VAN HORN, TX - October 22, 2025 - On a clear West Texas morning, Jeff Elgin, founder and CEO of FranChoice, soared into history and space. As a member of the NS-36 crew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, Elgin became the 718th person to cross the Kármán line — the internationally recognized boundary of space — fulfilling a promise he made to himself as a wide-eyed 9-year-old in 1961.
“I turned to my mother and said, ‘I’m gonna do that someday,’” Elgin recalls, after watching Alan Shepard’s trailblazing spaceflight on television. “It took a lot longer than I thought it would, but I never let go of the dream.”
That dream came full circle at 09:40 a.m. ET on October 8th. Launching from Blue Origin’s Launch Site One near Van Horn, Elgin, and five crewmates — Danna Karagussova, Clint Kelly III, Will Lewis, Aaron Newman, and Vitalii Ostrovsky — ascended 66 miles (107 km) above Earth, breaching the edge of space for a few moments of awe-inspiring weightlessness and panoramic views.
More Than a Milestone — A Mirror of Mission
For Elgin, the journey was not just a personal milestone, but a cosmic metaphor for the work he’s done at FranChoice, the franchise consulting company he founded 25 years ago.
“Helping people realize their dreams — that’s what this flight was about. And that’s what FranChoice has always been about,” Elgin says. “Whether it’s a candidate finding the right franchise, a consultant guiding them, or our internal team making it all happen — my mission has always been to help people live the life they’ve imagined.”
Since its founding, FranChoice has helped over 500,000 people explore franchise ownership — a number Elgin views with the same reverence as his journey to space: “It’s a dream come true. Both of them.”
Floating in Wonder — and Reflecting on Possibility
During the mission, which lasted just over 10 minutes, Elgin was struck by the crisp delineation between Earth’s atmosphere and the blackness of space — and the unexpected clarity of the Moon, visible during daylight. “I’d dreamed of this moment for over five decades,” he says, “and yet it still overwhelmed me. It exceeded anything I imagined.”
The New Shepard mission, which included extensive safety training in Van Horn, was carried out flawlessly. The rocket’s booster returned for a powered landing after 8 minutes, followed by the capsule's gentle parachute-assisted touchdown.
Notably, the NS-36 mission also marked the second trip to space for fellow passenger Clint Kelly III, a pioneer in robotics and computer science.
Lessons From Liftoff: Dream Bigger, Aim Higher
Elgin’s takeaway? “Set goals so big they feel impossible,” he urges. “Because even if you fall short, what you accomplish will still be extraordinary.”
That mindset has driven FranChoice from inception to influence — empowering thousands to chart their own entrepreneurial course. “Too often, people let practicality shrink their vision,” Elgin says. “But if you dare to dream — really dream — the results can be out of this world.”
About FranChoice and Jeff Elgin
Founded in 2000 by Jeff Elgin, FranChoice is the premier U.S. network of franchise referral consultants. Through its complimentary, candidate-first process, FranChoice matches aspiring business owners with franchise opportunities that align with their goals, experience, and investment level — without charging them a dime. The firm’s proprietary Candidate Development Process saves candidates time and confusion by curating high-fit matches from a rigorously prescreened franchise network.
Elgin brings decades of franchise experience to his role. Before FranChoice, he served as Vice President of Franchise Development for Great Clips, helping grow the company by over 1,000 units. He also held executive roles with Figaros Italian Pizza and National Video, and was a successful franchise owner himself. A nationally recognized thought leader in franchise growth strategy, Elgin has served on multiple international franchise boards and speaks regularly at industry events.
Learn More
Discover Jeff Elgin’s full journey and behind-the-scenes footage from training to touchdown on our exclusive page here.
Media Contact
Company Name: FranChoice
Contact Person: FranChoice Communications Team
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: https://www.franchoice.com/
