Red Roof has added more than 40 women and representatives of underserved markets to its ownership ranks since launching its RIDE with Red Roof initiative and rebranding its SHE program in July 2023.
In 2025, the RIDE program added six new participants, referred to as “Riders,” who are pursuing hotel ownership across various stages of development. The program provides exposure to core aspects of hotel ownership, including financing, development and conversion processes, according to the Columbus, Ohio-based franchisor.
“Since launching RIDE, Red Roof has bolstered its base of women and minority franchise owners, with no signs of slowing down,” Lina Patel, director of strategic franchise initiatives, Red Roof, said in a statement. “Our next objective is to help our franchisees become multi-unit owners, helping them expand access to new opportunities and establish generational wealth. This is just the beginning of RIDE’s path to growing hotel ownership, and we are excited by the ground we have already covered and the new owners we are yet to meet.”
Jaya Desai—a multi-unit owner and operator of HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof and Red Roof PLUS+ properties in Huntsville, Ala.—said that the company’s platform has supported her expansion.
“Red Roof has been a fantastic partner that has proven its worth time and again. Red Roof’s reliability and consistency are reasons why I have expanded my ownership goals to include additional hotel investments,” she noted.
RIDE was introduced to provide access to industry networks, education, capital sources and vendor relationships for women and underserved populations seeking entry into hotel ownership. The SHE program focuses on professional development resources for women working across the hospitality sector.
As part of its support structure, Red Roof partnered with Bridge—a digital financing platform that connects borrowers with a network of more than 150 lenders—allowing franchisees and developers to pursue loan opportunities.