Express Employment Professionals Finds Success in Florida

Florida's growing business community and diverse employment needs have created opportunities for Express Employment Professionals franchise owners across the state. From Tampa Bay to Southwest Florida and the Panhandle, owners are expanding their businesses by building relationships with local employers, helping job seekers find work and taking advantage of the resources available through the franchise system.

Three Florida franchise owners — Eilish Bel, Tom Jobin and Melissa Speaker — have taken different routes to ownership, but each has experienced significant milestones while serving their respective communities. Their experiences demonstrate how Express’ locally owned business model can succeed in both established and developing markets.

Finding Opportunity in Florida's Growing Business Community

Opening an Express franchise in the Tampa Bay area offered Bel an opportunity to become a business owner without having to develop a business model from scratch. Bel had two friends who owned successful Express franchises in other states, giving her firsthand insight into the opportunity. Having lived in the Tampa area for nearly 20 years, she also recognized the potential in a state attracting new residents and businesses.

"I've always wanted to do something, but I'm not the creative type or the reinvent-the-wheel type," Bel said. “So, the franchise model is a good way for me.”

Since opening in May 2025, Bel has achieved several of the company's FastTrack performance milestones, including Double FastTrack recognition, which she earned by billing 16 clients in a single week and generating $65,000 in gross margin within her first 26 weeks of operation, allowing her to recoup 100% of her initial franchise fee.

Her next goal is to reach 50 clients billed in a single week while continuing to establish her business throughout the Tampa Bay market. Bel credits much of her early progress to maintaining direct relationships with business owners and making herself available when clients need assistance.

"Any business owner or client of mine knows they can call my cell phone 24/7," Bel said. “I'm always reachable. I'm happy to intervene if there's any issue.”

She believes Florida remains an attractive market for entrepreneurs because of its population growth, business activity and opportunities in major metropolitan areas.

Building on Decades of Success in Southwest Florida

Jobin's experience with Express dates back more than two decades. His parents opened the Fort Myers franchise in 1999 after relocating to be closer to family. Jobin joined the business several years later, working in recruiting, sales and management before purchasing the franchise from his parents in 2019.

Under his ownership, the Fort Myers office has achieved some of its strongest financial results. Jobin helped the business reach Gold status in Express' Circle of Excellence program for the first time and has since achieved Platinum status twice.

Express recognizes offices through its Circle of Excellence program based on their annual gross margins. Jobin said offices must generate $4 million in annual gross margin to reach Platinum status.

“When I bought the business in 2019, we were averaging about $1.8 million to $1.9 million in gross margin annually,” Jobin said. “My biggest accomplishment has been essentially doubling the size of the business.”

Jobin expanded his operations in 2026 by purchasing the neighboring Naples territory. The acquisition allows him to serve businesses and job seekers across two connected markets in Southwest Florida.

Despite the financial achievements, Jobin believes the foundation of his success is treating employers and job seekers as equally important.

“I think it comes down to having genuine conversations with people rather than just trying to sell something,” Jobin said. “That includes both the companies we're trying to bring on as clients and the people we're helping find jobs. In our office, we treat both as equally important. I think that's a big part of being successful because, in staffing, there's often a tendency to make the client the number one priority.”

Jobin also sees opportunities as technology changes the staffing industry. While artificial intelligence may affect certain administrative positions, he expects businesses to continue needing workers in skilled trades and other hands-on occupations.

A New Chapter of Growth in Pensacola

Speaker purchased the Pensacola Express office in 2026 after working there for 14 years. Before joining Express, she spent nearly seven years with another staffing agency. She had always wanted to own a business, and when the opportunity came to buy the office from its longtime owner, she was ready. The purchase also allowed the previous owner to retire after 25 years with Express.

"When I was little, I always said I would own my own business," Speaker said. “I knew that I had the chance with Express to make my dreams come true.”

The transition has brought impressive results. During her September interview, Speaker reported that the Pensacola office was up 58% over the previous year and was on pace to achieve its highest gross margin in its 25-year history.

“We're going to go from a Bronze office to a Gold office, and the goal is to sustain that and keep it at Gold,” Speaker said. “The team that I have now, that's what they want. They want that consistency. They want to be Gold and above because they're just as motivated as I am.”

According to Speaker, Florida has a wide range of industries that need staffing services. Industrial staffing currently makes up a majority of her Pensacola office's business, but she believes there's room to grow in other areas, including professional services and healthcare.

Community involvement is another major priority. Speaker has spent years volunteering with local nonprofit organizations and now uses her position as an owner to involve her employees and provide discounted staffing services to nonprofit partners.

Her commitment is personal. Growing up in a family that struggled financially, Speaker understands the difference steady employment can make.

“I've volunteered with just about every nonprofit you can think of, so I've already established myself in the community,” Speaker said. “Now, as an owner, I can donate more money and get my team involved. We partner with nonprofits as volunteers, and when they use our services, we give them a discount. We always put their needs before our own.”

Local Ownership Backed by National Resources

Although the three owners serve different Florida markets, they agree that Express' combination of local ownership and corporate support has contributed to their success.

"I don't know how I could do this if it was just by myself," Jobin said. “I can call anybody in the system and say, 'Hey, I'm struggling here. What should I be doing or what can I do differently?'”

The franchise owners benefit from the company's Oklahoma City-based assistance center, support from their Corporate Developer and marketing resources. They appreciate having experienced professionals available when they encounter unfamiliar situations or need guidance, including other franchise owners throughout the state.

"In Florida, we call ourselves Florida Strong," Speaker said. “We don't really operate as individual offices. We kind of treat it as one office in one state.”

The owners also believe the franchise model provides an advantage over staffing companies that operate primarily through corporate-managed branches. With their own reputations and investments tied to their businesses, franchise owners have a personal incentive to deliver reliable service and maintain long-term relationships.

"We're not just a corporate staffing company that's here to send anybody," Bel said. "We all have local offices in our territory. We meet everybody in person."

Continued Opportunities for Growth Across Florida

Each owner has ambitious plans for the future. Bel wants to continue increasing her client base in Tampa Bay. Jobin is focused on serving his expanded Southwest Florida territory and adapting to changes in the workforce, while Speaker hopes to establish consistent Gold-level performance in Pensacola.

Their achievements also illustrate the different opportunities available within the Express system. Bel is building a relatively new business, Jobin has expanded a family-owned operation into a second territory, and Speaker has taken ownership of an established office and accelerated its growth.

All three owners credit their progress to staying involved in their businesses, getting to know local employers and job seekers and using the support available through Express.

For more information on buying an Express Employment Professionals franchise, please visit *