease hospitality locations. With 1,375 active listings, We Sell Restaurants and its franchisees have sold thousands of restaurants across the country and maintain a listing inventory of nearly $600 million online at their powerhouse restaurant for sale marketplace, including independent and restaurant franchises for sale. We Sell Restaurants is offering franchise opportunities for their brand in select market areas. For more information, visit www.wesellrestaurants.com.  

*This information appears in Item 19 of our current FDD – please refer to our FDD for complete information on financial performance. Results may differ. There is no assurance that any franchisee will perform as well. 

Media Contact: Jessica Cahill, Fishman Public Relations, (847) 945-1300, [email protected]

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SOURCE We Sell Restaurants